Writing assignments seems to be more important here (in the UK). I was never taught to write in an academic way and essays only play a minor role in my degree course in my country. - Kristian
Studying at university in the UK may be different from how you have studied in your home country. There may be differences in everyday academic activities such as lectures, seminars and tutorials, and you may find that there is quite a lot more independent study time on your course than you are used to.
In these activities you will listen to other international students and British university tutors talking about some of the differences there can be for students studying in the UK. You will also be encouraged to think about how this might affect you personally.
Comparing academic cultures
What kind of differences do you think you might find when you start your studies in the UK? You are going to watch some international students and their tutors speaking about aspects of academic life in the UK that sometimes surprise international students.
Instruction
Watch a video in which some students and tutors speak about different academic cultures, and move any items in the list that you hear mentioned in the video into the first box. Move any items that are not mentioned in the video into the second box. You can watch the video as many times as you like. When you have finished moving all the items, check your answers and read the feedback.
To watch the video, click the play button once. You can move between parts of the video by dragging the slider left or right.
You can move items from the list into a box by clicking on them and dragging them into a box with your mouse. If you change your mind, you can still move the items from one box to another.
There is a transcript for you to look at if you need help: Video transcript (pdf, 10kb).
Mentioned in the video
Not mentioned in the video
Changing rooms for classes
Differences in ways of being taught
Managing your own research and time
Paraphrasing and writing in your own words
Speaking out in seminars
The need to take notes in lectures
Using a wide range of sources for writing
Working with others on study tasks
Writing that is logical and clear in meaning
Here is some more information about the four topics not mentioned in the video. These are other differences that international students have noticed when studying in the UK.
Differences in ways of being taught You may be taught in ways that are different from those you have experienced in your home country. Common ways of being taught at university in the UK include lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops. The exact balance of these will depend on your course.
The need to take notes in lectures Note-taking in lectures is common practice among British university students. Lecture notes are often important for assignments and exam revision.
Working with others on study tasks Sometimes students are asked to work together on course assignments. This requires skill in cooperating and collaborating. If you are not used to this way of working then it may be a challenge at first.
Changing rooms for classes Your study timetable may be complicated and it is likely that you will need to change rooms or lecture theatres for each different class. You will need to find out where to go for your different seminars and lectures, and you will be expected to be punctual.
Watch the video extract again with the transcript above if you need to check your understanding. The parts of the transcript containing the answers to the listening task are highlighted.
What differences will there be for you?
Now you are going to think about the differences that there might be for you when you begin your studies in the UK.
Instruction
Choose your own answer to each question and then look at the feedback to find out what differences in study you can expect.
1. How has most of your learning been done up to now?
All of these activities may contribute to learning, but in different academic cultures some are seen as more important than others.
On many university courses in the UK, discussion in seminars and study groups is seen as playing an important role in the learning process. The aim is to encourage students to develop their critical thinking skills as well as to learn by dealing with some challenging issues in their own subject area.
2. How is most of the teaching done on university courses in your country?
In the UK, the precise balance of lectures, seminars and tutorials etc. is likely to depend very much on the type of course that you are doing. Some courses may rely heavily on lectures as a means of communicating information. Others may use seminars much more, particularly because they allow scope for discussion and critical thinking about the subject.
3. How much contact do students in your country have with their tutors and lecturers?
University courses in Britain vary in this respect. However, generally speaking you are likely to have a personal tutor, with whom you have occasional contact, and a number of course tutors, each of whom you might see twice or three times a week.
You are very, very unlikely to spend all day with a single tutor and be personally guided by them in your studies at university level. In fact, you will be expected to take some responsibility for your own studies and progress, particularly in the area of independent study, which you will need to include in your daily timetable at times when you are not attending classes or lectures.
University tutors in Britain are often very busy teaching on many courses so they have limited time available to see students individually. They will usually operate an appointment system for individual students who need to speak to them outside class time.
4. What kind of contact do students have with tutors and lecturers in your country?
Some international students say that tutors at British universities are less distant in the classroom than those in their home country. This may be because the way of teaching in British universities often involves whole group discussion, and a more informal style is used to encourage students to take part in the discussion and not be afraid of offering their own views.
5. How is a student's work assessed and awarded a grade in your country?
How you are assessed and graded at university in Britain will depend on the kind of course you are following.
Examinations are still widely used but final grades on many courses will also depend on the assessment of your work throughout the course. This will include submitted course assignments, which will be written in many cases but oral presentations, for example, may also be assessed and graded. Portfolios of course work and projects may count too, and you may even be assessed on how active a part you have taken in seminar discussions on your course.
Would you like to review the main points?
These are some of the differences that there might be when you come to study in the UK. For most students, the differences relate to what is expected of them in the classroom and in terms of their written work. You may wish to explore some of these differences further by looking at some web links.
Comparing academic cultures
once. You can move between parts of the video by dragging the slider left or right.
What differences will there be for you?
