Presentation given at Seminar - 'Learning to Learn at College: Students Transitioning to Reading, Writing and Knowledge Creation at Third Level' - at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Grangegorman, Dublin, Ireland on February 6th 2015. This seminar was supported by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

1. Tools for Transition: Supporting the Path to
Third Level Education Through Effective
Literacy and Information Literacy Supports
Philip Russell
Deputy Librarian
Institute of Technology Tallaght
Learning to Learn
DIT February 6th 2015

2. Agenda
• Learning to Learn Module
• Online Tutorials
• Peer Assisted Learning Support
Programme [PALS]

3. Traditionally we have thought about literacy as the skills of
reading and writing; but today our understanding of
literacy encompasses much more than that. Literacy
includes the capacity to read, understand and critically
appreciate various forms of communication including
spoken language, printed text, broadcast media, and
digital media. (National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy, 2011)
Information literacy is a natural extension of the concept
of literacy in our information society, and information
literacy education is the catalyst required to transform the
information society of today into the learning society of
tomorrow. (Bruce, 2004)

4. Background
•Institute of Technology Tallaght
(ITT Dublin) - range of courses /
4725 FTEs
•Non-traditional students
•Literacy / information literacy /
digital literacy – strategic focus
- 3 level Information Literacy
Framework (2004)
- Strategic Plan (2009-2014)
- Learning, Teaching &
Assessment Strategy (2011)

5. •Rationale
-learning skills deficit
-first year retention issues
•Launched September 2012
– mandatory 5 credit module for all first
year students
•Modules aims
-help students adapt to a third level
educational environment
-engage students - reflective,
independent learners
•Delivery - first semester across all
disciplines
Learning to Learn (L2L) at Third Level

6. L2LLearning Outcomes
Identify and engage in the learning process /
create a personal learning plan
Study effectively as an independent learner /
work collaboratively in a team
Manage time efficiently - plan and organise
learning tasks
Use critical thinking / analytical skills to solve a
variety of problems
Recognise importance of academic integrity,
avoid plagiarism through good practice and
referencing
Delivery
Lectures / in-class exercises
Group discussion
Small group tutorials
Introductory IT workshops
Moodle VLE
Online library tutorials
Assessment
Learning journal: students reflect on their
learning programme of study 40%
Project or group project, including a
written research-based report and
presentation 40%
Online assessment quizzes from the
Library SCORM tutorials (integrated with
Moodle to facilitate grading) 20%

7. Some Observations
•Pros
-Active learning
-Reflective practice
-Improved writing
/communication skills
-Group work / interactions
-Link to subject area
•Cons
-Time pressures / workload
-Lack of engagement
-Not seeing value of L2L to
other modules
-Language difficulties
-Poor ICT skills

8. Evaluation
• Over 2400 students completed L2L
• Need to assess overall impact
• Spring 2014 – online survey software -
SurveyGizmo
• Discussions / interviews / focus groups

9. Student Comments
“there is far too much time
dedicated to the module, too
heavy a workload particularly the
group assignment which falls at a
time when other more pertinent
modules have assignments/exams
due”.
“I don’t think I would have
adapted so well in third level
without the support of this
module…it is a huge transition
from secondary school to college
and this course helped me with
basic skills such as reading,
report writing and study skills”.
I believe there can be an
over reliant on Web based
learning and not enough
on note taking…I think
more handwritten
assignments would have
benefitted towards
preparing for a written
exam”.
“I found the whole experience
very rewarding…as a mature
student this course helped me get
back into education, it was helpful in
so many aspects and I can use
these skills for other subjects”.

10. •Analyse survey findings /
make recommendations
-Integrated activities /
assessments
-Ongoing staff training and
support
-Raise awareness /
promote
-Community of practice
L2L - Next Steps

11. Online Tutorials
•Sept 2010 - self-paced /
interactive / 24x7
•Undergraduates /
postgraduates
•Reading, writing,
grammar, research,
critical thinking, report
writing, plagiarism
•Multiple delivery
platforms
•Sustainable / reusable
under Creative
Commons

12. Tutorials available at: http://library.ittdublin.ie/screens/tut.html

13. •Integrated into academic modules via Institute VLE –
Moodle
•Enhanced delivery of core academic skills / information
literacy
-Blended approach
-Collaboration
-January 2015 – tutorials added to 50+ academic
modules
Implementation

