CHAPTER 1:

ACADEMIC STUDY IN
HIGHER EDUCATION
THE AIM OF THIS BOOK
• ORIENTATION – TO HELP
STUDENTS BRIDGE THE GAP
BETWEEN SCHOOL & TERTIARY
EDUCATION.
• ACADEMIC DEMANDS – TO MAKE
STUDENTS AWARE OF THE LEVEL
OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
REQUIRED TO GRADUATE.
• ACADEMIC SKILLS – TO
INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE
READING, WRITING AND STUDY
SKILLS NEEDED TO PERFORM ON
TERTIARY LEVEL.
WHY IS TERTIARY STUDY IMPORTANT?
 HIGHLY SKILLED PEOPLE

TECHNOLOGY DRIVES THE WORLD AND NEEDS EDUCATED

PEOPLE WITH KNOWLEDGE AND WELL-DEVELOPED THINKING
SKILLS WITH A LIFE-LONG ATTITUDE TO LEARNING.
• HIGHLY SKILLED PEOPLE HAVE:
• ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED THROUGH TERTIARY STUDY.
• THEY APPLY THIS KNOWLEDGE TO THE WORLD, THE WORKPLACE
AND TO LIFE TO INCREASE INSIGHT INTO THE WHAT, HOW AND
WHY OF ISSUES AND PROBLEMS.
• THEY ARE INQUIRY-MINDED AND FOCUSED ON CREATING
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS.
• THEY HAVE MORE THAN BASIC COMPUTER LITERACY SKILLS.
• THEY NEVER STOP LEARNING AND DEVELOPING THEIR SKILLS.
TECHNOLOGY BECOMES COMPLEX –
ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
ARE NEEDED
 CHANGES THROUGH THE ERAS
• Technological inventions change the workplace, careers and how
people live and communicate.
• 21st Century uses advanced technology – World Wide Web --
whereby information is quickly spread around the world – business
is done in a networked society and robots take over routine and
manual jobs – that is why students need advanced higher skills and
knowledge.

HUNTERS INDUSTRIAL ADVANCED

Nomadic Factory TECHNOLOGY
tribes workers Network Society

AGRARIAN COMPUTER
Farm Office workers
workers
 21ST CENTURY DEMANDS

• STUDENTS NEED TO DEVELOP AS A WHOLE

PERSON. TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN THE
WORKPLACE THEY NEED:

Subject
knowledge

Thinking Attitude to
& manage
networkin changing
g skills world
 21ST CENTURY STUDENTS
NEEDS

Subject Modules covering

Computer skills
knowledge the subject field

Thinking and
networking Critical, creative
and logical
Communication
competencie thinking
and collaboration

s
Inquiry- Social and
mindedness,
Character initiative
cultural
qualities awareness,
Adaptability to
change Leadership
 COMPETENCES AND QUALITIES

• COMPETENCES AND • YOU SHOULD REALISE

CHARACTER QUALITIES
HOW YOU CAN USE
ARE PART OF ALL
THE COURSE YOU
COURSES AT TERTIARY
LEVEL – THESE ARE ARE STUDYING NOW
GENERAL SKILLS YOU AND IN THE FUTURE.
USE IN ALL PLACES. CREATE A STEPPING
STONE AND DO NOT
JUST DROP OUT.
• GRADUATE AND THEN
BUILD ON IT.
 STUDY COURSE WORRIES

CAREER UNCERTAINTY OPPORTUNITIES

• TALK TO A CAREER • SEE THE BIG PICTURE. WHAT
COUNSELLOR – CHANGE YOU STUDY OPEN DOORS
COURSE OR MODULES TO AND WINDOWS OF
THOSE IN DEMAND IN THE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE
WORKPLACE. FUTURE.
 MOTIVATION

MOTIVATION SHOULD BE
MOSTLY INTERNAL – THE
VALUE YOU WANT TO GAIN
FROM FURTHER STUDYING;
NOT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE IN
YOUR LIFE FAVOUR OR
EXPECT.

YOU SHOULD SET GOALS TO

PASS EVERY TEST AND
MODULE – FOCUS ON
GRADUATING IN THE
NELSON MANDELA’S
SHORTEST TIME.WORDS ARE AN
EXAMPLE OF INTERNAL MOTIVATION.
 WHY DO STUDENTS DROP OUT?
FACTS: ± 60% STUDENTS PASS THEIR 1ST YEAR; ± 15% COMPLETE THEIR QUALIFICATIONS IN
TIME. ± 55% LEAVE WITHOUT A DEGREE AFTER 5 YEARS.

ACADEMIC PERSONAL
REASONS REASONS
• MANY STUDENTS SIMPLY DO • STUDENTS ARE BURDENED BY
NOT STUDY HARD ENOUGH – FAMILY MATTERS.
TOO LITTLE TIME SPENT • WORRIED ABOUT FINANCES.
STUDYING. • STUDENTS DO NOT MANAGE THEIR
• MANY STRUGGLE TO ADAPT TO TIME – TOO MANY SOCIAL
COLLEGE LIFE. DISTRACTIONS AND TOO LITTLE
STUDY.
• MANY STUDENTS DO NOT KNOW
• GET CAUGHT UP IN DRUG AND
HOW TO STUDY EFFECTIVELY
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND COMPLEX
AND HAVE BAD STUDY HABITS RELATIONSHIPS.
E.G. PROCRASTINATION, NO
• ARE NOT MOTIVATED
REVISION, NO SUMMARIES.
INTERNALLY.
 HOW TO COPE AND BE
SUCCESSFUL

