Adapting To University Life PDF

Chapter 1 Adapting to University Life General Objective: The general objective of the chapter is to understand the nature of adaptation to university life, the reasons for student challenges, how to overcome them, university study patterns, skills, strategies, and their active...

Chapter 1 Adapting to University Life General Objective: The general objective of the chapter is to understand the nature of adaptation to university life, the reasons for student challenges, how to overcome them, university study patterns, skills, strategies, and their active role in imparting the necessary academic knowledge to develop skills. Intended Learning Outcomes By the end of this chapter, it is expected that the student will be able to: Distinguish between university study patterns and how they differ from those accustomed to in high school. Infer the reasons for student struggles at the university. Derive the factors that aid in university adaptation. Identify the nature of adapting to university life. Highlight the importance of employing university study strategies and their impact. Discuss the significance of study skills and their role in university life. Recall transferable or transferrable university skills. Explain how to utilize transferable university skills in their professional life. Develop a plan to improve their study skills. 1 Introduction Secondary education is the final stage of school education, following primary education and preceding higher education. Secondary education is designed to educate students during their adolescent years. Its primary purpose is to prepare learners to pursue further academic studies in various fields, whether at the university level, vocational education, specialization, or for employment in public or private sectors. As for higher education, it contributes significantly to providing individuals with more employment opportunities compared to those who do not continue their education beyond secondary school. Additionally, holding a university degree enables individuals to acquire new skills and experiences, enhance their abilities, and manage their time more effectively. The key difference between secondary school and university is that at the university level, you are treated as an adult. Therefore, you must take control of how you spend your time and manage your studies effectively. It's crucial to understand that your education is your responsibility, and no one will do it for you. While it may be challenging initially, leaving behind friends, teachers, and familiar surroundings where you spent many years, you will eventually adapt to the new university environment and enjoy a fulfilling experience. You should get to know your professors, as they are your true mentors, and don't hesitate to seek help when needed. Consider the importance of time management and plan your studies in advance to fulfill your academic commitments while having the flexibility to engage in other activities. Avoid making hasty decisions; take your time to think carefully to avoid missing opportunities and failing to achieve your goals. 2 The difference between secondary and university study patterns: High school. University education The school schedule has value every Lectures and additional lessons take hour of class. part of your day, so you have to plan short- and long-term schedules. Two hours of schoolwork takes about For each lecture or additional one one hour of homework. hour study, it necessarily requires two hours of personal study. Teachers often prepare and correct Tasks (appointments) are longer but homework (daily or weekly). much less, and may be identified for several weeks in advance. You have daily interaction with The number of lectures may be higher, teachers. and it's up to you to attend your lecture or meet your teacher if you're having difficulties. Teachers guide you to what you read, You may have a list of readings you and they set you up with the texts of choose from, or you may have to look each subject. for relevant materials in the library. There is often only a reading of Expanded reading is necessary. specific texts sufficient to prepare articles. Teachers can make brief remarks and You'll have to identify the notes and will explain the most important ideas record them at key points in the and information to you. lectures. When writing articles, you refer to the You need to clarify all your sources, texts, but not all sources of your ideas and in order to avoid impersonation, and information need to be explained. you will need to learn reference skills (lower footnotes, references, author history, bibliographies). Learn the basis of knowledge and You need to (memorize information, reproduce it in your report, articles ask questions, examine evidence, and exams. think critically) in other words, you are expected to develop your independent thinking abilities. 3 Some students stumbled. Due to the student’s transition from the secondary stage environment to the university stage environment, with the differences that each stage contains, whether in terms of rules and regulations, the nature of the curricula, the different role of the student at each stage, as well as the role of the faculty member, and the consequent burdens and psychological pressure on the student. This causes some students who cannot adapt to the university environment to falter. Some of the factors that may cause some undergraduate students to stumble can be summarized in the following points: Choosing an academic major that is not appropriate to personal abilities and desires. Excessive absenteeism from lectures. Not giving university study its right and preoccupying it with other matters. Procrastination in performing tasks and lack of interest in time management Lack of necessary study skills. Lack of clarity of goals and what the student wants to achieve. Continuing to depend on others and lack of self-reliance. Indifference and indifference to important matters, especially academic ones Lack of perseverance and determination, weak desire for success and excellence. Continue to think and act like a high school student. Failure to adapt to the university environment, academically, socially and psychologically. Poor ability to think analytically and deductively. Lack of interest in the safety and health of mind and body. In addition to a group of factors that could be from the student himself or from other factors beyond his control. 