What a skilful learner are

No magic tricks, or quick fixes, will make you askilful student overnight. Study skills improve gradually through picking up practical know-how, swapping ideas with other students, being creative in trying out new approaches and taking time to think about how your studies are going.

1. Accumulating practical know-how

You pick up practical know-how from day-to-day study experience. For example, with more experience Nathan would have recognised the importance of filing, and would have kept important documents, such as notes for an assignment, together in a folder. Developing an effective filing system is not a difficult skill. It does not require great insight, or hours of practice, just application and a little thought. Other kinds of practical know-how include knowing: where to get information about what your course expects from you (e.g. timetables, booklists and past exam papers) how much time to allow for different tasks (e.g. researching for an assignment, then planning and drafting it), and who to go to for help and support. You accumulate this knowledge by reading information sheets, asking questions and working out your own solutions.

2. Mastering the core study tasks

As well as general know-how, you need to develop insights and techniques for tackling the core tasks which take up most of your study time. The chapters in Part 2ofthis book offer practical examples and guidance to help you develop abroad repertoire of strategies and skills that you will be able to apply to awide range of study tasks.

3 Knowing how to keep your spirits up

There is nothing more damaging to your studies than low morale. You saw how little progress Zahra and Nathan made when filled with doubt and despair –starting one thing, then another –frittering away time and achieving little.

4. Taking control

To be successful as a student you must be determined to take control of your studies. It is easy to let a course just ‘happen to you –lurching along from one day to the next, without an overall plan. Instead, you should strive to make the most of the time and money you are investing in the course. You can’t afford to be halfhearted. Nobody will be impressed if you blame the course, or your circumstances. You have to take responsibility for your own learning.

5. Becoming an independent learner

You also need to take responsibility for the big questions: What do you want to achieve from your studies?

How much of yourself and your time are you prepared to invest?

Where do your studies stand in relation to other priorities in your life?

The higher you go in the education system, the more accountable you are for your own progress. In school, teachers shouldered much of the responsibility for what you learned and how. At higher levels, you have to decide your own priorities, set your own targets and work out your own strategies for achieving them. Yodecide what subjects you are interested in, what points of view you agree with, what evidence you accept and what opinions you will express. It takes awhile to adjust to this autonomy, especially if you are returning to study after along break. Nevertheless, your targetistobecome an independent learner.Ultimately, you want to be able to find your own way, without the support of teachers, around any subject you become interested in. Then you have the freedom to find out whatever you want to know. The purpose of this book to support you in achieving that independence as alearner