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Learning Experiences
At UTAS you can expect to have a range of learning experiences, and they will often be different from the lessons of your school days. They will also vary with the course you are enrolled in and whether you are attending units on-campus or off-campus. The range of learning experiences includes:
At UTAS we aim to provide the same quality of learner-centred education to all students wherever they are located and whatever modes of learning they use. Our goal is to ensure that with your active participation in the varied learning experiences on offer, we create an environment of ready access to university education as well as the enjoyment and personal development that comes with successful learning.
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What learning experiences are specified for the unit(s) in which you are interested and/or enrolled? If you are not sure, go to Courses and Units 200X. Check out the description of these learning experiences provided in the above links. |
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Lectures
You will spend a lot of your class time in lectures. Though lectures vary in many ways, here are some of their features:
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Duration may vary from 40 minutes to three hours, depending upon the discipline.
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Class size may vary from 20 to 400 students.
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Lectures convey important information that is not always available from textbooks and other resources.
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They are often interactive. This means that lecturers may encourage questions from the audience and may also ask students in the audience to answer questions or discuss an idea with the person sitting next to them.
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They play an important role in providing an overview of the course, in reviewing what has been covered, and in providing a context and direction for studying.
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Lecturers often use PowerPoint presentations, visual images, sound bites, music, and video segments that are not readily accessible outside the lecture.
It is important that you attend every lecture (where possible) and that you learn strategies to help you understand and remember the material covered (see Learning Strategies). |
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To find out more about lectures and note taking, go to: UniStart MyLO module. (Note: you will need to enrol in UniStart to access this resource) |
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Small-group learning, e.g. tutorials, studio-based learning, workshops, seminars
You will also spend considerable class time in small-group learning sessions. While these vary in nature, they include the following features:
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Duration ranges from 50 to 90 minutes.
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Class size varies up to 25 students.
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Small-group learning sessions are usually less formal than lectures, although the way these sessions are conducted varies widely across disciplines.
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They provide students with a range of learning experiences such as the opportunity to ask questions, discuss readings, present work to others, critique the work of others, answer and receive feedback on worksheet questions, demonstrate techniques, talk through design projects, improvise and perform music, use computers for design, composition and technical work, role-play, solve problems, and work through assignments both individually and with other students and the session leader.
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They give students the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge and understanding of issues, techniques and problems raised in lectures, studio classes, readings, and practical work.
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As a student in a small-group learning session you are expected to read and prepare work in advance and to participate in both individual and group activities.
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Oral presentations
Many small-group learning sessions include the opportunity for students to give oral presentations to the rest of the class. The topics and timetable for presentations are usually organised early in the semester, giving you time to think about and prepare for your presentation. Oral presentations allow you to develop many skills, including communicating to a group, preparing a discussion paper or project, answering questions, and preparing audio-visuals, and all within a supportive, small-group environment.
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To find out more about oral presentations, go to: UniStart MyLO module. (Note: you will need to enrol in UniStart to access this resource) |
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Field work/excursions
Disciplines with a practical aspect, e.g. sciences and engineering, often include field work/excursions as an essential component of their units. As a student doing field work/excursions you gain hands-on experience in the field, integrating theory, method and practice. Some disciplines also offer virtual excursion material on CD-ROM, making use of video, digital photography and animations as well as exercises, questions and quizzes. |
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Laboratory work/pracs
Many science-related courses include laboratory work or 'pracs' as an important learning experience. Students gain experience in experimental techniques using a wide range of laboratory equipment. You learn by hands-on participation, integrating theory with method and practice.
Courses that have a computing component usually include computer laboratory classes. In these classes you may be expected to complete worksheets or other tasks and to ask questions as you work. |
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Online learning
An increasing number of units at UTAS have an online component. Online learning is usually web-based and the main tool at UTAS for web-based learning is MyLO – My Learning Online.. Units have varying degrees of dependence on the web as described below.
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Web-supported units use MyLO to supplement face-to-face and print-based off-campus teaching.
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Web-dependent units use MyLO as an integral part of the unit program to complement face-to- face teaching and print-based off-campus teaching.
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Web-based/fully online units are only available online. Students need access to MyLO to interact with unit content, to communicate with teaching staff and other students and to access aspects of assessment.