ACADEMIC LITERACY SKILLS PERSONAL MANAGEMENT

• STUDY BOOKS ON ACADEMIC • USE RESOURCES AT THE
LITERACY: INSTITUTION
• KNOW THE DEMANDS OF • STUDENT COUNSELLING
TERTIARY STUDY;
SERVICES FOR PERSONAL
• DEVELOP ACADEMIC READING
AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS
AND WRITING SKILLS
• CAREER COUNSELLING
• IMPROVE STUDY SKILLS
• IMPROVE EXAMINATION • STUDENT FINANCIAL
SKILLS ADMINISTRATION
SERVICES
• ATTEND LECTURES AND
• LEARNING AND STUDY
TUTORIALS
SKILLS ASSISTANCE
ACADEMIC LITERACY 3RD EDITION:

• Chapter • Chapter
1 4
Demands
and
Thinking
requirements
skills
of academic
study

Study and
Reading and
examination
writing skills
writing skills

• Chapters • Chapters
8 and 9 2, 3, 5, 6
and 7
 RESPONSIBILITIES

INSTITUTIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• QUALITY LECTURING • GROW AS A PERSON – ACQUIRE A

POSITIVE ATTITUDE, MATURE AND
• STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
MANAGE YOUR LIFE.
• CAREER COUNSELLING
• SORT OUT MODULES, COURSES –
• ACADEMIC LITERACY –
FUTURE EXPECTATIONS IN MIND.
STUDY SKILLS SUPPORT
• USE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN, GAIN
• LEARNING ACTIVITIES
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.
• LIBRARY SERVICE
• MONITOR YOUR PERFORMANCE AND
• COMPUTER CENTRE PROGRESS

• REVIEW YOUR STUDYING, SEEK

ASSISTANCE AND STUDY FOR SUCCESS.

IT IS YOUR FUTURE!
 PREPARE FOR YOUR FUTURE

• SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR FUTURE – THEN GO FOR IT.

 ACADEMIC STUDY
REQUIREMENTS

TO STUDY SUCCESSFULLY AND GRADUATE YOU NEED TO:

• UNDERSTAND WHAT LEVEL OF THINKING AND LEARNING
WILL BE REQUIRED TO PASS ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT.
• ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MODULES AND THE FIELD YOU
ARE STUDYING TO QUALIFY FOR A DIPLOMA OR DEGREE.
• ACQUIRE HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS IN ORDER TO
SOLVE PROBLEMS CREATIVELY WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS.
• LEARN TO REFLECT, MONITOR AND IMPROVE PERFORMANCE.
• DEVELOP ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING SKILLS.
• SEEK AND USE ACTIVITIES TO LEARN AND PERFORM WELL.
• IMPROVE STUDY SKILLS FOR SUCCESSFUL TERTIARY
EDUCATION.
 THINK AND LEARN ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL

NO ROTE LEARNING – INQUIRY, NAVIGATION AND

INNOVATION FOR THE FUTURE.
• Ask questions and seek understanding of the
Knowledge construction what, how, and why to construct (build)
through processing meaning and gain in-depth insight.
information
• Apply insight to different situations in your life
(inquiry-minded learning) and use it in all the modules you study.

Knowledge navigation • Learn to use a computer and to find information

through information and for assignments and projects.
communication (IT) • Use information to improve personal
technology management, such as sorting out career and
(navigational learning) personal problems and study skills issues.

• Students need to generate new and novel ideas

Knowledge innovation to solve problems, issues and challenges.
through creative thinking • Use these skills to perform better, excel in
(innovative-minded studies, get a job, and design your future career
learning) path and life.
 KNOW YOUR THINKING AND LEARNING
STYLE(S)
• BECOME AWARE OF THE WAY YOU PERCEIVE AND PROCESS INFORMATION -
DO YOU PREFER LISTENING, VIEWING, ACTING OR TOUCHING. HOW DO YOU
STUDY – READ, WRITE, TALK, ACT? HOW DO YOU LEARN.

• DO FREE ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRES. TYPE IN THE GOOGLE SPACE:

THINKING STYLE - THERE ARE MANY FREE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR
STUDENTS. THEN TYPE IN LEARNING STYLE AND COMPLETE SOME
QUESTIONNAIRES. LOOK AT YOUR SCORES AND THE EXPLANATIONS AND
TIPS TO THINK AND LEARN MORE EFFECTIVELY.

Perceive Process Present

information information information
 THINKING SKILLS – DEVELOP
THEM
COGNITIVE (INTELLECTUAL) META-COGNITIVE (REFLECTION)
• CREATIVE, CRITICAL • THINKING ABOUT
AND LOGICAL HOW YOU THINK –
THINKING. WHAT STRATEGIES
AND STYLE YOU USE?
DEVELOP COGNITIVE THINKING SKILLS
CHAPTERS 2 -7 FOCUS ON THESE SKILLS
 DEVELOP META-COGNITIVE
SKILLS
Awareness
of
- Academic demands and how to improve academic skills
- Your thinking style and the way you perceive, approach and present what
you learn.

Monitor Reflect –
Your performance – Think about your
every test and your study, your goals, your
study skills and
progress every semester. motivation.
 THE FUTURE

• WHO DO YOU WANT TO

BE?

• WHAT ARE YOUR

DREAMS?

• WHAT LIFESTYLE DO
YOU WANT?
BE THE BEST YOU CAN.
• WHAT CAREER PATH DO
YOU WANT TO FOLLOW?

• WHAT TYPE OF CITIZEN

DO YOU WANT TO BE?

• WHY ARE YOU

STUDYING?