Presented at the 2014 Student Affairs and Services Symposium at York University. This session, based on a poster session held at the recent CACUSS conference, will introduce participants to York University's new, free, e-learning academic writing resource, SPARK (Student Papers and Academic Research Kit). SPARK is a collaborative, pan-university project funded by the York University Academic Innovation Fund, and created by the Learning Commons, a partnership of the York University Libraries, the Learning Skills Services and the Writing Centre.

1. Cathy Boyd-Withers and Mona Frial-Brown
Learning Skills Services
CACUSS 2014: NAVIGATING CHANGE
Poster Session June 9, 2014
Introducing
SPARK
A free e-learning tool for students

2. What is SPARK?
E.learning resource, accessible freely online, to
help students with academic writing tasks
Created by the Learning Commons, a pan-university
collaborative partnership, consisting of:
• Learning Skills Services
• York University Libraries
• Writing Centre
Organized around the process of completing
written academic assignments
• Emphasis on promoting “academic literacies”:
research, writing and learning skills
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•
•
Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS

3. Learning Skills Services
Who are we?
• Administratively, LSS is located in the Division of Students,
as a separate unit within Counselling&Disability Services
• Learning Skills Services (LSS) are open to all York
students, undergraduate and graduate, at any level of
study
• Director, Polly MacFarlane, EdD
• 2 full-time Learning Skills Specialists
• Cathy Boyd-Withers, PhD
• Mona Frial-Brown, M.Ed.
• Founding partner in The Learning Commons, with Libraries
and Writing Centre
• Key partner in development of
Divis•ion of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS

4. Learning Skills Services
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Learning Skills Services (LSS) are about “learning how to learn”,
improving student effectiveness and efficiency at studying and
completing assignments, and helping students to achieve their
academic goals, through fostering:
• Self-knowledge about learning and motivation
• Time management and organizational skills
• Core academic literacies such as reading, note-taking, critical
thinking, exam preparation
Learning Skills Services include workshops, drop-in times, individual
sessions, and consultation on learning skills topics with faculty and
staff across the university
What do we do?
Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS

5. Origins
• Idea began in The Learning Commons, over 4 yrs ago
• Generated and developed by Virtual Learning Commons Subcommittee
• Sketched out rough plan
• Funding opportunity arose,2011 – YorkU Academic Innovation Fund (AIF)
• Applied and won generous funding for 3 yrs – 2011-2014
•
Organization
•Steering Committee, led by Libraries
•Representing all partners: Learning Skills, Libraries, Writing Centre
• Writing teams for each module, representation from all partners
• External web developer hired for technical aspects
Launched: Oct 16, 2013
• New Faculty Module to launch F2014
•
Supporting Student Success
Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS
•

6. Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS
Designed to Support Teaching and Learning
Academic Support Services
(eg. Learning Commons: Learning Skills, Writing Centre, Libraries)
Faculty
(Faculty Module to launch F2014)
Students
(Online modules)

7. Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS

8. • 13 main modules, organized across 3 categories, reflecting key
phases of writing a paper:
• Getting Started
• Exploring
• Pulling It Together
• Resources/worksheets to accompany each module
• Can be done in any order, to allow for recursive nature of writing
• 2 additional modules at or nearing completion
• Academic Integrity – launched summer 2014
• Faculty module – to launch Fall 2014
www.yorku.ca/spark
Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS
Organization of SPARK

9. Supporting Student Success
• Promoting Student Success through Partnership
• Built / strengthened key partnerships across campus
• A "win-win" for everyone,especially students!
Bridged traditional "Academic versus Student Services"
divide, typical of most universities
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End result stronger than any one unit could have produced
Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS

10. Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS

11. Explore SPARK Hands-On!
• Time Management
• "Blank Schedule"
• Gathering & Noting Ideas
• “Note Taking Worksheet”
Effective Reading Strategies
• "Conquering Difficult Readings"
Revising Your Arguments
• “Peer Review Guide”
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Find each of the following Modules and associated Resource:
Division of Students
PARTNERS IN STUDENT SUCCESS

12. Contact Information:
Cathy Boyd-Withers
Learning Skills Specialist
cathybw@yorku.ca
Mona Frial-Brown
Learning Skills Specialist
mfrial@yorku.ca
Learning Skills Services
http://lss.info.yorku.ca