Access to Higher Education Assignment Brief
Student Name Milena Beger ULN
Diploma Title Access to HE Diploma Midwifery
Module title: Study Skills
Unit title: Unit 1 Preparing to Study
Non-Academic Subject Content
Unit Code: HC73MR037U WMY544
Unit Status Level 2 Level 3 U
Level 3 G
Credit Value:
3 credits
Drafts permitted
No drafts are permitted on any Access to HE Diploma
Tutor/Assessor Name: Lisa Bowes
Set Date:
Week 3 Due Date:30/10/2023 Week 5
Method of Submission via Teams / e-Assessor
Date Submitted: 01/11/2023 Approved Late Submission Date 01/11/2023
Extension requested
Yes/No
New submission date
(if applicable)
Assessment method:
Written task
LO/AC Ref
Level Three criteria applied to this assignment*
LO 1 Understand how study is organised and planned. AC 1.1 Analyse factors affecting planning and organisation of study.
AC 1.2 Produce and evaluate a detailed, time-scaled study plan.
LO 2 Understand how to apply theories of learning in relation to personal approaches
to learning. AC 2.1 Evaluate at least two learning theories.
AC 2.2 Evaluate personal learning strengths and weaknesses in relation to a learning theory.
AC 2.3 Indicate a strategy for addressing learning weaknesses.
LO 3 Understand a range of constraints upon study AC 3.1 Develop and evaluate a range of strategies to address the factors which may impact on study
LO 4 Understand the importance of assessment
feedback AC 4.1 Discuss the value of feedback, and the appropriate response.
Task Description (including word count) Assessment Criteria Ref
Mapping to assignment:
In order to successfully complete this assignment, you must pass all assessment criteria attached.
You are required to produce a written piece of work where you have considered your preparation for study. The word count for this task is 2000 words (+/- 10%); minimum word count = 1800 words: maximum word count = 2200 words.
Within this task you are required to analyse different factors that can affect planning and organisation of study for yourself and students in general (AC 1.1) Remember analysis means to break an issue into its constituent parts and look in depth into each part. When evaluating consider how planning and organisation can impact/affect your studies (AC 1.2)
(As a guide your response should be approx. 500 words)
The written task also needs to include an evaluation of two recognised learning theories. (AC 2.1) Learning theories are approaches to learning that attempt to explain how people learn and are used to improve learning. The resources available on e-Assessors should be accessed for support. (As a guide your response should be approx. 500 words)
You also need to include an evaluation of your learning strengths and weaknesses in relation to a learning theory. (AC 2.2) You should also include a statement identifying practical and realistic strategies for addressing your learning weakness. (AC 2.3) Note: ac 2.2 and 2.3 must link together (As a guide your response should be approx. 750 words)
Within the written task you need to develop and evaluate a range of strategies to address the factors which may impact on your study (AC 3.1) You could consider, for example, your study environment or distractions; resources available on e-Assessors should be accessed for further support (As a guide your response should be approx. 250 words)
The final part of this task requires you to discuss the value of feedback, and the appropriate response. (AC 4.1) You need to include notes outlining your discussion with your tutor as evidence.
The work submitted must include in text citations and a reference list which follows Harvard Referencing conventions
Additional guidance:
The written task should be word processed and include a title page; the title page should include your name, the word count and the date of submission
It is your responsibility to upload the work through e-Assessor; failure to submit may result in work not being marked.
NOTE: Extensions for mitigating circumstances must be submitted to Course Leader before submission date.
AC 1.1
AC 1.2
AC 2.1
AC 2.2
AC 2.3
AC 3.1
AC 4.1
Student Comment:
Student declaration: I confirm that this assignment is my own work and that it complies with this centres plagiarism policy. Signature:
Date:
PLACE YOUR WORK PLEASE HERE
AC 1.1
Starting access course has helped me to realise that several factors can affect the planning and organisation of study. For example, these factors could include Environment and Procastrination.
