Dear Helen,
Here below - and attached - are five or so activities that I have seen
work really well - plus additional material that can be printed off as
a couple of handouts.
Please tell me if you use them - and what happened?
Good luck!
Best,
Sandra
*****
Pre-induction and induction activities:
Here are four – or five or six depending on how you count them –
really useful induction activities – and a couple of possible
‘Handouts’ at the end. It all depends how academic you want to make
this event…
1: Drawing a student
Resources: LARGE sheets of paper on which you can trace a whole
person; Felt tip pens – many colours.
Activity: Drawing, thinking, discussing
Students in groups are asked to trace around a volunteer and then
create a perfect student from the outline. What would this person look
like? How are they dressed?
Then they have to move on to a consideration of the equipment they
might need – and then the skills, attributes & personality traits that
would suit them…
Each group gets to display their ‘student’ and discuss…
2: Draw a timeline – plus or minus - Make an induction movie
Resources: A3 paper and felt tips; more paper; digital camera for
filming – and in-camera editing.
Activity: Timeline: Students are clustered in groups – first they have
to draw their own time line and illustrate with pictures and FEW words
to show how they got to University and the significant milestones they
passed. They can use illustrations to answer the question: What have
they learned that will help them at University?
This activity can end here – with discussion of timelines and a
comparison of lessons learned… OR it can be developed into a movie
moment.
Activity: Induction video: each group is given a camera – shown how to
film – and told they can only do in-camera edits. They are tasked to
quickly discuss their timelines – and use the lessons learned to
script, storyboard and make a two-minute induction video to tell other
students what they will need to do to succeed at University. At the
end of the session, all the videos are shown and discussed.
When the students arrive for their induction proper, their own videos
are part of the induction events.
3: Good and bad learning
Resources: A3 paper and felt tips
Activity: Pyramid discussion:
Individually students are asked to reflect on past successful learning
experiences – they do not need to be academic. They have two minutes
to note what they learned – and why that learning ‘worked’.
Individually students are asked to reflect on past unsuccessful
learning experiences … They have two minutes to note why they did not
learn –why didn’t that learning ‘work’?
In pairs – they are asked to discuss their good and bad learning… 10’
In fours – with the large sheets of paper and the felt tips - they are
asked to extrapolate – therefore: what makes learning happen? What
hinders or impedes learning? What implications does that have for
them as University students? 10-20’
Then EITHER:
Have a Plenary: take one idea per group round and round till you have
drawn a new composite mind map is on the whiteboard… Or each group is
allowed to present their notes and thoughts – and the tutor moderates
the discussion.
OR:
Use the camera idea again: each group gets to make a two-minute
YouTube video on what skills a sixth form student will need to excel
at University.
4: From ‘reading’ to ‘presentations’
Resources: felt tip pens; blu tack; flip chart paper; interesting,
short but reasonably difficult academic articles – one for each
student group or one that will be used with all the groups. Tip:
Enlarge the article on to A3 paper, join the pages together with
sticky tape to produce text scrolls;
Activity: Intense group work: from reading to delivering a presentation
Possibly give a really quick introduction about active reading and
active notemaking. Students then form groups – each group is given one
text scroll and felt tips – and are set the task of annotating their
article to highlight key words, key ideas, arguments and evidence…
they can roll the article across tables or the floor, they can blu
tack it to the walls.
After they have been working for a little while – tell the students
that they will have to use the article and their annotations to
prepare a two-minute presentation answering the question.. (insert a
question relevant to your subject and the reading).
Each group is given a flip chart page upon which to make notes to
support their presentation.
Each group has to give their presentation to the rest of the cohort –
and some discussion takes place.
At the end of the session there can be positive feedback from the
tutor on how well the students have done and how much they have
accomplished…
Possible Handout #1: PIaces to go and people to see at University
Here are some useful people to meet and things to do at university:
Personal academic adviser (PAA): your PAA gets to know you personally
and academically. This is the person who can advise you if things are
going wrong – or who can write that glowing job reference if things
went very well. But they can’t do this if you have not met them.
