Abstract
This paper presents a two-part case study that used the seminal Lea and Street (1998) paper on academic literacies to inform ways of working collaboratively with a range of partners on embedding the development of academic literacies in course curricula. The two projects that make up the case study were funded by an Australian Government response to a greater linguistic, social and cultural diversity of students enrolling in Australian universities (Australian Commonwealth Government, 2009a). Both projects focused on the development of curricula in selected professional courses in order to increase students’ awareness of the requirements of their chosen discipline, and ensure that they acquire the academic literacies needed to succeed in their area of study. What differed is the combinations of project partners and the nature of the partnerships. The case study presents the collaborative work of numerous project partners including Language and Learning Advisers (LLAs) and Subject Lecturers (SLs) in first identifying and defining academic literacies relevant to each course, and then implementing different teaching and learning practices to integrate the development of academic literacies in course curricula. Using the analogy of an ever-changing dance, the paper suggests that the degree of success and the sustainability of curriculum renewal projects depends on numerous interrelated factors, and that it may not be possible to enact academic literacy development by following set dance steps. Awareness, sensitivity and flexibility are important in bringing the dance to life.
Highlights
Much has been written over the last few decades about the need for university teaching staff and students to appreciate the difference between generic study skills and the literacy practices and professional discourse of specific disciplines (Moore and Hough, 2005; Wingate, 2006; Lillis and Scott, 2007)
They were funded through the High Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP), an Australian Government initiative introduced with the specific aim of increasing the success of students of lowsocioeconomic status backgrounds (Australian Commonwealth Government, 2009b)
The twin projects that make up this case study illustrate some of the enabling factors for using an academic literacies perspective to help drive curricular change
Summary
Much has been written over the last few decades about the need for university teaching staff and students to appreciate the difference between generic study skills and the literacy practices and professional discourse of specific disciplines (Moore and Hough, 2005; Wingate, 2006; Lillis and Scott, 2007). In a seminal paper, Lea and Street (1998) detail the differences between these two perspectives, and propose an alternative approach, attentive to academic literacies and the conflicted and contested nature of writing practices They outline three different but overlapping approaches to student literacy development in academic settings: study skills, academic socialisation, and academic literacies. Lea and Street (1998) contend that students are faced with the challenge of gaining some sense of agency or identity within their discipline, and suggest that a recognition of the impact of power imbalances on students can help change teaching and learning practice They include a key recommendation from their original research, which is to adopt an academic literacies perspective as the focus for research aiming to interrogate teaching and learning practices and institutional policy. Just as dancers need to sustain energy and enthusiasm, effective curricular change requires collaboration and commitment over a lengthy period of time
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