Academic Skills Advice
Becoming An Independent Learner
This workshop will:
− Explore what is required to become an independent learner
− Look at the basic principles of how to achieve success
− Help students develop assignment and exam checklists
Teaching points:
1. How does it feel to be here?
2. What is an independent learner?
3. What do I have to do to be an independent learner?
4. How to achieve
5. Assignment and exam checklists
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Academic Skills Advice
1. How does it feel to be here?
Many students feel like they are in a whirlwind when they first start at University.
There’s so much to take in – where everything is, who everyone is, what everything
is. And then you have your course to contend with! Mixed emotions are normal.
Activity 1: Feelings
Take a breath and think about this. On the Post-it note, write down a word or
phrase that sums up how you feel. It can be a positive thing or negative. When
you’ve done that, stick it to the wall/board. We will then have a group discussion.
Remember:
It’s common to feel doubtful and worried AND
Experience is usually more important than intelligence.
2. What is an independent learner?
 A student who manages their own study in between taught sessions (lectures,
seminars, tutorials, lab practice, etc.). Hours of independent study are
different for each course – the more contact time, the less study alone.
 A student who choses which books and pages to read, and how to interpret
reading material
 A student who deciphers assignment titles, and decide what to put in them
and their structure
 A student who manages their time and make decisions about what sort of
study to do and when (find out how many study hours your tutor has
designated for different modules over the life of a semester)
 A student who is be self-motivated, disciplined and focused, but can get help
if needed
 A student who is organised and able to find notes, references and other
information quickly (all University students have their own ‘M’ drive to create
folders to organise all notes and documents)
 A student who makes choices about how many extra-curricular activities to
take on and how they will affect study and, ultimately, a future career
Activity 2: Solutions to challenges
Overleaf is a table with the different challenges you will face a university student
with the benefits overcoming them brings. With your neighbour, identify possible
solutions to the challenges. The first one has been done for you.
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Academic Skills Advice
Challenges
More control over
your study time
More control over
your spare time
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More choice about
when and where to
study
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More choice about
how you study
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More responsibility
for your own
successes
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Benefits
To manage time effectively
To meet deadlines
To know what is required for assessments
Use it to build a personal profile
Know the difference between spare time
and independent study time
Put time aside to relax, rest and enjoy
yourself
To create structures for your day
To organise a place to study
To work out the best places and times for
you for different kinds of study activity
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Solutions
Use a diary, timetables and/or year planner to
develop a routine
Check the modules descriptor literature
To identify your learning style for different
types of tasks
To take responsibility for your learning and
achieving your goals
To identify barriers to your learning and
address these
To identify ways of improving your own
performance
To make effective use of feedback and to
learn from mistakes
To know your assessment deadlines or
dates and rules of submission
Directly adapted from Cottrell (2013: 19)
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Academic Skills Advice
3. What do I have to do to be an independent learner?
‘Studying is reading with a purpose –
to obtain specific answers to specific questions’
(Moran, 2000: 6)
But what sort of reading? Is it just a memory test? What type of questions?
Some of the skills you will need whilst studying at university are:
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Motivating yourself to study
Planning and adhering to your study time-table
Taking notes in lectures
Taking notes from hard copy literature and online
Thinking critically about what you hear or read (this is the asking questions
bit – making judgements about what you read)
Learning how to use the library
Learning how to use various IT programmes
Learning how to concentrate
Remembering and understanding what you learn
Researching and writing essays/projects/reports/dissertations
Directly adapted from Moran (2000: 11)
Whilst you are responsible for ensuring you learn these skills, there are lots of staff
members who can help: tutors, Subject Librarians, Academic Skills Advice Service,
Counselling, and many more. You are not alone!
What skills or activities are you most nervous of?
4. How to achieve
There is no special or magical power required to succeeding at University: simply…
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turn up to all your classes
do the reading
make and transform your notes
hit your deadlines
complete all your exams
you will pass
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Academic Skills Advice
If you want more than a pass, you will have to do more than the minimum.
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More
More
More
More
More
thinking
reading
note-taking
discussion
of everything
“People see the extraordinary feats of others but not the unwavering commitment
and countless hours of perseverant effort that produced them”
(Bandura, 1997: 119)
People who do more work,
achieve more!
