Spring 2018 Academic Skills Portfolio: ACSK4001 Module

This Academic Skills Portfolio assignment, designed for the ACSK4001 module, requires students to demonstrate and develop core academic skills. The portfolio includes self-evaluation checklists completed at the beginning and end of the course, a personal SWOT analysis, and tasks evaluating and synthesizing academic sources. Students are also tasked with structuring their writing, analyzing data, and preparing a presentation. The assignment is divided into two sections: portfolio evidence (Section A) and writing tasks (Section B), which encompass a report or essay and a reflective summary. The student is expected to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, apply critical thinking, and use technology to facilitate self-analysis, with specific word counts allocated to each task. The portfolio aims to assess students' understanding of academic literacy, critical thinking, and their ability to reflect on their academic development.

Spring 18
Academic Skills Portfolio
(module code: ACSK4001)
Name:
Student number:
Degree studied:
Lecturer name:
Tutor name:
This is your Academic Skills Portfolio, which should be submitted by Thursday 26th April, 2pm via your student
portal.
Please save a copy on your computer and back it up regularly (e.g. by saving it on your computer / in the cloud
(e.g. Google Drive) / emailing it to yourself).
Please refer to suggested word counts for each task included within this portfolio.
Submission deadline: Thursday 26th April, 2pm
Assessed Learning Outcomes (LOs):
1. Show evidence of understanding core components of academic literacy/skills.
2. Apply critical thought to a range of tasks, and do so with a minimum of external guidance in
particular situations.
3. Reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and
academically.
4. Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection.

Table of Contents
Task Page Week LO
SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE (These tasks will be drafted in class and are designed to inform the
written tasks in section B.)
Portfolio evidence 1: Self-evaluation checklist 3 1 & 10 3&4
Portfolio evidence 2. Personal SWOT analysis 4 1 3&4
Portfolio evidence 3. Evaluating sources & critically engaging with texts 5 2 1&2
Portfolio evidence 4. Synthesising 7 3 & 5 1&2
Portfolio evidence 5. Structuring your writing 9 3, 4, 5, 6,
7 1&2
Portfolio evidence 6: Presenting & analysing data 10 4 1&2
Portfolio evidence 7: Presentation 12 7-9 1
Portfolio evidence 8: Editing & proofreading 14 9 & 10 1&3
SECTION B: WRITING TASKS (These written tasks should be developed throughout the semester).
Writing Task 1 (Report or Essay) 16 1-10 1
Writing Task 2 (Reflective Summary) 17 10 3&4
Word count (+/- 10%):
Section A: a minimum of 600 words in total.
Section B: Writing Task 1 (900 words), Writing Task 2 (300 words)
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 2

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 1: Self-evaluation Checklist (to be completed in weeks 1 & 10)
Below is a list of the skills you will need during your university and professional career. Tick ( ) the appropriate box✓
for each skill, according to how well you think you can do this. You should complete this task twice; first, at the
beginning of this course (week 1), and, second, at the end of this course (week 10).
Skills How well do I feel that I know/can do this in weeks 1 and 10?
Information skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Identify which books/journals/websites to use  ☐ ☐  ☐  ☐ 
Select relevant parts of a text ☐  ☐   ☐  ☐
Evaluate sources  ☐  ☐ ☐  ☐ 
Acknowledge sources of information ☐   ☐  ☐  ☐
Synthesize information from more than one sources  ☐ ☐
☐
 ☐
☐
 ☐
☐

Write a reference list correctly ☐  ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ 
Avoid plagiarism  ☐ ☐  ☐   ☐
Planning / writing skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Brainstorm ideas ☐   ☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐
Plan written work  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Link ideas effectively ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Paraphrase & summarise ideas  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write an introduction ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write a conclusion  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Critically edit written work ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Independent study skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Work independently (without lecturers) ☐ ☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐
Work as part of a (study) group ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Oral presentation skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Give a presentation on my work ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐
Brainstorm ideas with peers ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Discuss written work in a tutorial ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Deal effectively with questions ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
IT skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Access the internet ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐
Use search engines ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Create word documents ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Use PowerPoint ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 3

