Academic Skills Model
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The Academic Skills Model (ASM) is a framework to inform the work undertaken by the Griffith Library in partnership with the academic community to embed academic, information, and digital literacies within Griffith’s coursework cohorts.
The ASM is the mechanism by which academics and Library specialists can assign levels of literacy when developing embedded workshops and digital resources for courses and programs. It facilitates a discussion between the Library and academics in mapping the ASM literacies to set learning outcomes and assessment.
The Academic Skills Model is licensed under an Attribution CC BY NC Version 4.0 International licence. You are free to use this material for non-commercial purposes as long as you reference Library and Learning Services, Griffith University as the creator.
Explore the literacies
Contact us to discuss ways we can apply the ASM to your course or program.
Academic literacies are a set of skills and knowledge necessary for effective thinking and communicating in an academic context. They are essential for academic and employment success.
The table below provides examples of how each skill might appear at one of the following four levels of experience, roughly correlating with a student's progress through their undergraduate degree.
Skill examples
- AL1—comprehension, keywords, skim reading, reading journal articles, critically use evaluated discipline specific information.
- AL2—note taking styles, time management, listening, concept mapping, paraphrasing and organising information.
- AL3—exam and quiz preparation, unpacking assignment questions, structuring and writing academically.
- AL4—critical thinking, academic writing, including summarising and synthesising multiple sources of information.
- AL5—reflective writing, academic writing, essay and report structures. Awareness of communication channels relevant to creating a scholarly and professional identity.
- AL6—group work, reflective writing, academic writing, essay and reports.
Progress levels
- Scaffolded—students require high levels of scaffolding to develop literacy within a topic area.
- Supported—students require some level of scaffolding to develop literacy within a topic area.
- Supervised—students require some level of scaffolding to develop literacy within a discipline area.
- Independent—students independently develop literacies within a discipline.
AL1—Read and evaluate academically | AL2—Extract relevant information and make notes | AL3—Analyse and respond to questions | AL4—Apply and synthesise information | AL5—Organise and communicate information to report | AL6—Collaborate and interact in a variety of settings | |
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Scaffolded | Students display some understanding and knowledge of the topic area to use evaluated information to clarify purpose. | Students identify relevant information and make notes to summarise and paraphrase what they consider important. | Students respond to stimulus and respond to the topic to develop new understanding. | Students recall previous knowledge by applying and synthesising some discipline specific information. | Students use simple guidelines to organise and communicate information to a known academic audience. | Students listen and are moderately involved in physical and virtual learning spaces and group work. |
Supported | Students understand and display knowledge of the topic area to use evaluated information to clarify purpose and expectations. | Students identify relevant information and make notes by paraphrasing, and summarizing and interpreting materials paying attention to discipline-specific language. | Students respond to stimulus and to the subject with relevance and some analysis. | Students rearrange previous knowledge by applying and synthesising discipline specific information. | Students use simple formats from a particular viewpoint to organise and communicate information to an academic audience. | Students listen and are involved in physical and virtual learning spaces and in selected groups. |
Supervised | Students understand knowledge of the discipline to use evaluated information effectively. | Students identify relevant information and make notes through targeted transcribing, paraphrasing, summarising and expanding, competently using the language of the discipline. | Students analyse and respond to own research topic in their field of knowledge. | Students recall previous knowledge by applying and synthesising some discipline specific information. | Students use an appropriate format to organise and communicate information from multiple perspectives for a self-selected audience. | Students listen effectively and actively participate in physical and virtual learning spaces and collaborate in self-selected work groups and networks. |
Independent | Students have extensive knowledge of the discipline and independently evaluate information effectively. | Students identify important information and make notes through strategic transcribing, summarising, paraphrasing and elaborating confidently using the language of the discipline. | Students competently generate researchable stimulus and respond to the field with scholarly relevance and in-depth analysis. | Students identify gaps in discipline. Students apply and synthesise discipline specific information to strengthen their discipline knowledge. | Students use an appropriate genre to organise and communicate information from multiple perspectives for an array of audience types. | Students physically and virtually collaborate professionally in self-selected work groups and networks. |
Information literacy is a critical lifelong learning skill. It requires individuals to recognise when information is needed and to develop the ability to locate, manage, synthesize , evaluate, communicate, and use information effectively and with integrity.