5. Assignment and exam checklists
You’ve been given some hints and ideas about what you would do (taking notes)
and where you would go (for researching sources), so let’s have a go at putting it all
together.
Activity 3: Your own basic checklist
In small groups or pairs, think about what you would need to do and where you
would go to write your first assignment. Use the space below for rough notes and
the table overleaf to put them in order. You don’t have to fill in every row. You’ve
been given the first and last stages to help.
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Academic Skills Advice
Actions
Check handbooks; read brief/question/criteria; look at Blackboard
(Get feedback; read feedback; reflect; file feedback; plan how to improve)
Create an assignment checklist to stay organised!
Exams are a different animal altogether but a shift in perception may help you with
any nerves or worries you may have:
‘Exams (are) opportunities to show what you know
rather than… tests to show what you do not know.’
(Moran, 2000: 139)
With this positive attitude in mind, the following checklist is all about what you can
do or have done or know:
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Academic Skills Advice
Preparing for exams: checklist
I can find something positive for me in taking these exams
I can develop the right frame of mind for these exams
I know exactly when the exams are
I am aware how many questions are required for each exam
I have read the course or module details carefully to check what I am expected to
know about the subject
I have organised my notes so that the material is easy to learn
I can work out how many topics I need to revise for each exam
I am aware of the range of questions that can come up for each topic
I have made a realistic revision timetable, with clear priorities
I know how to work on exam answers using past papers
I have started to practise writing out answers at speed
I am aware of the memory strategies I need to revise for the exam
I know how the marks are weighted for each question
I am aware of how to use time most effectively in the exam
I am aware of how to avoid common pitfalls in exams
I am aware of the differences between exam answers and course work
I know how to manage stress and use it effectively
Summary
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It’s common to feel doubtful and worried
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Experience and hard work is usually more important than ‘intelligence’!
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Know where you can go for information and assistance
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Create assignment and exam checklist to stay organised and motivated!
If you feel you need more assistance in any of the areas discussed, the Academic
Skills Advice Service run in-depth workshops on all subjects discussed here. Just visit
the website for the workshop schedule and also to discover other ways we can help.
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Academic Skills Advice
References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
Cottrell, S. (2013) The Study Skills Handbook. 4th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan Ltd.
Marton F. and Säljö R. (1976) On qualitative differences in learning – Outcome and
Process. British Journal of Educational Psychology 46, pp. 4-11. [online] Available at:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2044-8279.1976.tb02980.x/pdf
[Accessed 10.6.2014]
Moran, A. (2000) Managing Your Own Learning at University. Dublin: University
College Dublin Press.
All visuals: Clip Art
Answers
Activity 2: Solutions to challenges
Challenges
More control
over your
study time
More control
over your
spare time
More choice
about when
and where to
study
More choice
about how you
study
More
responsibility
for your own
successes





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Solutions
Use a diary, timetables and/or year planner to develop a
routine
Check the modules descriptor literature
Choose activities to enhance your overall appeal or gain new
skills
Put spare time and independent study time into your
timetable
As above
Decide when and where you study at your best and work into
your timetable
Try taking notes from a screen or hard copies/taking notes in
different ways (linear, mind-maps, etc.)/ recording and
listening to tapes of your notes/ walking around whilst you
study
Develop SMART targets and action plans for your goals
Think about what is stopping you study (phone, friends,
favourite tv shows) and do something about it
Consider if you need a new skill or improve on one (notetaking, speed-reading) and sign up for help
Read feedback and correct future work
Read all module and course handbooks and documentation
carefully
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Academic Skills Advice
Activity 3: Assignment Checklist
Action
Check handbook; read brief/criteria; look at Blackboard (read feedback from last
assignment)
Go to library; search for texts (books and journal articles) from reading list; find other texts
Read basic texts first followed by harder ones; search for recent articles online.
Make rough notes; sort rough notes into categories; decide on relevant categories; decide
on key points in each category; sort key points into a list.
Make an assignment plan/structure: list of categories/areas and key points + the evidence
(references)
Write first draft linking your key points and using evidence; proofread your draft; amend;
repeat until happy
Check handbook for hand-in requirements; hand in.
Get feedback; read feedback; reflect; file feedback; plan what you will do differently to
improve
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