The environment can affect the planning and organisation of study in both a positive and negative manner. For instance, A noisy, cold or uncomfortable environment is not helpful if you are trying to study. (Learning Courve Group, 2022)
Regarding this, it depends on the individual preferences of each person. For some people, the environment in which they learn and perform education-related activities will have a more significant impact; for some people, it will have a more minor impact. Some people prefer to gain knowledge in noise, and some prefer complete silence. The most important thing is to recognise our preferences regarding the environment in which we learn and prepare everything in advance so that the environment in which we find ourselves helps us obtain the best possible result from the activity performed.
Most people will find a well-lit room with the right temperature. The advantage will also be the lack of distracting things, a tidy space and
well-fitting work tools, such as a desk or chair. Failure to meet these criteria may result in the result of our work being less satisfactory.
Notably, in the context of learning, the environment will have a significant impact; a well-prepared place can have a positive impact on the result of our work; we may be able to be more eloquent and construct our thoughts more efficiently, while an inadequately prepared, distracting, noisy environment may make it difficult for us to concentrate or redirect our attention from our work to things that make us uncomfortable.
If we cannot create a study-friendly workplace at home, it may be a good idea to go to the library.
Procrastination, according to learning materials, "Procrastination means putting off jobs that need to be done."
People procrastinate for many reasons. One of them is that the given task is currently beyond them. Sometimes, the fear of failure stops us from taking action; if we do nothing, we will not have to face the fact that we failed.
Usually, when someone procrastinates in one area of their life, they also do it in other areas and then postpone things.
The best way to overcome procrastination in learning is to create an action plan for each day, evaluated in more detail in the next task.
AC 1.2
I created to-do lists for every day of the week. I took into account my long-term goals about how much time I would spend on specific activities.
Study Timetable - Unit 1 AC1.2
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun
6:00- 7:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
7:00 - 8:00 School run School run School run Kids School run Study time Study time
8:00 - 9:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Study time Study time
9:00 - 10:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
10:00-
11:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
11:00- 12:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
12:00 -13:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
13:00 - 14:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Study time Study time
14:00 - 15:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Study time Study time
15:00 - 16:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
16:00 - 17:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
17:00 - 18:00 Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids Kids
18:00 - 19:00 Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
19:00 - 20:00 Sleep routine
Sleep routine Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
Sleep routine
20:00 - 21:00 Study time Study time Study time Study time Study time Study time Study time
21:00 - 22:00 22:00 - 23:00 Creating this list helped me understand the scale of my obligations and showed me exactly how much work I had to do. By creating my list, I gained control over what I was doing. As it was the first time in a long time when I followed the list of things to decorate, I made a few mistakes from which I hope to conclude the future. In my life, apart from the obligation to complete the course, there are many other obligations, e.g. two small children, which consume most of my time.
When I created my list, I put study time at the end of each day, but it turned out that after a whole day with a toddler and a baby, I was so tired that I had no energy to study. My proposal for the future is to move the study time to the beginning of each day when my children are still asleep, my head is fresh and my brain functions most effectively. Another lesson I learned is not to leave writing my assignment until the last minute because, due to family circumstances, I did not have the opportunity to write it and ran out of time to submit it on time. This whole situation highlighted my problem with procrastination and caused me a lot of stress.
In the future, I will start working on my assignment much earlier, so that even if something unexpected happens, I will still have time to finish my work.
AC 2.1
There are a couple of different theories of learning that give ideas about how students learn and retain informationfor instance, cognitivism and behaviourism.
Behaviourism is a theory of learning that believes learning occurs through teachers rewards and punishments that lead to changes in behaviour (Blaise, 2011).
The advantage of the behavioral theory is that its effects can be noticed quickly. Of all the theories mentioned, this one is the easiest for Lerner. It is enough to copy behaviors from our environment or listen to the instructions of someone else, e.g. a teacher. For people with low critical thinking skills, this may be an advantage. The biggest flaw of this theory is the education using punishments and rewards. Research shows that children raised without punishments and rewards are more creative and have highly developed empathy.
