I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Instructor information

Name in full:

Nguyễn Mai Hương

Organization:

International School – Thai Nguyen University

Telephone:

0974 111 206

Email:

maihuong1206@gmail.com

2. Unit Information

Unit Title:

Academic Skills for Higher Education

Unit Code:

FGC-001

Keywords:

Introduction, Study skills, Academic Skills, Higher education

Number of credit:

5

Hours:

75

Academic program:

BA International Business, BA Business Administration and Finance, BA Business and Management, BA Accounting and Finance

Type of unit:

Core (required)

Faculty/Dept.:

Department of Economics and Management

II. UNIT DESCRIPTION (About 150 words)

Core module designed to help students to develop the skills required to be successful in their studying and academic career. The course provides students with necessary information about studying at the university as well as helpful skills for higher education such as: academic skills, personal development planning and research skills. The course includes tutor-led activities in combination with group presentation and individual report to assess the knowledge application into problem solving and case study of the students.

III. LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. General learning outcomes (GLOs)

GLO 1

Understand how to study in university and the support system of the university for their learning.

GLO 2

Reflect upon their own skills, learning and performance and set targets for improvement through Personal Development Planning.

GLO 3

Understand the importance of learning strategies and steps to effective time management.

GLO 4

Enhance academic skills such as: reading skills, citation and referencing skills, critical analytical thinking, academic writing, revision and exam techniques, team working, and presentation skills.

GLO 5

Undertake research into a given topic, critically analyze the information found and use it to form a clear and coherent argument.

GLO 6

Use given data sets to undertake statistical analysis and present the data in an appropriate form.

2. Specific learning outcomes (SLOs)

Topics

SLOs

Note

1. Orientation of study in university

1. Introduction to the university and its support system

2. Curriculum and vocation

3. Expectation of students when studying

2. Self-evaluation and skills developments

1. Reflect students’ aims of their future career

2. Identify necessary skills and lacking skills of each student

3. Students’ own plans of developing their skills for future development

3. Academic skills

1. Learn how to undertake general reading skills.

2. Understand how to reference your work.

3. Understand what is meant by taking a critical or analytical approach.

4. Become aware of some of the conventions of academic writing.

5. Develop strategies and techniques to help during the exam itself.

7. Develop confidence in participating in discussion groups and seminars.

8. Develop strategies for making a confident oral presentation.

4. Research skills

1. 1. Understand the objective a research project and its procedure.
2. 2. Know how to design a research and introduction to methods of research.
3. 3. Know how to analyze and interpret the given data

5. Working with numbers

4. 1. Basic work with number such as: percentage, ratios calculation and use of calculator

2. Data handling such as: how to use data in tables and charts, how to collect data, how to present data on graphs, how to calculate basic indicators and their contents, the use of excel in data handling

3. Further work with numbers: the use of statistics in research and basic financial calculation

IV. LECTURES PLAN

Meeting

Topic

Reference

Student Preparation

1

Guide to study

- Course information (title, credit, hours)

- Course description

- Learning outcomes

- Activities (Lecture,Tutorials,Group works, Self study)

- Assessment

Handout

2

Chapter 1. Orientation of study at the university

1. Introduction to the university

1.1.Introduction to the International School

1.2. The ISTNU support system

2. Introduction to study and professional orientation

2.1. Introduction to curriculum

2.2. Professional and career orientation

3. Studying in University

3.1. How higher education differs from previous levels of educations

3.2. What is expected from you as a university student?

Textbook, Handout

3

Chapter 2: Self-management and skills developments

1. Skills and skills development

1.1. Academic skills and professional skills

1.2. Skills developments

Textbook, Handout

4

2. CREAM strategy for learning

2.1. Skills and skills development

2.2. CREAM strategy for learning

2.3. Time management

3. Time management

3.1. How well do you manage your time?

3.2. The importance of time management

3.3. 10 steps to effective time management

Textbook, Handout

5

Chapter 3: Academic skills

1. Reading

1.1. Reading resources

1.2. Reading techniques

1.3. Making notes and summarization

Textbook, Handout

6

2. Citation and referencing

2.1. Why are references needed?

2.2. Citing your sources

2.3. Writing out your references

Textbook, Handout

7

3. Critical analytical thinking

3.1. Definition of critical analytical thinking

3.2. Developing critical analytical thinking

- Critical analytical thinking when reading

Textbook, Handout

8

- Critical analytical thinking when writing

- Critical analytical thinking when listening

Textbook, Handout

9

4. Academic writing

4.1. What is academic writing?

4.2. Developing your writing

- Anxieties about writing

- Overcoming writer’s block

Textbook, Handout

10

4.2. Developing your writing (cont’)

- Getting started

- 7 points procedure for writing assignments

Textbook, Handout

11

5. Revision and exam techniques

5.1. The purposes of exams

5.2. Revision

5.3. Exam

Textbook, Handout

12

6. Teaming working

6.1. Collaborative study

6.2. Being effective in a group

- Speaking and listening skills

- Dealing with difficult moments

- Giving and receiving feedback and criticism

Textbook, Handout

13

7. Presentation skills

7.1. Be aware of your audience

7.2. Preparing your talk

7.3. ppt preparation

7.4. Visual aids

7.5. Body languages

Textbook, Handout

14

Chapter 4: Research Skills

1. Research Introduction

2. Types of research

Textbook, Handout

15

3. Research strategy

4. Writing a report

Textbook, Handout

16

Chapter 5: Working with numbers

1. Basic work with numbers

1.1. Building your confidence with numbers

1.2. Trust number, questioning numbers and statistic

1.3. What are ‘averages’?

1.4. Calculating the mean, median, the mode, min, max:

Textbook, Handout

17

2. Further work with numbers

2.1. Using table, charts, graphs

2.2. Interpret table, charts

Textbook, Handout

18+19

FINAL PRESENTATION

Textbook, Handout

V. LEARNING RESOURCES

1. Recommended text book (Books recommended for purchase by students)

Cottrell S., 2008, The Study Skills Handbook – Third Edition, Palgrave study skills

2. Related references

Essential Reading/Resources:

1. Journals
2. Electronic databases and AV Materials

Further Reading/Resources:

VI. GRADING SYSTEM

No.

Verbal

Rating Percentage

Ranking

UK Grading System

1

A

85-100%

Excellent

4

2

B

74-84%

Good

3

3

C

55-73%

Pass

2

4

D

40-54%

Low pass

1

5

F (fail)

Under 40%

Fail

0

VII. ASSESSMENT

No.

Criteria

Weight

Note

1

Participation

30%

Full attendance, Contribution during class, Quizzes

2

Mid-term Exam

20%

1 assignments (1000 word reports) on Personal Development Planning

3

Final Exam

50%

Final Group Presentation