Study Skills for Higher Education: An Individual Report

This individual report delves into the critical role of study skills in higher education, particularly for students undertaking foundation years in the UK. It emphasizes the importance of foundation programs in bridging knowledge gaps and fostering competent individuals. The report explores the benefits of foundation years, including a supportive learning environment and the development of citizenship, while also addressing the key challenges faced by students, such as re-adjusting to academic life, maintaining a work-life balance, and building confidence. The report highlights the significance of study skills like organization, time management, and effective reading, and how they contribute to student success. The conclusion reinforces the value of education and foundation years in enhancing skills and overcoming weaknesses, thereby preparing students for future academic and professional endeavors. The report stresses the role of study skills in helping students overcome challenges in higher education.

Study Skills for Higher
Education Individual
Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
A. Importance of Foundation year for students .........................................................................1
B. Key challenges facing basis year educate..............................................................................3
C. Importance of study skill in higher education students..........................................................4
D. Summarisation .....................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERNCES ..................................................................................................................................6
.........................................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Education mainly revolves around creating competent individuals who are able to
perform well on the professional and personal grounds. The educational system in the United
Kingdom is not able to produce competent individual due to “knowledge gaps”. To overcome
this deficiency educational system a concept of foundation year has been proposed for
universities (Chalmers, 2014). The foundation year focuses on overcoming the deficit mind set
and skill gaps which has been ascertained by the student and promote them to be a competent
individuals. The foundation courses may vary with universities and type of student to which it is
offered as some of the courses are designed to increase the participation of under represented
groups. This report primarily focuses on identifying the importance offered by foundation year
for the students. There will be an explanation of challenges faced by the students during
foundation along with ways to overcome them.
MAIN BODY
A. Importance of Foundation year for students
For developing and attain prosperity in a career, a productive and innovative education
system is essential as it help in modifying an individual's mindset, personality, behaviour and
attitude. Hence, in present scenario of UK there are enormous educatee who are confused and
undecided about going to university because they have been out of education from few years.
Thus, the development of foundation year has opened doors for those who may have previously
thought university was not an option, whether for academic, personal reasons, from school
leavers to busy working parents. However, the concept of foundation year offer a supportive
environment for those who were out of education for few years and are nervous about
embarking on a educational institution degree. Moreover, it can be seen as a stepping stone into
world of higher education, particularly if an individual do not have the right qualification to go
straight onto degree programme. However, widening participation to higher education is a
strategic priority fro UK and Scottish governments in which they aim to address discrepancies of
different social group and provide them a platform so that they can easily gain knowledge and
achieve fruitfulness in their career. Their core purpose is to raise aspirational and educational
attainment among prospective students and under represented group i.e. low socio economic
category pupil. Therefore, foundation year is an extra year of study at the start of university

course as it allow students who don't meet an entry need for normal teaching to fill the gaps and
go on to pursue a full degree. Thus, some of the importance of foundation year for widening
participation backgrounds students are as follows:
Better learning environment: As the concept of foundation year plays a vital role in wide
participation applicants as it bring equality and ensure that each and every scholar receives
enormous opportunities to develop and improve their hidden talents (Drysdale and McBeath,
2014). Along with this, it invite candidates from different cultural background which enable
them to understand and gain information about diverse set of values, beliefs , norms etc. By this,
it generate a positive and better relationship among students and staff as UK educational
institution teachers believes that it create a challenging and productive learning atmosphere for
higher education pupils as they takes initiative to know and and acquire information from each
other. By this, lower socio economic group individuals feel motivated to lead a prosperous life
by gaining knowledge and enriching educational experience for both students and staff alike.
Development of citizenship: Foundation year course are seen as a means to maximise
retention which has led higher education sector to consider ways to support students conversion
into degree courses. However, foundation year is regarded as an effective tool as it encompasses
and provide suitable response to diverse needs of community which enhance the living standard
of societies. Moreover, it enliven democracy and caters all issues of small minority of students
with similar backgrounds which benefit them in career and personal development as well as it
help HE trainee to be more engaged citizens. Apart from this, higher education system i.e.
foundation year plays a huge contribution to equip students with requisite skills or potentiality
and explore their learning opportunities for perspective category of enrollee.
Break down social barriers: One of the key aim of foundation year to improve or fill the
learning gap between staff and students by creating an environment of diverse culture skill as it
include perspective, opinion and experience of higher education. Moreover, it is about making
connection with students, community with other educator with an aim of developing education
system so that each and every category of individual feel equality and strengthen their morale.
Furthermore, it takes an initiative to generate a link with regional educational institution as well
as it rises its effort to improve the relation with under represented group which directly reflect in
eradicating social barriers from UK education institution and enrich teacher and student
relationship in an impelling and prompt way.

