Transitioning to the academic demands of university life as a student is complex. Whether you start four months after sitting the HSC (like myself), move from abroad as an international student, or decide to pursue a postgraduate degree after decades in the workforce, common uncertainties tend to arise. Things like:
- Am I allowed to use ChatGPT?
- What kind of support is available from UTS as I complete my degree?
- How do I balance my studies, working commitments and personal life?
- I haven’t studied in a while – how do I get started again?
Piloted by HELPS in Autumn 2024, Study Ready is designed to address these questions and more by bringing activity-based peer learning into a general study skills program. But what exactly does this mean?
An active program
Unlike the lecture-style content available during Orientation, Study Ready thrives on interactivity. It’s designed to emulate the style of an extended U:PASS session, with each component serving a clear purpose.
Spring 2024’s agenda includes the following topics:
- Academic Integrity
- Subject Outlines
- Time Management
- Presentations
- Preparing for Assignments
- Wellbeing Support
- Study Skills
- Q&A
What sets Study Ready apart?
The further removed you are from being a ‘novice learner’, the harder it is to relate to those who are. As a current co-designer/facilitator of Study Ready who started my tertiary studies in 2023, I felt the discomfort of not knowing what to expect from my university experience recently enough to empathise with others in the same position.
Helping to design a program that I’d be excited to participate in from a student’s perspective and being able to share key insights along the way has been the highlight of my involvement.
A focus on continuous improvement
Study Ready will be reviewed each semester to ensure it offers the most value possible for busy students like myself who view time as currency. The program length has been slightly shortened since Autumn 2024 (removing a treasure hunt – campus tours run throughout Orientation and already do a great job!), and our team critically examined each component of the day. If it isn’t relevant or engaging to students, it is cut.
Research-backed learning
From providing regular breaks to promote information retention to integrating activities that support various learning styles, the Study Ready team places student engagement at the forefront of each day. Each agenda component is timed to match the natural ebb-and-flow of students’ attention spans and energy levels.
Free pizza!
I don’t need to say more than that.
Student feedback
One of the best workshops I have attended
Group feel and very informative
It was funnier than expected, everyone is friendly
[I like] the level of knowledge and experience of the moderating peer advisors and the non-tiring program (very smooth, easy to follow and varied)
As for me, Study Ready is the intensive program I wish I could have attended during my first year at UTS, and being a designer/facilitator has been a great privilege. I hope that if students walk away only remembering one thing, it will be this: HELPS has all the answers!