LSC Study Skills Report: Higher Education, July 2020

This report, designed for a Business Foundation course at the London School of Commerce in association with the University of Suffolk, explores essential study skills for higher education. It begins by emphasizing the shift towards e-learning and the challenges it presents to both students and teachers, particularly in the context of online lectures. The report delves into the importance of note-taking, detailing its stages (before, during, and after class) and evaluating various note-taking methods. It then assesses strategies students can use to enhance their listening abilities, crucial for understanding lectures in the digital environment. Furthermore, the report examines how teachers can support student comprehension and engagement in online learning settings, offering recommendations for effective instruction. The overall aim is to provide students with practical tools and techniques to improve their academic performance and adapt to the evolving landscape of higher education.

Study Skills for Higher
Education

ABSTRACT
The current education system prominently changes and shift towards the e-learning in which
learning leads to execute by undertaking digital platforms. Along with this, e-learning and online
lectures becomes a challenge to teachers regarding the use of new technology and keep it busy
with prominent worksheets, assignment and lectures. Along with this, to understand these
lectures it is important for students to have effective listening skills undertaking various
strategies that should be adopted by students in terms of enhancing their listening skills.
Furthermore, teachers also help students in order to understand their assignment and lectures in
an effective manner.

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
ASSESSMENT 1.............................................................................................................................2
Discuss the importance of notes taking and its stages................................................................2
Note taking is an essential feature for academic life. Evaluate various methods that are use in
taking notes.................................................................................................................................3
ASSESSMENT 2.............................................................................................................................4
Evaluate some strategies that students can use to improve their listening ability.......................4
How can teachers help students to understand their lectures?....................................................5
Analysis and discussion..............................................................................................................6
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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INTRODUCTION
Study skills programme is all about managing time and developing strategies for effective
learning. Moreover, it tends to include reading academic texts critically and effectively which
undertake notes in lectures and form hard and electronic copy. For being a great student need
proper dedication and smart approach in which significant resources tends to guide through study
process from the starting and leads to develop of the unit and prepare for the exams. Along with
this, reviewing and developing the study skills tends to boost the confidence and also useful in
achieving success and also enable to work more effectively (Cottrell, 2019). In regard of this,
listening skill is undertaken as the essential factor in terms of understanding the lectures. Along
with this, it depicts the significance ability of an individual in terms of receiving and interpreting
the message. The report is going to cover the notes taking strategies and its importance
undertaking its essential features for the academic life. Furthermore, it also include the
significant strategies for effective improvement of listening skills and also discuss that how
teachers help students to understand their lectures with proper recommendations.
ASSESSMENT 1
Discuss the importance of notes taking and its stages
Actively taking notes at the time of class can help students in terms of developing their
focus for better understanding and significant concept. Good notes taking tends to enhance active
listening, comprehension of material and effective retention of things in mind. Properly taking
notes is important for reviewing ad studying the class material for the better understanding and
also leads to prepare in suitable manner for exams (Thompson, 2017). During the lecture, there
are lot of things that are discussed and for this, properly taking notes is important so that it can be
revised after two to three days back in terms of checking clearly regarding things. In relation
with this, there are three significant stages of taking notes which include:
Before class: Effective notes taking starts when the class is going to begin and for this,
students need to read clearly as much as they can which is going to discuss in the upcoming
session. As due to this, students get proper idea about the discussion and also helps if an
individual sit in first few rows in the class in terms of seeing and clearing things properly.
Furthermore, it is also important to turn off the mobile phone in order to protect from any sort of
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distraction and also get proper writing material with them including pens, notepads, textbooks
and so on.
During class: At the time of class, student need to write page number and date on the
notes which they note down and also identify the significant topic that should be tackle in the
class. Along with this, students need to ensure that proper listening at the time of discussion is
important in terms of clearing any sort of doubt and issues (Wibrowski, Matthews and Kitsantas,
2017). Moreover, if students have any unclear issues then they must raise a question to the
professor in terms of understanding things clearly. Moreover, in order to speed up the note-
taking and writing, students also need to use codes and abbreviations for longer words. Besides
this, they can also use voice recorder as it helps in after class revision.
After class: Meeting up with the classmates and compare their notes in order to check the
prominent accuracy helps in developing effective discussion and tends to join after class session.
It is useful because if student miss out some points then they can recover it in this session and
then look back to the notes again in order to summarise that what is written (Assiter, 2017).
Along with this, students also need to use marginal phrases and pick out some possible test
questions for the effective understanding which is included in exams.