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 2: Personal SWOT analysis (to be completed in week 1)
Watch this video: HYPERLINK "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBOtnyt7BP4"https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=PBOtnyt7BP4 .
In-class activity: In pairs conduct interviews to create a personal SWOT analysis.
INTERNAL (coming from me)
STRENGTHS
[Things within my control]
WEAKNESSES
[Personal barriers; things stopping
me, but still within my control]
How are you going to overcome your
weaknesses?
(approx. 50 words)
1. Feeling of managing the
challenging tasks effectively
1. Lack of self-confidence I think facing the problems would help
me to overcome my weaknesses. Mixing
with various kinds of people would alter
my perspectives towards life. Along with
this, attending various training programs
would enhance my grasping skills and
confidence towards performing
challenging tasks. I also feel that
evaluation of the exposed performance
would help me to upgrade my current
performance.
2. Evaluation 2. Stage fright
3. Application of right skills at
the right time
3. Hesitant towards expressing
my feelings
4. Top 5 Strengths/talents (from
Gallup test):
 Spontaneous decision-
making
 Concentration
 Self-organizational skills
 Ambitious towards
perfection
 Hardworking
4.
 Perception of life as
difficult and complex
 Hesitant towards
solving other’s
problems
 Feeling failure towards
colleagues
 Fearing the unexpected
responsibilities
 Inability to grasp the
concepts quickly
EXTERNAL (coming from outside)
OPPORTUNITIES
[People, resources, opportunities]
THREATS
[Things outside of my control]
How are you going to minimise the
threats?
(approx. 50 words)
1. Spontaneity in decision-
making
1. Pessimistic people in the
surrounding
I have to ensure that there are no
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 4

pessimistic people around me.
Countering this, I cannot decide who will
be around me. Even if, there are mocking
and taunts from the non-cooperative
teachers, I have to remain determined in
my goals. This determination would help
me to minimise the potential threats.
2. Wise and practical 2. People coming with their
problems
3. Ambitious 3. Mocking and taunts from the
experienced people
4. Can work under intense
pressure
4. Non-cooperative teachers
and professors
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 5

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 3: Evaluating sources & critically engaging with texts (to be
completed after week 2)
In your study groups, evaluate 3 different texts from your reading list, or texts you have found yourselves. You can
also find texts on the Academic Skills area on GSM Learn page. Make notes below.
Text A ↓ Text B ↓ Text C ↓
Resource type
(e.g. book, journal et.c.)
Journal Journal Journal
Citation/reference
Baker, C.N., Tichovolsky,
M.H., Kupersmidt, J.B.,
Voegler-Lee, M.E. and
Arnold, D.H., 2015.
Teacher (mis) perceptions
of preschoolers’ academic
skills: Predictors and
associations with
longitudinal
outcomes. Journal of
educational
psychology, 107(3), p.805.
Goldingay, S., Hitch, D.,
Ryan, J., Farrugia, D.,
Hosken, N., Lamaro, G.,
Nihill, C. and Macfarlane,
S., 2014. " The university
didn't actually tell us this is
what you have to do":
Social inclusion through
embedding of academic
skills in first year
professional courses. The
International Journal of the
First Year in Higher
Education, 5(1), p.43.
Shapiro, E.S., Gebhardt, S.,
Flatley, K., Guard, K.B., Fu,
Q., Leichman, E.S.,
Calhoon, M.B. and
Hojnoski, R., 2017.
Development and validity
of the Rating Scales of
Academic Skills for
Reading
Comprehension. School
Psychology
Quarterly, 32(4), p.509.
Authority
American Psychological
Association
Deakin University American Psychological
Association
Currency
Dollar Australian dollars Dollar
Content
Perceptions of the
teachers regarding the
academic skills needed by
the pre-schoolers
Involvement of the
students in the academic
skills for enrolling them in
first year professional
courses
Validating the concept of
rating the skills needed for
reading and
comprehension
Accuracy
Data gathered from 123
preschool teachers. 760
preschoolers from diverse
background
Using mixed methods for
collecting data from the
students with diversified
needs
One week test-retest
reliability, Group Reading
and Diagnostic Evaluation
Audience
Preschoolers, teachers
and the academic staffs
The students, who are to
penetrate into the
threshold of first year
course in the university
Students, teachers and
administrative staffs
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 6

