When studying online there are lots of people working away in the background to make sure you have a great learning experience. This week we caught up with Kathy, the Learning Experience Manager for all TAFE students completing a diploma at Swinburne Online, to find out a little more about her and what she can do to help students achieve their study goals.
What do you do in this role?
My role is to support students through their studies. Every student starts with the best intentions of completing their diploma and then finds that sometimes life gets in the way of this goal. My job is to help them through the inevitable peaks and troughs of studying online.
What do you enjoy most about working with students?
Every online student has a story, so getting to know our students is one of the most enjoyable aspects for me. I especially enjoy helping students get back on track to realise that completing their diploma is achievable despite any challenges they are facing. Students enrol in a diploma for a good reason – they know it is an important part of their career journey, so helping students to get over the hurdles is especially rewarding.
What’s the best student experience you have ever had?
I have had lots of ‘best’ experiences in my role. I am currently a ‘study buddy’ to quite a few students. I love getting emails from them with updates of marks they have received, final unit assessments they have submitted and even weather reports from Scott in far North Queensland. It’s important that students share their journey as it helps keep you motivated. So if you’re in need of a ‘study buddy’ don’t hesitate to contact me.
What is one thing you wish every student knew about online study/their course?
Online study is fantastic for its flexibility but every student needs to realize early in their course, the importance of planning their time. Many students assume they’ll find the time each week but then the week disappears before they know it.
So the one thing I wish every student knew about online study is the importance of actually planning their weekly study schedule.
- Tip 1: Aim to log in for short chunks of time each week. If you try to find half days this is so much harder to find. A two hour block will see you read the content for a module and complete the quiz. How good is that!
- Tip 2: Aim to complete a module per week. It is so much easier when your goals are specific.
- Tip 3: Use your downtime. Find those times when you are ‘waiting’ to get something small done. A lunch break once a week can see you complete a quiz or travelling on the train can see you draft your assessment task.
Staying in regular touch with the content will make it so much easier for you to pick up where you left off and to keep moving forward!
