The ELS was set up to help improve progression and retention. We are
committed to making a positive difference to students' learning by
encouraging them to become aware of how they learn and enabling them to
manage their own study strategies. Support is offered in key areas such
as writing for academic purposes, exam preparation, general study
skills, mathematics/statistics and in the delivery of specific
programmes such as Summer School and HN Induction.
The ELS is based on the 1st floor of the Library. Our main activity
involves pre-booked appointments and drop-ins for which there is a high demand. Students are also advised
over the telephone and increasingly via email. A comprehensive set of
study skills leaflets are available to uplift and are continually
updated.
The service also runs generic workshops in the most popular study
skills areas throughout both semesters. Tailored subject-specific
workshops are also delivered through liaison with academic colleagues
and at the request of students themselves. The former has proved to be particularly
successful. We are therefore keen to develop this strategy further and
welcome colleagues to discuss with us how the service can help their
students.
Evaluation indicates that the ELS has positively established itself
in the minds of both students and staff. Just to give a taste of what
students feel about the service, some of what they said in recent focus
groups run by the
Student Access to Services Project is shown on the
right.