In the case of children, instead of educating them with punishments and rewards, we can ask the child questions about how his behaviour may have influenced other people and how they may feel in this situation. This allows the child to learn to think about others, develop empathy and direct him to a more cognitive approach to learning and absorbing information.
Cognitivism It is based on the theory that individuals receive information and process it by thinking about it rather than simply accepting the information. The learner is actively involved in learning and understanding by linking what they already know and remember with the new information. (Learning Courve, 2022)
Advantages The cognitive approach to Learning helps organize information, link new concepts to prior Learning, and provide structure to knowledge, problem-solving, and application to real-world examples.
The disadvantage of this theory of Learning is that Lerner has to find the motivation to learn independently, and no one controls him, which may result in worse learning results for some people. It is also demanding that the person using this theory of cognitivism should already have some knowledge in order to be able to absorb new information and link it with the information he already has.
Cognitive Learning is a valuable and stimulating approach to acquiring knowledge that engages the learner on a multi-sensory level. As a result, our brain expands its potential in the same way that our body does with regular training.
AC 2.2
SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
Good Memory
Ability to set priorities
Problem-solving
Purpose awareness
Weaknesses:
Inconsistency
Impatience
Procrastination
Opportunities:
Tutor Feedback
Using Steps to Succeed Threats:
Lack of external control
Considering my strengths and weaknesses, cognitivism is the closest to me of all learning theories.
For instance, I have a very good memory, which allows me to use things I have learned previously and combine them with new things I am learning now. For example, I already learned how to write assignments a few years ago when I was in college; the information I learned there, I now combined with the materials contained in Step to Succeed , which made it easier for me to write this assignment. I also plan all the trips that my family and I go on. I am good at planning flights, organizing sightseeing days and overcoming any difficulties that arise along the way. I can naturally adapt to changing situations and come up with new solutions where my problem-solving skill is crucial.
However, my greatest weakness is procrastination, which does not have a good impact on finding internal motivation, which is critical in the theory of cognitivism.
AC 2.3
Since procrastination is what causes me the most problems in doing my job, I started researching on the Internet to find out what techniques I can use to overcome it.
A great strategy is to set a specific time for work and then take a break.
I set a timer for 25 minutes, and during these 25 minutes, I was focused entirely on work and did not break away from the task even for a moment. After this time, I took a 5-minute break. By working in this way and continuing this process for 1.5 hours, my motivation increased, and it encouraged me to continue working on the action. Another interesting psychological phenomenon that can be noticed during this process is that during the 5-minute break, our unconscious brain is still working, looking for answers to the questions asked in our work. This is the main reason why our motivation increases after every 25 minutes of the cycle.
Another strategy that I introduced, along with the one described earlier, was to start working with the most challenging tasks. When I read the assignment brief, I felt comfortable with the first tasks to be completed, but I felt anxious when I read the assignment about learning theories. My strategy was to start working on the task I thought would cause me the biggest problem. This freed my mind from thoughts of another problematic task I was trying to ignore. A difficult or tedious task that causes procrastination burdens our thoughts and energy levels. Getting rid of these thoughts initially increased my productivity and reduced the chances of postponing the entire assignment.
AC 2.3
While writing my assignment, I used several other techniques and strategies to allow myself to complete the assigned task and achieve the best possible result.
In my home, unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to organize a learning-friendly environment. I live in a flat with two small children, so chaos is everywhere.
The only viable strategy for me was to find another place to study, so I started studying in the library. The most significant advantage of this strategy is that I can entirely focus on studying there because, like in the library, there is peace there. The disadvantage of this solution is that in order to get to the library, I have to spend additional time, which I could use for studying at home if I had appropriate conditions for it.