Tip: Meet your personal tutor before a problem arises.
Subject librarian: The subject librarian is a specialist in his or
her own right. They have knowledge of the subject and they will be
able to direct you towards useful books, journals and websites.
Tip: Find out when your librarian is holding a help session – and go
there. Ask them about the books, journals and websites that will be
most useful to you.
Learning and Writing development and support: London Met has
exceptional learning and writing development help – go there and use
their courses, resources and one-to-one sessions to help you get that
good degree!
“I just wanted to tell you that your Preparation class had me hit the
ground running. I’m on course for a first class degree and it’s due to
the help I got before I even started!”
Student support services: We have, Chaplaincy, Careers, Counselling,
Dyslexia, Disability, Volunteering, Peer Support and Work Placement
opportunities… Find out exactly what how you can use student services
to hep you make the most of your time at London Met!
Careers: The Careers people have up-to-date information on career
opportunities, job requirements and how to plan and prepare curriculum
vitae (CV). One of the most useful things that you could do would be
to make an immediate appointment with the Careers people – we are
talking in your first year, here, not three weeks before the end of
your degree programme! Find out what employment opportunities are open
to you, now. Get advice about how best to tailor your degree programme
to the sort of career you are likely to take up. If you are on a
modular degree programme, this will help you choose the best modules
for the career that you want.
Tip: Start collecting information for your final CV the moment you
read this. Have a folder where you keep key bits of information about
yourself – jobs you have done, your responsibilities and how you
developed; courses that you have done and how you have utilised the
information learned; modules that you took – and how they fit you for
a specific job… Go through this file every so often so that you always
keep it up to date.
Work placement or Volunteering: The Work Placement or Volunteering
Officers are the ones who find placements for you whilst you are still
on your degree programmes. Once you know what career avenue seems best
for you – go to Work Placement (where you are paid) or Volunteering
(which is unpaid). Find out how to get a placement in a suitable
organisation. This is the best way of finding out whether or not you
actually like the work. This gives you great experience to use both in
your degree and in your CV – and if you make a good impression you may
even find you have a job lined up whilst you are still taking your
degree.
Counselling services: If you find that you are having problems
adjusting to being a student, if you are incredibly homesick or if you
feel overwhelmed by things – go and see the counsellor.
Students’ Union: our Students’ Union (SU) runs the Clubs and
Societies that serve your extra-curricular needs. Remember you are
strongly advised that if you really want university to work for you,
you should join a Club or Society and, even better, get involved in
your SU. Why don’t you think about standing for office? As far as we
know Ricky Gervais became a success not on the back of his degree, but
because he was involved in the Entertainments side of his SU.
Discussion: How much of the above was new information to you? How much
were you aware of already? Has any of the information changed your
mind about anything? What are you going to do now?
Remember: the point with learning is that you use information in some
way. You might use that information to form an opinion. Here we are
hoping that this information will form or inform your behaviour. We
hope that you will do something with and about the above information.
Tip: Do something with the information
It is not enough just to notice bits and pieces of information – you
must do something with it. Here are some suggestions about what to do
with the information above:
1 Make a list of the key points.
2 Make a list of the key people.
3 Set aside time in your schedule to go and do something – find the
Learning Development Unit; make appointments with some of the key
people noted above.
4 Set goals for each activity that you plan – why are you going to
Learning Development? What will you ask the person that you see? How
will you know that you have got what you wanted?
Good luck! And enjoy your time here!
Possible Handout #2: Studying at University
Deciding to go to university is a big decision – it involves changing
your life, changing yourself.
This handout is designed to help you understand what studying at
university is all about – and it might be especially useful if you are
the first in your family to go to university, if you are unsure of
exactly what it means to be a student – and if you are slightly unsure
of what to do at university, why to do it, and when.
Remember that change is uncomfortable and we tend to resist change –
so you will have to make a conscious effort to become a successful,
engaged and happy university student.