The most common form of online learning at UTAS is the web-supported model. However, the number and proportion of web-dependent units is expected to steadily increase as more students and staff take advantage of the benefits of online learning and teaching. |
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Benefits of online learning
There are a number of benefits of online learning. For example:
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you have greater flexibility in choosing when and where you learn;
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you can pace yourself to suit your own learning style and circumstances;
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online learning frequently increases your opportunities to interact with teaching staff and other students.
In these ways, online learning increases your control over your own learning.
It is important to understand that online learning does not mean you will miss out on face-to-face contact with teaching staff and other students or that you are 'on your own'. Online learning usually combines face-to-face with online contact, and aims to provide the same level of student support as provided in other modes of learning.
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For on-campus students, face-to-face contact occurs in small-group learning sessions, lectures, consultations and informal meetings with teaching staff and other students.
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For off-campus students, face-to-face contact occurs on study days and sometimes at local study centres.
Students can also take advantage of the online communication tools such as discussion boards and email. These tools promote a sense of belonging to a 'community of learners' – both online and face-to-face.
To benefit from online learning you need:
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self-discipline and good time-management skills to ensure that you keep up with the schedule of study for your unit;
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access to a suitable computer and a fast Internet connection;
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word processing and web browsing skills to ensure that you get the most out of your online experience.
To improve and develop your IT skills, free online IT training using self-assessment tools is available at: http://www.utas.edu.au/it_training/. You can also improve your IT skills by enrolling in UniStart
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Group projects
Being successful at university requires more than attendance at classes. You need to spend time thinking about and reflecting on the course materials so that you can absorb and make sense of complex new knowledge. Sometimes you can achieve this best by working alone, but at other times working with others is more productive. For example, students frequently work together on group projects and in collaborative library research. By sharing discussion and understanding of readings, ideas and projects, these become more manageable. Further, developing the ability to work in teams improves your future job readiness and professional skills. |
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Case-based and problem-based learning
Case-based learning (CBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) are ways of making real or simulated cases, situations or issues central to student learning. With the help of teaching staff with expertise in the subject, you explore a scenario presented to you, learning how to ask relevant questions and make legitimate inferences, increasing your knowledge and skills. CBL/PBL is practised in a number of faculties at UTAS. Amongst these is the Faculty of Health Science, which has established the following web site to support case-based learning and teaching in the faculty.
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Resource-supported learning
Resource-supported learning provides students with additional learning resources for optional use. Such resources may include:
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audiotaped lectures
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videotaped lectures
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CD-ROMs
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streamed media lectures
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seminars held on campus.
These resources allow you to supplement face-to-face learning with learning that is less dependent on time and place. In this way you have more control over when, where and how you learn. You may also find these resources useful if you miss a lecture or if you wish to review study material for the unit. |
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Resource-dependent learning
Resource-dependent learning provides students with resources that are an integral part of the program for the unit. Further, these resources often replace some or most face-to-face teaching. The resources may include:
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printed study guides
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audio taped lectures
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videotaped lectures
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CD-ROMs
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streamed media lectures
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seminars held on campus.
Resources often include strategies that encourage students to interact with the material and learn in an active rather than a passive way.
With resource-dependent learning you have the flexibility to study when and where it suits you. However, as with online learning, it requires self-discipline and good time-management skills to ensure that you keep to the unit study schedule.
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Videoconferencing
To facilitate learning across all campuses of UTAS we have a videoconference network. It enables us to deliver lectures and small group learning sessions to students located at any of our campuses in courses that have teaching staff limited mainly to one campus. Depending on your course and campus location you can expect to be involved in cross-campus lectures and small-group sessions using videoconference facilities.
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Flexible scheduling
Flexible scheduling allows you to attend some classes out of normal teaching hours. For example, classes may be offered:
By offering greater choice in class times, flexible scheduling responds to individual needs and circumstances of students.
Workplace learning
Disciplines that include vocational practice, such as nursing, medicine, engineering, education and sociology, provide students with the opportunity to practise in the workplace what they have learnt at university. As a student in the workplace you learn from practising professionals, gaining hands-on experience and integrating theory with method and practice. |
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