Regarding the environment, I also introduced other changes that do not necessarily affect learning regarding writing assignments but focus more on long-term goals. I created my vision board, which I stuck on the fridge. It reminds me of my long-term goal of becoming a midwife, keeps me motivated and makes me more willing to start doing more minor tasks, such as writing an assignment, which leads me to reach my goal.
AP4 Formal Feedback
Student name Milena Beger
Assessors name Laura Stoddart
Assessors Signature Laura Stoddart
Unit title Non-Academic Subject Content
Unit 1 Preparing to Study
Unit code HC73MR037U WMY544
Unit status and credit value Level 3 Graded LEVEL 3 Ungraded
Grade Descriptors N/A
Assignment handout date: Week 3
Assignment submission deadline date: Week 5
Date of first submission marking 04/12/2023
Submission Method Teams / e-Assessor
Assignment Type Written
Draft{s} permitted No Draft Policy
Assessment criteria,one per line e.g. 1.1, 1.2 etc Achievement on the first submission Y/N Achievement on resubmission Y/N Achievement on referral Y/N
The learner will:
AC 1.1 Analyse factors affecting planning and organisation of study.
N AC 1.2 Produce and evaluate a detailed, time-scaled study plan.
Y AC 2.1 Evaluate at least two learning theories.
N AC 2.2 Evaluate personal learning strengths and weaknesses in relation to a learning theory. N AC 2.3 Indicate a strategy for addressing learning weaknesses. N AC 3.1 Develop and evaluate a range of strategies to address the factors which may impact on study N AC 4.1 Discuss the value of feedback, and the appropriate response.
N/A Assessors feedback on performance against assessment criteria.
FEEDBACK for 1.1 Analyse factors affecting planning and organisation of study.
LC Achievement
AC1.1 not fully achieved.
This is a lovely first attempt Milena.
You create a lovely opening sentence to introduce your factors and then go onto evaluate the positive/negative of each of these factors, and how it can affect learners in general.
Unfortunately, you haven't included how these factors affect you personally.
LC Improvements In you resubmission, please follow the guidance given to you in the Steps to Success-Uni 1 (AC1.1 support page) and add how each factor affects you personally and how you can overcome thishttps://sites.google.com/view/access-to-he-steps-to-success-/home/ac1-1-supportStretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 1.2 Produce and evaluate a detailed, time-scaled study plan.
LC Achievement
AC1.2 achieved.
Lovely work Milena, you have created a time-scaled study plan, I noticed you have written a lot of detail in here, perhaps you could have colour coded this, which is nice and visual, you could have reduced the wording in your plan by just using the colour coding also.
You have been able to provide an evaluation of creating and using this study plan recognising what worked well and any disadvantages to the plan, if anything didnt work how you overcame this.
LC Improvements Stretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 2.1 Evaluate at least two learning theories.
LC Achievement
AC 2.1 not quite achieved.
Well done this is a good piece of work Milena.
You have been able to provide an opening paragraph to show the two theories you have chosen and then you have continued on with your evaluation of them. You have shown your understanding of them and the positive and negative points for them both. Unfortunately, you haven't provided a conclusion to show what your personal opinion of the theories are.
LC Improvements For your resubmission, please, include in your evaluation your personal opinion, of the two theories you have written about.
Stretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 2.2 Evaluate personal learning strengths and weaknesses in relation to a learning
theory.
LC Achievement
AC2.2 not fully achieved.
This is a lovely attempt Milena.
You have created a clear SWOT analysis table.
You briefly say what makes you are most suited to Cognitivism, and you have evaluated some of your strengths against this theory and mentioned one weakness.
This assessment criteria asks you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses against your chosen learning theory, and although you have mentioned a weakness it is not clear in your answer how they link with your chose theory.
LC Improvements Improvements: Please can you add a bit more detail in your resubmission how Cognitivism theory links in with your weaknesses.
Stretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 2.3 Indicate a strategy for addressing learning weaknesses.