Note taking is an essential feature for academic life. Evaluate various methods that are use in
taking notes
Effective notes taking is considered a one of the effective key element in order to get
success in exam as students need to devote as the considerable amount of time for reviewing the
prominent information that is discussed during the classroom lectures. Along with this, it is quite
difficult to remember particular details of every event and major concepts for the classroom
lectures without effective notes (Bonsaksen and et. al., 2019). These notes taking is suitable if
students make clear and accurate notes as it is quite uncommon to forgot key details and discuss
at the end of class. Students who keep specific and accurate notes should review them in order to
consider the key points and also recall important details that leads to develop prominent
knowledge and understanding for the significant concept.
Students also need to prepare them for classes in terms of taking better and effective
notes and for this, proper presentation leads to include completing assignment within the
specified period of time and read it prior to class and also review notes from previous lectures.
Students also need to make sure that their notes are quite accurate and detailed as possible for
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effective comparison and it is also useful as the colleagues will rapidly write down the lecture
details and it is undertaken as the significant classroom strategy. In regard of this, various
methods are useful in taking notes that are mentioned as under:
Always stay organised: Students need to keep their notes and handouts separate for each
class like they must have different notebook and folder for each class and subject or a huge
notebook with various tab for different subject (Naqvi and et. al., 2018). Along with this, it will
save time in order to try to make things organise and locate the notes effectively when studying
for the exam.
Use paper properly: In regard of this, many students always try to fit all the notes of a
day onto one single page and also often left with many extra blank pages in notebook. Rather
than this, when the instructor change the topic then students also need to flip towards the new
page as it permits them to find the prominent material easily and make their notes much cleaner
and can be understood easily.
Make notes legible: Some people have messy handwriting and due to this, they cannot
write down notes properly or clearly. For this, good handwriting is important as it make things
much easier to review them later (Khlaisang and Songkram, 2019). As it will help in terms of
sharing notes to another students and if electronic gadgets are allowed then students can use
voice recorder, laptop and video recording.
ASSESSMENT 2
Evaluate some strategies that students can use to improve their listening ability
It is identified that the use of online classes are increasing on rapid basis with the use of
several applications like Zoom. This application permit teachers to give lectures and assignments
to students by developing effective group of students. Additionally, Zoom application is useful in
providing video sessions that are offered in the class room to students. In terms of this, to
understand the lectures and make things more effective and productive, it is significant for
students to become the active listener (Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero, 2019).
In regard of this, it is important to enhance the listening skills by opting significant strategies that
are mentioned as under:
Ask questions: It is identified that open questions are developed in terms of asking more
thoughtful response and also tends to promote the longer concept. Along with this, it leads to
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improve the listening capability of students by asking open ended questions of their lectures that
are helpful in involving with proper discussion and tends to develop discussion of students
towards the specific topic and concept (Ding, Wei and Mollohan, 2016). Furthermore, it will
also help students in order to develop the interest of speaker that leads to develop effective turn
and also help in developing positive mindset and gain better results in an effective way.
Present at the moment: It is important for the students to be present at the moment and
also focus on the classes and other sessions in terms of giving significant knowledge and
understanding to them. Moreover, taking effective classes with proper mindset is helpful for
students to prominently listen the words of teacher. Moreover, it is identified that active listening
need to put emphasis on the prominent attention of words but also focus on the facial
expressions, voice tone and body language.
Pick up the key points: It is identified that various students need to face concerning
issues regarding what someone is saying and specifically for if it is of long time lectures. In that
case, students should try to pick prominent points in the class and after the lecture is finished
they should ask the points that are not understood by them (Moore and Morton, 2017). In regard
of this, to develop the interest of students, teachers need to ask suitable points in terms of making
prominent efforts to get the prominent concept and topic in prominent way.
Practice active listening: There are various students who can think that they should
remain shut and also answer regarding various things like talking to them only. In regard of this,
for enhancing the listening skills, it is recommended that students need to focus on the lectures
and wording of professor. Along with this, pretending about effective hearing students need to
get proper help for improving their listening skills and also make things more productive for the
students. Furthermore, it is also useful for the students in order to develop their listening and also
get positive result which is helpful in gaining effective opportunities and development for the
future.
How can teachers help students to understand their lectures?
It is identified that it is important for the teachers to help their students in terms of
making them understand regarding their specific concept which is being taught in the online
classroom with the help of zoom application. For this, significant strategies are opted by teachers
that are mentioned as under:
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Combine visual elements with effective presentation: It is identified that the students
have significant lectures and they need to watch it then it wave their prominent attention
increasingly to other thing. Moreover, adding the images, quotes and text in presentation that
leads to attract students and also involve them for the longer period of time. Furthermore, it is
also helpful for students to prominently listen to teachers and develop better outcome in an
effective manner.
Encourage the sense of community: It represent that students should increase each and
everything for effective participants and also tends to show their face with the help of webcam.
Moreover, providing them effective instructions leads to turn their video mode on the specific
part for the effective participation for involving students and also tends to gain proper attention
towards the class (McNally and et. al., 2017).
