TRANSITION SKILLS- EXTENDED PROJECT

1. TRANSITION SKILLS- EXTENDED PROJECT

2. Expectations of Extended Project Imagine you’re preparing your project, to start in a few weeks’ time. What are you looking forward to? What are you most concerned about? What are the main issues you’ve faced on other academic assignments?

3. Preparing for Assignments Prioritise – write a list of everything you have to do Organise your time - write a schedule - How much time to complete each task? - Unforeseen events? - Time for relaxation and leisure - Be realistic - Start early Overview modules Show examples Printer, memory stick breaking Don’t leave until last minute Checking work, receiving helpOverview modules Show examples Printer, memory stick breaking Don’t leave until last minute Checking work, receiving help

4. Time Management... When and where is your preference for working? How long can you work for effectively? Take your course seriously– give yourself a start time, stick to it, and a target end time. Commit to it! Evenings, mornings, children, working – windows in schedule 45 mins at a time, 15 min break – recommended If on a role carry on Be disciplined Evenings, mornings, children, working – windows in schedule 45 mins at a time, 15 min break – recommended If on a role carry on Be disciplined

5. More Time Management... If you are not working effectively do not force yourself, try approaching the topic in another way. Start with a short activity to kick start your study. Set yourself ‘mini-goals’ so you have a sense of achievement and to make assignments more manageable. Break large assignments into sections, such as, read notes, find readings, plan essay, write a topic section – be specific. Make it measurable – set a number of pages to read, or words to write. Mind block, look at the work from a different angle List of what you want to do, don’t procrastinate forever Do not give yourself unreasonably large goals Activity: Ask students for examples of mini-goals Focus your study - Something to work towards - Motivation - Need specific tasks in order to guide your study, easy to procrastinate Mind block, look at the work from a different angle List of what you want to do, don’t procrastinate forever Do not give yourself unreasonably large goals Activity: Ask students for examples of mini-goals Focus your study - Something to work towards - Motivation - Need specific tasks in order to guide your study, easy to procrastinate

6. Research - Making a start: Brain storm your question What do you know or not know? Make a mind map/spidergram Ask questions of your question ‘The DfES and OFSTED have produced education policies which are designed to raise boys’ achievement levels. Assess the success of these education policies with reference to research on social identities and achievement.’ From this you can find out what you need to research Everything you know, you know more than you think Doesn’t matter if it is messy - Helps link ideas, flow of ideas What is... Why might....Who said.... Activity: Ask students for examples of questions they could ask What are education policies, what do we mean by social identity, what is current in regards to boy’s under achievement, what are the implications of these policies/boys under achievement? Everything you know, you know more than you think Doesn’t matter if it is messy - Helps link ideas, flow of ideas What is... Why might....Who said.... Activity: Ask students for examples of questions they could ask What are education policies, what do we mean by social identity, what is current in regards to boy’s under achievement, what are the implications of these policies/boys under achievement?

7. Sources of research Books Electronic Journals/ Journals Credible internet sites (government sites) Internet for initial research Newspapers

8. Internet for initial research You may not know where to start Use Google or Google Scholar to kick-start your research Use for an overview of the authors and theories surrounding a topic Take a note of any relevant journal articles, books, names, theories you come across so you can research these properly for your essays DO NOT CITE from Wikipedia-type websites! Only spend a short while on this to help you brainstorm Topics very large Keywords Topics very large Keywords

9. Reading Tips Read in a suitable environment for you Read abstracts, introductions and conclusions to give yourself an idea of what the paper is arguing Read paragraph by paragraph in order to take in the whole argument – read in blocks (rhythm reading) Do not re-read sentences again and again, go on to the next paragraph it may help to clarify the previous Find main points by looking for key phrases: “First, furthermore, next, finally, one important, in contrast, as evidence shows, clearly….” Do not take a break in the middle of a chapter or article, it will interrupt your thought flow If you are having difficulty concentrating, read out loud to yourself to start you off There are many techniques - do what works best for you Comfortable, fall asleep, distractions? Get an overview of the reading, is it relevant? Prepares you for the more in-depth reading of the article/chapter. Read whole paragraph, what comes after a sentence may help clarify what comes before – rhythm reading – psychology Know how the chapter flows and how ideas link together from these words Blocks out outside distractions Comfortable, fall asleep, distractions? Get an overview of the reading, is it relevant? Prepares you for the more in-depth reading of the article/chapter. Read whole paragraph, what comes after a sentence may help clarify what comes before – rhythm reading – psychology Know how the chapter flows and how ideas link together from these words Blocks out outside distractions

10. Note Taking Do not just aimlessly highlight; you’re often simply left with a colourful version of what you had before You are trying to be able reproduce others arguments in your own words – you need understanding to do this Keep notes for each chapter/article on separate pieces of paper and number the pages Write all the information you need for the reference on each set of notes Do not simply write out chunks of text from the chapter/article Use a tape recorder to note your ideas if this helps you Write down key words of a paragraph, then translate this into a sentence Try to keep notes to 2 or 3 sides of A4 Colourful version of what you started off with Trying to produce your own version of others arguments in order to reproduce this in your essays - own words demonstrate to your tutor you have understood the point of a reading Organised notes from the beginning, can’t use note if you don’t know where they are from, everything needs a correct reference - separate notes can be organised to form the start of an essay plan. Whole paragraph to stop yourself copying down the exact words – what is the main argument? – Push book aside? Difficulty getting the main ideas? – sort for relevance Succinct and to the point – bones not flesh – goory! Activity: Get paragraph and get students to draw out 10 key words. Colourful version of what you started off with Trying to produce your own version of others arguments in order to reproduce this in your essays - own words demonstrate to your tutor you have understood the point of a reading Organised notes from the beginning, can’t use note if you don’t know where they are from, everything needs a correct reference - separate notes can be organised to form the start of an essay plan. Whole paragraph to stop yourself copying down the exact words – what is the main argument? – Push book aside? Difficulty getting the main ideas? – sort for relevance Succinct and to the point – bones not flesh – goory! Activity: Get paragraph and get students to draw out 10 key words.

11. Organising your notes All your notes should be on separate pieces of paper Quickly make a list/chart of the sets of note you have – get an idea of what arguments you have Begin to organise them into thought groups You can now begin successfully planning your essay...phew! Start of an essay planStart of an essay plan

12. UCL Transition online: www.ucl.ac.uk/transition Academic skills: Transition Tips / Workshops Finance and budgeting information Student profiles: see what uni life is really like Questions................