Getting Started at University for The Department of Electronics Foundation

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Getting Started at University for The
Department of Electronics Foundation Stage
1EL311/EL338/EL025Week 2Week 4

• The Student Learning Advisory Service

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Aims of these workshops

• To introduce some sources of help for university
  study
• To reflect on the experience of starting at
  university
• To outline ways of managing your study
  effectively
• To introduce some specific study and learning
  skills
• Time management, organisation, coping with
  lectures, learning styles, note-taking, effective
  concentration

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Sources of help for university studyThe Student
Learning Advisory Service

• SLAS Administrator/Receptionist VALUE
  Administrator Manager
• Alison Foley Joy Gould
  Allia Wilson
• 
  
• Angela Koch
  Shaun Theobald

?Student Learning Advisors?
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What we do

• Academic advice and guidance
• Practical advice on study skills
• Long-term learning development
• Typical topics we support
• Academic writing (assignments reports)
• Effective reading
• Note-taking retrieving information
• Managing the work-load
• Organisation
• Revision exams

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How to access academic advice and guidance

• Call in and see us
• 9-5, Mon-Fri
• Ask for a 11 appointment
• Access our resources
• Books to borrow
• Free leaflets to take away
• Contact us by e-mail
• learning_at_kent.ac.uk

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How to access academic advice and guidance

• Consult our website
• http//www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/learning
• Down-load material
• Explore links
• Come to our workshops
• http//www.kent.ac.uk/student/skills

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Mathematics

• Recommended website
• www.mathcentre.ac.uk
• Maths Helpdesk
• We provide a virtual maths helpdesk where you can
  raise specific maths queries by either phone or
  email. A maths specialist will respond and can
  set up a meeting, if needed.
• Contact details are as follows Email
  maths-desk_at_kent.ac.uk

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Starting university studyBuild on existing
strengths!

• The I can do this model works by building on
  experience
• Group activity Discussion
• What strengths do you bring to university study?

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Information, information, information

• You will receive a deluge of new information
• Be selective
• Write down questions
• Keep notes
• Use your faculty handbook/course information
• Ask if you are not sure about something!
• Use e-mail selectively and effectively

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Independent study

• You are on your own much more
• There are many demands on your time
• study
• leisure
• paid work
• Many decisions (Is this journal article worth
  reading?, When should I start that
  assignment?) are guided
• But ultimately rest with you

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Time and task management

• Establish key deadlines
• From course literature, handbooks, module
  convenors
• Draw up schedules
• Keep all your diary and schedule information
  together
• Remember the key rules of successful
  time-management schedules priorities using
  gap-time effectively setting targets

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Time and task management

• Use a weekly schedule
• Plan your work SMART targets
• Specific
• Manageable
• Accurate
• Realistic
• Time-defined
• Revise and review your plans

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Weekly schedules

• Individual activity Using the template provided,
  set out all your commitments for the current week
• Now build in some blocks of time for preparation
  review

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Managing reading

• Remember you cant read everything
• Be selective
• Seek guidance
• Use reading lists selectively and effectively
• Remember to read for different purposesskim
  scan read for detail
• Read actively take notes
• Record/reference sources as you use them

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Dealing with lectures

• Be systematic
• Prepare for lectures
• Attend!
• Stay alert and active
• Notes template?
• Explore different note-taking techniques

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Dealing with lectures

• Be organised
• Revise notes immediately after a lecture
• File away lecture notes
• Review notes
• Weekly, monthly, at the end of the module
• Review lectures with other students
• Follow up any points from your lectures
• Use lecture notes actively systematically
• Revision consolidation

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Organisation and information retrieval

• Organise your desk-top
• Organise your computer use
• Files directories
• Organise your notes e.g. keep dated/numbered
  files for lectures/seminars/ assignment
  preparation
• Dont delay! Check, date file notes as soon as
  possible
• Make sure that all the information and ideas you
  process can be retrieved later!

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Communication

• Talk to
• other students
• staff
• Ask questions
• Understand the personal tutor system that applies
  to your department
• Deal with any difficulties via formal
  university/department procedures

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Working with others

• Explore ways of working together
• Share information/resources and ideas
• Revise with others
• Use seminars actively learn from others
• Discuss assignments
• But work on them independently

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Managing the work-life balance

• Time management, as discussed
• Short breaks longer breaks
• Flexible breaks
• Clear decisions about not working
• Some days/evenings for relaxation only
• Controlling/planning paid work
• Eating healthily
• Varying activities

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Final questions

• Are there any questions about university study
  you would like to raise?

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GOOD LUCK

• for all your studies!
• see you in Week 4
• The Student Learning Advisory Service