The table below provides examples of how each skill might appear at one of the following four levels of experience, roughly correlating with a student's progress through their undergraduate degree.
Skill examples
- IL1—establish the need for information, understand scope of information needs, ability to identify personal knowledge gap.
- IL2—find information resource and quality characteristics of different resources by types, identify where to locate information in a scholarly context.
- IL3—apply appropriate criteria to evaluate information resources, acknowledge the social and cultural influences on information creation.
- IL4—understand the need to store and manage information and suitable methods to do this, record bibliographic information.
- IL5—acknowledge use of information sources with academic integrity, understands the legal and ethical responsibilities in the scholars' context.
Progress levels
- Scaffolded—Students require high levels of scaffolding to develop literacy within a topic area.
- Supported—Students require some level of scaffolding to develop literacy within a topic area.
- Supervised—Students require some level of scaffolding to develop literacy within a discipline area.
- Independent—Students independently develop literacies within a discipline.
IL1—Identify Information Need | IL2—Access Information | IL3—Evaluate information | IL4—Manage Information | IL5—Ethical scholarship by referencing sources | |
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Scaffolded | Students demonstrate the information need and personal knowledge gap. | Students locate applicable information using prescribed texts and strategies. | Students locate applicable information using prescribed texts and strategies. | Students organise information using prescribed structures and record bibliographic information. | Students acknowledge information sources using prescribed methods. |
Supported | Students identify their information need and personal knowledge gap. | Students locate applicable information using self-selected texts and strategies. | Students evaluate information resources using criteria related to the topic area. | Students use prescribed, information management processes to organise and record bibliographic information and find patterns in information related to their topic. | Students ethically interpret information and acknowledge information sources for their topic using prescribed methods. |
Supervised | Students identify research questions, knowledge gaps and information sources that will satisfy the research questions. | Students locate applicable information using negotiated search guidelines and a range of search strategies. | Students evaluate information resources using self-developed criteria based on information need that also incorporates social and cultural influences on information creation. | Students can select and use self-determined information management processes to organise and record unstructured bibliographic information. | Students apply & understand author rights, ethically interpret and acknowledge information using methods appropriate for their discipline. |
Independent | Students identify research questions, their knowledge gaps, assess their information need and assess information sources that will satisfy their needs. | Students locate and use sophisticated search strategies to locate applicable information. | Students evaluate information resources based on their experience, knowledge and information need, including social and cultural influences on information creation. | Students create and adapt information management processes to suit their needs for organising and recording unstructured information. | Students consistently, ethically and legally manage and acknowledge information using methods appropriate for their discipline or publishing purpose. |
Digital literacies, “rather than digital technologies or digital competence … involve finding, using and disseminating information in a digital world” (Owen, 2013). They interrelate with the academic and information literacies and move from foundational, functional use of digital tools through to the development of digital identity, collaboration, ethics and wellbeing.
The table below provides examples of how each skill might appear at one of the following four levels of experience, roughly correlating with a student's progress through their undergraduate degree.
Skill examples
- DL1—use relevant applications, online services and digital media appropriately.
- DL2—identify and evaluate digital tools in relation to a defined need.
- DL3—effectively and efficiently manage relevant digital content and data according to relevant protocols.
- DL4—ethically capture, analyse, manipulate and use digital content and data.
- DL5—use digital tools, online services and various new media channels to effectively communicate and collaborate appropriately.
Progress levels
- Scaffolded—students require high levels of scaffolding to develop literacy within a topic area.
- Supported—students require some level of scaffolding to develop literacy within a topic area.
- Supervised—students require some level of scaffolding to develop literacy within a discipline area.
- Independent—students independently develop literacies within a discipline.
