Designing a Digital Research Accelerator Programme for the Social Sciences at UCD: Preliminary Results of a Faculty-Library Collaboration

Abstract

Alongside calls in the literature for research skills development for undergraduates, University College Dublin's College of Social Sciences and Law (CoSSL) has identified a need for research skills education for its new Bachelor of Social Sciences programme. In collaboration, academics and the library have created a new course, the Social Sciences Research Accelerator, designed to provide foundational learning of research skills for students transitioning to conduct research projects in their final year. Preliminary testing of the course, A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t which included a small user-testing group of undergraduates who engaged with course activities and then completed a survey evaluation, has been positive. This paper details the partnership between academics and library staff toward a common scholarship goal, including the creation of learning materials, early testing of content, and future work.

A study of higher education students' self-perceived digital competences for learning and everyday life online participation

“…This direction is also evident within the higher education domain, in debates, placing focus on addressing capabilities required by all university students to thrive as effective and responsible participants in a digital society (AdvanceHE, 2017; Bawden and Robinson, 2002; Ng, 2012; Fulton et al , 2020). For example, work by JISC (2012) on the “Developing Digital Literacies programme” (DDL) supported students' development of digital literacies as “capabilities which fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital society”, highlighting a number of areas, including the use of digital tools as well as digital professionalism, communicating ideas effectively, collaborating in virtual networks and using digital technologies to support reflection (JISC, 2014).…”