Expectations for Student Activity
Time allocation
Attendance at all days of the Arts Intensive series OR participation in the online learning tasks is expected.
Time spent reading and undertaking compulsory online learning tasks (which contribute substantially to the assessment task) is additional to the study hours outlined above and takes your total commitment to this course up to around 157 hours -- the standard expectation for a 4.5 unit course.
Get active!
As a member of the learning community, you will be expected to take an active role in the work of the group. The expectations for the type of activity involved are outlined in the study notes for each course.
More specifically, participation in this course involves a combination of individual and collaborative activity to develop understandings of the issues and concepts included in the course content. In addition to managing your own learning, you may be asked to act as a collaborator, critical friend or team member in the various learning tasks.
At various times during each study period, this will mean intense periods of interaction online as required by the collaborative tasks outlined in the study material. At other times, this process will mean more independent study with less person-to-person interaction.
Stay up to date
It is important to be able to manage a number of tasks simultaneously.
All participants are expected to:
- log in to their course sites frequently,
- keep up-to-date with ongoing discussions
- contribute to the activities of the whole group and smaller work groups, particularly in the collaborative phases of the course.
- adhere to protocols and norms of behaviour established by the group.
It is also important to note that in the collaborative, communal learning espoused by this course, each of you plays a critical teaching role for your peers. It is anticipated that at multiple points during the course, you will act in a teaching capacity for your peers by offering feedback and advice, pointing out valuable resources, giving your interpretation of events as they take place and offering social support within the community.
It is important for all participants to stay up-to-date with developments in the course and maintain contact with the group. All participants are expected to adhere to course time-lines unless other arrangements have been made with approval from a member of the teaching staff prior to deviation from the course timeline.
Avoid surprises, be informed
It is essential to your success that you are aware of what the course involves. Please make time in the first week to understand the expectations for the course. Read the assessment and study materials carefully to avoid surprises later in the Study Period.
Remember, the course isn’t just about assessments. In each course in this program you’ll be asked to complete learning tasks which help engage you in activity and prepare you for success in the assignment work. In some ways, the expectations and ways of working may differ from your other experiences in school, TAFE or on campus study. Be sure to understand:
- What you’re asked to do in each course – These are stated in the course outline as course objectives. These are broken down to outcomes for each module within the course and each individual task.
- How it’s meant to be done –The learning tasks provide steps in the process of working toward meeting the course objectives. They also provide suggested procedures which highlight the teaching team’s best advice about completing tasks successfully.
- Where to do it – Studying online can be confusing at first. Take time to orient yourself to the course site so that you know where to go to get the tasks done.
- Who to ask for help – Don’t forget that your peers are an excellent source of advice. Use the designated forums in each course site and the community site to get the advice you need.