Investigating the engagement of 3rd year tertiary education students in the learning and teaching of literacy

Abstract

[Abstract]: This paper reports the initial stages of a study into the engagement of 3rd year students in a literacy curriculum course within a primary and middle-years education degree at an Australian regional university. Prompted by concerns about students’ poor attendance at lectures and tutorials and their limited use of available support mechanisms in other aspects of their education degree, academic staff from the literacy course applied for and received funding from a university Learning and Teaching Development Grant. This allowed the collection of data and considerations relating to the redesign of the students’ literacy curriculum course. With a focus on 'becoming literate' – and the multiple meanings that are encompassed within that phrase – the course focuses on critical factors for success in literacy teaching and learning and aims to enhance the students' engagement with learning about literacy and learning to teach literacy.