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Edinburgh Napier University

Category: Studying (Page 1 of 2)

Caring and Studying: How Edinburgh Napier University Supports Student Carers image of person supporting a student

Caring and Studying: How Edinburgh Napier University Supports Student Carers

24/11/2025 / / 0 Comments

Caring and Studying: How Edinburgh Napier University Supports Student Carers

Balancing caring responsibilities with university life isn’t easy — and Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) recognises that. Whether you’re a young carer, an unpaid adult carer studying part-time, or a care-experienced student who needs extra support navigating higher education. Napier has a range of dedicated services, bursaries and staff who can help you get to, and stay in, your studies. Below, we break down what’s available, how to access help, and some practical tips for student carers making the campus work for them.

What support is offered

Edinburgh Napier’s webpages for care-experienced students, student carers and estranged students explains the tailored help available before and during study, from admissions support and evidence gathering for funding applications to named advisers who can guide you through practical barriers to participation. This is where to start if you want a single point of contact and personalised advice.

The university’s Wellbeing & Inclusion services (My Napier) provide mental health and disability support that dovetails with carer-specific help — for example, reasonable adjustments, exam or assessment concessions, and onward referrals for counselling or disability inclusion support. If caring duties affect attendance, coursework or placement availability, the Student Adviser and Disability Inclusion teams can work with you and your tutors to put supportive arrangements in place.

Financial support & bursaries

Money is often the biggest worry for student carers. ENU runs a dedicated Care-Experienced Bursary (a small one-off payment currently advertised at around £1,000) and offers help from the Student Funding team when you need documentation to evidence care experience or caring responsibilities for external funding bodies. These funds don’t replace statutory carer benefits, but they can help with immediate study costs like transport, equipment or laptop repairs. Make contact with the Student Funding or Awards team early — they can advise on eligibility and help you apply.

There is also national support that student carers may be eligible for (e.g., Social Security Scotland carer payments, Young Carer Grant etc.), and Napier staff can signpost you to that advice. Check out Scotland’s Hub for Success, which supports carers to get in, stay in or return to education.

Practical adjustments and day-to-day support

Napier’s support is practical: named Student Advisers can help with attendance concerns, timetable clashes, negotiating extensions, or organising placement alternatives if your caring role prevents you from undertaking a placement at short notice. The Disability Inclusion team can arrange adjustments such as flexible deadlines, alternative assessment arrangements or assistive technology access. The accommodation and campus teams can also advise on housing or privacy needs if you’re balancing care and study from halls or a private tenancy.

The university’s careers and employability services collaborate with Wellbeing & Inclusion to support students who disclose caring responsibilities — offering help with CVs, part-time job searches, and realistic career planning that reflects your caring role and timetable.

How to access support

  1. Reveal your circumstances early — contact the “care experienced / student carers” entry point on Napier’s site or email the Student Funding / Student Adviser teams. Early disclosure helps staff put measures in place before problems escalate.

  2. Get documentation in order — the Student Funding team can help gather evidence of care experience or caring responsibilities needed for bursaries or partner funding.

  3. Ask for reasonable adjustments — talk to Disability Inclusion or your course team about deadlines, extensions, or placement alternatives.

  4. Look into national entitlements — Napier advisers can signpost to Social Security Scotland and carer organisations for statutory benefits and grants.

Tips from student carers

  • Keep a short, dated log of caring hours and major incidents — this often helps with funding applications or negotiating adjustments.

  • Build a small “emergency plan” with your course team (who to call, how to postpone assessment if an unexpected caring crisis occurs).

  • Use the university’s mental health and counselling services proactively — juggling caring and study is emotionally draining and getting early support helps you stay on track.

Useful links & contacts

By Juliet Kinsey

Read more about student support on our blog in our article on Wider University Support

Academic Skills and Study Support

Academic Skills and Study Support

16/11/2025 / / 0 Comments

Academic Skills and Study Support.

Academic Skills is a vital part of your academic journey; it’s why at Edinburgh Napier, we have an incredible team dedicated to the cause.

You will find resources through the library to help you build up your academic skills for study support.

Dive in with this post to find out more.

Academic Skills Team

The Academic Skills Team is here to help you get the most out of university and strengthen the skills you learn in lectures and practicals. They are on a mission to provide advice and guidance for your studies so you can excel.

They are also available at any level of your study, whether it be starting your undergraduate or returning as a postgraduate or in your fourth year during exams. And they are also available to staff.

The support you can receive from the Academic Skills covers practical skills and theory for studying. Help with essentials such as note-taking, time management and organising your workload. And then more advanced advice with critical thinking, reading strategies and academic writing.

The team is there to develop key academic and study skills to help you along your degree, but also for long-term learning.

One-to-one appointments with advisors, and there are drop-in sessions as well. We also recommend you have a glance at their blog. This can keep you up to date, guides like explaining academic lingo and other guides such as essay structuring.

Academic Skills and the Library:

You can find a wide range of books regarding Academic Skills through Library Search, these will be available both online and in physical books.

As well as the academic skills team, you can contact your subject librarian, someone who specialises in your subject area. They can help you navigate databases, references and finding resources. Additionally, they have crafted lib guides that are tailored to your courses, as well as helping build research skills. Appointments with subject librarians are available through the library training and events calendar, or you can email them as well. Our training and events calendar also offers sessions dedicated to referencing management and how to use the journal collection.