LC Achievement
AC2.3 not fully achieved.
This is good Milena.
You begin to reflect on your weakness of procrastination identified earlier and state the strategies you have used to help you overcome your weaknesses. Its good to see that these are working well for you.
For this criteria you are required to evaluate strategies you have put in place to overcome all your weaknesses mentioned in your SWOT Analysis including what has and hasnt worked, and how this will affect you personally.
LC Improvements For your resubmission, please can you add more detail about your other weaknesses to fully cover the criteria.
Stretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 3.1 Develop and evaluate a range of strategies to address the factors which may impact on study
LC Achievement
AC3.1 Not achieved.
I see you have attempted this question Milena; however, it doesn't fully cover the criteria unfortunately.
You are asked to revisit the factors you chose in AC1.1 which were: procrastination, and environment.
You are then asked to evaluate strategies you have put in place to overcome them. Both, however, you have only evaluated what you did to support the environment factor.
LC Improvements For your resubmission, please follow this guidance:
You are to evaluate using the following points:
What strategy have you put in place to help with the factor?
What are the positives of using this strategy?
What were the negatives or disadvantages of using the strategy?
If you had issues; how did you overcome them?
Stretch & Challenge This is a lovely first attempt Milena so please feel proud of your hard work. Unfortunately, can I please ask you to resubmit AC1.1, AC2.1, AC2.2, AC2.3, AC3.1 following the feedback guidance above.
Can you also read through and take notes of the improvements suggested for future assignments.
In your future assignments, can I encourage you to continue using in-text citations if you use quotations or paraphrase from sources of information, and then create a reference list at the end of your assignment. This was great to see you had started doing this in unit 1.
Please dont feel disheartened as this really is a great attempt Milena, and Im sure you will continue to improve with each submission.
Laura
Resubmission required: Y
Instructions on the nature of the evidence required from the student in the resubmitted work.
Students must note that they can only resubmit the assessment criteria which have not been achieved and not the whole assignment (unless no assessment criteria have been met).
You are required to: resubmit AC1.1, AC2.1, AC2.2, AC2.3, AC3.1 following the feedback guidance above.
Ensure you clearly label your work Resubmission at the top of the first page.
When resubmitting, please create a new document with the assignment brief (add your name, tutor name, date of submission and then sign and date it). Save your document under the title resubmission.
Please only submit the assessment criteria asked for.
It is the students responsibility to ensure they hand in work before the deadline. Should you miss this deadline your work will be capped at a pass.
Hand in date for resubmission: Actual date work received: Date of marking: Is work capped at a pass? No
Name of assessor marking resubmission work: Assessors feedback on resubmission
FEEDBACK for 1.1 Analyse factors affecting planning and organisation of study.
LC Achievement
LC Improvements Stretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 1.2 Produce and evaluate a detailed, time-scaled study plan.
LC Achievement
LC Improvements Stretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 2.1 Evaluate at least two learning theories.
LC Achievement
LC Improvements Stretch & Challenge FEEDBACK for 2.2 Evaluate personal learning strengths and weaknesses in relation to a learning
theory.
LC Achievement
LC Improvements Stretch & Challenge N/A
FEEDBACK for 2.3 Indicate a strategy for addressing learning weaknesses.
LC Achievement
LC Improvements Stretch & Challenge N/A
FEEDBACK for 3.1 Develop and evaluate a range of strategies to address the factors which may impact on study
LC Achievement
LC Improvements Stretch & Challenge N/A
Referral request required: Yes / No:
Feedback on grading judgements for each grade descriptor (when all assessment criteria have been achieved)
Please pay specific attention to the following areas that have been identified as areas for further development. Develop your use of in-text citations. Reference list technique to be refined. The reference list should be in alphabetical order. Over-reliance on internet sources. Overuse of direct quotations. Take care with your spelling. Consider improving your use of punctuation. Proofread your work from grammatical accuracy. Suggestions for improvement in future assignments:
