This module is compulsory for all 1st year students. It is a zero credit bearing module that will engage the students in the support mechanisms and effective study practices that are necessary for their study at EBS. The module will also provide students with guidance on their academic progress and personal and professional development. Assessment is via attendance. The module will be on the students' transcripts as completed or not completed.

Aims
This module aims to contribute to enhancing students' overall learning experience and performance. It forms part of the School's objective of developing students as engaged learners with the reflective ability to form holistic views on business and to benefit from research-led teaching. The module forms part of the Induction programme and will provide students with structured pastoral and academic support and guidance to help deal with the challenges they face. This structured regular contact with the tutor enhances communication and encourages discussion that fosters development beyond their formal studies – aiming to make every contact count. As the module will be compulsory for all EBS first year students, the aim is that the skills learned will benefit student learning and performance in all other modules as well.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module students will have developed their:

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING

* The importance of university support mechanisms including the library and search engines for independent research and as an integral part of being an active learner.
* The nature and scope of referencing, why it is important and necessary in developing professional skills.
* What an academic offence is and its consequences.
* The importance of a reflective approach to learning and how using feedback as part of a cycle of improvement to inform future work.
* The importance of forming networks and study groups to enhance the student experience.


SKILLS & ABILITIES

The technical, analytical and evaluation skills required in:

* Being able to use university support mechanisms in intelligent and effective ways to support their learning experience and performance across subject areas.
* Using best-practice in referencing to support written essays and arguments, and as part of developing ethical and professional judgment (e.g. through avoiding plagiarism).
* Becoming a reflective learner and using feedback as part of a developmental process to inform academic studies.
* Networking and building connections with academics and other students.


DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
The module aims to develop a variety of personal transferable skills by encouraging students to:

* Make confident use of the support mechanisms available to them across the university.
* Develop learning strategies that facilitate an independent approach to learning.
* Build personal connections within the community of scholarship and enquiry.
* Develop confidence in using networking skills that enable students to build connections with each other.