The journey from Information Literacy to an Academic Skills Strategy

2003- The launch of the

Information Literacy Strategy

IL strategy was launched

IL to be embedded in the curriculum

Timely and relevant to students

Rolled out by Faculty Team Librarians

Where did we want to go?

Where did we end up?

Increase in teaching hours •Business School- over 100 hours embedded teaching

Inclusion in assessment•MATH3000- 3rd year assessed piece of work

Inclusion in curriculum reviews•Medicine: Librarian played a key role in the curriculum review. IL is now a thread running through all years

2006- The Skills Centre

became part of the Library

Understanding assignment and marking criteria

Referencing Planning-mind mapping,

time management

Finding information

search strategies

Selecting texts, reading, note

taking, evaluating

Draftstructure, critical

thinking, balanced argument

Final workedit, revise, proofread

“Approximately half of all graduate jobs are available to graduates of any discipline, suggesting employers are seeking ‘graduate-ness’ as often as specific skills or knowledge”

Universities UK 2010 Changes in student choices and graduate employment [online]. [Accessed 31 march 2011] Available from: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Documents/ChangesInStudentChoicesAndGraduateEmployment20100907.pdf

“We want Leeds students to go out into the world and make a difference, and it’s our responsibility to make sure they have the confidence and creativity and the skills to do that”

Professor Vivien Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education

Considered four different scenarios

Approved by L&T Strategy Management Team, L&T Board and all 9 Faculty L&T committees

How did we develop the strategy?

By 2015

All Faculty Team Librarians will be able to deliver the full range of

academic skills, with the exception of Maths

support.

• Embedded in the curriculum- developmental not remedial model

• No extra teaching hours: blended learning, hand over to academics

• Collaborate with academics

The Skills@Library Team will provide strategic direction

and a high level of support to both Faculty Team Librarians and academic staff for this, particularly in the area of

learning technologies

• Online resources• Generic teaching resources• Liaise and work more closely with FTLs

Leeds University Library 2010 Academic Skills Strategyhttp://library.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/AcademicSkillsStrategy.doc

Implementation Plan

Part 2 Supporting & developing staff• I

nvolve Faculty Librarians in AS teaching

• Hold summer school to expand skills / knowledge

• Scope roles within all teams

Are we nearly there yet?