DL1—Access and use digital technologies | DL2—Evaluate digital technologies are fit for purpose | DL3—Sustainably manage and store digital resources | DL4—Ethically gathering and processing data using technologies | DL5—Communicate and collaborate using technologies | |
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Scaffolded | Students access and use digital technologies including network and media devices, a range of apps and specialist software or hardware. | Students access software to prepare and communicate data for academic purposes. | Students access digital environments with some awareness of storage responsibilities and make some attempts to adapt to changing technologies. | Students use digital tools prescribed to suit discipline purposes and an awareness of ethical requirements. | Students access and use prescribed digital technologies for communication purposes with academic peer group. |
Supported | Students manage digital technologies including network and media devices, a range of apps, and specialist software or hardware required for learning. | Students evaluate the capabilities and suitability of software to prepare and communicate data for academic purposes. | Students access and store their online information in a digital environment and adapting to changing technologies. | Students choose and use digital tools to suit own purposes and adhere to ethical requirements. | Students demonstrate some capacity to evaluate digital technologies appropriate for communication with academic audience. |
Supervised | Students evaluate and adapt to changing digital technologies including network and media devices, a range of apps, and specialist software or hardware. | Students integrate different software to prepare and analyse data to visualize and communicate information for either professional or academic purposes. | Students manage and secure their online information across multiple digital environments as directed. | Students choose and blend technologies to evaluate the application of digital tools beyond basic functionality to suit disciplinary contexts and adhere to ethical requirements | Students select and manage appropriate digital technologies for communication purposes with a targeted audience. |
Independent | Students confidently integrate digital technologies including media devices, a range of apps, and specialist software or hardware. | Students independently choose and use software to capture, analyse and communicate data for professional and academic purposes. | Students manage and secure their information across multiple digital environments and create spaces to disseminate information. | Demonstrate advanced ability to critique the capabilities of research tools for a variety of purposes and adhere to ethical requirements. | Students use a variety of digital communication technologies to collaborate with academic communities and industry partnerships. |
Association of College & Research Libraries. (2015). Framework for information for higher education. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework
Bowles-Terry, M. (2012). Library instruction and academic success: A mixed-methods assessment of a library instruction program. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 7(1), 82-95.
Griffith Graduate Attributes https://www.griffith.edu.au/the-griffith-graduate
Harper, R. (2011). Academic Development Framework, University of Canberra.
Henzcel, S. (2014). Library Metrics Workshop 12 September 2014, Griffith University.
Jisc (nd) Digital Capabilities: the 6 elements defined. Retrieved from https://digitalcapability.jiscinvolve.org/wp/files/2015/06/1.-Digital-capabilities-6-elements.pdf
Lizzio, A. (2006). Designing an orientation and transition strategy for commencing students. Griffith University first year experience project. Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
Lizzio, A. (2011). Succeeding@ Griffith: Next Generation Partnerships across the Student Lifecycle. Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
Oakleaf, M. (2015). The library's contribution to student learning: Inspirations and aspirations. College and Research Libraries, 76(3). Retrieved from http://meganoakleaf.info/framework.pdf
Oliver, R., & Towers S. (2000). Benchmarking ICT in Tertiary Learning Settings. Edith Cowan University. ASCIILITE Conference.
Seidman, A. (Ed.). (2005). College student retention: Formula for student success. American Council on Education/Praeger Series in Higher Education Series. Praeger Publishers, Westport, United States of America.
Tinto, V. (1975) Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research Review of Educational Research, 45, 89-125.
Transferable skills
The ASM is underpinned by the Griffith Graduate Attributes and the Five Senses of Success developed by Professor Alf Lizzio. It helps to develop transferable skills through the literacies which may assist in employability outcomes – for example, critical analysis of text; awareness of communication channels and audience; and engagement with digital tools, online identity, and responsibilities.
Griffith Graduate Attributes enable graduates to respond to a changing workforce, enhance their employability outcomes and equip them with the requisite skills to be future-ready.
Develop skills
We can deliver workshops and create eLearning resources to help students develop essential skills.
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