4  Colleague pressure: The university student feels a kind of psychological pressure as a result of leaving his high school classmates. He feels a kind of loneliness and longing for his high school friends, which makes some students unable to adapt to this situation easily, and some may stumble for this reason. Housing at the university: Housing at the university is one of the things that carries some positives and some negatives effects; − Positives: Student stability and interaction academically and socially with the outside community − Negatives: psychological and social incompatibility with his colleague who lives with him as a result of the natural difference of people in behaviours and habits, as well as bad friends who can cause corruption to other students. Alienation: Some students leave their families and move to a place far from them to study. The student feels nostalgic for his family, and pressure increases on him because of taking more responsibility for himself, which leads some students to frequent travel to the family or to try to avoid the new situation in a way that affects his continuity in studies and weakens his ability to achieve its requirements. Relationship with the family: There is no doubt that the better the student’s relationship with his family, the more this will reflect positively on him, and vice versa, the more the student’s relationship with the family is bad, or the relationship between the parents is not good, or there are some family problems, the more this affects the student and leads to him stumbling academically. Community outside the university: The nature of the youth stage in this period makes the student strive towards integration into the external community, and the student has two options: either to benefit from the community outside the university in identifying the requirements of the new environment and interacting with it in a positive manner that 5  enhances and burdens his personality, and this is inconsistent with the required seriousness in undergraduate studies. Financial conditions: Financial conditions differ from one student to another, and some students may suffer from some financial conditions due to the many obligations of the father and the requirements of life. Money to fulfill them. Adaptation to university life The stumbling of some students when moving from the secondary stage to the university level is normal, especially with the importance of stage for their academic and scientific future, and the pressures they face. Adaptation to university life can be defined as: “The student’s integration into the university environment and its teaching characteristics and relationships with others; Such as colleagues and professors, educational situations, and the privacy of academic subjects; Which develops students’ self-confidence, reveals their personalities, and enhances their motivation towards creativity and excellence.” There are several means to help the student adapt to university life, the most important of which are: − Closer relationship with God − Knowing the nature of moving to a new environment − Knowing the differences between university and before − Starting new friendships and acquaintances − Interaction and activity − Beginning where others left off − Knowledge of systems and procedures − Ask for help and correct information. − Moderation in opinion and thinking. 6 If the student can fit into university life, achieve adaptation, which occurs through fulfilling his social, psychological, and academic requirements, keep up with the requirements of university study, have an objective view of any obstacles or wrong impressions about the new situation at the university, and following useful methods to deal with them, the student will excel in his studies and proceed with confident steps, as there is a close relationship between adaptation and a student’s performance in various academic subjects. The faster a student is able to adapt to university life, the more this will be reflected positively on his academic level. There is a set of study strategies that help the student adapt to university life and achieve the desired goal of university study. There are some simple things you can do to improve your skills, your learning process, and get the most out of your studies. We have developed for you the most important university study strategies that aim to enable you to achieve effective results that meet your needs and goals. University study strategies A strategy is a plan that provides a general framework for a set of actions that lead to reaching the goal to be achieved. University study strategies are specific actions that the learner takes to make the learning process easier, faster, more enjoyable, and more effective. These strategies make him a self- learner and able to apply what he has learned in new situations. Start planning early so you can manage your time − Short-term planning (daily to-do lists) − Mid-term planning (weekly plans including lesson times and review times) − Long-term planning (semester plans including assignments and/or assignments) − Make time to study Set SMART goals S.M.A.R.T. Goals 7  − Specific: Define exactly what you have to do. − Measurable: You need to break down large tasks into smaller parts so they can be dealt with − Achievable: Do not set goals that are difficult to achieve − Relevant: A goal is to work toward something you want or should do within that time frame − Timely: It can be accomplished in a timely manner, so you must know when the goal must be achieved. Select a place to study that is free of noise and other distractions. Prioritize your time: This should be special as the exam time approaches. Make notes of the dates you are supposed to finish work on, and anything that needs more time to study. Keep up with your studies: Constantly review your notes, as new topics often require an understanding of previous work Practice additional teaching exercises: working through examples will often help you highlight where you need to put in extra effort. Work through previous exam papers 8 The importance of study skills and their effective role in your university life Activity Discuss the importance of study skills and their effective role in your university life: List some examples of effective study skills. How do you remember important information? How important are study skills? And why? Explain how study skills can be useful to students. Do we all study in the same way, or is there a difference between students? Are tips on how to study equally valid for all students? clear up. Did you learn a new skill today and are you going to try it? List some examples of effective study skills. Transferable skills It is the competence and knowledge acquired through personal experience such as education, job, lessons, hobbies, sports, volunteer work, etc. These are: any developed talent or life experiences that can be used in future jobs and careers. In recent years, universities and employers have highlighted the need for graduate students to develop a range of transferable skills to better