Engaging first year students in
skill development: A three-way
collaborative model in action
Survey findings
A total of 651 surveys were collected from 4 first year Business subjects. These were conducted
as before and after responses (using a 7 point Likert scale) to 7 statements (Q1-7) measuring
self-perceptions about skills relevant to producing the assessment task.
Median responses to questions before and
after the skills presentation
Q1. Confident about
how to start the task.
Q2. Understand the
process required to
produce the task.
Johanna Einfalt | Student Services | [email protected] | Janet Turley | Library | [email protected]
University of the Sunshine Coast | Maroochydore, DC QLD 4558, Australia
Q3. Understand the
relationship between
research and writing.
Motivation
Observation by the Librarian and Academic Skills Advisor at USC that many students did not understand
the interconnected relationship between research and writing skills has led to the team teaching
of these skills. A review of the literature revealed that there are limited studies that explore the value
and practice of teaching these skills in an integrated manner. A model has been developed to connect
the Faculty Teacher with the Librarian and Skills Advisor with a view to collaboratively engaging and
providing better support for students. An intervention project was developed in Semester 1 2009 to
put this model into practice.
Q4. Know how to
Faculty
Teacher
go to get skill help.
3. Design task based collaborative presentation
6. Record and analyse survey data (in SPSS)
7. Conduct interviews with Faculty Teachers and discuss feedback
2. Promote drop–in consultation service in lectures
8. Report intervention implications
1. Meet with Faculty Teachers – plan intervention
Tend to
agree
6
Agree
7
Strongly
agree
Before
After**
Before
After**
Before
After**
Before
After**
Before
After**
lla
bo
CO drop
r
at
NS
-in ive
ULTAT
ION
• Individual reflection improves student skill awareness.
Co
SKILLS
ADVISOR
LIBRARIAN
INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
4. Develop survey to record students’ changes in self-perceptions
Unsure
5
Feedback and implications
STUDENT
e
tiv
ra
bo in N
lla op- IO
Co r
d
ULTAT
NS
5. Team-teach presentation in lectures and survey students before and after the presentation
Tend to
disagree
4
** Differences between pre and post tests significant at p<0.001
CO
Intervention cycle
Disagree
3
After**
Before
what writing
academically means.
2
Before
Q5. Understand how
Q7. Know where to
• Promote a holistic approach by providing more collaborative team-teaching sessions
integrated into course delivery.
• Raise student awareness about their individual research and writing skill levels
and the interconnectedness of these skills in the assessment task process.
• Foster better collegial relationships between skill support and faculty to
encourage collaborative planning.
Strongly
disagree
After**
Q6. Understand
Objectives
1
find sources.
to use and reference
sources.
Collaborative
Presentation
0
Three-way collaborative model
• The model represents the role and relationship between the Skills Advisor (blue), the Librarian (yellow)
and the Faculty Teacher (red).
• Block arrows represent the connection and communication that each participant has with the other.
• The communication and instruction by the three participants merge and overlap in the intervention
presentation (provided in lectures) and the drop-in consultation service (provided in a meeting room in
the faculty). These are highlighted as they are examples of the three-way model in action.
• The student is placed central in this model, as the three-way collaboration by the participants are driven by
a desire to support and engage students.
• The skills presentation slides and drop-in promotion slides
need to be embedded in lecture templates.
• An enhanced relationship of ‘mutual trust’ has developed
between the Faculty Teacher, the Skills Advisor, the Librarian
and the student.
• Student self-confidence has improved through ‘task-based
learning’ and through the drop-in consultation service,
which offers an accessible supportive space and a place
where students can make peer connections.
• Additional Faculty Teachers are attending the drop-in
consultation service.
• Student motivation has influence on achieving student
engagement.
• The intervention promotes a move away from only
supporting ‘at risk’ students to a focus on the whole cohort.
• Increased involvement of the Librarian and Academic Skills
Advisor in assessment design and implementation has
resulted through three-way collaboration.