“The biggest secret of university life is that it should involve your
whole life while you are there – it should be a 40 hour per week
commitment! University is a full time job. I wish I’d been told this
at the beginning!”
The first year doesn’t matter does it?
The first year of most degree programmes is designed to lay a good
foundation in your subject by introducing you to the theories, the
people, the dates and ideas that are important in your subject. Notice
these! You will be building on them throughout your time as a student
of that subject – and beyond.
It is also the year when your tutors meet you for the first time. This
is the year they can see whether you are a keen and interested student
- or not. This is the year you start to make your mark – use it!
“When I first got here, I kept thinking that I would be ‘found out’,
that someone would realise that I didn’t belong and throw me out. I
don’t think that any more, I know I can do it now – and my tutors know
it too."
What’s so special about university?
University is supposed to be a full time occupation – it is supposed
to occupy at least 40 hours a week, every week. Even if the taught
part of your course only occupies 10-12 hours, you are expected to
fill the other 28-30 hours with reading, talking and writing. You are
supposed to be studying and learning full time – through lectures,
seminars and independent study – here’s a quick guide.
The lecture
Usually a lecture involves one lecturer plus a large group of students
– this can be 150 or more. The lecturer is an expert, often a
researcher at the cutting edge of the subject. The lecturer gives the
students a short cut to key information – and successful students make
notes – and use those notes to seed further reading, thought and
writing.
Tip: Always prepare before you attend a lecture. Think – what is it
about? Why are they giving it? How will it help me with my assignment?
Seminar
A seminar usually consists of a lecturer plus 20-30 students. A
seminar is supposed to seed your thinking and give you ideas – through
discussion.
Tips: Be an active learner – join in the discussions and, as with
lectures, prepare before you attend. Know what you are supposed to be
doing – and do it. Learn seminar survival strategies: know how to
present your opinions assertively, not aggressively; learn how to
interrupt the person who never stops talking; and learn how to draw
out quiet people who may actually have much to offer.
Independent learning
No one thing is ever designed to give you ‘all you need to know’ on a
topic. Lectures and seminars, and all the reading that you could
possibly do, are all designed to spur you on to further thinking, to
writing – even to further reading…
Thus there is much emphasis placed on independent learning. That is,
you will be expected to follow up ideas in various ways, including
reading around a subject, on your own and on your own initiative.
Some people are now using the term inter-dependent learning – this
indicates that we cannot learn in a vacuum. That is, we could not have
access to useful texts (books, journals, internet material) without
the librarian, we could not have meaningful discussions without other
people – we are inter-dependent, social beings and we can benefit from
this inter-dependency if we use it actively. Below are some things
that the inter-dependent learner has to get to grips with:
The library – find your university library. Find where the books
for your subject are kept. Make a habit of spending some time there
every week. Notice the books that are available on your subject. Have
a look at the books that are available on other subjects. Ideas can be
inter-dependent as well. Thus if you are studying sociology, you might
find useful material in the psychology section of your library. If
studying literature, you might try some chemistry!
Tip: Check out your Reading List. Typically a course or module comes
with a reading list that the tutor has put together. This list is
often divided into essential and recommended reading. Essential is
that which you should read for any assignment question. The
recommended list shows books or journal articles that you might like
to dip into.
The counter loans section – there could never be enough books to
satisfy all our students. So what we do is have a special mini-library
within the library proper. This is where all the essential reading is
usually kept. Use this area!
Tip: If there are books that you need that are always out on loan,
request that at least one copy be placed here.
Books – become aware of the most up to date and useful texts on
your subject. Get used to picking these off the shelves and having a
quick look in the index – what is in the book? Anything useful? When
will you read it?
Journals (periodicals) – the most up-to-date books are always several
months old by the time they are actually written and published – to
keep really up to date with your subject you need to read the latest
journals or periodicals.