enable them to meet the demands of university study and the labour market. Universities and employers emphasize that transferable skills are the largest skills gap overall, with the World Economic Forum 9 estimating that 65% of children today will end up in jobs that do not yet exist, and therefore we cannot prepare a student for all the requirements they may need. They need to succeed in a changing world, but we can ensure that they will be able to adapt successfully, using their skills and knowledge to meet future employment needs. Below is a breakdown of what partial transferable or transferable skills include: First: skills for dealing with others Communication skill, including: − Speak clearly and concisely, and communicate with others − Express things clearly while writing − Presenting ideas or suggestions, and asking questions − Influencing others, convincing them, and negotiating with them to reach an acceptable agreement. The skill of working in a team, including: − Conducting an analysis of agreed-upon tasks that contribute to the results reached by the team, and confidence in exchanging information, or making suggestions. − Being open to colleagues’ ideas, identifying colleagues’ strengths and weaknesses, and working effectively within the group dynamic − Working with individuals from different backgrounds and viewpoints (personalities, ages, genders, ethnicities, and educational backgrounds), and building trusting relationships between them. − Urging other colleagues to participate and managing differences or conflicts in teamwork. Leadership and supervision skills, including: − Taking responsibility in individual or group work 10  − Defining the purpose and goals of the work group, and building trust and participation of others − Coordinating the activities of others, resolving their concerns, recognizing their efforts, and creating a common vision for getting the work done − Understanding leadership styles, leading change in particular, and motivating others to achieve higher performance. Second: exploration and implementation skills Research and analysis skill, including: − Evaluate and invest time when conducting research, identifying the problem and related factors, being open to new ideas and perspectives, and systematically collecting data from a range of sources and perspectives − Summarize the groups or data in a logical way, identifying the most relevant groups/key issues − Apply appropriate research methods, use appropriate statistical programs, and conduct analysis according to the available groups − Looking forward to publishing research after carefully reviewing it The skill of solving problems and making decisions, including: − Identify the need or opportunity (for example: client, client requirements, research needs) − Collect and exchange groups, clarify the root cause of the problem, generate ideas, and suggest creative solutions − Evaluating a set of solutions or options, and translating ideas into practical actions − Taking into account cultural, political, commercial and environmental aspects when finding solutions 11  Planning and organization skill, including: − Determine work goals, results, and performance standards, and suggest alternative ways to achieve the goal − Structuring and managing time and priorities, short, medium and long term − Develop a realistic work plan, modify it if necessary, plan or coordinate with a group of stakeholders/colleagues, and implement projects until their successful completion − Evaluate project processes and results achieved, and develop methodological skills to improve project work. Third: Self-management skills: The skill of learning, improvement, and achievement, including: − Setting personal goals and objectives, and achieving a balance between work and personal life − Evaluate and monitor personal performance, work honestly, with integrity, in an ethical, fair and balanced manner and maintain confidentiality. − Adhere to official standards and procedures, demonstrate dependability and reliability, demonstrate a high level of dedication, work ethic, and rely on self- motivation. − Invest time and effort in acquiring new skills and understanding the preferred learning style Flexibility, adaptability and leadership skills, including: − Maintain performance under pressure, demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in response to changing situations, and deal with conflicts effectively − Managing multiple simultaneous tasks, taking appropriate actions, and being determined to accomplish them 12  − Taking initiative at work, dealing positively and proactively, welcoming criticism without complaint, showing the desire to face new challenges, motivation, enthusiasm, passion, and determination. Digital skills, including: − Use e-mail appropriately and effectively, and develop a set of strategies for getting groups online − Using technology to support collaborative work − Utilizing appropriate tools to process images and create educational videos. There are many benefits that a student obtains from acquiring transferable and transferable skills, including: 1. Flexibility: Preparing for the future requires you to arm yourself with a set of skills that you can acquire during your university years so that you can compete in the labour market when you graduate. The more transferable skills you have, the more flexible you will be in dealing with people and things. 2. Diversity: The more transferable skills you have, the more variety you can offer an employer. The experiences you went through during your studies, scientific experience, or academic projects may allow you to develop a set of skills that you can benefit from greatly in many situations. 3. Mobility :The transferable nature of skills means that you can take them with you when you move into a job, and as you progress, the skills you currently have will improve, and you will acquire new skills too. 4. Recruitment :Even if you have little work experience, writing a strong resume about your transferable skills will boost your chances of success. Although you may have little direct work experience, these transferable skills will show that you can adapt to new requirements. 13 Activity Many people find it difficult to identify transferable skills they already have. This activity will help you reflect on those skills you have acquired Write a list of the work you've done (participation in charities, scouts, other volunteer work...etc.). Write down any hobbies you do, for example: (football, basketball, painting,...etc). Write a list of skills you master (phone repair, programming, web design, photoshop, photography, artwork, cooking, tailoring clothes....etc). My plan to improve my study skills: ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………… 14