College Success Strategies and Skills

This assignment focuses on the transition from high school to college and emphasizes the importance of developing key skills for success. It highlights the need to improve learning techniques, participate actively, and cultivate strategies for note-taking and self-assessment. The document encourages students to embrace challenges and develop a proactive approach to their academic journey.

REFELECTIVE REPORT ON MY PROGRESS IN
DEVELOPING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
FOR STUDY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1. Difference between learning in school environment and higher education.......................1
2. Critical thinking..................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

Aim: To demonstrate the development of higher education skills and competencies.
INTRODUCTION
Reflective report is like a logical practice and in this, writer can depict fiction, memory or
people can also include their personal thoughts which will describe their views, incidents,
circumstances and so on. This all will be associated with their lives. Present reflective report is
based on the progress in developing knowledge as well as skills which are connected with study
in higher education (Savery, 2015). In this assignment, I am going to describe that there are
many differences in learning in school and colleges. It can be related to timing, notes, reading
hours and so on.
1. Difference between learning in school environment and higher education
It is more exciting and along with this many times it may discouraging that now I am in
college and it makes me realize that college work is going to be more stimulating than what I
have experienced in my school life. As in college, maximum time consume outside classroom
and only me is responsible for me regarding my learning, instead of my professors. If I
differentiate amongst them, then I can create some strategies to fill the gap which will be helpful
in my career and growth.
When I was in school, I spent almost 38 hours in a week for learning. It includes my
school hours as well as home work. But, now I am in college and it is not sure that I spend this
much time for my studies (Anderson and Shattuck, 2012). In this, I will only give 18 hours to my
college lectures. Instead of this, in many colleges, students have to attend their classes for almost
75 percentage and thus, they will learn almost 40 hours in a week easily. Sometimes, as per the
semester system lengthy course will come, then it is must for students to learn it at least 10 hours
in a week. But if, teaching is in two time per week, like 2 hours for each term then an individual
has to spend his or her 5 hours for their homework, study and so on. Therefore, I can easily make
balance in my studies in an effective as well as efficient manner. Finally, it can be understood
that time is not much altered from school to college level but timing of classes will change as per
the schedule.
When I was in school, time for learning is fundamentally organised by my teachers but as
now I am in college, it is must for me to arrange it as per my suitability. Hence, it is essential for
1

me to understand things in an adequate manner, so that I can easily maintain balance in my
studies and along with this I can assure myself regarding changes (Bennett and et. al., 2012).
There is also some deviation in time of classes or lectures. Obviously, in colleges, faculty
members expect from their students that they surely complete their entire assignments, project
works and homework before they all are approaching to their classes. But if, any one is preparing
with all of this, then professor will send him or her outside the class and if he or she wants to
come back, then it is important for him or her to complete their work in appropriate proper way.
Along with this, class schedule is always pre decided so that students will have time to complete
their projects (The differences Between High School and College Learning, 2017).
Expectations which are associated with learning are likewise distinctive in school as well
as colleges. If I want to be on the top then it is important for me to accomplish my work timely.
Along with this, in colleges, both learning format as well as prospect are totally different in
comparison to school environment. Thus, I have to modify my learning habits accordingly.
Therefore, it is necessary for me to understand the way in which I can take speech notes, how to
write, read and so on, as it will assist me to improve my learning as well as abilities and as a
result I am able to improve my academics (Brown, Bull and Pendlebury, 2013).
2. Critical thinking
It includes the way of analysing views as well as statements which are conferred. At the
time of critical thinking, I have to consist everything such as aim, anticipation, implementations
and situations. Along with this, an effective captious intelligent involves facts, hence it can be
easily applied (Kai-Wai Chu and Kennedy, 2011).
Active reading: In colleges, it is needed for me that I have to take part in each and every
kind of activity. It will be related to either academics or cultural events. Along with this, it is
essential for me to read topics effectively and thus, I can understand about things in appropriate
proper way. An adequate reading is always helpful for me to improve my learning abilities. If I
comprehend topic appropriately, then it is easy for me to provide answer of every question. I can
also practice this by myself. For example: I can create some questions and prepare answers for it.
Along with this, I can highlight some important points and make some notes which will be useful
for me during my exam times. Additionally, this will also help me to get prepared before my
class (Carless and et. al., 2011).
2

