Tag Archives: distance learning

Effective group working

Skill development No Comments

There was an interesting article in the Times Higher Education journal this week.  It talked about research Google did a few years ago on what the main characteristic was for a successful team.  It concluded:

The crucial feature of successful teams was kindness: members of the outstanding teams were vigilant in taking care of each other, and those groups were the most innovative, productive and happy.

The article went on to talk about how universities can support students to develop approaches to group working that will help them to be more effective.  Not only can this help with success during your studies, but as Google’s research has shown it is valued by employers.  In particular, for online students from countries across the world, building compassion into group working approaches can help build connections and encourage critical thinking – a key skill for successful postgraduate study.

I’ll let you read the article and research yourself and encourage you to consider how you could modify your approach to aid success.

Times Higher article on team working

Google’s team effectiveness research

Planning your next vacation?

Career Management No Comments

The academic year is coming to an end here at Edinburgh with students busy handing in final assignments for their courses, studying for exams, and then the final exam period.  For those of you studying online, who may be juggling study with other commitments, it may also be a time when the pressure on your time begins to ease for a while and you think of taking a vacation.

You often read that people spend more time planning for a vacation than they do planning a career.  Think of the amount of time you spend checking out flights or making other travel plans, finding the right hotel or accommodation, reading about all the places you’d like to visit when you get there…wherever that may be.  And that’s just for a two week vacation!  Compare that to the amount of time you spend thinking about your career development considering you may spend 35 hours a week at work (or more) possibly over the course of 40 years!

So if you’re taking a break from academic commitments in the next few months maybe this is a good time to reflect on your studies and consider how they could influence the direction you take in your future career.  To help you, check out our Supporting taught postgraduate students resource.  There is information to help you to reflect on your studies, consider what you want to achieve, encourage you to set goals, and to think about the next step once you complete your postgraduate degree.  Most of us don’t hesitate to make the time to plan a good vacation.  Take a similar approach to ensure you make satisfying career choices.

Supporting taught postgraduate students

 

More advice from Edinburgh distance learning graduates

Events No Comments

Welcome to the final day of Innovative Learning Week.

Photo - graduatingThis week we have been sharing the thoughts and experiences of Edinburgh online distance-learning graduates. I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all of the graduates who supported us with this initiative.

The final question that we asked them was a rather free ranging one:

What other insight or advice you would like to offer current ODL students?

Here’s what they said:

Recognise the opportunity you have:

  • See your course as a great opportunity!
  • Enjoy the course – my Edinburgh journey was very fulfilling and motivating
  • Online distance learning offers the best avenue to exploit personal abilities. Working with studies keeps one upright and alert.

Consider what to focus on and the opportunities that your choices will present:

  • Again, pick a topic that truly interests you. Look for a programme that builds a bit of a community, you will be alone most of the time and this can help.

Some practical tips:

  • Don’t shy away from getting clarity on the assignment questions
  • Take full advantage of the personal tutor you’ve been allocated, they are very friendly and very helpful when you have any academic queries.
  • If you’re struggling with the workload don’t be afraid to talk to your tutors about it.
  • Try to stay engaged with your ODL coursework throughout the week, even if it’s doing a little reading on your lunch break or commute.
  • Read and understand what constitutes plagiarism, a good number of my batch mates lost marks due to this.

 It may not always be easy, but keep motivated and you will succeed:

  • Even if times are hard, try to motivate yourself, you are able to do it!
  • If you think you would need certain number of hours per week for a course, it is likely double that in reality. Make sure you adjust your schedules!
  • It is hard to balance full time work and study. Your social life will suffer but the end will appear in sight!
  • Commit time to work and studies according to the time you have available.
  • Utilize the opportunity you have at Edinburgh, keep up with the work, submit assignments on time, discuss with other students, consult your mentors and tutors and the rest will be history.

 What advice could you offer to your fellow ODL students?

