This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(June 2013) |
Learning development describes work with students and staff to develop academic practices, with a main focus on students developing academic practices in higher education, which assess the progress of knowledge acquired by the means of structural approaches (Tejero, 2020). Learning developers are academic professionals who: teach, advise and facilitate students to develop their academic practices; create academic development learning resources; and reflect on their own academic practices through a community of practice.
Hilsdon (2011: 14) defines learning development as, "a complex set of multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary academic roles and functions, involving teaching, tutoring, research, and the design and production of learning materials, as well as involvement in staff development, policy-making and other consultative activities." [1]
Learning development is a term used mainly within UK and Australian academia, with some overlap with academic advising in the USA. The learning development movement in the UK has aligned itself closely with the UK Educational Development movement [2] in light of its developmental work with academic staff. However, the primary objective of learning development remains the development of student learning.
The learning development movement began with the recognition of a new direction of practice emerging by founding and early members of an email discussion forum Community in 2002, which was transferred to the documented JISCMail Listserv Community LDHEN in 2003. [3] Early members were all involved in the provision of study skills support, but recognised the limitations of a purely study-skills approach. [4]
From 2005 onward, the establishment of the LearnHigher CETL (Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning) contributed greatly to the volume of publicly available learning development resources. The LearnHigher CELT was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council and comprised a consortium of teams from 16 universities, led by Liverpool Hope University to develop learning resources in 20 areas of study. LearnHigher aimed to develop and maintain a bank of open access materials for self-access by students. The CETL later referred to their work as learning development.
The LDHEN later restructured and formed the Association of Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE), who published the first peer reviewed journal dedicated to learning development, The Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. This organisation have also organised a themed national conference since 2003 and annually since 2005, contributing greatly to the development of learning development as distinct area of practice. The Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA)have also provided space for ideas in learning development to develop, as have other student-focused organisations and conferences.
Year | Organiser | Host institution | Theme | Keynotes speakers | Resource |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | ALDinHE | University of Hull |
| ||
2016 | ALDinHE | Heriot-Watt University | Professor Dave Hill, Dr Sian Bayne | Yes [5] | |
2015 | ALDinHE | Southampton Solent University | Professor Mick Healey, Celia Whitchurch | Yes [6] | |
2014 | ALDinHE | Huddersfield University | Learning Development Spaces and Places | Étienne Wenger, Lesley Gourlay | Yes [7] |
2013 | ALDinHE | Plymouth University | Celebrating learning development | Dave Cormier, Les Ebdon, Stella Cottrell | Yes [8] |
2012 | ALDinHE | Leeds University | Learning Development in a digital age: emerging literacies and learning spaces | Helen Beetham, Paul Andrews, Grainne Conole [9] | Yes [10] |
2011 | ALDinHE | Queen's University | Engaging Students - Engaging Learning | Phil Race, Sally Brown, Becka Colley | Yes [11] |
2010 | ALDinHE | Nottingham Trent University | Celebrating Partnerships in Learning | Marcia Baxter-Magolda, Glynis Cousin | Yes [12] |
2009 | LDHEN | Bournemouth University | The challenge of learning development | Dennis Hayes, Alan Mortiboys | No |
2008 | LDHEN | Bradford University | Learning Development – Who Needs It? | Ray Land | No |
2007 | LDHEN | Bournemouth University | How do Students Engage with Learning? | ?Ronald Barnett | No |
2006 | LDHEN and LearnHigher CETL | Liverpool Hope University | Excellence in Learning Development - What could it be? | No | |
2005 | LDHEN | Northumbria University | 'Working for Students' Success | Steven Rowlands | No |
2003 | LDHEN | London Metropolitan University | (none) | Plenary | No |
Some observers may identify strong learning development themes in conferences in allied areas, such as Writing Development (e.g. Writing Development in Higher Education (WDHE) conferences and EATAW ), Mathematics Support (e.g. the Sigma Network and the CETL-MSOR conferences) or even Educational Development (e.g. SEDA ). Likewise, the HEA's What Works? conferences and the Improving Student Learning annual symposiums have strongly tangential themes. However, these organisations/conferences rarely use the term learning development to describe their activities.
