This course is designed specifically for UPC students and provides an introduction to those critical skills required to learn more effectively and enhance performance in assessment activities. It complements and improves learning in each chosen area of study. All UPC students are required to enrol in this course. It is run over three consecutive weeks in three hour sessions. Each session begins with a lecture and then smaller breakout tutorials where students work with tutors to practise and apply the strategies and techniques learnt during the lecture.

Course Content

Self-management

• Motivation and self-direction
• Learning styles
• Planning, organising and managing time
• Critical thinking

Lectures and tutorials

• Pre-lecture and tutorial preparation
• Techniques for listening and note-making
• Techniques for post-lecture summarising and evaluation
• Asking effective questions

Working with information

• Inquiry/research process
• Selecting, processing and presenting information
• Resources available to UPC students
• Academic writing: planning, composing, revising and recursion
• Referencing

Examinations

• Preparation: selecting and organising information, memorisation
• Dealing with anxiety
• Answering exam questions: interpreting questions, planning, composing and reviewing answers

Course Outcomes

Students will:

1. apply strategies for enhancing and maintaining motivation
2. personally direct learning through effective management of the self and the resources in the learning environment
3. apply strategies to manage time and organise resources effectively
4. think critically and without bias when analysing, interpreting and processing information
5. prepare effectively for lectures and tutorials
6. listen more effectively during lectures and tutorials
7. make useful and relevant notes during lectures and tutorials
8. summarise and synthesise information recorded during lectures and tutorials
9. formulate and ask effective questions which close gaps in personal knowledge
10. formulate a research question
11. define, locate, select, organise, present and evaluate information for use in research
12. identify, select and use resources available
13. plan, compose and revise submissions for essays and assignments
14. apply strategies for paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism
15. use a standard referencing system to acknowledge sources of information
16. select, organise and memorise information for use during examinations
17. apply strategies for reducing anxiety
18. interpret examination questions and plan, compose and review effective answers.