PASSwrite: Recalibrating student academic literacies development

Concern about student retention and success remains paramount in universities both in Australia and overseas, especially in the light of the ongoing massification of higher education, yet current strategies are not necessarily dealing successfully with the changing demographics of student populations. This is particularly so in the realm of developing student academic literacies. This paper argues strongly for a shift in approaches to the development of academic literacies, adopting current trends in peer learning rather than relying on the deficit model of study skills which is frequently employed at Australian universities. We present an overview of the innovative PASSwrite model, utilising the principles of peer-assisted study sessions (PASS) to create a peer-led informal environment in which students can develop their academic writing abilities in a collaborative, discipline-specific context. We posit that such an environment can better address students’ learning needs across a wide spectrum, from understanding the specific discourse of their discipline and receiving timely feedback on their writing, to developing confidence in their ability to navigate successfully a path through the maze of academia. We provide an outline of a PASSwrite session to demonstrate how this can be achieved, along with the anticipated outcomes. As the project is at an early stage at the time of writing, no firm conclusions can be made, but it is envisaged that these will be presented as the project matures

PASSwrite

PASSwrite is a strategic and sustainable approach to the development of critical and communicative capabilities among students, particularly underprepared and ‘non-traditional’ students (students who are mature age, from LSES backgrounds, or working full time). The project brings together the well-established and effective peer-learning model – Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) – with the best practice model of discipline-based academic literacy to create group learning environments in which students engage in critical reading, writing and dialogue related to concepts, language and conventions in their academic discipline

What do communication skills mean in the construction discipline?

The establishment of academic standards in a number of disciplines has been the focus of an ongoing Australian Communication has emerged as one of the key threshold learning outcomes in the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)-funded project (2010-2011) which established academic standards in a number of disciplines in Australian higher education institutions. However, it is far from clear what is meant by the term ?communication? in any of the disciplines, including the Construction discipline. This study examines the different understandings of communication skills in the Construction discipline that have emerged through thematic and concordance analysis of focus group discussions with the three major stakeholders in the discipline: faculty staff at several Australian universities, industry representatives, and students/recent graduates from Building & Construction degree programs. The findings show that each of the stakeholders has a different understanding of what communication encompasses, and that there are clear differences between the various higher education providers as to what communication is and how it can be developed in a degree program. The findings then beg the question: how are such skills to be taught and assessed in the context of the discipline

Parrot poo on the windscreen: Metaphor in academic skills learning

Metaphor can be a powerful tool in communicating the purposes and processes involved in learning as the use of metaphor enables new and complex ideas to be presented through more familiar forms. A considerable range of literature recognises the role of metaphor in learning and teaching both as an analytical tool and as a medium for conveying meaning. However, little has been written about the use of metaphor in the context of academic skills learning. This research was prompted by the authors’ personal experience in using metaphor and students’ positive feedback. It explores the use of metaphor both among academic skills advisers and in academic skills texts. It was found that it was not uncommon for academic skills practitioners to use metaphor in learning and teaching situations and the research revealed a rich assortment of metaphors. Similarly texts in this field use metaphors, albeit more tentatively and sparingly. Empirical research into student understanding and perceived benefits of the use of metaphors would further contribute to this initial discussion

Paradigm shift from student to researcher: An academic preparation program for international students

Although there are many Academic Preparation Programs designed for international postgraduate students, the importance of establishing “the role of the researcher” is rarely the focus of these programs. This role is a fundamental “threshold concept” (Meyer & Land, 2006) for postgraduate success which has the potential to be transformational at both Masters and PhD levels. This paper reports on an intensive academic preparation program (IAPP) for international postgraduate students commencing study at UNSW in 2009. This pilot program consisted of 40 hours facilitation prior to commencement of Semester 1, 2009. The program aimed to explore the “role of the researcher” by engaging in academic literacies fundamental to postgraduate expectations and empowering each student by acknowledging they were budding specialists in their disciplinary field. The design of the program encouraged personal responsibility for research and learning. This gave learners confidence to explore their reflective and critical learning process and to fine tune their research interests. Learning activities were designed to foster and record reflective practice. The use of a learning journal, group discussions and debriefings were central to the program and increased learners’ confidence as researchers. Student feedback of this pilot program was very positive and demonstrated its transformational nature. Based on this experience, we suggest that developing the “role of the researcher” offers another direction to consider when designing international preparation programs

Eau de Cleopatra: Mendesian perfume and Tell Timai

A combination of Classics, Egyptology, and experimental archaeology were utilized to recreate the (in)famous perfume used by Queen Cleopatra VII. Especially important was the use of classical sources and paleobotany to determine the identity of the Egyptian sacred oils such as camphor and balanos. Excavations at the site of Tell Timai revealed a perfumery that contributed to our ability to recreate the process of perfume manufacture. This ancient “Mendesian” perfume has since been recreated in the lab, exhibited at the Smithsonian, and worn again for the first time in millennia

Routine infant skincare advice in the UK: A cross-sectional survey.

- We surveyed over 85% of UK public health system maternity care providers in 2022. - Routine UK infant skincare advice is very heterogeneous, often conflicting and not evidence based

Ownership-dependent mating tactics of minor males of the beetle Librodor japonicus (Nitidulidae) with intra-sexual dimorphism of mandibles

Intra-sexual dimorphism is found in the weapons of many male beetles. Different behavioral tactics to access females between major and minor males, which adopt fighting and alternative tactics, respectively, are thought to maintain the male dimorphism. In these species major males have enlarged weapons that they use in fights with rival males. Minor males also have small weapons in some of these species, and it is unclear why these males possess weapons. We examined the hypothesis that minor males might adopt a fighting tactic when their status was relatively high in comparison with that of other males (e.g., ownership of a territory). We observed the behavioral tactics of major and minor males of the beetle Librodor japonicus, whose males have a dimorphism of their mandibles. Major males fought for resources, whereas minor males adopted two status-dependent tactics, fighting and sneaking, to access females, depending on their ownership of a sap site. We suggest that ownership status-dependent mating tactics in minor males may maintain the intra-sexual dimorphism in this beetle.</p