Writing development is administratively subsumed within learning development at a number of UK universities, where practices may be merged locally. However, writing development has rich tradition of research and practice, established before learning development and representing a distinct field.
Information literacy is sometimes seen as learning development, but also has its own distinct body of practice and literature.
According to the SCONUL Working Group on Information Literacy (2011: 3), [13] Information Literacy is, "an umbrella term which encompasses concepts such as digital, visual and media literacies, academic literacy, information handling, information skills, data curation and data management."
SCONUL's seven pillars of information literacy are: [13]
Learning development in numeracy, mathematics and statistics, commonly referred to as "mathematics support", [14] works with students and staff to develop mathematical practice in the disciplines. Mathematics Support ranges from basic adult numeracy [15] to advanced support for second and third year undergraduate mathematics students. [16] This provision is commonly provided via a mathematics (learning) support centre. [17]
The UK mathematics support movement is seen to have begun in 1993 with a conference held at the University of Luton and was influenced by the Minnesota model of developmental mathematics, [18] and may be considered as a sub-movement, separate and tangential to learning development. [19] A recent survey of mathematics support in the UK identified 88 out of 103 responding higher education institutions offering some form of mathematics support. [20]
Mathematics support centres and services are also present in Australia [21] and the Republic of Ireland. [22] Statistics support for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students is often provided via a statistics advisory service. [23]
Many learning developers resist categorising their practice into distinct subjects. For example, the use of statistics, encouraged by learning development, is cross-disciplinary, however, resources such as study guides are often categorised into distinct subjects. The following areas of learning development are taken from the LearnHigher website
When critical thinking is applied to external sources it is called critical analysis. Critical analysis is sometimes seen as the 'holy grail' of academic writing or a 'rite of passage' for students to become accepted members of their academic community of practice. There are several different approaches to critical analysis: critically analysing a single source using a premise, argument, conclusion, application approach; moving from descriptive writing to analytical writing to evaluative writing; comparing and contrasting two different opinions using a discursive argumentation format; moving from summarising, to making simple inferences, to critiquing according to objective criteria and bringing in a personal interpretation; and using a questioning approach (who, what, where, why, etc.) to brainstorm an issue.
The learning development movement emphasises learner development from any prior level of ability. [25] This view is generally opposed to study skills that represent remedial education - aiming to bring weaker students up to a set standard. [25] However, accepting that support may be the most developmental approach in some circumstances, study skills remain a feature of learning development. [25]
Provision for strongly performing students and the extent to which a broader base of students should engage with learning development are both currently debated issues..[ citation needed ]
The characteristics of embedded provision, one-to-one provision and resource provision are each underpinned by the developmental model adopted by learning development.[ citation needed ]
Teaching with learning objectives is also an effective way of integrating 'learning development' into the curriculum. [26] This characteristic is usually referred to as embedding.
Learning development practices have remained committed to provision one-to-one with academic staff. [27]
Research-informed practice in learning development has drawn on various traditions of research. Some key examples are provided below.
Lea and Street [28] have demonstrated that university staff in various disciplines have varying expectations of students in assignments. Rust et al advocate explicating assessment criteria to augment success not only in the short term, but also to better facilitate learning for the long term. [29] Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick summarise converging literature suggesting that internal feedback and student self-regulation are only possible with a good conception of the criteria. [30] This has prompted learning developers to work centrally to explicate or negotiate assessment criteria. This ranges from resources providing disciplinary definitions of keywords, to one-to-one practice to negotiate student understandings of assessment criteria with reference to assignment drafts.
English for Academic Purposes is an area which has a close relationship with Learning Development [31]
Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, humans in literate societies have sets of practices for producing and consuming writing, and they also have beliefs about these practices. Reading, in this view, is always reading something for some purpose; writing is always writing something for someone for some particular ends. Beliefs about reading and writing and its value for society and for the individual always influence the ways literacy is taught, learned, and practiced over the lifespan.
