SLC support for programs and courses
- Improve your students’ success in assessment
- Six tips for integrating academic literacies in your program
- Workshops
- SLC collaborative academic literacies projects
Improving your students’ success in assessment
Collaborate with the SLC in an academic literacies project
The Study and Learning Centre (SLC) aims to strengthen and develop RMIT students’ academic literacies. By working in partnership with program teaching staff, the SLC can make a positive difference to student outcomes within the context of the program.
Integrating academic literacies
For most students assessment drives their participation in their program. Success in assessment relies on understanding and communicating content through appropriate academic literacies.
What are academic literacies?
Academic literacies are the ways that knowledge is applied and communicated within disciplines. During their program, students develop the specific literacies required to make and communicate meaning. For writing this includes argument and citation in essays, reports, case studies, etc. For maths, it is the ability to make well founded judgements selecting appropriate skills, strategies and relevant aspects of the context.
Why are academic literacies important?
Academic literacies are essential for students’ success in their assessments. All students encounter new academic literacies at university. Given that the number of students from diverse backgrounds is increasing (Bradley Review), there is an even greater need for these literacies to be specifically addressed.
How can programs integrate academic literacies?
The SLC has expertise in assisting programs to integrate academic literacies. Academic literacies projects provide a systemic and sustainable strategy for the development of academic literacies.
This strategy targets programs at key transition points for students including:
- first-year core courses
- transition from TAFE to second year higher education programs
- transition from associate degree programs to third year higher education programs
- identified cohorts (at risk and retention).
Six tips for integrating academic literacies in your program.
For further information or request consultancy for your course or program please contact the SLC.
Workshops
To request a workshop in your program, please complete our online booking form. Workshops are a good starting point for an academic literacies project.
To request a workshop, please complete our online booking form.
SLC collaborative academic literacy projects
The following resources are examples of collaborations involving curriculum development, scaffolding of assessment tasks and in-program workshops.
- How to Study Company Law (online development ADG Bus)
- Contract law
- Risk management (online development ADG Bus)
- Negligence
- Study skills for fashion students
- Referencing for fashion
- Study Skills for dental assistants
- Study skills for TAFE business students
- Design projects: the brief (Architecture)
- Referencing for social sciences
- Model social science essay (139 Kb PDF)
Academic literacies projects at other universities
This approach is increasingly being adopted at other universities. For example look at:
- The University of Technology Sydney: Academic Literacies Integration Project
- Victoria University Academic Literacy Project–The Final Product
Enhancing language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) in VET
Integrating LLN into teaching practice is important, especially in the VET programs. The SLC has a range of support options for integrating language, literacy and numeracy into student learning.
For information about TAFE Language Literacy and Numeracy support and PD materials please contact the SLC.
The Study and Learning Centre is a member of The Association for Academic Language and Learning.