Learner Support Staff in Higher Education: Victims of Change?  

Oleh:

Wilson, Ruth

Jenis: Article from Journal - ilmiah internasional
Dalam koleksi: Journal of Librarianship and Information Science vol. 35 no. 2 (2008), page 79-86.
Fulltext: 79.pdf (177.39KB)

Isi artikel

This research is concerned with exploring role changes within a particular group of higher education staff – those involved with learner support in a library and information service context. It examines what impact, if any, the Dearing Report of 1997 had on these staff and how they felt about their posts five years later. Research was undertaken initially through an examination of job advertisements in the professional press and then by sending a questionnaire to 76 learner support staff within seven HE institutions. In order to further extend the research, seven of the survey respondents were interviewed. It was discovered that job titles were indeed changing to reflect new roles and new descriptors were emerging. Staff had also positively identified role change and were able to select, firstly, specific activities which were becoming increasingly important, secondly, those remaining core tasks and, thirdly, and most interestingly, new growth areas of work. Respondents also selected a number of activities which they identified as core to the learner support role. The response of one institution, Edge Hill College of Higher Education, is followed in greater detail particularly in relation to how the Library and Information Service attempted actively to anticipate needs and develop the relevant skills and expertise of its staff. The conclusion makes recommendations relating to possible management strategies and in particular focuses on motivation and the development of team approaches in order to manage rapid and complex change.

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