2: The Independent Learner
Introduction
The exercises in Section 2 will help students prepare for the changes that result from the transition from studying in further education to higher education.
These transitions include:
- Moving from a relatively small institution to one much larger, both in terms of its physical size, and the numbers of students studying there;
- Moving from a situation where students are known by their tutors, to one where their tutors are less accessible;
- Moving from learning that provides a significant amount of tutorial support, to one where students are expected to become more independent;
- Moving from a situation where fellow students are largely drawn from the local area, to one where the student population is drawn from all parts of the world;
- Moving into learning environment where they will be expected to work in new ways.
Contents of this section
Unit 1: Understanding HE:
Presents basic information about the way HE courses are structured and will help students to understand some of the academic jargon they will encounter.
Unit 2: (a) What is a student?; and (b) What tutors expect of you:
The exercises in this unit invite students to think about the learning 'roles' they will play, and what their tutors expect of them in written work.
Unit 3: Do it in style.
This unit will help students connect Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences to a range of techniques for more effective learning in higher education.
Unit 4: Help!
This unit describes the range of student support services typically found in most HE institutions, and presents four student case studies for discussion.
Guidance Notes for Tutors
