How Week Three of Induction can help your Studies

Welcome to Week Three of Induction!  

Teaching starts for real next week, so to make this transition as smooth as possible, our online induction programme Newcastle Beginnings is focussing on academic matters this week. As Head of the Writing Development Centre, you’ll be hearing a lot from my team on a range of study skills topics, and also from our colleagues in the Library as we look at what you need to know to succeed in teaching, learning and assessment this year.  

We’ll be looking at the step up to university – what that means and what to expect, whether you’re starting your undergraduate degree or beginning a taught postgraduate course. Will you just be learning more about your subject, or is there more to university study than that?  

We’ll also be looking at the various forms that teaching might take, and how to get the most out of it. University teaching will look a bit different this year, but the principles are the same. Some teaching formats will offer engaging ways to deliver the new subject content you need to learn. Others will offer you opportunities to get involved, get hands on and learn with your fellow students through experimenting and discussing. We’ll discuss some tips and strategies to help you engage effectively.  

Outside of teaching, you’ll be doing a lot of self study to develop your understanding further. We’ll be taking a look at effective independent learning, with advice on finding high quality information and some new approaches and strategies for all the reading you’ll be doing, as well as whatever else you’re expected to be doing during independent learning!  

Finally, we’ll be looking at assessment, including writing critically and academic style…. the Writing Development Centre’s speciality! Academic writing is the most common form of assessment at university, so we’ll start to think about what makes it so distinct.  

Teaching, learning and assessment will all work a bit differently depending on your subject, so this week the Newcastle Beginnings Induction programme will be giving you a heads up of things to look out for, an idea of what you might want to find out more about, and some suggestions of new approaches to try out.  

Developing your academic skills at university is an ongoing process, so induction is just aiming to give you a bit of a head start which you can build on throughout your first semester – and the rest of your degree! You’ll be seeing more from the Writing Development Centre and the Library as your course progresses, whether that’s embedded in your course, visiting our website or booking a one to one tutorial with us. Likewise, you can find more resources on academic skills on the ASK website.

As you explore your new course, you might want to think about the ideas raised in Newcastle Beginnings. Make a note of some of the questions that occur to you or list things to find out and perhaps set yourself a few goals of things to try out or reflect on what you’re discovering. Your Personal Tutor or Peer Mentor are great points of contact to discuss these with, if you like!