Study/Survival Skills for Distance Learning IT Online Orientation Day August 26 th, 2013 Catherine Cronin

Survival Skills Time management Communication Study Skills Reading & note-taking Writing & referencing Assessments & exams

The following suggestions are based on feedback from students, facilitators and programme staff gathered over the past 9 years of the MScSED programme.

Survival Skills Time management Communication Study Skills Reading & note-taking Writing & referencing Assessments & exams

Time management: General Dedicate space – there are lots of materials! Take 5 minutes at the start of every week to plan where you will fit the course in Plan your time & let others know your plan (it’s all about expectations) Unless it is impossible, try to submit your assignments on time

Time management: Specific Study lectures & do reading early in the week Get into the Discussion Forum early in the week Check the Discussion Forum regularly, it will become part of your daily habit (e.g. lunchtime) Don’t spend time trying to write the “perfect post”– make your point & keep it short

Communication Communicate with fellow students & your facilitator to stay motivated and avoid isolation If you have questions about the material or the assignment, ask in the Discussion Forum. Chances are, if you have a question, others do, too. your facilitator with any personal issues, e.g. late assignments, etc. Communication and Collaboration are the keys to success on this course!

Survival Skills Time management Communication Study Skills Reading & note-taking Writing & referencing Assessments & exams

Study 1. Reading & Note-taking

Course reading Read presentations & relevant pages in text book early in the week Don’t forget that the NUIG & Regis libraries are available to you online! Library databases and journals generally provide richer information than Google or Wikipedia. Additional sources (e.g. journal articles) provide richer understanding, more perspectives, alternative arguments

RESEARCH: gathering information for essays & assignments Make sure you read the essay title carefully (addressing the issue!) Be very focused when collecting source material Read relevant sources before writing anything Keep track of each source you use! Use a variety of sources Evaluate all sources (especially Internet sources) Authorship Bias Currency

Study 2. Writing & Referencing

A good essay/report Introduction outline your approach avoid the use of “I” (3 rd person for academic writing) clarify the scope of the essay Body 1 idea per paragraph use readings to support your case cite all sources correctly & completely demonstrate analytical/critical thinking Summary/Conclusion re-visit main points raise any inconsistencies in literature you read List of references

A good essay/report: HOW? Plan define the purpose gather information structure the material Write/Re-write write a rough draft structure clearly (see previous slide) refine using a clear writing style Cite Sources put brief, in-text references wherever you refer to other work put full references in the List of References at the end Review

Structuring the material Loose organization Organization & evaluation Formal outline I. xxxx II. xxxx III. xxxx IV. xxxx V. xxxx

Referencing You must reference all sources of information that are contained in your essays/assignments This may be in the form of direct quotes, ideas, facts, diagrams, etc. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to the charge of plagiarism.

Definition of PLAGIARISM Failure to provide proper acknowledgement of your use of another’s work e.g. theft of another person’s words or ideas

Definition of PLAGIARISM Failure to provide proper acknowledgement of your use of another’s work e.g. theft of another person’s words or ideas Source: Dartmouth University. (2004). What is plagiarism? Retrieved August 27 th, 2010, from

HEART of avoiding plagiarism… Give credit where credit is due i.e. cite your sources

How to reference sources? There are 2 parts to referencing your sources In-text Citations List of References “direct quotation” (Smith, 2010, p. 45)always on its own page according to Smith (2010)…at the end of the essay

WRAP Resources to help you with Writing, Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism (WRAP) are available under the WRAP icon on the MScSED Student Launchpad, or at: Use these resources for all writing tasks, from discussion postings to assignments. This will help you to master the skills of academic writing and referencing.

Study 3. Assessments & Exams

Types of assessments Types of assessments used in the IT Online programme: Weekly assignments Practical problems (e.g. writing programs) Essays Projects Final exam Participation in Discussion Forum

Levels of learning

Questions??

Resources WRAP (Writing, Referencing & Avoiding Plagiarism), available from the MScSED Student Launchpad Study skills including motivation, time management, reading, note-taking, mind mapping and exams Internet search & evaluation of internet resources

Where to find help IT Online programme team Your facilitator Any time that you are in doubt or have a question, there are several places to go for help. Check the Launchpad first, and contact us at any time if you have questions:

GRADES: NUI Galway PERFORMANCE GRADES: Regis Univ. HonoursPercentageLetter Grade PercentageGrade Point (column 1)(column 2)(column 3)(column 4)(column 5)(column 6)(column 7) H A Excellent; exceeds expectations A H B Very good; meets expectations A– Good; meets most expectations B H C Satisfactory; meets some expectations B B– Pass40-49D Poor; meets minimum expectations C C Fail0-39F Fail; does not meet expectations C– D F0-590