Date: June 12th

Time: 10:00 – 13:00

Venue: CoLab, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Co. Donegal

Presenter(s):Deirdre McClay, Department of Business Studies, and Communications Learning Centre, Letterkenny I.T.

Suzanne Roarty, Department of Business Studies, Letterkenny I.T.

Bronagh Heverin, Department of Law and Humanities, Letterkenny I.T.

Event Details:

A key feature of student transition from school to college is learning to write in an academic style appropriate to undergraduate study. Undoubtedly, there is criticism in higher education of the standard of writing skills in many student submissions, and particularly at entry level. Key study skills are regularly taught on discipline based communications modules at level 6, but the fundamentals of academic writing are rarely addressed in dedicated classes. Arguably, support in this area needs to be continued within discipline specific modules, and beyond level 6, in a programme led approach to development of writing skills.

This workshop is themed around reflections and evaluations on teaching strategies for developing skills in academic writing. It is pragmatic and interactive and offers participants opportunities to:

• Explore how to embed and develop key skills of academic writing in a programme led approach to the teaching and learning of academic writing.

• Design writing support strategies within subject areas.

• Consider the early practice of writing and how to create tasks to achieve this for students transitioning from school to undergraduate writing.

• Discuss the utilisation of feedback in the teaching of writing.

• Review how Turnitin© software can be used formatively to aid drafting skills.

 

Learning Outcomes:

1. To analyse the challenges of effectively embedding academic writing skills in a programme led approach to the teaching and learning of undergraduate writing with a particular emphasis on transitioning from school to college.
2. To evaluate a range of strategies for the practice of undergraduate academic writing skills, including disseminating information on writing, the value of tutor and peer feedback, self- assessment strategies, and the use of Turnitin© formatively as an aid to improving student writing skills.

Contact: Deirdre McClay <a href=”mailto:deirdre.mcclay@lyit.ie”>deirdre.mcclay@lyit.ie</a> 086 8406332