14. Tutorial Usage
76%
10%
8%
6%
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Academic
Support staff / other
Sept. 2010 – Jan. 2015
Total Completions: 6538

15. Student Feedback
• Develop and reinforce
key skills - reading,
writing, note taking,
critical analysis,
information use
• Self-directed research
• Facilitate transition to
higher education
“As a new student this online
resource has made my
introduction to college a lot
easier, and helped me with
my studies. I feel that I am
more likely to succeed now at
all levels of my course”

16. Peer Assisted Learning Support
Programme (PALS)
“PAL may be defined as a scheme for learning
support and enhancement that enables students to
work cooperatively under the guidance of students
from the year above” [Capstick et al, 2004]
•September 2014 – PALS for 1st year mechanical
engineering students through use of 2nd year peer
support on the L2L module
•Aim
-enhance student learning and develop literacy
skills
-support integration into third level
-culture that facilitates student centred lifelong
learning

17. The 1st Year
Experience
Study
Methods
Social
Interaction
Peer
Support
Literacy
Skills
•PALS Stage 1
-peers recruited/trained
•provide support to L2L
activities
-study plan
-writing lab reports
-poster creation
-exam revision
•PALS Stage 2
-specific tutorial
sessions

18. • Background
• First year experience
• Project / results
• Future directions

19. Initial Evaluation
•Structured interviews
•Online questionnaire –
students asked to rate
activities
•Benefits of PALS
-integration into college
-improved personal / academic
skills
-greater engagement
•Develop PALS toolkit / manual
•Expand PALS programme
“the peer network
has supported my
coursework and
made adapting into
college a lot easier .”
“the peers helped
me understand the
college system
better and what is
expected of me at
third level.”

20. Thank You
philip.russell@ittdublin.ie
"Higher education providers should address identified
shortfalls in students’ skills during their first year in higher
education. This can be done by expanding the availability of
induction and preparation courses for first-year students,
covering skills such as self-directed learning, time
management, information literacy and critical analysis”.
(National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, 2011)

21. Biggs, J. (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at University.
Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press.
Bruce, C. (2004). Information Literacy as a Catalyst for Educational
Change. A Background Paper . In Danaher, Patrick Alan, Eds. Proceedings
“Lifelong Learning: Whose responsibility and what is your contribution?”, the
3rd International Lifelong Learning Conference, pages pp. 8-19, Yeppoon,
Queensland. Available at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/4977/1/4977_1.pdf [Retrieved 2nd February
2015]
Capstick, S., Fleming, H. and Hurne, J., (2004). Implementing Peer Assisted Learning in
Higher Education: The experience of a new university and a model for the achievement
of a mainstream programme, [online] Available at:
http://pal.bournemouth.ac.uk/documents/implmntng%20pal%20article61.pdf [Retrieved
1st February 2015].
Department of Education and Skills (2011). Literacy and Numeracy For Learning and Life: The
National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020,
Dublin: Department of Education and Skills. Available at:
https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/PolicyReports/lit_num_strategy_full.pdf [Retrieved 3rd
February 2015].
References

22. Department of Education and Skills (2011). National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030: Report
of the Strategy Group, Dublin: Department of Education and Skills. Available at:
http://www.hea.ie/sites/default/files/national_strategy_for_higher_education_2030.pdf [Retrieved
29th January 2015].
Goodfellow, R. (2010). Literacy, literacies, and the digital in higher education. Teaching in Higher
Education, 16(1), pp. 131–144.
Russell P. et al (2013). Creating, sharing and reusing learning objects
to enhance information literacy. Journal of Information Literacy,
December 2013, Volume 7, Issue 2. Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.11645/7.2.1744 [Retrieved 3rd
February 2015].
Sharpe, R., Beetham, H. & de Freitas, Sara (2010). Rethinking Learning for a Digital Age: How
Learners are Shaping their Own Experiences. New York: Routledge
References

23. Slide 1: Mark Brannan. Learn.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/heycoach/1197947341/
Slide 8: AJ Cann. Feedback Checklist.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajc1/9568156463/
Slide 10: Gerd Altmann. Learning
http://pixabay.com/en/learn-note-sign-directory-64058/
Image Attributions