Study Skills Support: Where are we now? What should we aim for?

1. Study Skills Support:Where are we now?What should we aim for? Margaret March The University Library Karen Burton Study Support Service Student Services

2. Why this topic? • External and Internal drivers: • Student/applicant expectations – NUS • Improving student experience and success • LTA strategy • Employability • Need to ‘do more’: • But what will be most effective and what do students want? • No clear overview of our current provision • Sense that students and staff unclear about support available or how it can be accessed.

3. Study Skills Support – Where are we are now? What should we aim for? • Defining ‘study skills’: as ‘study mechanics’ (Carter, 1958 cited in Entwisle, 1960) including information and digital literacy, academic planning, strategies and organisational skills(Cottrell, 2003). • Aims of project: • Conduct systematic audit of the study skills provision currently offered via faculties and departments(phase 1 - staff survey). • Assess our students’ views on current provision and their preferences for future development (phase 2 – student focus groups). • Gain a comparative view of ‘good practice’ study skills provision in other HEIs (phase 3- good practice review)

4. Study Skills Support – Where are we are now? What should we aim for? • Outcomes: • To develop an inclusive map of study skills provision that can be shared and publicised across our university, encouraging take-up of existing resources. • To recommend and plan further development of study skills provision based on student preferences and examples of good practice.

5. Study Skills Support – phase 1Online survey to assess staff opinion on current provision Methodology • Questionnaire distributed to 620 members of staff • 122 valid responses (20%) • Gathered views on current study skills support and how this might be improved

6. Questionnaire – key findings • 85% of modules/pathways offer some form of study skills support • 85% recommend library info skills and 70% recommend skills@uni • 70% rate current support good or very good • Recommendation for increased flexible timing of sessions • Increase support for those studying at a distance, part-time etc. • Improve publicity and raise awareness

7. Questionnaire – themes from the free text comments • Improve awareness of what is currently offered • Sessions that are embedded are more successful • Need for more cohesive, “joined up” consistent support accessible to all

8. Study Skills Support – phase 2Assessing students’ views and preferences via focus groups Methodology • Focus groups held at Chelmsford and Cambridge • 6 groups – 32 undergraduate students in total (year groups) • Gathered views on current study skills provision and preferences for future development

9. Focus groups – key themes • Study skills support in programme • Study skills support across our university • Online study skills support (internal and external resources) • Access to support • Self-assessment • Feedback on current provision

10. Focus groups – key findings • Students find study support they receive helpful but lack of awareness(what’s on offer and where to go? Lack of clarity about in-programme support) • Lecturers are the most effective source of information and communication for study skills support(other communication channels are available!) • Timeliness, constancy of access and flexibility

11. Focus groups – key findings cont • Study Skills VLE would be welcome – well promoted, clearly defined gateway to study skills(‘the place to go’, used consistently for all courses but not replacing face-to-face) • Study Skills to include IT support • Balance of compulsory and optional study skills elements • Build on existing provision that students value (library sessions on referencing, book a librarian, English Language sessions for international students….)

12. Study Skills Support – phase 3Good practice review • Study skills provision on websites of 4 benchmark HEIs • University of Essex (Essex) • University of East Anglia (UEA) • University of East London (UEL) • University of Bedfordshire (Beds) • Also University of Leeds and University of Loughborough as examples of good practice

13. Good practice review- ideas and things to consider • Accessibility – • Terms that are found when searching • Accessible, attractive site with links to all provision • Range of online materials • (print downloads, video, demonstrations, self-tests, blogs, glossary…) • Internally produced resources plus external links • Open to all versus password protected? • Face-to-face support(via drop-ins, tutorials and workshops) • Direct links with employability (Loughborough)? • Who provides, who co-ordinates provision?

14. Project outcomes – are they achieved? • Inclusive map of existing provision? • Recommendations for further development?

15. Recommendations for further development • Increase student and staff awareness. • Lecturers as key communication channel; provision to be clearly articulated component of all courses; multiple communication channels and regular/timely reminders • Support should be ‘on-demand’, offer flexibility of access and include a range of delivery formats. • Access to support when actually needed; face-to-face and online; flexibility in the times including evening provision; ongoing support for all levels; targeted and ‘packaged’ online support via VLE • VLE – well promoted, clearly defined • Subject/course specific plus general; range of resource type; use of VLE wiki, chat etc • IT Support • Compulsory and optional elements clearly defined • Build on existing provision that is valued