The Learning Hub at Teesside University: an innovative

approach to supporting student learning

Yvonne CottonLearning Advisor (Literacy)

Library & Information ServicesTeesside University

OutlineOur journey at Teesside University:–Background–Current Service–Moving from librarian to learning advisor– Succeed@Tees workshops–PASS– Future

BACKGROUND

Teesside University• Post 92 University• Main Campus in Middlesbrough and site at

Darlington • Six Schools: 21,830 students (15,000 FTE) • Queen’s Anniversary Prize 2013• Times Higher Education University of the Year

2009/2010• Vision: Providing Opportunities, Driving Enterprise,

Delivering Excellence

Learning Hub Vision• In five years from now, the Learning Hub will:– play an integral part in the University strategy for student

achievement – provide a valued input into learning, teaching and the

curriculum– provide a holistic approach to learning support in partnership

with Schools, Departments and students – be a highly visible and effective service – deliver an innovative and strategic approach to learning

support

Teesside Experience, pre-2012Academic Librarians

Literature Searching

Referencing

Academic Skills Centre

Writing

Maths

Referencing

Availability of supportAcademic Librarians Academic Skills CentreDrop in support X Drop in supportEmail/phone support X Email/phone supportChat X ChatWorkshops X WorkshopsPre-booked tutorials Pre-booked tutorialsOnline Material

(Website/LibGuides)Online Material (Website)

Academic Librarians

Direct liaison with a specific

School

Embedded teaching

within modules

Quality role in programme approvals

Member of Key

Committees

Liaison with large number

of staff in School

Academic Skills

Centre

Support all Schools

Liaison with small number of academic tutors from

School

Relationship with the University

Learning Hub 2012

• 2 teams merged– Learning Hub Manager – Learning Advisor (Literacy)– Learning Advisor (Maths) (0.8)– 6 Academic Librarians (Subject Teams)– 7.5 Assistant Academic Librarians

Learning Hub 2012

• Hub and spoke model• All librarians provide first point of contact– Immediate help with literature searching and

referencing– Book tutorials with skills advisors• Literacy• Maths• English language

What students ask about…

Writi

ng

Drug ca

lcs

Lit Search

ing

Referencing

English La

nguage ITOther

Maths

Worksh

ops

Academic s

kills0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

2012-132013-14

Question Handling

67%

33%

1st line2nd line

Referral Routes: out

Learning Hub

Academic Librarians

16%

Workshops 4%

Other library

4%

Schools 3%

University Services 1%

IT helpdesk

4%

Learning Hub Tutors 67%

Tutorial feedback26/02/2014 Student wished to book a

tutorial as it is her first assignment and wanted to make sure structure was correct

Talked about proof reading out loud to see where long sentences should be split. Talked about WEED model. Recommended some Succeed@Tees workshops.

04/03/2014 Needs help with critical writing skills

Discussed draft assignment. I felt that she was making a case, but that her writing style was sometimes over-complicated. Therefore, we looked at ways in which her language could be simpler in order to allow her to emphasise her key points.

03/03/2014 Student wanted to book appointment for help with dissertation.

Discussed aim of dissertation, ensuring that she had been explicit in what she'd done, especially made it clear how she had revised her care plan, following her research findings.

Positive comments from students• “Just to let you know I passed the other assignment with a

mark of 70%. I want to thank you for your advice and constructive feedback, it is very much appreciated.”

• “I met up with yourself last year with regards to an assignment and you were a really good help.”

• “Just to say thanks again for your very helpful tutorial, I feel much happier with my resubmission now”

• “Thank you so very much for your kindness and patience with me throughout all the maths help. It was very much appreciated. Thanks to you I “passed”. Still can’t believe it!!”

Learning Hub Space

What should be a librarian’s role?• Giving advice on referencing?• Giving advice on finding information for

assignments?• Delivering a workshop on critical thinking?• Support for writing a literature review?• Commenting on the structure of a student’s

assignment?

