Current Topics in Skills Development
| Strand | Student attainment |
| Type | Walkshop |
| Learning Objective(s) | Participants will gain a shared understanding of a variety of perspectives in relation to current topics in skills development |
| The role of skills development and its impact on student attainment has been discussed for some decades and continues to be refined (Golding et al., 2015; Hilsdon, 2011). Skills development within the University is generally affected by a range of factors which include the wider picture of the changing landscape of HE provision, the increasing emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness for the delivery of services at SHU, the affordances and issues associated with newer technologies, as well as the changing expectations of students as customers. Whilst current discussions shed light on some of these issues (Akdağ & Bell, 2016; Ashton-Hay, Yin, & Ross, 2018), questions about practice continue to arise.Staff from the Skills Team at SHU will present current topics for discussion relating to student skills development in domains such as academic writing, research and personal effectiveness. We see ourselves as working in partnership with staff and students across the institution to improve the provision of student skills development at SHU. The session will provide opportunities for participants to select and discuss relevant topics of interest, to share comments or conclusions to a wider group, and to influence the future development of the services offered by the Skills Team.
Questions offered for discussion in the session may include:
In this walkshop, you will be paired with a partner, provided with some prompts for your discussion and a proposed map and walking route for those unfamiliar with Sheffield. We hope you will feel refreshed by the walk, and inspired to engage in novel and high quality creative thinking to improve student academic skill development at SHU. |
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| References | Akdağ, E. G., & Bell, J. (2016) Academic Writing Support: Effective Practices in Collaboration. [Presentation]. 19th March 2016. A BALEAP Professional Issues Meeting. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). URL?Ashton-Hay, S. A., Yin, Z., & Ross, A. S. (2018). “Ask a Question”: Student use and misuse of online academic skills support. Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 12(1), A81-A96.
Golding, C., Adam, L., Scott, C., Acheson, C., Johnson, K., Brook, P., … & Kumar, V. (2015). Fix, build, diagnose or guide? Evaluating the metaphors for learning advisors. ATLAANZ Journal, 1(1). Hilsdon, J. (2011). What is learning development. Learning development in higher education, 13-27. |