AMU1018 - Learning in higher education - 2018

This unit is designed to introduce students to the practices, requirements and expectations of university study and so prepare them to participate in the academic learning environment. It seeks to equip students with the academic skills, tertiary literacies and attitudes essential for successful university study. The coverage of a range of key skills ranging from academic writing to critical reading is unified thematically by a consideration of what makes university study different, the benefits of a university education and the development of graduate attributes. Throughout the unit, there will be an emphasis on the utility and transferability of these academic skills and competencies for employability, lifelong learning, and to other subjects undertaken so that students can navigate their own learning. Contextualised within themes and topics, lectures will situate skills development within current research, and highlight salient principles and practices. Tutorials will involve participation in a variety of tasks, focusing on discussion, assessment, application, practice and analysis of skills development in context.

Upon successful completion of the unit, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an appreciation of the centrality of skills development in academic excellence;
2. Access and evaluate information needed appropriately;
3. Use strategies and skills for effective, efficient and critical reading of academic texts;
4. Produce essays that present a well-developed, coherent viewpoint and adhere to the conventions of academic writing;
5. Effectively prepare for and deliver oral presentations;
6. Maximise their learning from lectures, tutorials, reading materials and assessment tasks;
7. Employ a range of skills, including academic reading, thinking and writing to academic tasks in this and other units;
8. Apply teamwork, leadership and independent learning skills through various learning opportunities.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information