Charles Sturt University - Learning Skills

The Mature Student Returning to Study

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If you are a new student, or you're returning to study after a long break, the important thing is to allow yourself time to discover what university is like for you. Expect to feel both confused and excited during the next little while as you settle in and begin to understand what is expected, and as you begin to define some of your study objectives. During this time, as well as trying to keep up with your study schedules, devote some energy into learning how to learn and into making contact with staff and other students involved in your subjects. Reward yourself for every achievement you make no matter how small.

Facing fears

Mature age students typically have high expectations of themselves and what they'll achieve but do not worry if you feel you'll not be able to keep up. You may need to relearn how best to learn. Age is not a barrier to learning and although it is a bit harder to learn at 50 years of age than 15, it is not that much harder. Some students have enrolled in their sixties and seventies and managed both to enjoy themselves and get a degree.

Many mature students feel that they will look foolish or lose face or status by failing. Accept that if returning to study after some years away, a feeling of anxiety or fear is normal. You are not alone in having it, and it is in most cases totally unwarranted. You will probably laugh at your fears before too long!

You should recognise that you have strengths that those with youth often lack. As a mature student you have many advantages over those straight from school. You may know where you are going in terms of money and career, or what you are giving up (such as free time, sleep, or a social life) and will be more highly motivated to succeed. A strong motivation can more than make up for a very minor reduction in the speed at which you can learn new things.

Computers and educational technology may be something that you're not really familiar with. Keep reminding yourself that you're not too old to learn; that's why you've enrolled in uni in the first place! Embrace new technology and update your skills. Here are some practical things you can do:

  • Become more familiar with CSU's online environment by browsing from you're my.csu desktop
  • Use the guides provided on the Learning Skills website: Online Learning @CSU
  • Complete CSU's Online Orientation.
  • Enrol in CSU Learning Skills STUDY LINK subject: Introduction to Online Learning - a 30-hour self-paced subject that will help you become more familiar with and use the online environment at the university.
  • Take a course at a TAFE or Community College for some basic computer-use skills.

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Be responsible for your own learning

Your lecturers do not assume responsibility for telling you what to learn or how to learn it. You have to manage these things for yourself. As an adult learner it's up to you to decide how much effort to put in.

  • Decide priorities.
  • Set targets.
  • Work out strategies for achieving them (learning skills advisers can help you).
  • Learn how to best manage your time and study.
  • Take responsibility for deciding what views to hold.

Lecturers expect you to form your own judgements about the strengths and weaknesses of various ideas. You have to be able to:

  • weigh up ideas not just learn them
  • argue for one idea against another, not just repeat both.

If you're returning to study after a long time, it may take a while to adjust. However, your target is eventually to become an independent student: to be able to find your way round a subject yourself. When you take control of your own study, you're in a position to make knowledge and understanding really do some work for you.

Be an active learner. The emphasis changes from being a passive receiver of 'knowledge' to being an active seeker for 'understanding'.

It seems easier to learn by doing, rather than merely listening or reading. Try some of these active strategies as well as reading the textbooks and set reading material:

  • draw diagrams
  • create tables
  • create a concept map
  • read your notes and condense them
  • write notes or concept map main points as you read
  • aim to write a sentence summarising each paragraph in a text
  • create review cards with questions on one side and answers on the other (review often)
  • search the library shelves or catalogue for information
  • explain a topic or concept aloud to an interested adult (whether they're present in the room with you or not!). The act of explaining will help sort out your ideas.

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Develop study skills

There are many different aspects to learning how to study, all of which tend to be gathered under the general heading of 'study skills'. There are study habits such as:

  • creating a well set out study space (at home, or perhaps the local or uni library)
  • scheduling study breaks
  • make a habit of adding an in-text and end-of-text reference in your assignment draft every time you add a comment which quotes or is based on information from a text.
  • actively taking notes or making concept maps whenever you read an academic text.

There are study techniques such as:

  • the way you set out your notes on a page,
  • how to file your notes and reference your sources.

There are study strategies such as the way you:

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