Further notes/
comments
Language and preliteracy
factors incorporated for
mitigation of the
knowledge gaps.
Offering of quality and
educative environment
would enable the
personnel in the
achievement of sustainable
growth in education
Judgment of the teachers
is crucial in enhancing the
reading skills of the upper
elementary school
students
SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 4: Synthesising (to be completed in weeks 3 - 5)
Part I: Identifying key ideas
Read the 3 texts you used in the previous task.
Think about the extent to which the authors of those 3 texts agree or disagree with each other.
Write (in note form/bullet points) the key ideas of those 3 texts. Use your own words (paraphrase). Don’t forget to
complete the references information.
Text A:
Key ideas:
In the preschool stage, the teachers play an important role in shaping the skills and
abilities of the students. Teachers from diverse background are employed, therefore, it is
obvious that they would possess different and wide ranging perceptions regarding the
academic skills and abilities needed by the pre-schoolers. This diversification compromises
the educational needs of the students, deviating them from the targeted goals. Some of
the teachers misinterpret the academic skills needed by the preschoolers. This
misinterpretation adds vulnerability to the developmental aspect of the preschoolers.
 In-text
citation/Oscola
footnote (Law)
 reference list
1. Baker, C.N., Tichovolsky, M.H., Kupersmidt, J.B., Voegler-Lee, M.E. and Arnold, D.H., 2015.
Teacher (mis) perceptions of preschoolers’ academic skills: Predictors and associations with
longitudinal outcomes. Journal of educational psychology, 107(3), p.805.
Text B:
Key ideas:
The statement reveals the communication gap between the university students
and the staffs. This communication barrier deprives the students from getting the
essential skills needed for getting admitted into the university first grade. This issue
contradicts the aspect of knowledge transfer, which enriches the preconceived
skills, expertise and knowledge of the students. Inclusion of the students in the
university skills proves beneficial in terms of gaining an insight into their approach
towards the steps taken for ensuring their educational development.
 In-text
citation/Oscola
footnote (Law)
 reference list
Goldingay, S., Hitch, D., Ryan, J., Farrugia, D., Hosken, N., Lamaro, G., Nihill, C. and Macfarlane, S.,
2014. " The university didn't actually tell us this is what you have to do": Social inclusion through
embedding of academic skills in first year professional courses. The International Journal of the First
Year in Higher Education, 5(1), p.43.
Text C:
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 7

Key ideas:
Reading and comprehension helps the students to enhance their thinking skills.
Rating the skills reflects the confidence of the students in terms of their confidence
towards the tasks, which they perform. Using the testing scales and instruments
generates reliability and validity for the provided ratings. These ratings are also an
indication for the organizational skills needed for enhancing the personal skills,
abilities, qualities and competencies.
 In-text
citation/Oscola
footnote (Law)
 reference list
Shapiro, E.S., Gebhardt, S., Flatley, K., Guard, K.B., Fu, Q., Leichman, E.S., Calhoon, M.B.
and Hojnoski, R., 2017. Development and validity of the Rating Scales of Academic Skills
for Reading Comprehension. School Psychology Quarterly, 32(4), p.509
Part II: Synthesising (suggested word count: 200 words)
Think about the areas the authors of the 3 texts you made notes on agree or disagree.
Write up a paragraph which synthesises (combines) the main points of the 3 texts you used in Part I and shows
how the authors agree or disagree.
Remember to include in-text citations or OSCOLA footnote (Law) and link your ideas using linking words!
Misconception of the academic skills by the students can be correlated with the exclusion of the
students from the university and school activities. This misconception attaches poor ratings to the
performance of the teachers in terms of shaping the future of the students1. Delving deep into the
aspect of misconception, it reflects the diversified background to which the teachers belong. Based on
this, the misconception can be considered as the individual perception of the teachers towards the skills
needed by the students for the achievement of academic establishment.
Social inclusion can be considered as the group discussions, which can improve the reading skills of
the students in the first year2. Rating this performance is the attempt towards breaking the stereotypical
notions or misconceptions related to education and proving the capability towards undertaking the
challenging and enduring tasks. This rating generates within the students the self-organizational skills,
1 Shapiro, E.S., Gebhardt, S., Flatley, K., Guard, K.B., Fu, Q., Leichman, E.S., Calhoon, M.B. and Hojnoski, R., 2017.
Development and validity of the Rating Scales of Academic Skills for Reading Comprehension. School Psychology
Quarterly, 32(4), p.509
2 Goldingay, S., Hitch, D., Ryan, J., Farrugia, D., Hosken, N., Lamaro, G., Nihill, C. and Macfarlane, S., 2014. " The university
didn't actually tell us this is what you have to do": Social inclusion through embedding of academic skills in first year
professional courses. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 5(1), p.43
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 8

which can be an indication towards enrichment of the decision-making skills of the students.
Inclusion contradicts the aspect of misconception. Along with this, group discussions broaden the
perspectives related to the academic skills, which attaches a positive rating to the efforts undertaken by
the teachers towards polishing the preconceived skills of the students. Broadening of the perspectives
means implementing the appropriate steps for driving the students towards their academic
establishment3.
3 Baker, C.N., Tichovolsky, M.H., Kupersmidt, J.B., Voegler-Lee, M.E. and Arnold, D.H., 2015. Teacher (mis) perceptions of
preschoolers’ academic skills: Predictors and associations with longitudinal outcomes. Journal of educational
psychology, 107(3), p.805.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 9

