Academic Libraries and learning support in collaboration

Аннотация

This article begins with an overview of Bournemouth University’s pioneering Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PAL) and describes how in 2005/06 the library became involved, collaborating with the PAL Coordinator to develop materials for use by PAL Leaders. PAL is intended to foster cross-year support between students on the same course. It encourages students to support each other and learn cooperatively under the guidance of trained students from the year above*called PAL Leaders. Two documents were produced to support and empower these leaders. The first, Using the Library for Your Research, provides leaders with key guidance information on the University Library, its resources and the services it provides. The second, Citing References Using the Harvard System, aims to explain and demystify the Harvard referencing system and to encourage good referencing habits in students from an early stage of their course through a practical hands-on exercise. Feedback from PAL Leaders continues to inform the development of these guidance materials, in particular the referencing exercise that was reworked to better suit the needs of the leaders delivering it.