Effective note taking: If I make notes during classes, then it will be useful for me at the
time of studies. It will assist me to solve question which will arise during my learning time.
Before utilising this technique, I have to make sure that I have all essential things which are
necessary for me while taking notes such as pen, paper or diary, etc. I will sit in the front row in
class as there is less distraction as compare to back side. Along with this, it is important that at
class time, I have to listen lecture carefully as it will help me to make notes easily if I want to
add some extra lines into my notes. Appropriate notes are always in brief or can say that it is like
a guideline for topic. It is a well-known fact that when students are in school, notes are provided
to them by their teachers but when they are in college, they have to create it by their own.
Writing: In college time, I use to get writing task in which I have to complete some of
the essays or research papers (Cottrell, 2013). Some essays in which I have to write as an
argumentation form in which is have to make opinion about the topic which is been provided to
me. In summative form of essay I have to summarize about the topic which I had got. Written is
seen as a very effective and essential part in learning, this helps in learning new things and
writing out something with my mind this helps in generating new ideas in mind about the topic.
Writing helps in gathering the information, ideas, thoughts and messages anything in a written
format (Hinchliffe and Jolly, 2011). Writing things in college time helps me in knowing about
various new things about the topic which I had got and to increase my knowledge about it,
therefore it aid in differentiating me from other, as I will write which is in my mind and thoughts
and that will be different from others ideas and thoughts. When I was in school I have to write
which I have in my books and what my teachers use to say and after coming in college I feel that
their more things to learn about and their various things which I can learn about and get
knowledge from. Writing whatever I get or whatever I observe assist me in knowing more and
more things day to day.
Alleviating assessment anxiety: While doing any work or task which I get in college
from my professors and if I get nervous then that also sometime make me perform better in my
given task, but sometimes it make me more tensed (De Backer, Van Keer and Valcke, 2012). It
is obvious that while we learn something and to learn further we have to give exams or any other
kind of activities and while doing that I also get nervous. So before doing any kind of activities it
is very important to be tension free and keep my mind cool and stable. I learned that to keep
mind clam and fresh and to be stress free is essential, we should take proper diet, and etc. to give
3

assessment in better and attract way is very important and for that keeping my mind tensionless
and calm is very important for me. In schools I had not faced this much of tension or pressure but
I think I get tensed after I come in college, as there are lots of people studying with me and this is
an opportunity for me to perform well and make my future good so I have to be very charming
and presentable so that I can be able to present my assessments properly and effectively
(Duckworth, Quinn and Tsukayama, 2012).
CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that when I am in college, I
have to increase my abilities as well as skills. I need to take part in every kind of activity as it
will assist me in my growth as well as development. For above stated purpose I have to develop
some sort of strategies, such as I can make notes by my own, I will improve my learning skills, I
will solve some quiz for brain storming and so on.
4

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Anderson, T. and Shattuck, J., 2012. Design-based research: A decade of progress in education
research?. Educational researcher. 41(1). pp.16-25.
Bennett, S. and et. al., 2012. Implementing Web 2.0 technologies in higher education: A
collective case study. Computers & Education. 59(2). pp.524-534.
Brown, G. A., Bull, J. and Pendlebury, M., 2013. Assessing student learning in higher education.
Routledge.
Carless, D. and et. al., 2011. Developing sustainable feedback practices. Studies in higher
Education. 36(4). pp.395-407.
Cottrell, S., 2013. The study skills handbook. Palgrave Macmillan.
De Backer, L., Van Keer, H. and Valcke, M., 2012. Exploring the potential impact of reciprocal
peer tutoring on higher education students’ metacognitive knowledge and regulation.
Instructional science. 40(3). pp.559-588.
Duckworth, A. L., Quinn, P. D. and Tsukayama, E., 2012. What No Child Left Behind leaves
behind: The roles of IQ and self-control in predicting standardized achievement test
scores and report card grades. Journal of educational psychology. 104(2). p.439.
Hinchliffe, G. W. and Jolly, A., 2011. Graduate identity and employability. British Educational
Research Journal. 37(4). pp.563-584.
Kai-Wai Chu, S. and Kennedy, D. M., 2011. Using online collaborative tools for groups to co-
construct knowledge. Online Information Review. 35(4). pp.581-597.
Online:
The differences Between High School and College Learning. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/the-differences-between-high-school-
and-college-learning>. [Accessed on 26th August 2017].
5