Tip: Find your subject librarian and ask them to recommend the best
journals for you. Make a habit of reading them. When reading the
journals, look at how arguments are constructed and look at how
articles are written – this will be a model for your writing.
Quality press – many subjects are covered in the quality papers in
sections headed Education or Financial Issues or the Media and so on.
Whilst such articles may not be academic enough for direct use, they
do keep you abreast of current thought on your subject. There will be
names dropped that you can then research in the books and journals.
Tips: Start a press cuttings file for your subject. Get into the habit
of looking in the papers every week and of putting relevant cuttings
into your file. Always source your cuttings: put the date and the name
of the paper.
“My development plan is to read broadsheet newspapers like the
Guardian, the Times and Independent, and I’m currently working on it.
If I compare me now to when I got here, I have improved my
communication skills already.”
Electronic information systems – accessing information through the
computer. You will be aware that search engines can get you to useful
information on the web. You will also need to discover the best search
engines and the best sites for your subject. Again, if in doubt, ask
your subject librarian. Make a habit of checking the best sites and
seeing what’s new.
Networked information and VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments) – many
university libraries have networked computers and/or intranet systems
– this will be where key course materials and resources can be
accessed. Many of the journals and the quality press can also be found
more easily on-line than in paper-based format. Again it is helpful to
discover your subject librarian or your course tutor and ask them
about these things. Once you have discovered which of your journals
are on-line, or which key resources you can access through your VLE
make a habit of dipping into them and seeing what’s new.
Tips: Do a quick journal search putting in key words from your
assignment question – see what happens. Every time you start a new
course or module, check what resources and materials are in the
related VLE.
Other media – television, radio, films, video- and audio-tapes – all
have a role to play in your learning. Your university library may well
offer access to a whole catalogue of useful material that comes in
special forms. Don’t limit yourself to electronic- or paper-based
approaches – explore all the sources of information that your
institution offers.
Tips: Do a quick search of the television pages, what programmes are
there that might support your studies? BBC2’s ‘Dragon’s Den’ might
help business students, various culture or film programmes might help
film or literature students, Teachers’ TV might help education
students and so forth. Make a habit of viewing these programmes or
channels… and enjoy it! You chose to be a student – make the most of
every bit of it!
“When I first got here, I thought everyone was looking at me thinking,
what’s she doing here? I don’ think that anymore. It’s my university
now!”
Networking at university
Remember, whatever your university is like, these are going to be the
people that will earn more, live longer and be healthier. Being a
student opens doors for you – and it allows you to meet people and
make contacts that you could not make in any other way. Grab the
opportunity.
As well as attending lectures and seminars, workshops and classes – at
University you will be able to make contacts that could help you
throughout your working life. Even if this idea does not appeal to
you, perhaps it is not how your community normally operates; you
should still investigate becoming a Student Representative or doing
Volunteering or Work Placements. Join a Club or Society – or set one
up.
Degrees are awarded according to your marks, typically as follows:
First class degree – 70% or more
Upper second (2/1) – 60 - 69%
Second class (2/2) – 50 - 59%
Third class – 40 - 49%
Typically the marks for your first year are not included in your mark
average, whilst the second and third year marks are aggregated.
TIP: Find out what combination of course units or modules will
actually be included in your final degree classification at your
university.
Good luck, work hard - and enjoy your time at University
*******
On 27 June 2012 13:23, Helen Capstick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Would appreciate any ideas for activities for prospective students to university regarding 'study skills' if anyone has a minute.
> There will be @25-30 in the group who are all sixth formers on a summer school 2 day event here. Would like to make the two 1 hour sessions interactive if possible.
> Many thanks
> Helen Capstick
--
Sandra Sinfield
University Teaching Fellow
________________________________________________________
CELT Learning & Writing Development
Association of Learning Development in HE <www.aldinhe.ac.uk>
LC-206 London Metropolitan University,
236-250 Holloway Road, N7 6PP.
(020) 7 133 4045 www.londonmet.ac.uk/celt
#loveld
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