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 5: Structuring your writing (to be completed in weeks 2,3,4,5,6,7)
During your lecture and tutorial you will learn how to organise your academic writing in section B.
This is more or less the way you should structure your academic writing in section B:
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 10
INTRODUCTION
(150 words in final text) [use evidence/ research throughout]
 What is your question about? (give the background to your topic)
 Include some detail on the topic (narrow your focus; what exactly are you
focusing on?) Who are the key ideas/ people involved/ organisations etc.?)
 What will your report show? Be specific [you should write this section last]
DISCUSSION POINT 1: ………………………………
(300 words in final text) [use evidence/ research throughout]
 Identify one point from your area of focus and say why it is a key issue.
 Describe how leaving the EU will impact on this.
 What are the opportunities it could create?
 What are the possible problems?
 What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
DISCUSSION POINT 2: ………………………………
(300 words in final text) [use evidence/ research throughout]
 Identify another point from your area of focus and say why it is a key issue.
 Describe how leaving the EU will impact on this
 What are the opportunities it could create?
 What are the possible problems?
 What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
CONCLUSION
(150 words in final text) [refer back to what you discussed in previous parts]
 Give a summary of your key points from 2 & 3
 Include a summary of your key conclusions from both 2 & 3
 What would you recommend needs to happen now?

Follow the structure in the previous page to write notes (outline) below about what you will include in
your academic writing task (report or essay). Your notes do not need to be written in full sentences and
you can use symbols/abbreviations/listings and other note-making techniques.
Your notes should show what information you are planning to put in each section. You can add or
remove things later, if you change your mind.
My academic writing task outline
Topic:
(Find the subject specific
topics on GSM Learn).
Experience on working with a study group in an academic context
Introduction
Academics is a vast topic to discuss. It includes various and wide ranging topics for assessing the ways
and means towards the achievement of academic establishment. In the introductory section, I would
focus on my capability and skills towards my experience in working with a study group. In this process,
the scope and arena of my research would be on the academic context, which would assist me in
enhancing my preconceived skills, expertise and knowledge. The key people involved in this are my
colleagues, teachers and the administrative personnel. Through this report, I would be revealing my
experience while working with the group of the educational institution. As a matter of specification,
inclusion of this setting proves beneficial in terms of measuring the approach of the administrative staffs
towards shaping the future of the students like me. Within this, I would also be focusing on teamwork, in
which I indulged for upgrading my academic skills, abilities, qualities and competencies.
Discussion 1
Recapitulating of the experience is important in terms of upgrading the current performance. Along with
this, it is also crucial in terms of regulating the expressions in terms of creating a positive image in the
minds of the colleagues, professors and the other staffs. If I leave the university, I might find it difficult to
consider the circumstances, which helped me in exposing active participation towards group study. This
difficult would strain my memory, posing obstacles in terms of memorizing my answers. This would,
further, aggravate the complexities towards writing out the exams. However, viewing it from the other
perspective, going to other context can provide me with the opportunity to assess its effectiveness in
terms of the context in which I was evaluating my experience of the academic skills. The implications of
this is generation of self-evaluation skills, which would enable me to assess the effectiveness,
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 11

appropriateness and feasibility of my performance in the context I am placed. This assessment would
lead to the self-introspection skills, through which I would be able to regulate my behaviour in the
circumstances, where I am venturing. This regulation, in turn, would be assistance in terms of excavating
the reasons, which compelled me to take up group study.
In order to achieve positive results, I need to take the assistance of senior and the experienced persons.
On the contrary, self attempts would prove harmful, compelling me to encounter losses in terms of being
aware of the skills, abilities and competencies, which I possess. This unfamiliarity is utterly bad for
altering the standards and quality of my performance. Along with this, evaluation would also be a
cornerstone in modifying the drawbacks. Maintaining consistency in the execution of evaluation would
be a keystone in altering my personality in terms of taking lessons from the failure.
Discussion 2
Study group is one of the other dimensions of my research topic. The aspect of “group” relates to a
number of students, who are studying together. This group study proves effective in reducing the
knowledge gaps within the students. Group study results in knowledge transfer from one student to the
other. For this, I can relate Tuckman’s theory of team development, which is crucial for forming a group
of strong and effective students. Countering this, no individual is perfect, therefore formation of such a
group is not possible. In the group of 10 students, 4 will be such, who would not possess the necessary
academic skills and abilities.
Organizing group discussions would broaden the scope and arena of the preconceived skills of the
students. Holding question answer session proves beneficial in terms of assessing the grasping skills of
the students towards the propositions made by the other students. Placing the weaker students in a
different context other than the academic can be difficult in terms of recapitulating on the experience
they had towards the group study. This placement might result in the production of an experience, which
does not hold any relation with the experience of the group study.
The weaker students need to be provided with the platform for voicing out their opinions regarding the
issues, which they are facing while acting in the academic context. This would result in the enhancement
of their academic skills needed for penetrating into the workplace environment. Personal interactions
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 12