Role of librarians• We are more comfortable with some than others• We’ll look at some of these skills and who’s doing

them at Teesside

Librarian to Learning Advisor• Part of restructure of the Library in 2012• 1 Assistant Academic Librarian role going• Ring-fenced role as a Learning Advisor (Literacy)

in the new Learning Hub• Sounded like a fun new challenge!• Started in September 2012

Librarian to Learning Advisor

• Already had a number of skills– Referencing– Checking if work had enough or appropriate

references– Empathy

• Writing skills

Librarian to Learning Advisor

• My favourite books to help me:– Palgrave Macmillan Pocket Study Skills Guides– Stella Cottrell’s Study Skills Handbook

Succeed@Tees Workshops

Business information

Critical Appraisal (Qualitative)

Critical Appraisal (Quantitative)

Critical WritingEbooks

Reflective Writing

What’s New About Studying at University

Writing a Literature Review

2011/12

Exams and How to Survive Them

Maths for Drug Calculations

PowerPoint Basics

Structuring Your Essay

Academic Writing

Referencing

Refworks

Cinahl

Doing a Literature Search

Find Books Fast

JournalsCritical Thinking

Keeping Up to Date

Presentation Skills

Time Management

Using Google Like a LibrarianPreparing for Your Dissertation

2012/13Workshops 2013/14

Views of pages Sept 2013- May 2014

18241

Home 6144

Harvard Referencing 2169

Academic Writing 1143

Arithmetic for Drug Calculations 770

Critical Thinking 738

Structuring Your Essay 664

Preparing for your dissertation 599

Journals - What? Why? Where? 578

Writing a Literature Review 565

Doing a Literature Search 552

Critical Writing 526

CINAHL Workshops 494

Reflective Writing 458

Presentation skills 378

E-books@Teesside 375

Critical Appraisal for SoHSC Students 337

RefWorks 333

OSCOLA referencing 238

Find Books Fast 225

Google to the max 220

Time Management 208

Exams and how to survive them 133

APA Referencing 120

Keeping Up To Date 112

Finding Business and Management Information 74

What's New About Studying at University 69

2014-2015 workshops

• Running fewer workshops (18 or 19 compared with 25 last year)

• Keeping the LibGuides for the ones no longer running

• Staff concentrating on taking fewer workshops

PASS Pilot

PASS PilotPlanning• Visits• Desk research• Talking to other departments within the

University who work with volunteers• Advertising to Schools in the University via

Learning & Teaching Committees and PASS Demystified workshops

PASS PilotPhysiotherapy• Year 1 – Foundations of Physiotherapy Practice• Used 5 second year students

English Studies• Year 2 – Thinking About Representation• Used 6 final year students

PASS SessionsWhat happens in a PASS session?• Whatever the students want to cover• Up to the PASS Leaders to run the session in an

interesting and meaningful way

What did students think?• Extremely helpful• Very beneficial• The PASS programme helped me a lot in my first year• It has really helped me to develop what I have learnt in lectures• I feel that the PASS programme has been fundamental to my

experience as a first year • I often shied away from asking questions to lecturers in order to avoid

looking stupid.• I found the PASS leaders from our programme very approachable,

friendly and helpful• Given a student’s insight on how to deal with the subject• Talking to students who were in our position• Guidance from second years – didn’t judge if we were unsure• Empathy!• I now feel confident

What did PASS Leaders think?What did you get out of PASS?• Confidence, presentation skills, satisfaction,

time management, leading groups, self worth and helped with career aspirations.

Has it helped with employability?• Unanimous – yesWould you be a PASS leader again?• Unanimous - yes

Successes and Issues with Physiotherapy

• Started later as second years were out on placement

• Dealt with very large groups

Future plans• More PASS groups, so more PASS Leaders

(have over-recruited)• Need to account for large break in middle of

year when second years are on placement

Future for PASS• Will run in same modules and in 2 new

modules in 2 new Schools next year

REFLECTIONSJGS_MyrtleHill by Gracey Stinson (nd) (http://mrg.bz/QV2Ixb)

Successes• Positivity about the Learning Hub• Improved communication• Proactive approach

– Succeed@Tees workshops– PASS

• Self-booking for tutorials• Teamwork• Advocacy

Challenges

• Location of physical desk– Learning Hub in social learning area

• Different levels of staff confidence and experience

• Developing Learning Hub guidelines• Doing more with less• Change

Learning Hub 2014+• Project to develop the service

1. Research2. Operation of the Learning Hub• Guidelines, Space, Input into the curriculum,

Communication, IT infrastructure

3. Online Learning Materials4. Evaluation strategy5. Expanding PASS6. Continuing and developing Succeed@Tees workshops

Questions?

y.cotton@tees.ac.uk