Assessment 1 (20%) Project Plan
A short written proposal for a project on a selected theme in music technology, with defined timescales and project deadlines (typically 1000 words).
[Learning Outcomes 1, 2]

Assessment 2 (40%) Report
A written report on the subject proposed in assessment 1 (typically 2000 words).
[Learning Outcomes 2, 3]

Assessment 3 (40%) Presentation
A presentation describing the research methods used for the Research Report, evaluating the success or otherwise of the methods used.
[Learning Outcomes 3, 4]

Final Assessment: Assessment 3

Formative assessment:
Participation in group discussions about different research and communication methods, and the differences between different forms of written communication, including report writing, technical document writing, essay styles, email communication and social media.

This module is designed to give you the tools you need to start your Foundation degree, and to keep you on target with your work. The module is made of short activities so that you can get feedback quickly and understand how to work at the right level. You will be expected to use particular styles when you present your work, so this module helps you do this in a range of ways, and the work you do will all relate to the music industry.

Part of the module will be a consideration of different types of written communication, and why you should use the appropriate style of writing for the intended purpose and the expected reader of the communication. This will include group discussions of the differences between report writing, formal essays, technical documents, social media, email, application letters etc. You will be expected to contribute to discussions on written communication, have examples of different styles and keep notes on the appropriate form of communication so that you will be able to use the style most suited to the work you are carrying out whilst studying and in the professional environment.

You will be able to explore a range of study skills in order to enhance your progression through the course and develop practical skills suited for working in the industry. Research methods will form a core of the module, and they will be integrated into other areas of your work. You will plan and undertake a short research project on a theme associated with music technology so that you can apply research methods and gain feedback from tutors to help you develop your writing and study skills. How you communicate your ideas will be discussed, with consideration of the appropriate method for the intended purpose. This will include how to write using Harvard referencing for the sources you have used for your research, as Harvard referencing is the University's expected method of referencing sources. This will help you establish a good approach to writing and help you avoid plagiarism, which will also be explained as part of the module.

You will be encouraged to evaluate your own understanding of your work, and the responsibilities relating to your learning, as this will become increasingly important as you progress through the course.

You will be expected to carry out a substantial amount of work in your own time, and you may draw upon a wide range of sources for the assessment material, including from your workplace and personal experience.

Learning in this module will be facilitated through a combination of lectures and demonstrations followed by hands-on practical activities. There will be a mix of group and independent work, both in-class and through directed study as an extension to timetabled sessions. The emphasis will be on the acquisition of a diverse range of study skills and learning will be monitored through your response to short tasks in order that you can gain frequent prompt formative feedback.
Activities will typically include the following:
• Library induction and introduction to study skills
• Time management
• Group tutorials and critiques with formative feedback
• Individual tutorials
• Managing self-directed study
• Research methods
• Information retrieval demonstrations & workshops
• Harvard referencing and avoiding academic misconduct (including plagiarism)
• Writing skills workshops (including note-taking, reports, essays, traditional and new media correspondence
• Reflective practice, critical review and evaluation
• Action planning and target setting
• Presentation skills workshops, including traditional and digital methods

Students will have access to studio space and college library and computer resources. University learning resources are available on campus at Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, and online via the partner Need to Know pages of the university website.

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/courses_and_study/partnerships/current_students/email/index.jsp

Audience Dialogue (Unknown) Learning Journals [online] Available from http://www.audiencedialogue.net/journal.html
Cottrell, S. (2013). Study Skills Handbook. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Cottrell, S. (2011). Critical Thinking Skills. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Moon, J. (2000). Reflection in Learning and Professional Development. London: Routledge.
Smith, Mark (2013), ‘Keeping a learning journal. A guide for educators and social practitioners’, the encyclopaedia of informal education. [online] Available from http://infed.org/mobi/writing-and-keeping-journals-a-guide-for-educators-and-social-practitioners/

Staffordshire University Online Resources
Academic Skills Guides: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/support_depts/infoservices/learning_support/academic_skills/
Harvard Referencing Guide: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/support_depts/infoservices/learning_support/refzone/harvard/index.jsp

1. PLAN YOUR TIME TO COMPLETE WORK IN ORDER TO PROGRESS SUCCESSFULLY. IDENTIFY AREAS TO INVESTIGATE TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDY. ACCESS A RANGE OF SOURCES AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDIES. UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY INFORMATION. [Enquiry]

2. USE DIFFERENT STUDY METHODS TO PROGRESS YOUR OWN LEARNING. DEMONSTRATE THE ACQUISITION OF LANGUAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BROAD OVERVIEW OF ISSUES RELATING TO YOUR AREA OF STUDY.
[Learning]

3. USE DIFFERENT FORMS OF WRITING AND UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFERENT FORMATS SUIT DIFFERENT PURPOSES. USE DIFFERENT FORMS OF VERBAL EXPRESSION IN WAYS THAT SUIT THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND AUDIENCE.
[Communication]

4. IDENTIFY THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN YOUR RESEARCH METHODS. SUGGEST WAYS OF MOVING YOUR LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE FORWARD.
[Reflection]