Archive for September 6th, 2009

• Previewing a book

  Date: 2009.09.06 | Category: Learning Skills Exercises, Unit SSK12 | Response: 0

  Learning Skills Exercise
  Unit: SSK12
  Week: 1
  Date: 06 September 2009
  Exercise: Exercise 15 – Previewing a book

  Activity 1: Finding out what books are about
  A Guide to Learning Independently
  This book is design to help the student adjust to university learning. It gives technique that the student can you to be a successful independent leaner. Skills such as: reading; writing, including essay writing, learning by evaluation; etc…. The authors claim that the book isn’t just a collection of techniques, but rather the book helps the student discover who they are as a learner and encourages the readers to learn how the techniques can work for them.

  Marshall, L. & F. Rowland. 2006. A Guide To Learning Independently. 4^th ed. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia

  A Learning Companion
  A Learning Companion is a learning guide design to help the student develop effective and efficient learning skills. It is a collection of exercises that the student can complete in order to foster life long learning skills that can hopefully used for the duration of their studies. Exercises cover such topics as: Learning how to learn; reading; and writing essays, amongst others. The book’s hope is to be a learners’ companion.

  Marshall, L. 2006. A Learning Companion: Your Guide To Practising Independent Learning. 4^th ed. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia

  In my attempt to get to know the two unit texts I read the back cover first, then I overviewed the table of contents, before quickly reading over the Preface or the Introduction. I found the back cover to summarise the book’s contents clearly and concisely. The table of contents also gives an excellent overall understanding of the information covered. If I had more time than 5 minutes to preview the books, the introduction would be the best part of the book to find the most information.

  Activity 2: Previewing a book

  No written entry required

  Activity 3:

  <Activity 3 summary goes here>

  Activity 4: Reflection
  It was good to do the quick preview exercise at the start of this exercise. It reinforced to me the importance of previewing text, especially in the context of tertiary study. Although it is not uncommon for me to preview my books by reading the back cover and index, I am reminded of the value of thoroughly reading the introduction in order to get a big picture understanding to the book.

  I never was a strong reader and even now, although I tend to read a lot of books, I don’t read them very fast. One of my biggest challenges is going to be whether I am able to improve my reading ability, especially in the area of reading rate variation. I may find it difficult to learn to read at any other rate than the snail’s pace I am used to.

  <Write more…>

• Assonance

  Date: 2009.09.06 | Category: Glossary | Response: 0

  Glossary
  Unit: General Knowledge
  Week: 1 (SSK12)
  Date: 06 September 2009

  Word: assonance n.
  Context: <explain the context in which the word or concept appeared>
  Definition: <provide an extended dictionary definition of the word or concept (we recommend you use an ‘academic’ dictionary such as the Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought.) You can not offer merely a simple ‘translation’ from a pocket or small dictionary.>
  Word in Use: <write your own sentence using the word or concept.>

  The word was used incorrectly by Koral Ward with an Online Tutorial discussion thread. I believe Koral meant alliteration instead of assonance.

  <References>

• Pedagogue

  Date: 2009.09.06 | Category: Glossary, Unit SSK12 | Response: 0

  Glossary
  Unit: SSK12
  Week: 1
  Date: 06 September 2009 (Updated: 06 October 2009)

  Word: pedagogy n. pedagogically adv. pedagogue n. archaic.
  Context: Pedagogy and pedagogically appear on pages 10 and 11 of SSK12 Reader, within Krause’s (2005) essay, The changing face of the first year: Challenges for policy and practice in research led universities. Krause uses these two words in respect to building community within the research-led university.
  Definition: The Australian Oxford Dictionary (2004) defines pedagogy as “the science of teaching” derived from pedagogue which is simply defined as teacher or schoolmaster. The Queensland Government (2006) provides a succinct expansion of the word pedagogy on their Department of Education and Training website. The site defines pedagogy as “the art of teaching” and goes on to explain that effective pedagogy, or in my words, artful teaching, employs many and varied teaching methods and strategies in order to connect with a wider student audience as there is no universal method that suits every student. Pedagogically is simply an adverb used for something relating to a pedagogue or pedagogy.
  Word in Use: Through more productive pedagogy Australian governments hope to reach a broader range of students than can be achieved by a single method of teaching.

  Krause, Kerri-Lee. 2005. The changing face of the first year: Challenges for policy and practice in research led universities. First year experience workshop. Brisbane: University of Queensland.

  The Australian Oxford Dictionary. 2004. 2nd ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

  Queensland. Department of Education and Training. 2006. Pedagogy. http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/learning/teaching/technology/pedagogy/index.html (accessed September 06, 2009).