Learning Resources and IT
Information Services
The University provides a wealth of resources aimed at making the learning experience as fulfilling and as thorough as possible. The Information Services department ensures that you are able to use the library and IT facilities to support your studies as effectively as possible. Training opportunities cover the various IT applications available and are designed to provide you with self-help skills.
The University Library
The main library is located at the heart of the campus. It is open up to 80 hours a week, including weekends. It houses 500,000 books, over 9,000 current journals and about 900 study spaces, including both open desks and individual study areas. There are also four computing laboratories in the library where you can access a variety of IT resources. University librarians and specialist IT staff are on hand at the library's Information Centre to help you make effective use of all its services.
IT Services
When you become a student at Stirling you will be given your own email account and file storage space on the University network. The University has a large number of computing laboratories, many of which are available 24 hours a day. You are also welcome to bring your own PC or laptop to Stirling. These can be connected to the University network at various points on campus including many of the rooms in student residences. There are a number of wireless network areas on campus.
Student Learning Services
At undergraduate level, study skills guidance in a wide range of areas is offered to all students. The International Study Centre provides Study Skills tuition as an integral part of the Undergraduate Certificate, to help you prepare for your chosen degree programme. In your second year you will have the opportunity to take additional seminars and workshops in Learning Strategies, run by experienced University tutors:
- time management
- note-taking
- critical analysis
- assignment planning
- report writing
- academic writing style
- exam techniques
Information Technology (IT) Skills
The University runs practical workshops designed to help with the essential IT skills required for effective communication in the digital age:
- Working in a Windows computer environment
- Effective use of the internet and email
- Document preparation using word processing and graphics packages
- Online presentations
- Data manipulation and presentation using spreadsheets
- Web page creation
There is also an Advanced IT Skills module which deals with more specialist topics relevant to e-commerce:
- Working with databases (MS Access)
- Designing web pages (HTML)
- Accessibility and usability in web design
- Multimedia
- Advanced office applications
