1.1 Preparing to learn in Cambridge
1.1.1 Provision and co-ordination of skills courses
Summary of Strategy
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Strategic Aim |
(Ongoing) Action |
Appropriate bodies and student representatives |
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1.1 Preparing to Learn in Cambridge |
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1.1.1 Provision and coordination of skills courses a. College responsibility b. University responsibility c. CUSU responsibility |
§ Support and lobby for the increased provision of skills courses across the University and Colleges. § CUSU to continue making exam skills provision and updating skills support on the CUSU website for the immediate future. |
§ CUSU AAO § CUSU EO § CUSU FLO through: § Senior Tutors' EC § General Board EC § College AAOs § Student FBMs § PSPG |
Strategy
1.1.1 Provision and co-ordination of skills courses
The stated aim 4.1.1(a) of the ULTS is 'preparing students to learn in Cambridge through the provision and co-ordination of skills courses'.
(a) What are Colleges doing?
Colleges are increasingly taking responsibility for study skills support. This can take different forms, such as the availability of a Literary Fellow (shared by Newnham and Selwyn) or weekly drop in study skills sessions with a Senior Tutor (Sidney Sussex). This year Freshers from St. John's College were given three days extra residence before the beginning of Freshers' week for an induction course and study skills sessions. There is however a disparity between the level of provision across Colleges and a need for a high standard across all colleges.
Among the reasons which make support necessary is the increased gap between A-Level preparation and the demands of a Cambridge Tripos. Students are coming from a variety of educational backgrounds which are often at odds with the Cambridge style of teaching and learning.
Ongoing action: CUSU is continuing to work with College JCRs and through the Senior Tutors' Education Committee to encourage an increase and consistency of high quality study skills support at a College level. CUSU and Senior Tutors' Education Committee are building up a database of college provision of study skills for dissemination in Colleges, in order to make them aware of good practice within the University.
(b) What is the University doing?
It was reported that "in more recent years teachers and supervisors have become concerned that increasing numbers of undergraduates arrive in Cambridge with less well developed learning and communication skills particularly in terms of essay writing".
In response, as part of its strategy, the University asset up a Transition Skills (TranSkills) Project for 2 years from January 2008, to look at study skills including maths and essay writing skills.
Ongoing Action: CUSU to support such initiatives and to encourage their proliferation. CUSU Academic Affairs Officer to sit on the Pedagogic Support Providers Group (PSPG) which will manage the project.
(c) What is CUSU doing?
Every year CUSU organises Revision and Exams Skills talks and seminars. In previous years, termly study skills sessions were organised. We have developed, promoted and regularly updated a camexams.com website for information on exams and revision. No other Students' Union however takes on such a level of responsibility and cost. While the talks are useful, they are not very well attended and they and the website cannot substitute for a developed study skills support system in the University and Colleges. In May 2007 this concern was brought before the Senior Tutors' Education Committee. The Committee were sympathetic and took on our recommendation to compose a categorical account of study skills support in Colleges, with a view to encouraging their dissemination across Colleges. The Committee was also receptive to the idea that in three years time CUSU will not need to organise talks and sessions to compensate for a lack of provision in some Colleges.
Ongoing Action: To continue making central exam/revision skill provision for the time being, while at the same time continuing our efforts through JCRs and the Senior Tutors' Education Committee to make Colleges take appropriate responsibility as providers of study skill support.
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