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Staff Academic Skills

Academic Skills Tutors are a well-established source of assistance and academic development for students at the University. Tutors also make a significant contribution to conference activity, innovation and research within higher education. This page details some of the activities undertaken by tutors.

Conference Papers

Academic skills tutors David Arthurs, Gillian Byrne, Christine Cattermole, Stephen Catterall, Pat Hill, Christopher Ireland, Jane Mullen and Amanda Tinker have been involved in presenting the following conference papers:

  • Al-Ja’afari, M & Ireland, C. (2002), Reading & Meaning: Breaking Down the Barriers, National Ministry of Education, English Language Teaching (ELT) Conference, Ministry of Education, Muscat, February 2002.
  • Arthurs, D. (2004) The Disabled Student in Higher Education, keynote speaker, Disablement Information & Advice Line (DIAL) Services Conference, The Integrated Living Centre, Leeds, October 2004.
  • Byrne, G, Cattermole, C & Tinker, A.   (2008) Creating Learning Communities: Three Open Source Tools, Annual Teaching and Learning Conference, University of Huddersfield, 15 September 2008.
  • Byrne, G & Tinker, A. (2007) Localised ‘One-Stop’ Shops: a Devolved, Embedded Model of Academic Skills Provision, Crossing Boundaries: Academic Support for the Learner in HE Conference, English Language and Learner Support (ELLS), Middlesex University, 30 June 2007.
  • Byrne, G. & Tinker, A. (2008), Meeting Diversity through the Disciplines: a Devolved Model of Academic Skills Development, European Writing Centres Association (ECWA) Conference, University of Education, Freiburg, Germany, 19-22 June 2008.
  • Catterall, S. & Ireland, C. (2007) Writing Support for Overseas Students: Quick Fix or Responsive Solution? Teaching Academic Writing Across and in the Disciplines, 4th European Association for the Teaching of Academic Writing (EATAW) conference, Schreibzentrum, Ruhr-Universität, Bochum, Germany, 30 June-2 July 2007.
  • Drake, J, Avison, L & Ireland, C. (2006) An Incredible Journey - Into and Beyond Foundation Degrees, Foundation Degree First Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 15 November 2006.
  • English, J & Ireland, C. (2008), Developing the Tools of the Trade: Reconciling Vocational and Academic Demands, Doing University: Student Transitions and Skills in Higher Education Conference, University of Huddersfield, 19 March 2008.
  • English, J & Ireland, C. (2008) Let them Plagiarise, Annual Teaching and Learning Conference, University of Huddersfield, 15 September 2008.
  • English, J & Ireland, C. (2009), Let them Plagiarise – Developing Academic Writing in a Safe Environment, The Roles of Writing Development in Higher Education and Beyond, 5th European Association for the Teaching of Academic Writing (EATAW) Conference, Coventry University, 30 June-2 July 2009.
  • Hill, P.(2001) Feedback on Feedback, Teaching Writing in Higher Education Conference, Warwick University, March 2001.
  • Hill,P. (2004) Am I Been a Pedant When I Say That Accepting Student’s Different Literacy Practice’s Will Effect There Prospects [sic] 10th Writing Development in Higher Education Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 10-11 May 2004.
  • Hill, P. (2004) What do Students Really Want from Higher Education? 11th International Literacy and Education Research Network Conference on Learning, Pedagogical Convention Centre, Havana, Cuba, 27-30 June 2004.
  • Hill, P.(2009) Invisible Writing, The Roles of Writing Development in Higher Education and Beyond, 5th European Association for the Teaching of Academic Writing (EATAW) conference, Coventry University, 30 June-2 July 2009.
  • Hill, P & Mullen, J. (2007) Writing Skills - An Integrated Approach,  4th Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (LDHEN) Symposium,  Bournemouth University, 12 April 2007.
  • Ireland, C & Robertson, V. (1999) Utilizing Literature in English: Exploiting Readers Imaginatively British Council & Centre for British Teaching (CfBT), Brunei, October 1999.
  • Ireland, C. (2001) Encouraging Extensive Reading, Sharqiya South Regional Education Authority ELT Conference, Al-Wadi, Oman, October 2001.
  • Mullen, J. (2006) Challenging and Changing Priorities at one University, 11th Writing in Higher Education Conference, Open University, Milton Keynes, 11-12 May 2006.
  • Mullen, J & Hatton, J.(2009) Perplexing Identities, The Challenge of Learning Development,  6th Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (LDHEN) Symposium,  Bournemouth University, 6-7 April 2009.
  • Mullen, J & Hatton, J. (2009) Listen to Me! The Voices of Some Students with Dyslexia, Degrees of Independence Conference, University of Huddersfield, 16-17 April 2009.
  • Mullen, J & Hatton, J. (2009) Levelling the Playing Field, Training Agencies Group Annual Conference (Association of Lecturers in Youth and Community Work Education), Wortley Hall, Sheffield, 18 June 2009.
  • Squires, P, Tinker, A & Redmore, N. (2009) Reflect, Connect, Understand and Plan: an Integrated Learning Portfolio, 4th European First Year Experience Conference, University of Groningen, Netherlands, 13-15 May 2009.
  • Squires, P, Tinker, A & Redmore, N. (2009) Future scan: mapping the territory, Association of Fashion & Textile Courses Conference, University of Liverpool, Foresight Centre, 17-18 November 2009.
  • Tinker, A , Cattermole, C & Byrne, G. (2009)   Creating Learning Communities: Three Open Source Tools, The  Challenge of Learning Development, 6th Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (LDHEN) Symposium, Bournemouth University, 6-7 April 2009.
  • Tinker, A & Byrne, G.(2009) From Entertainment to Education: Can Social Software Engage the Reticent Writer? The Roles of Writing Development in Higher Education and Beyond, 5th European Association for the Teaching of Academic Writing (EATAW) Conference, Coventry University, 30 June - 2 July 2009.

Innovation

Academic skills tutors have recently been involved in a project funded by the University’s Teaching & Learning Programme entitled Developing an Academic Skills Web Site Gateway. This produced an informal on line learning community supported by social networking technology. All academic skills tutors have developed a personal social bookmarking site using delicious, which highlights useful and easily accessible web resources for both staff and students in each School (see links on each tutor’s profile).

Academic skills tutors are seeking funding to pursue a project that aims to research staff and student perceptions of discipline-related academic skills in order to develop and implement an integrated model for embedded curriculum design and delivery.

Research

In 2009 Pat Hill completed her doctoral research at the University of Huddersfield with the title Making Writing Invisible: A Study into the Complexities of Standard Written English Acquisition in Higher Education.

Academic skills tutors are currently collaborating on researching and writing articles for submission to scholarly journals including the following titles:

  • Creating Learning Communities: Three Open Source Tools
  • From Deficiency to Development: the evolution of academic skills provision at one UK university 
  • Perplexing Identities: The voices of dyslexic youth and community students
  • Writing Support for International Students: Adopting a critical pragmatic approach
order a prospectus 2010 11

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