Three Most Important Academic
Skills
• Information Literacy
o Referencing
o Finding Information
o Evaluating Information
• How to write for different audiences
o Essays
o Lab Reports
• Problem Solving
o
o
Application of IT
Knowing where to get help
Information Literacy
• Different skills at different levels
o Expectations of first year differ to expectations of 3rd
year
• Approaches to learning impact on IL required
• Context specific
• Library MOLE tutorials
• ELTC & WAS
• Embed into course – Greater buy-in from academics
Writing for different audiences
•
•
•
•
Very subject specific
Department specific
Complexity increases with level
“I’ve never been taught how to write a lab
report”
• Clearer expectations & guidance
Problem Solving
• Subject specific
• Complexity increases with level
• May involve group work
o
Different types of assessment?
• Support from department
• Clearer expectations
3 important academic skills for
independent learning
Support and development
Discipline / Motivation /
Reflection / Self aware
Analysing and evaluating
(making judgements)
• exploring texts/reading
How to find/locate resources /
Time management /
Strategic learning /
Note-taking
Subject-specific
Three most important
academic skills
Reflection, Resourcefulness,
Communication… some
unfinished thoughts…
Reflection
• Generic to all levels/subjects/learning
styles
• Supported already
 Generally: PDP, personal tutorials
 Subject specific: e.g. education/medicine/vocation
subjects/…
• Enhance: encourage to keep learning
journal…
Resourcefulness
• Generic to all levels/subjects/learning
styles
• Supported already
 library paper based and on-line material, dyslexia learning
material, ELTC WAS, MOLE vle
 Dept. specific: guidance on finding resources for learning
or research
• Enhance -> incorporating research skills
as part of course
Communication
• Generic to all levels/subjects/learning
styles
• Supported already
 dyslexia guidance, ELTC services, MASH
 Dept. specific: guidance on oral and written presentation
skills (sometimes specific modules), opportunities to
practise
• Enhanced: getting students on board –
assess??
TASH
The Meta-Skills Approach
• Academic Skills
• Personal Skills
• Communication Skills
Academic Skills
•
•
•
•
Analysis
Research
Synthesis
Support
o
Through courses and contact with staff
• Enhance
o
Move from learn-by-error to tuition
Personal Skills
•
•
•
•
Time management
Confidence
Self-organisation
Support
o
o
Haphazard
Needed from Level 1 – comprehended from Level 3
• Enhance
o
o
Provide opportunities
Personal tutor
Communication Skills
•
•
•
•
Written language
Presentations
Groupwork
Support
o
Variable by department
• Enhance
o
Through link to existing material
One way of summarising all of this
1. Communication skills - writing
2. Communication skills - other forms of communication
(presentation, multimedia work, online literacies)
3. Problem-solving and working with data
4. Reflection - being aware of where you are, and where you
need to be
5. Academic literacy - referencing, time management, induction
and awareness of changes at different levels
6. (Inter)personal skills - groupwork,self-organisation, selfmotivation
7. Analytical skills