SMILE Project

Abstract

Accessing information and evaluation of material is essential in today’s digital society. Employers are concerned that graduates leaving university do not have adequate employability skills (Braid 2007). University lecturers are also concerned that students are coming to university with poor learning skills (Shepherd 2006). Discussions in Higher Education (HE) are focusing on who should be developing student learning and employability skills, with the consensus being that it should be the responsibility of both employers and universities (Kosviner 2007). With modularisation, it can be difficult for study and employability skills to be embedded in subject-focused modules. These skills and competencies are frequently mentioned in the module specifications, but there is often little time set aside to teach the skills. This project was an attempt to combine the skills into an “information journey” and develop a module that could be delivered in a variety of ways. It was funded by JISC (Joint Information Services Committee) as one of 20 projects (collectively RePRODUCE) to “develop, run and quality assure technology enhanced courses using reused and repurposed learning materials“ (JISC, 2009). The project was a consortium of Loughborough University, Imperial College London and University of Worcester (the lead institution)