TPP 7110 Orientation to Tertiary Study

STAFFING:

RATIONALE:

For students entering undergraduate studies, the ability to make effective use of generic study and academic skills greatly enhances their change of success in their undergraduate program. Generic skills that are essential to success in the early stages of any undergraduate program include study-management kills, and formal communication skills. Each of there types if skills is taught concomitantly and in explicit relationship to each other in course TPP 7120 Studying to Succeed, which is part of the Tertiary Preparation Program core program. Some students, however, are demonstrably under-prepared to successfully undertake course TPP 7120 at their point of entry to the TPP. Course TPP 7110 Orientation to Tertiary Study, is designed to provide a more appropriate point of entry, for students who have a relatively low level of proficiency in formal English-language communication skills, than can be provided in course TPP 7120.

SYNOPSIS:

Students are provided with learning experiences that are designed to facilitate their concomitant and integrated development of study-management skills and formal English-language communication skills to a level of proficiency that will then enable them to successfully undertake the study of course TPP7120. The study-management component of the course focuses on developing students' understanding of the motivation that underlies making a realistic commitment to undertake a program of formal studies over several years, and on developing their understanding and skills of action-planning, scheduling and controlling of all of the study activities in which they are required to engage during the semester. The communication skills component focuses on developing students' understanding of what communication in a university context entails, and on developing a range of associated skills such as academic writing and reading, question analysis and oral presentation skills.

OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of the course, students will have:

1. Made informed choices about their future career paths (assignment SA)
2. Identified the major sources of their motivation for undertaking higher education studies (assignment SA)
3. Applied the management techniques of action-planning, and of organising and controlling work performance, to the work of undertaking a formal study program for one semester (assignment SB)
4. Critically reviewed their future career and study planning (assignment SC)
5. Demonstrated a knowledge of the conventions of academic writing, reading and presenting, and the ability to apply this knowledge in an academic context appropriately (assignments CA, CB, CC, CD and the exam)

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

All study materials are supplied as part of the course. There is no prescribed textbook for this course.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

NOTES:

1.

Examination date will be available during the semester. Please refer to the examination timetable when published.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each assessment satisfactorily, a student is required to obtain at least 50% of the total marks available for each assignment and the exam. The Examiner may permit a student to resubmit an assignment that has received less than 50% of the marks available for the assignment. Normally, a resubmitted assignment will receive no more than 50% of the marks available for the assignment.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 5% of the total marks available for the assignment may apply for each working day late.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of a passing grade, students must demonstrate, via the summative assessment items, that they have achieved the required minimum standards in relation to the objectives of the course by completing satisfactorily all summative assessment items (the examination and assignments).
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   Restricted Examination. In a Restricted Examination, candidates are allowed access to specific materials during the examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: A standard English dictionary (but not a technical dictionary). Students whose first language is not English, may, with the Examiner's approval, take an appropriate non-electronic translation dictionary into the examination. Dictionaries taken into the exam may be subject to perusal and, if found to contain annotations or markings that could give the candidate an unfair advantage, may be removed from the candidate's possession and appropriate disciplinary action taken.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the examination period at the end of the semester of the next offering of this course.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES