A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

Supporting student learning
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skills in ‘information literacy’, not only at the introductory level but also as they progress
to more sophisticated literature searches for dissertations and theses.
Information technology
While a greater numbers of students now arrive in higher education with excellent IT
skills which can sometimes outstrip those of their tutors, a substantial number
(particularly mature students) do not have these skills or the level of confidence in using
IT that their course demands. All courses need to provide introductions to the use of basic
word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentation software, and using e-mail and
the internet. Not all students will need introduction to all these elements. A diagnostic
test may be used to determine which students need to develop their IT skills further to
match the needs of the course. IT staff play an important role in supporting students
throughout their studies, since the demands on students’ IT skills typically rise as they
progress to using more sophisticated subject-specific software.
Increasingly important are VLEs. These provide a vehicle for online learning by
enabling tutors to make learning materials, online journals and assessments available via
the Web (internet) or an internal network (intranet). VLEs are also means by which
students can communicate with each other and with their tutors. Tutors can trace
students’ use of the VLE, while students have the advantage that they can access the
course from any computer at any time. IT staff have a role in providing training, and
supporting the use of VLEs for both staff and students (see Chapter 7).
Interrogating practice
Consider how you could build into your course learning development in IT
and library skills. For example:
• using students’ self-assessment of relevant IT skills – with follow-up
courses for those who need them;
• requiring students to communicate using the VLE;
• searching literature that tests information skills;
• incorporating websites in your course handbook;
• including discussion of library use within seminars.
Academic literacy, English language and study skills support
Different subjects make different levels of demands on students’ written and oral skills,
but all programmes should make demands which require all students to develop their