Assessment 1:
Portfolio of student's written work, comprising the following:
•researched material from primary and secondary sources with a commentary evaluating their usefulness
•a range of documents for different purposes and a commentary describing suitability for purpose
(50%) [Learning Outcome 1 and 3]

Assessment 2:
Learning journal showing understanding of own progress (25%) [Learning Outcome 2 and 4]

Assessment 3:
Participation in discussions and presentations (25%) [Learning Outcome 3]

In this module you will be able to explore a range of study skills in order to enhance your progression through the award and develop practical skills for the workplace. Research methods will form a core of the module, whilst integrating into other areas of study. Methods of communicating will be investigated and utilised, with consideration for appropriateness for the intended purpose. You will be encouraged to evaluate your own understanding of your work, and your responsibilities relating to your learning.

The Reflective Learning Journal will be a focus on the reflective evaluation of your study, serving as a tool for resolving difficulties and facilitating broadening awareness of your own and other people's viewpoints, as well as a record of progress. How to keep a Reflective Learning Journal and considering the relationship of theory to practice will be included in this module.

You will be expected to engage in collaborative activities with your peers during timetabled sessions and to carry out substantial work in your own time. You may draw upon a wide range of sources for the assessment material, including from the 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 VISUAL MEDIA AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BROAD OVERVIEW OF ISSUES RELATING TO YOUR AREA OF STUDY.
[Learning]

3. USE DIFFERENT FORMS OF WRITING TO SHOW UNDERSTANDING OF HOW DIFFERENT FORMATS SUIT DIFFERENT PURPOSES, AUDIENCES AND CIRCUMSTANCES. USE DIFFERENT FORMS OF VERBAL EXPRESSION IN WAYS THAT SUIT THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND AUDIENCE. USE VISUAL MEDIA TO EXPRESS IDEAS.
[Communication]

4. CONSIDER YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND RELATE IT TO CURRENT AREA OF STUDY. IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. SUGGEST WAYS OF MOVING YOUR LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE FORWARD.
[Reflection]