Improving study skills is an area which everyone agrees is important. Unfortunately, because this type of training often is not the responsibility of a particular individual, module or department, training in these essential skills can sometimes be neglected. In a crowded timetable course organisers are often reluctant to transfer contact time from subject specific content to more generic material such as study skills. It is not surprising, therefore, that a number of resources including several LT materials are now available which enable students to spend as much time as is necessary for them to acquire the necessary skills without impinging too heavily on staff-student contact time. In some institutions, information on study skills is included in induction training or in freshers' week.
Some of the best computer-based packages which provide tips and techniques for students to improve their study skills were developed under Phase 1 of the Teaching and Learning Technology Programme. In particular:
Teaching with Independent Learning Technologies (TILT) (Project 1) which has developed a number of hypertext Information Skills modules and a Study Skills module aimed mainly at first and second year students;
Identifying and advising students at risk from deficient study skills; a computer-based package for departments (Project 8). PASS: Personalised Advice on Study Skills containing three pieces of software: Questionnaire, StudentView and StudyAdvisor;
Courseware for Learning and Study Skills (CLASS) (Project 10) which has open access modules, focusing on the acquisition and practice of generic learning and study skills;
Technology based learning in medicine; beyond courseware (Project 31) which aims to promote the incremental development of a transportable technology based system of learning in medicine.