Student Support
Educational and Learning Adjustments
You may find that studying in Australia will be different in some ways, to what you have been used to. You may need to develop some new skills to meet new demands. It is important to realise that there are differences between cultures in attitudes to teaching and learning. You may need to develop quickly, the ability to speak up confidently in seminars and tutorials, expressing your own point of view and offering supportive evidence for it. You must learn to comment, question or offer constructive criticism on the arguments of fellow students or lecturers without feeling that this indicates a loss of respect.
Additionally, you will need to develop confidence to raise problems, express discontent and ask for help from relevant academic or support staff.
Studying at a tertiary level, you will be expected to:
- Be an independent learner;
- Be a pro-active student. This also means being able to discuss topics with fellow students, tutor or lecturer; contribute to learning, and even debate about issues;
- Think critically. You should be able to create work that is analytical rather than descriptive.
All this can be quite hard, particularly if you are from a non-English speaking country and have concerns about your ability to cope with a new language, especially your ability to express yourself in an academic context.
However, there is no need to worry or think that you are without support. Student Services is a great starting point for information regarding the services available to assist you with your studies. The Learning Skills Advisers and the English Language Support Service are here to assist you. A one-on-one appointment can be made with one of the team to help you through any learning or writing difficulties you may be experiencing.
Contact Student Central on your campus to make an appointment.