Break task into pieces: It is identified that instead of offering them online classes for
long time, for this, teachers should make it for around 40 to 50 minutes class and then giving
breaks to students. It will help students for the better understanding the topic and get things
properly in the online class.
Taking feedback from students: It is the another strategy which is opted by the teachers
in terms of getting proper help to gets things in lectures and take feedback when the session get
over. Offering interactive sessions are related with the online class that will help in clearing the
proper concept to students and also tends to improve their listening skills in order to answer the
significant question that are asked by teachers.
Therefore, all these strategies are helpful for students in order to gain better
understanding for the topic and also enhance effective listening skills.
Analysis and discussion
It is analysed that the rate of using digital platforms leads to enhance day to day by
undertaking the higher schools in order to offer classes and assignments through online mode. It
is identified that there are several issues are faced by teachers and students in terms of
overcoming to the new technology (Tzotzoli, Gooze’e and Papadatou-Pastou, 2016).
Furthermore, online classes leads to develop the interest and attention of students in terms of
getting things down and also enhance their listening skills considering several strategies such as
active listening, developing effective key points and so on.
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Moreover, students also need to opt significant strategies for enhancing their listening
skills that is important for them to gain better understanding and opportunities in upcoming time
(Thompson, 2017). Students also need to understand the concept that are taught to them in terms
of gaining active listening and teachers also get proper help to students for better understanding
of concept by making effective use of presentation and taking prominent feedback that can
encourage community. It leads to enhance the performance level of students and achieve positive
outcome.
RECOMMENDATIONS
 By considering the above discussion, it is identified that students need to enhance their
listening skills in terms of getting better understanding of concepts by online classes. In
regard of this, they are also required to actively listen and make valid points in an
effective manner. It is also suggested that students need to ask open questions when the
online session gets over as it will help them in declining the level of confusion and leads
to improve the capability of student to gain positive outcome.
 Moreover, teachers also need to get proper feedback and also organise interactive
sessions when the online class is over. They also tends to make effective use of attractive
pictures and quotes that help them in grabbing their attention which is the beneficial
concept. Moreover, teachers leads to offer effective instructions through webcam for the
particular period of time.
CONCLUSION
By considering the above discussion, it is identified that the effective use of online
application and digital platforms are important within the educational sector in terms of
increasing it rapidly. Additionally, effective enhancement the listening skills plays an important
role in terms of understanding the significant lecture which is given to them by online
applications like Zoom an so on. Along with this, there are several strategies that are useful for
students in terms of enhancing the listening skills like effective developing key point, need to
focus on the significant moment and practising active listening. Away with this, it is also
important for the teachers in order to offer significant help to students for effectively improving
their listening skills that should be develop by considering strategies and also tends to take
feedback for effective management.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Assiter, A. ed., 2017. Transferable skills in higher education. Routledge.
Bonsaksen, T and et. al., 2019. Factor analysis of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for
Students in a cross‐cultural occupational therapy undergraduate student
sample. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 66(1), pp.33-43.
Cottrell, S., 2019. The study skills handbook. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Ding, L., Wei, X. and Mollohan, K., 2016. Does higher education improve student scientific
reasoning skills?. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 14(4),
pp.619-634.
Khlaisang, J. and Songkram, N., 2019. Designing a virtual learning environment system for
teaching twenty-first century skills to higher education students in ASEAN. Technology,
Knowledge and Learning, 24(1), pp.41-63.
McNally, B and et. al., 2017. Flipped classroom experiences: student preferences and flip
strategy in a higher education context. Higher Education, 73(2), pp.281-298.
Moore, T. and Morton, J., 2017. The myth of job readiness? Written communication,
employability, and the ‘skills gap’in higher education. Studies in Higher
Education, 42(3), pp.591-609.
Murillo-Zamorano, L.R., Sánchez, J.Á.L. and Godoy-Caballero, A.L., 2019. How the flipped
classroom affects knowledge, skills, and engagement in higher education: Effects on
students' satisfaction. Computers & Education, 141, p.103608.
Naqvi, S and et. al., 2018. Study skills assessment among undergraduate students at a private
university college in Oman. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 9(2), p.139.
Thompson, P., 2017. Communication technology use and study skills. Active learning in higher
education, 18(3), pp.257-270.
Tzotzoli, P., Gooze’e, R. and Papadatou-Pastou, M., 2016. The development and evaluation of
an online intervention,‘MePlusMe’, supporting mood, wellbeing, study skills, and
everyday functioning in students in higher education. In Front Public Health
Conference Abstract: 2nd Behaviour Change Conference: Digital Health and
Wellbeing.
Wibrowski, C.R., Matthews, W.K. and Kitsantas, A., 2017. The role of a skills learning support
program on first-generation college students’ self-regulation, motivation, and academic
achievement: A longitudinal study. Journal of College Student Retention: Research,
Theory & Practice, 19(3), pp.317-332.
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