Enhancing student engagement with online resources: Case study of using the Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) essay writing tool with first year undergraduate Multimedia Technology and Design students

In a response to the perceived lack of study and academic skills evident among HE students, a great deal of time and effort is put in across the country to create online resources for students. However, it is common for staff to express a concern that students do not access these resources, or that the resources produce only a minimal improvement in performance. This paper examines the results of the introduction of the Assignment Survival Kit (an online essay planning and writing guide) to first year undergraduate multimedia students. Initial results of the trial indicate some improvement in essay writing skills with a positive response from students regarding the usefulness and usability of the ASK. A model for introducing online resources is proposed and factors influencing student success with using online resources will be considered. The ‘before and after’ performance of the group in an essay writing task will be compared specifically to identify advantages gained by students from using the ASK. In addition, feedback from student focus groups will be presented and discussed and future developments, based on student input, will be suggested. Participants will gain information about models for implementing online resources effectively and will also be able to discuss and share their own experiences of using online generic study resources.