Varsity College Teachers



Varsity College Teachers

So, you are about to stride out in pursuit of a degree or diploma. Welcome! Now for the tough part: learning … and assessment!

Of course it is daunting, but help is at hand in the form of your campus Academic Development Co-ordinators and lecturers. The ADCs are education experts whose job it is to ensure that top-quality teaching and learning take place at Varsity College. The ADCs work with students and lecturers. They know how to get the best out of you.

They know that in order to succeed in higher education, you need to acquire the skills and academic literacies to be able to research, think critically, and write well. They also know that these skills take time to develop. You will need guidance on methodologies for research, assignment writing, referencing techniques, and time management, not to mention examination preparation. Your ADC is the go-to person to help you meet the challenge of learning these skills.



Study Skills
Do you think of studying as a boring exercise? Well, you cannot get away from it. Think smart and be interactive and vocal with your lecturers and your ADCs – no one likes a sponge or an empty bowl. GET STUCK IN. With a bit of help from your ADC and focus from you as the student, studying can be less of a chore; more of an exercise in dynamism.

First rule of successful learning: ATTEND your lectures. Develop the skills of listening, effective note-taking, collaborating and actively participating in lectures. But that is not enough. Deep learning takes place outside the lecture room. The skills of research reading, synthesis and summarising, are critical to your future success.

Assignment Preparation
Assignments are an important part of your student experience: they are formative in that they require you to critically engage with the key concepts in your field, but they also enable you to accumulate continuous assessment marks towards your final mark for a subject.

The key here is to be PREPARED. Advance work on an assignment will set you apart from the rest, and hopefully lead you towards a distinction. How do you start? Without careful deconstruction of an assignment task beforehand, you can be left somewhat confused. Talk to an ADC or lecturer to clarify what is needed of you; they will show you how to brainstorm and plan your assignment responses. Later, get them to give you feedback on your drafts before submission.



Referencing and Plagiarism
We use the Harvard method of referencing at Varsity College. Failure to accurately acknowledge the sources you use in your assignments could leave you facing a charge of plagiarism and possible disciplinary action. But it is not as difficult as it seems. Your ADCs will provide training workshops and individual tuition on Harvard Method referencing. Make sure you take the opportunity to learn the correct referencing techniques.

Exam Readiness
Exams are always a thorn in the side of students. How ready are you for the challenge of examinations? How ready will you be when the time for finals comes? The bottom line is to start now and reap the rewards later.

Consult your ADC for assistance with preparing for exams and tests by setting specific goals for each subject. Together you can create a timetabled plan for managing your study workload in the lead-up to your finals. You never know, the ADC may even be able to find space in your plan for social time!

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