Learning outcome
Demonstrate the literacy and numeracy skills necessary to understand and interpret information and communicate according to the context.
Student Benefits
Graduates will acquire discipline-specific literacy and numeracy skills necessary to understand, interpret, construct, and present information effectively in their academic and professional life. They will employ critical communication and problem-solving skills to successfully navigate and contribute to the creation of a nurturing and functional physical, social, and emotional world responsive to the needs of others.
Scaffolding
- Focus on appropriate skills for the level of the subject. This includes:
- critical reading
- listening, and observing
- building mathematical understanding and proficiency in the early stages
- development of argument and using mathematical information to solve problems and communicate results in the middle stages
- demonstrating relevant AQF and professional threshold skills in the later stages.
- Consistent expectations across same-level subjects in a course. Graduated development of these expectations across the course.
- Model and explicitly articulate the need for effective communication and problem-solving skills.
Course Requirements
- At least one assessment in an early core subject must focus on identifying existing literacy and numeracy skills and direct students to sources of support.
- Final year subjects must allow students to demonstrate relevant AQF and professional threshold standard skills.
- Communication and problem-solving/numeracy must feature and be contextualised in the 'course and subject learning outcomes, learning and teaching schedule, assessments, and marking criteria.
- Literacy and numeracy demands in assessment must be aligned to appropriate learning and teaching events.
Teaching Practices
- Use of an early, low-stakes assessment that provides information on literacy and numeracy skills, and directs students to appropriate sources of support.
- Scaffolding of assessments by requiring early submission of essay plans or introductory paragraphs.
- Model effective language skills in all course materials and documents (e.g., subject outlines, assessments, rubrics, notes, presentations).
- Provide feedback on literacy and numeracy skills in addition to feedback on content in assignments.
- Explicit teaching of underlying literacy and numeracy skills or embedded workshops on academic writing or numeracy skills.
- Assist students to engage with the Academic Skills team.
Assessment
- Assessment of this GLO can be done discretely with a focused criterion, but is better done explicitly within the content criteria.
Support
For additional support, please contact the Academic Skills Coordinators
- Faculty of Arts and Education: Helena Walker +61 2 435 079 433
- Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Studies: Tara Johnson +61 2 6051 9181 and David O'Sullivan Tel: +61 2 60519972
- Faculty of Science and Health: Karen Davidson +61 2 6933 2198
- Policing: Jessica Rigby +61 2 4824 2555
