KE4010 - Academic Skills and Personal Development (BSc)

What will I learn on this module?

In this module, you will learn and develop the key intellectual skills and personal attributes required for effective study and future graduate employment. Teaching, learning and assessment activities are tailored towards your own degree programme, linking to substantive core modules, thus providing an appropriate subject context for your studies. The module aims to consolidate the process of induction onto your degree programme, thus supporting your transition from further to higher education. As part of this shift in academic culture, you will be encouraged to take increasing responsibility for your own learning and through the development of reflective practice, develop ways of monitoring your own academic performance and progress. Topics and issues covered include:
? Independent study and time management.
? Effective literature searching.
? Reading and summarising academic literature.
? Referencing, citations and plagiarism.
? Marking schemes and expectations.
? Essay writing skills.
? Report writing skills.
? Exam preparation.
? Oral presentation and debating skills.
? Dissecting a peer-reviewed journal article.
? Effective group work.
? Skills evaluation and reflection.
? CV preparation and employability skills.

How will I learn on this module?

In this module, you will learn through an introductory lecture, field visit, interactive workshops and tutorials. You will also have access to a range of learning resources, including electronic reading lists, made available via the module eLP site.

The introductory lecture will set the scene for the module delivery, assessment and its integration with your wider study programme. As part of the induction process, you will participate in an ‘orientation’ field visit where you will meet with your guidance tutor and be introduced to some local geographical and environmental issues. Interactive workshops will explore key aspects of the process of transition from further to higher education, including academic expectations, ideas around criticality and factors influencing your levels of engagement and motivation. During weekly group tutorials, you will interact with a small group of your peers (around 10 students in total) from your degree programme and your designated guidance tutor who will also teach primarily within your subject area. Discussions will focus on student-centred activities relating to the above topics and associated assessment tasks, including formative feedback and how best to feed this forward into future assessments in this and other modules. You will also have an opportunity at least once per semester to meet individually with your guidance tutor to reflect on your academic progress, performance and future plans. Your guidance tutor will also be your first line of support should you experience any personal difficulties, which may impact on your studies.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

As part of the induction process in the Department, you will be assigned to a dedicated guidance tutor who will offer academic and pastoral support throughout your programme of study. Your tutor will teach primarily within your subject area and so will be familiar with the issues and challenges that you may face. Your tutor will lead the group and individual tutorial sessions, guiding you through the subject content, overseeing the assessment and feedback process and monitoring and supporting your performance and progress. They will support your transition from a largely teacher-centred, passive approach to learning in a further education context, to a more active and reflective student-centred approach to learning in a higher education context.

Your class materials will be further supported by on-line resources available via the module eLP site, including an interactive reading list, and aligned with your weekly tutorial programme. You will also have access to University-wide resources available via the University website’s ‘study’ link and the ‘Skills +’ section of the University Library link. Your guidance tutors have an open door policy during normal working hours and are responsive to communication via e-mail to support your learning.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk

Please note that this is an indicative list of key texts. Your guidance tutor will provide you with additional, more detailed reading lists, aligned specifically to your tutorial content and assessment.

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MLO 1: Discuss and apply key academic issues of relevance to your subject discipline in order to address complex problems, recognising that these may transcend the boundaries of individual modules.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO 2: Develop and apply a range of skills and practices that enable you to cope effectively with the demands of academic study at HE level.
• MLO 3: Communicate effectively to diverse audiences using a range of formats and media, recognising the need to justify your own opinions and to challenge your own thinking and the thinking of others.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• MLO 4: Develop and apply principles of reflective practice to monitor your academic performance and progress and use these in relation to personal development planning, self-improvement and in support of your future employability and long term career prospects.
• MLO 5: Value curiosity, collaboration and analysis as keystones in the creation of new knowledge and practice and establish good working relationships with staff and fellow students.

How will I be assessed?

There are two summative assessments on this module: one essay, and one tutorial attendance and engagement assessment.

The essay will address all five MLOs and is worth 85% of the module mark. Essay submission will be electronic, via the module Blackboard page. Written feedback will also be provided electronically using GradeMark / Turnitin software.

In addition to the summative essays, you will be expected to attend and engage with the tutorial sessions. For some tutorials, this will involve completing preparatory (i.e. homework) tasks, for example, an essay plan. This component is worth 15% of the module mark and will be assessed based on your attendance at a minimum of 9 tutorials and your completion of any associated preparatory tasks. This assessment will address all MLOs.

In addition to these summative assessments, you will undertake a number of formative tasks during and following on from tutorial sessions. One of these formative tasks will include a short oral presentation on a peer-reviewed journal article. Verbal and/or written feedback on tasks completed throughout the semester will be supplied immediately, or soon after, the tutorial for which the work is undertaken.

Pre-requisite(s)

None

Co-requisite(s)

None

Module abstract

In this module, you will develop the key intellectual skills and personal attributes required for effective study. This will be largely achieved through engagement with your dedicated Guidance Tutor who will provide academic and pastoral support throughout your programme of study. He/she will lead group and individual tutorial sessions, guiding you through the subject content, overseeing the assessment and feedback process and monitoring and supporting your performance and progress.

Teaching and learning activities are tailored towards your own degree programme, linking to substantive core modules, thus providing an appropriate subject context for your studies. The module will be delivered through an introductory lecture, a series of induction activities, a field visit, interactive workshops and tutorials. You will also have access to a range of learning resources, including electronic reading lists, made available via the module eLP site. The module will be assessed by one summative essay (85%) and your engagement with the module (15%).

Course info

UCAS Code F751

Credits 20

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 3 years full-time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad

Department Geography and Environmental Sciences

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2024 or September 2025

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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