Education in England is overseen by the United Kingdom's Department for Education. Local government authorities are responsible for implementing policy for public education and state-funded schools at a local level.
The Association of College & Research Libraries defines information literacy as a "set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning".
M-learning or mobile learning is "learning across multiple contexts, through social and content interactions, using personal electronic devices". A form of distance education, m-learners use mobile device educational technology at their convenient time.
This is an index of education articles.
The Key Skills Qualification is a frequently required component of 14-20 education in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The aim of Key Skills is to encourage learners to develop and demonstrate their skills as well as learn how to select and apply skills in ways that are appropriate to their particular context.
Employability refers to the attributes of a person that make that person able to gain and maintain employment.
The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), established in 1930, is an independent educational research organisation based in Camberwell, Victoria (Melbourne) and with offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Dubai, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, London, New Delhi, Perth and Sydney. ACER develops and manages a range of testing and assessment services and conducts research and analysis in the education sector.
Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficulty learning in a typical manner", this does not exclude the ability to learn in a different manner. Therefore, some people can be more accurately described as having a "learning difference", thus avoiding any misconception of being disabled with a lack of ability to learn and possible negative stereotyping. In the United Kingdom, the term "learning disability" generally refers to an intellectual disability, while difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia are usually referred to as "learning difficulties".
Skills for Life was the national strategy in England for improving adult literacy, language (ESOL) and numeracy skills and was established as part of the wider national Skills Strategy to increase the numbers of young people and adults with adequate skills. The strategy was launched by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in March 2001.
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch.
QuickSmart is a basic academic skills program aimed at middle years students in Australia. Two programs using the same approach encourage fast and accurate basic skills in literacy or numeracy.
A virtual learning environment (VLE) in educational technology is a web-based platform for the digital aspects of courses of study, usually within educational institutions. They present resources, activities, and interactions within a course structure and provide for the different stages of assessment. VLEs also usually report on participation and have some level of integration with other institutional systems. In North America, VLE's are often referred to as Learning Management Systems (LMS).
Brian Vincent Street was a professor of language education at King's College London and visiting professor at the Graduate School of Education in University of Pennsylvania. During his career, he mainly worked on literacy in both theoretical and applied perspectives, and is perhaps best known for his book Literacy in Theory and Practice (1984).
21st century skills comprise skills, abilities, and learning dispositions that have been identified as being required for success in 21st century society and workplaces by educators, business leaders, academics, and governmental agencies. This is part of a growing international movement focusing on the skills required for students to master in preparation for success in a rapidly changing, digital society. Many of these skills are also associated with deeper learning, which is based on mastering skills such as analytic reasoning, complex problem solving, and teamwork. These skills differ from traditional academic skills in that they are not primarily content knowledge-based.
Diana Coben is an adult education academic, and visiting professor of the University of East Anglia. Between 2011 and 2018 she was Director of New Zealand's National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults and full professor at University of Waikato.
Judith Margaret Parr is a New Zealand educational psychology academic. She is a full professor at the University of Auckland.
David Barton is a British linguist. He is currently an honorary professor at the Department of Linguistics and English Language of Lancaster University, United Kingdom. His research focuses on applied linguistics with a special focus on literacy, and academic writing. Barton's research also concentrates on the qualitative methodology such as ethnography in applied linguistics.
Rosalind Ivanić is a Yugoslav-born British linguist. She is currently an honorary professor at the Department of Linguistics and English Language of Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Her research focuses on applied linguistics with a special focus on literacy, intertextuality, multimodal communication, adult literacy, educational linguistics, critical language awareness, punctuation, and second language writing. Along with Theo van Leeuwen and David Barton, she is considered one of the most prominent researchers on literacy.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 is about quality education and is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in September 2015. The full title of SDG 4 is "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all".
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