A friendly destination: Normalising first-year science student help-seeking through an academic literacy Targeted Learning Session. A Practice Report

Abstract

A high priority for tertiary institutions in New Zealand, and globally, is for first year students to have a positive experience of higher education. However, a commonly reported issue is student reluctance to access learning support, even when needed (Hoyne & McNaught, 2013). Previous research addressed this issue with a large number of Arts students through introducing Targeted Learning Sessions in which teaching staff and learning support services combined to offer assistance in one place (Cameron, George & Henley, 2012). Our study replicates and develops their successful session with a smaller number of Medical Imaging students. The students reported appreciating timely help from a range of staff on content, structure and information discovery. Staff enjoyed greater interaction with students and the professional collaborative environment. Our findings also highlighted future practical improvements. This study extends previous research, increasing understanding and demonstrating the wider application of Targeted Learning Sessions in normalising help-seeking.