Therefore, foundation year is an integral part for wide participation background
candidate because it benefit in building a positive relation among several universities as well as it
encourage staff to focus over social connectivity also along with academics. By this, they will be
benefit from decrease level of injustice and inequality in order to enhance lifestyle of socio
economic and under representative group in a impressive and fair manner.
B. Key challenges facing basis year educate
The state needs an education system that excites and impact children, render them with
the learning they need and deserve to accomplish their potential. This way creating a program of
practical and vocational learning alongside theoretical study (Ericsson and Karlsson, 2014). A
variety of subjects can be studied on a foundation year, from social studies and business
management to biological science and sports therapy. However, it is even more captious today,
in the face of economic, environmental and social challenges. Hence, for mature students, re-
entering education, sometime after a gap of several decades bring its own discouraging
challenges. Perhaps the most common problem reported by foundation year applicant that they
find difficult to get back into the mindset of studying i.e. reading textbook, continue info heard in
lectures or found in articles, preparing notes during classroom section in order to refer them back
later. All of these skills can be hard top master at any age, but because they are almost unshared
to academic work as the longer student been out of study, the more elusive applicant appear.
However, some of the challenges which UK foundation year students undergoes are given
below:
Learning to learn again: It is one of the biggest and basic threat for mature candidate
because they have to make up their mind in such a manner to re learn and take time or effort to
acquire knowledge as they contain huge gap of learning experience (Nielsen, Haun, Kärtner and
Legare, 2017). Thus, in order to overcome this issue each and every individual should be patient
and remember that their increased life experience and maturity gives them advantage over new
school leavers in other aspects of studies. However, foundation year offer additional activities
that brush up the weak areas of scholar and they can make modification or improvement on that
in order to enrich their career.
Maintaining work life balance: The next prima challenge undergoes mature students is
equalization the necessitate of study with all other adult parts of life i.e. 18 to 20 years old
unlikely to be fazed yet. Along with this, these category pupil often find themselves

rearrangement need of families, partners, work etc. and endeavor to find time for classes, study
and assignment writing in addition to all these things. Furthermore, these students have a level of
earnestness to people and groups outside their educational institution that goes way beyond that
of traditional undergraduate.
Lack of confidence: The another factor which holds most of an individuals is less
confident and believe on themselves i.e. on their skills or potentiality to adapt innovative ideas.
Although these group of scholars have so much to content, they tend to be the most troubled and
disquieted about their own performance, seeing their extra years as a hindrances rather than a
help in scholarly life. Moreover, during pursuing education at over age group there are diverse
background of candidate which bring a mix of complexities and strength which directly impact
over an attitude of mature students.
Hence, mature students should be positive and dedicated to acquire a new culture within
their lifestyle in order to improve life standard as well as enlarge personal and professional group
at equal level. By this, it directly reflect over nation economy in terms of reducing poverty,
injustice and inequality among communities and explore growth of economy in an impressive
and productive style (Foster and et.al., 2015).
C. Importance of study skill in higher education students
It is one of the integral element which enable applicant of foundation year to tackle their
issues in an impressive and effective manner. By processing trenchant study skills, each
individuals may be able to cut down on the numbers of work time consume studying , leaving
more time for other things in life. However, better and good skill improve an ability to learn and
retain knowledge. There are some of the ways to improve their study skill are as follows:
Getting Organised to study: It is considered as an initial step for developing study skill
as it enable an individuals to consider some fundamentals such as where and when to study as
well as developing a network of contacts that can help in time of requirement. Moreover, it help
mature students to make up their mind to acquire any kind of environment and know which lead
them to enlarge their educational potentiality in a better manner (Litt and Hargittai,2016).
Time management: Under this, each candidate learn to maintain a time which enable
foundational year students to more productive as well as allow them to control over stress and
anxiety. However, study skill encourage them assist them to outline an importance of personal

study timetable that lead the to set their goal and also aid foundational year candidate to prioritise
the time so that they should not find difficulty in pursuing educational knowledge.
Effective Reading: Once after learns to manage time, each individuals can find time to
read a lot of information that help them to develop their skills and also in adopting various novel
or innovative ideas. By this, they will not be able to find any kind of hindrances in dealing with
complex situation and it brings an impressive and creative learning experience.
D. Summarisation
It has been concluded from above described concept that foundational years course has a
significant role in mature students as well as higher education candidates (Gormley and et.al.,
2018). Along with this, it help wide participation background applicants to be more flexible and
adaptive nature ion order to adjust in every kind of environment as well as help them to build a
better relation with diverse culture background. Moreover, the concept of study skill help them to
overcome some basic challenges which every UK students facer i.e. lack of confidence, fear of
loss, preparing mindset for re learn etc. that lead them to expand their personal and professional
platform of life .
CONCLUSION
From the preceding mentioned report, it has been concluded that education is considered
as a powerful component which contribute to common good, enhancing national prosperity and
supporting stable families, neighbourhood and development of communities. Along with this,
foundational year help wide participation background scholars to enrich their hidden skills as
well as to overcome their weakness by enlarging the capacity of critical and technical thinking
skill. Moreover, it generate healthy and productive learning experience which assist them to
develop socio economic and under representative group of people that benefit individual growth
as well as economic growth of nation.

REFERNCES
Books and journals