Starting at Sheffield Hallam
Module 3: Adapting to higher education
Screen challenge: What activities and behaviours will help you excel in your studies?
Higher education involves many different types of scheduled learning activities, as well as lots of independent study. While structured learning is designed to introduce you to key information, practise core skills and meet with academic staff, your independent study helps you both deepen your understanding of the subject area and work towards your assessments.
But what could you specifically gain from a lecture, a group discussion and a practical session that would help you? In the following activity, match the learning experience on the left-hand side with the appropriate outcomes on the right-hand side by clicking the boxes you wish to connect.
Useful links
Check out some students' experiences from different institutions:
- Student stories in Australia:
www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/sia/searchstories.aspx - Student stories at the University of St Andrews:
www.st-andrews.ac.uk/studentexperience/experiences/stories - Student stories at the Open University:
www2.open.ac.uk/students/careers/student-stories
Learning experience
Benefits
Attending a lecture...
Organising a group discussion outside of class...
Identifying your learning goals...
Commenting on an online discussion board for your subject area...
Going on placements...
Being a volunteer...
Independent learning...
Helps you find out more about a topic and collect important information for your field of study.
Helps you meet other like-minded individuals and thrash out ideas.
Is a first step getting the most out of your university or college experience.
Helps you develop your own views and test out ideas with others.
Helps you test out what you've learned in the classroom and make professional links for the future.
Is a great way to gain experience and make a positive difference, no matter what you are studying.
Gives you the chance to do deeper research, test out opinions and synthesise ideas.
Now that you have explored adapting to higher education, reflected on your expectations and considered your responsibility in the learning process, you can move on to the topic in the next module – becoming part of your university or college community.