Engaging international students in academic and information literacy

Abstract

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to discuss a collaborative initiative between a module leader, librarian and academic skills tutor to support information and academic literacy skills development of a group of international students from a partner college in Malaysia during their three-month study visit to Sheffield Hallam University.Design/methodology/approach– The paper explores the transferability of active learning and teaching techniques used with second-year home students to a cohort of final-year international students. It discusses the development, implementation and assessment of learning workshop activities and the use of mobile phones in the classroom to enhance student engagement.Findings– The embedded active learning and teaching techniques used with second-year home students transferred well to the international student cohort. At the end of the module, international student feedback and reference list analysis suggests that the embedding of both information and academic literacy skills within modules does support student development of these skills. Mobile technology proved both enjoyable and engaging for the students.Originality/value– The paper’s findings are transferable to other international student cohorts in UK higher education libraries and suggest ways of engaging students in information and academic skills workshops and supporting their skills development to achieve academic success.