Margi Rawlinson: Learning and Teaching Fellowship Profile

Role and Remit

I am the Skills Development Coordinator (study skills focus) based in the Edge Ahead Centre, within Learning Services.  My remit is to provide, coordinate, supervise and evaluate one-to-one study skills provision and to coordinate the development of generic study skills resources and workshops for students.  I also work with academic colleagues to design and integrate subject based study resources into curricula, as I am firmly committed to an ‘academic literacies’ approach to student support and writing within the disciplines.

Academic and Professional Background

After completing an Access course, an English degree (at Edge Hill), a PGCE in Inclusive Education and a Certificate in Adult Dyslexia Support, I worked for a number of years as a study skills/SpLD support tutor and SpLD Assessor in FE. I initially joined Edge Hill as an employee in 1997, as one of the first Learning Facilitators. I returned in 2002, as a Study Skills and Personal Tutor on the Fastrack programme, moving into TLDU as a Study Skills/SpLD Support Tutor. I have been in my current role since 2003.

Fellowship Focus for 2009

As a member of the Academic Writing and Research Development Group (AWRDG) at Edge Hill, I have been able to work more collaboratively with EHU and external colleagues to share and disseminate good practice for student writing support. I am currently in the process of designing a training programme for students, to enable them to become writing support mentors. The aim is to enhance the current Peer Mentor Scheme within the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS). The Writing Mentor Scheme will be piloted in FAS during the 2009/10 academic year. The training programme is grounded in academic writing theory and effective support strategies. I have also drawn on successful schemes within the HE sector, in particular the Write Now schemes at London Metropolitan and Liverpool Hope Universities.

I hope that interest in the project will generate further debate and collaboration regarding supporting students with academic writing.