Presented at LILAC 2019

1. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
The nuts and bolts
of embedding a
skills framework
within the
curriculum
From strategy
to reality
A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
I n f o r m a t i o n a n d L i b r a r y S e r v i c e s
BA Primary Education Accelerated Degree
A Case Study

2. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Context
The aspiration:
A strategy to embed information literacy and academic skills in the
curriculum
What did we do?
Library Services team created a wish-list that later became a skills
framework for students progressing from Level 3 to Level 7
How did we get there?
Consultation, consultation, consultation – with very good support
from senior management

3. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Curious, informed, accomplished
A skills framework to be embedded in the teaching
curriculum
 Embedded rather than bolted on
 Part of the teaching team
 Timely delivery of material
Faculty consultation
Information and Library Services

4. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
The nuts and bolts of embedding the plan
 A skills “menu”
 The students & the challenges of an accelerated degree
 The big plan- slotting menu choices into the curriculum
 Deciding what we can offer and how to deliver it
 Academic Support team-Faculty meetings to agree
support
 On-going liaison

5. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Information and Library Services
The Benefits
 Provides greater engagement with both students and staff,
enabling academic skills tutors and librarians to have regular
and sustained contact with students and work more
collaboratively with staff;
 Providing academic skills that students can apply within the
context of their subject area;
 Promoting a better quality of learning that the ‘bolt on’
approach to academic skills often fails to achieve;
 It also allows students to engage better with library support
services.

6. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Challenges
 This has been resource-heavy – being a comparatively small team
this has presented occasional difficulties;
 Namely, taking resources away from our normal service (one-to-
one provision, workshops, staff meetings)
 Since this is a pilot and a work in progress, there is an element of
‘learning on the hoof’ but being adaptable is an advantage!
 Finding the time to create a bank of resources, both paper and
electronic;
 Nonetheless, a major advantage is it has allowed academic skills
and library staff to forge a more cohesive identity.

7. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Next steps
 Evaluate impact
 Replicate success factors and improve on what’s not
worked so well
 Investigate alternative, less resource-heavy modes of
delivery
⎻ Online and flipped learning sessions
⎻ Peer-Assisted Learning
⎻ Develop a range of teaching resources for the Faculty

8. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Impact
Independent learning skills survey
First assessment results
 Formative Assessment: 13 failed to progress
 Summative Assessment: 1 failed to progress
Student/staff survey results

9. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Student survey results
1. The skills support I have received has helped me
progress in my studies
2. I know what’s required of me to do well in my
assessments
3. I know where to go to find the information I need for
my studies
4. I have developed the skills and knowledge I need to
progress to the next level of my studies

10. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Teaching staff survey results
1. The skills support your students have received has
enabled them to better progress in their studies
2. The additional support has had a positive impact on
your students’ performance in their assessments
3. My students are better equipped at using academic
sources of information in their assignments
4. My students have developed the necessary skills
and knowledge to progress to their next level of
study

11. Any questions?
A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Information and Library Services

12. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Be inspired
A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Information and Library Services

13. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
References:
Hoffman, N., Beatty, S., Feng, P., & Lee, J. (2017). Teaching research skills through
embedded librarianship. Reference Services Review, 45(2), 211–226. Available at
https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-07-2016-0045
Mc Williams, R. and Allan, Q., (2014) Embedding Academic Literacy Skills: Towards a
Best Practice Model, in Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, Vol 11,
Issue 3, Article 8. Available at http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol11/iss3/8
Schulte, S. J. (2012). Embedded academic librarianship: A Review of the Literature.
Evidence Based Library and Information Practice. https://doi.org/10.18438/B8M60D
Wingate, U. (2006) ‘Doing away with ‘study skills’’, Teaching in Higher Education, 11(4),
pp. 457-469.

14. A c a d e m i c
S u p p o r t Te a m
Information and Library Services
Contact
Sharon Perera
Academic Support Team Manager
University of Greenwich
S.R.Perera@gre.ac.uk
Rachael Hartiss
Academic Services Librarian
University of Greenwich
R.Hartiss@greenwich.ac.uk
Andrew Sinclair
Academic Skills Tutor
University of Greenwich
A.Sinclair@gre.ac.uk