1. WISER Karen Smith

2. Barriers & Motivators to Learning

3. Barriers & Motivators to Learning • My choice • exciting • Confident in water • Beautiful environment • Highly motivated • buddies • Cool instructors • Not my choice • Too much pressure from parents • Couldn’t practice • Fear of failure • De-motivated • Peers: doing more fun stuff

4. Skills for Success at University Academic Study Skills To be a more effective student at University students need to be able to do more than remember facts. WISER offers specialist study support to all students at the university, from Year 1 to postgraduates who wish to learn more effectivelyand get better marks for their academic assignments and exams.

5. Skills for Success at University Sep 2009 - July 2010, 3,824 students had come to WISER. Students who have used the service have commented: • “ I improved by 20% after coming to your workshop and sending you my last assignment” Year 2 student • “ I took on board all the issues you raised and I passed with 65% so I would like to say thank you very, very much.” Year 3 student • Academic support is fundamental to me as part of the research studies and WISER has been very helpful in this area. PhD Student

6. Why come to WISER? • To find out about the demands and expectations of university study in the UK • To develop & improve a range of academic skills that are transferable across subject areas • Having academic skills allow you to focus on course content • To help students with their Personal & Professional Development Planning (PPDP)

7. Personal & Professional Development Planning • A structured process undertaken by an individual to: • reflect upon their learning, performance and/or achievement and • plan for their personal, educational and career development. • All university programmes must initiate and implement PPDP for students.

8. What is expected from students in HE? • Independence • Self-motivation • Openness to working with others • Ability to • work things out for yourself • set goals to improve your work • organise your time • work out when, how and where you learn best

9. Bloom’s Taxonomy and Assessment Comprehension Knowledge Evaluation Analysis Synthesis Application

10. evaluation synthesis analysis application comprehension knowledge

11. What are your tutors looking for? Description: Content, knowledge of models, tools & theory. Analysis: Why? Why not? Cause and effect, reasons. Synthesis: Structure, flow, logic in your assignments. Making arguments. Use of data/evidence to arrive at conclusions. REFERENCES to research literature. Evaluation: Pros/cons. Advantages & disadvantages. Ranking. Strengths & weaknesses.

12. Study Skills? • Do you know what academic style is, and how to write in it? • Do you know about referencing, and how to do it properly? • Do you know the difference between a report and an essay? • Can you give an effective presentation in front of your course mates?

13. Note Making In lectures… …and from books

14. Academic Writing Dissertations and Research Projects Essays Reports

15. Presentations Exam Technique

16. How can we help you? WORKSHOPS Wed & Fri 2 - 4pm FY317 • No need to book, just come along! Topics include: • Note taking • Essay writing • Presentations • Exams • and others...

17. How can we help you? TUTORIALS Mon, Tues, Thurs 12 -1 , 4 - 5pm Wed & Fri 12 - 2pm • Drop in – FY315 • 2 hours everyday • Ask questions • Get feedback on your work

18. Please note! • assignments 500+ words require 3 working days notice • we will look at a maximum of 3000 words • you can only submit 1 assignment per 5 working days • write your name, email address & course at the top of all work you hand in

21. The WISER team Nick Gregson Tania Horak Karen Smith Fylde 319 wiseraccess@uclan.ac.uk www.uclan.ac.uk/wiser

22. Questions