University study is self-directed. This means you are responsible for your own learning and success. You need to manage your time effectively so you can stay on top of your tasks.
There are several ways you can improve your experience. These will also help you develop useful skills that you can use in a professional setting.
In brief, you can improve your academic experience by:
Lectures are presentations given by a subject expert on a specific topic. They can be delivered in person or online and are an important part of your study.
To get the most out of lectures:
There are different types of classes, including tutorials, labs, seminars, and workshops. Each class type may run differently and include different activities. However, you should attend every class ready to participate and engage.
Many university classes use a ‘flipped classroom’ approach. This means you prepare before class, practise the content during class with others, and then review your understanding afterwards. This approach encourages you to ask questions and work with other students.
To get the most out of classes:
As a university student, it is important to understand how to communicate and engage with the university, academic staff, and other students in a respectful and appropriate way, both in person and online. Communicating online is an important skill to develop. It will help you in your studies and in your future career.
No matter who you are emailing, it is important to be polite. Remember that anything you write cannot be taken back. When emailing academic staff, do not use slang and always address them using their correct staff titles.
When corresponding via email:
Example email:
Subject: CMH1001 Lecture - request for slides and notes
Dear Professor Kirkwood,
I am writing to request a copy of the presentation slides and notes from the CMH1001 lecture this week, Wednesday 29 July. I was unable to participate in this lecture during the live session due to work commitments. I am unable to locate the slides and noes on Blackboard and am currently preparing for the assessment due next week.
Thank you for your assistance.
Kind regards,
Gemma Gordon (she/her) Curtin ID 2090000A
The contact details for your unit’s teaching staff are listed on Blackboard. Click on the applicable unit and then Contacts. Try emailing Unit Tutors/Unit Coordinators first. Unless otherwise specified, Course Coordinators are for queries relating to your entire course, such as study plans.
Discussion boards may be set up by your teaching staff to support communication about topics and questions, share extra resources, and encourage students to engage with each other. The features available on the discussion board will depend on what your Unit Coordinator has enabled. In some units, contributing to the discussion board may be part of a marked assessment. This may include giving feedback to other students on their assignment ideas.
You are encouraged to use discussion boards to engage with other students, share useful resources, and organise study groups. When posting, you should always communicate in a polite and respectful way and stay focused on the topic.
Before emailing academic staff with a question, it is a good idea to search the discussion board first. It is likely that another student has asked a similar question and that it has already been answered by the tutor or other students.
Ensuring you have the support you need will help you feel confident and ready to handle challenges in your studies. Curtin offers a range of support services through AccessAbility. If you have a disability, a physical or mental health condition, or if you are caring for someone with a disability, you can apply for a Curtin Access Plan (CAP). A CAP is a document that outlines reasonable adjustments recommended to support your study.
There are also ways to make your study materials more accessible. For example, you can apply a dyslexia-friendly font to your readings, or use Adobe Acrobat Reader to have some PDFs read aloud.
Throughout your studies, you will collect many files. These may include weekly readings, sources for assignments, and different versions of your assignments. To help you keep track of these files:
Look through the activity below for examples of how to organise and name your files.
Note: You may be required to name your assignments in a specific way before submitting them to Turnitin. Check your unit outline for detailed instructions.