Organising your learning

• How many units are you studying?
• Are you working as well as studying?
• How are you going to plan your time to cope with study and the other priorities in your life?

Using a personal planner is one way of getting organised. There are different types of planners, both paper based and electronic, that you can use to:

• create daily, weekly and trimester planners
• block out your classes, seminars, work and social time
• colour code the activities in your week, so you can really see where your time goes!

When you are planning each week, remember to factor in research time. Start with non-negotiable commitments like classes and assessment due dates, then add the negotiable – but be careful what you consider to be negotiable!

One way to plan your time is to use an online calendar. This short video demonstrates how to use the calendar from your Deakin email.

You can also:

• try free online tools like MyStudyLife or ExamTime to create a visual representation of your week
• download the Deakin weekly and trimester planners.

All units have a unit guide. The unit guide is an important document and required reading. Some units also have a study guide that steps you through the content for each topic. 
Note - the study guide is different from the unit guide so you will need to access both.

The unit guide is a key document and contains:

• unit aims
• learning outcomes (what students should know/be able to do on completion of the unit)
• name of unit chair and staff contact details
• weekly topics - a "roadmap" of classes and seminars
• materials for the unit (some unit guides only)
• assessment details (how many marks each assignment is worth, due dates etc.)
• information on referencing.

Your assessments are linked to your unit learning outcomes. Spend time reading and familiarising yourself with the learning outcomes for each of your units.

• The unit learning outcomes = the specifics of what you are learning.
• All unit learning outcomes are assessed.
• Learning outcomes are observable, measurable, achievable and important!

We remember about 60%–80% of new material if it is reviewed within 24 hours, but we remember only about 20% if we don't review it within this time. So try to review new material on the same day you learn it.

Use recognition and recall strategies

• Use both recognition and recall strategies for checking how well you understand and remember your material.
• Recognition – review material that is set out in notes, textbooks and other sources.
• Recall – start with a blank sheet of paper or a blank computer screen and note down what you know and can remember about a topic.
• Recall is more difficult than recognition. Note that for most exams students need to be able to recall material.

Talk about it

Talking over your course content helps you to clarify your thoughts. It also makes it easier to identify when you are not quite sure about something. The best way to learn a subject is to teach it!

• Need a study buddy? Do you know about PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) and the Writing Mentors?

Read strategically

• For assignments – begin with the reading list for that topic (if provided) and then move onto your own research.
• For exams – focus on lecture notes and the study guide (if there is one) as well as textbooks.

Read selectively

• Assess an article before reading it. For example, consider the article's scope, author, date, chapters and index.
• Read with a purpose and ignore the sections that are not helpful. Use structure (introduction, conclusion, dot points, headings and subheadings) to help you identify what's important. Scan for specific information using keywords.
• Learn more about effective reading strategies.

• Pre-read your class notes, textbooks and weekly topics in the unit guides.
• Revise after each lecture and start preparing for assessments and exams. Do this from Week 1.
• Come to seminars prepared with your own questions on class topics and readings.
• Relate class topics to assignments and exams.

Deakin software library

The Deakin Software Library  provides you with access to software useful for studying at Deakin.

Unistart

Unistart is a self-access online resource available in CloudDeakin to help you: 

• learn how to learn online in CloudDeakin
• find out about IT at Deakin
• prepare yourself for university study
• prepare yourself to get your dream job.

You can access these resources during your entire degree at Deakin.