Post your Tweets at: – https://twitter.com/uofedcareers   # EdODLcareers

I hope that you have enjoyed this careers event.  Although we are now at the end of Innovative Learning Week, you can continue to ‘follow’ Career Connect – if you have not already signed up to do so by email, you will find our ‘follow’ tab at the top right hand side of the Career Connect home page.

Thanks to all who participated in this event.

Distance learning degrees – what are the benefits?

Events No Comments

Welcome to Innovative Learning Week!

We hope that you will enjoy reading about the experiences and reflections of a number of Edinburgh ODL graduates through our daily blog posts this week. We also hope that this will encourage you to get involved in this careers ‘event’ by sharing your own views through our daily Twitter discussions.

Photo graduationODL students and graduates tend to be a fairly diverse group of people. You will each have your own particular motivation for embarking on a distance-learning degree. If you are already established in your chosen field, you may be focussed on developing particular knowledge and understanding or to specific skills that will help you to progress in a particular direction. Some of you however may be considering a complete career change, or aiming to secure your first graduate job. Others may perhaps be primarily driven by personal interest or your love of an academic challenge. Whatever has motivated you to study will impact on your hopes and expectations about how your degree may influence your future.

We thought that you would be interested in what Edinburgh graduates identified as some of the benefits from their ODL experience, so we asked the following questions:

  • How has your ODL degree influenced your career development?
  • Has it benefited you in any other ways?

 Here’s what they said:

 Career influences a general nature included:

  • I got a new perspective on things, and I also got more interested in academic work.
  • Greater career opportunities, possibility of a PhD.
  • It made me more literate in the science, politics, and economics of environmental issues and gave me an insight into environmental policy-making.
  • It led to me getting elevated at work.
  • It provided a useful credential, a focal point for thinking and discussing options.

Professional skills were developed and self-confidence increased:

  • Hard work, leadership, planning and the articulation of scientific issues.
  • Developed research and writing
  • Self confidence in academic/professional abilities
  • It has benefited me greatly in terms of my understanding of more advanced techniques relating to my work in disease diagnostics.
  • The information and knowledge I gathered during my time at an ODL student at the University of Edinburgh enabled me to critically assess common industry practices and to form my own opinion about things as well as to substantially defend it.

The opportunity to develop their professional network was valued:

  • It helped with a small but useful network of people, and provided a talking point when meeting new clients
  • Gained new contacts
  • I have made acquaintances both with the university staff and former class mates. These connections I believe will be helpful as I continue developing in my career

For some, it changed how they were viewed by colleagues:

  • Career development has included position and respect at my work place
  • Have greater proven expertise in the team; could juggle career and study

Potential future employers will be impressed:

  • I think participating in an online degree while working full or part time shows a lot of commitment and will give future employers the impression that one is disciplined and determined.

It has offered a valuable stepping stone for those embarking on a longer academic journey:

  • It gave me a foundation in environmental issues which helped me to decide the topic of my PhD.
  • It has taught me about the experience of being an online student and ways in which animal welfare can be taught.
  • Very positive influence, as I now have broader career options which involve lecturing and research both which I’m very interested in. I’m currently preparing to enrol for PhD studies.
  • Prior to my ODL course I only had an Advanced Diploma. It has helped me to gain acceptance onto a Wildlife Management degree.

 As you progress through your degree course, you should start to recognise an increasing number of benefits from your own experience.  The comments above may help you to reflect on this. Why not share your views with other ODL students on Twitter?

I look forward to reading your Tweets – twitter.com/uofedcareers   # EdODLcareers

Follow Career Connect to access our next Innovative Learning Week blog post.

Where do online students go for careers support?

Career Management No Comments

online surveyYou may remember that the Careers Service asked you to complete a survey on careers support for online distance learning (ODL) students a few months ago.  It produced a few interesting results about what you are thinking so we thought we would share an overview with you.

Who you go to for careers support

When asked who you go to for your careers support, most common choices were your professional network (70% of you said you used this frequently or occasionally), friends and family (65%) and work colleagues (62%).  This is really common and rightly so.

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