Abstract
Until recently, academic skills support at the University of Bolton was fragmented and compartmentalised, sometimes leaving students confused as to where to go for help. In addition the focus was on remedial support. We have developed a new vision: the Learning Excellence Achievement Pathway (LEAP). This new learning development strategy has the objective of developing a skills offering that is comprehensive, co-ordinated, and trackable, offering an inclusive, personalised and relevant approach to learning development. A new Learning Development Framework (LDF) identifies skills students need to progress through their programmes. It demonstrates a holistic approach, recognising four key areas relating to the acquisition of skills, knowledge and experience: (1) academic development, (2) personal development, (3) digital literacy and (4) student engagement.
LEAP support is delivered face-to-face and online. This paper will focus on the challenge of providing the online support – LEAP Online. The University’s existing online skills tutorial, BISSTO, is being transformed into LEAP Online, offering content reflecting the new LDF. Content included will be differentiated into levels designed to engage students of all abilities. LEAP Online includes badged assessments providing students with evidence demonstrating engagement with LEAP.
This paper will demonstrate the challenges, achievements and opportunities offered by the LEAP Online project: (1) how the technical challenges of providing content, activities and assessments online have been overcome; (2) how students will work with their personal tutors to agree a LEAP Action Plan; (3) how LEAP Online is ideally suited to provide content for both embedded and extra-curricular skills support.
The successful implementation of the strategy, underpinned by LEAP Online, will ensure that the University’s skills provision is transformed from a deficit model, to one which encourages and champions excellence.