Once students are at university they are considered to be adults responsible for their own learning. Your child will also be responsible for remembering due dates, choosing their subjects and doing their own administration. Course advisers and lecturers can give advice, support and make information available, but students must learn to ask for help when they need it. Your child is also less likely to have set homework each night, and may spend far fewer hours actually in class, and more hours doing their own research and reading.
Size
The first thing most people notice about universities in comparison with school is their size. While rural campuses may be quite small, most city campuses are very large and sometimes rather daunting. Most courses will have classes taught in more than one building, and a day at university may involve a number of brisk walks between sessions.
Academic staff
Academic staff members– lecturers and tutors– are the teaching staff. They often have titles such as Doctor or Professor, though most will ask students to use their first name. Many are leaders in their field of study, and while they expect students to take charge of their own learning, academics are also willing to help students.
Different teaching styles
Students will be taught using a variety of methods, including:
- Lectures: usually lasting an hour, with a lecturer giving a presentation to a large group of students who will be taking notes.
- Tutorials: these are smaller groups, led by a tutor, where students ask questions, discuss the subject, debate issues and work together on problems and projects.
- Practical or laboratory classes: these are held in courses such as science, engineering, health sciences, technology and also in visual arts, music, drama or architecture and planning. Students will be guided by a tutor or demonstrator.
- Online learning: many courses will have an online component such as web access to lecture notes, electronic bulletin boards or online learning exercises.
- Job placements: courses such as education, nursing, psychology and social work involve placements of several weeks in the workplace, allowing students to put skills into practice.
- Libraries: students will spend a lot of their study time using the resources of the library, either in the library or accessing materials online. There may be more than one branch of the library, and students are encouraged to attend library tours and skills classes to learn how to use the resources.
Help adjusting to life and learning at university