Resources for Study Skills

We have a study and research tab on our library web pages. We have a section on study skills which covers how to evaluate information, essay writing tips and tricks and even grammar guides. You will also find a wide selection of study skill books available on Library Search. There are even more specialised sections for Postgraduate and International Students.

 

Maths Plus

Starting Monday, Maths Plus is back at Merchiston Library. Running between Monday and Thursday, 2pm to 4pm. This is arranged by the School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment. You can contact them for more information, scebe@napier.ac.uk.

Maths Plus is for anyone who needs mathematical help, from numbers to data analysis. Ideal study help for computing, built environment or engineering, but anyone is welcome. And these sessions make sure you can get 1.1 help.

Additionally, there is Engineering Plus, but you can contact the school office for more information.

Do you ever wonder about Napier graduates and if they have advice to pass down? Wonder no more, we have our “What do you wish you had known earlier”  guide.
Library Support during Exams

Library Support during Exams

09/11/2025 / / 0 Comments

Library Support during exams.

 

It’s the time of year again, and I think we say nearly every time. Exams and assignments creep up quickly. We understand this time can feel like a lot. And the library wants to support you in the best way possible.

If things feel like they are way too much, there is wider support through the Wellbeing and Inclusion team; their webpages are filled with wonderful advice and contact information.

Exam Support Resources

We have a wide range of Exam Support Resources. Starting off with our Training and Events Calendar. Here you can find introductory sessions to advance research support to 1.1 appointments with subject librarians and academic skills advisors to help you along your academic journey.

Sessions are available online and in person, so double-check the information listed just in case. And if these times don’t suit, you can contact your subject librarian directly.  Not sure who your subject librarian is? Information is listed on the myNapier pages.

We also have study skills webpages, with helpful tips and tricks. Full of material that will help you with essays and dissertations, report structure, help with collecting data and grammar.

Here you can also find our libguides, which are divided into two types.:

  • Our subject guides have been specially designed by your subject librarians. These guides are filled with the best and most relevant resources to journals, databases and reference material to whatever subject you are studying.
  • Our Research Guides are created by the library team to help build research and digital information skills, covering things like analysis and data collection.

Together, these guides will give you ways to study more effectively and help you handle any assignment you may be facing.

 

Wellbeing and Exams Support at the Library

Exams can be stressful, and we want to help with that stress. Again, if things feel too much, please contact our wellbeing and inclusion team.

Each campus library has a relaxation space to help you take your mind off things. If you feel like you need a break, please visit them. Filled with comfy sofas, plants, and some games just to provide a bit of distraction.

We also have our wellbeing collection, which is available both in person and online. Through the wellbeing ligbuide, you can access a wide range of books to help combat that exam stress.

And from a previous post, we have some top tips to beat exam stress:

Here are our top tips to help get you through.

Top Tips for Beating Exam Stress

  1. Timetable and prepare a study plan.
  2. Create a study space that is comfortable, quiet, well-lit, organised, and has no distractions nearby.
  3. Put your information into a format that allows you to absorb it best.
  4. Take regular study breaks. Alternating subjects you’re studying will also help.
  5. Remember self-care!
  6. Schedule fun activities to reduce your stress.
  7. Eat nutritious foods and exercise regularly to keep your brain power and energy up!
  8. Make sure you have all the items you need for any exams. Get them ready the day before to avoid rushing on the day.
  9. Remove anything distracting to help you focus. Try putting your phone in a different room when revising.
  10. Write down revision targets for the day, review your progress, and update your revision timetable and targets appropriately.

Most of all:  Remember to rest – get a good night’s sleep – and also relax! Check out our Virtual Relaxation Space,

 

wellbeing study skills inclusion

Study Skills, Wellbeing and Inclusion

11/09/2025 / / 0 Comments

Study Skills, Wellbeing and Inclusion

Studying effectively, wellbeing and inclusion are three things that tend to go hand in hand when it comes to students’ progression and getting the best out of their experience as a university student. A big part of our role as a university institution is to provide our student community with the necessary tools, resources, and support. All tailored to meet all three of these needs throughout each phase of their university journey. We at the Edinburgh Napier libraries also love to see our student community and patrons thrive. Thrive in academic terms, in their career progression and in their own personal lives and development. Read on to see some of the resources, services we have available at the library to support you. Getting you through your studies in terms of study skills development, inclusion and accessibility, and personal wellbeing.

 

Study Skills…

In terms of books and resources, our research collection has an abundance of material. All of which can help you develop new study skills or enhance your current skillset as well. Our Research Collection resources and materials can be found in all three of our campus libraries. Within these collections there are most specific titles on literature searching and research. These are, of course, tailored to subjects within all Edinburgh Napier schools. We also have books and study guides on conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses, as well as referencing. And how to write a great dissertation or research paper. All available resources can be found and requested through LibrarySearch. You may even find one or even a couple more books you didn’t even realise you needed! All books can be checked out at our self-service kiosks and will automatically renew for up to four months, unless requested by another user. You will be notified if this is the case and will have seven days to return the book from when you are notified via email.

Study Skills: LibGuides

Our LibGuide is also a very useful webpage of ours regarding advice and tips on how to develop your study skills. There is even a page where you can measure your research performance as well! Each school also has a specific page created and written by our subject librarians with links to useful and relevant databases and websites for each course. You can find an A-Z list of all the relevant databases which we are subscribed to here as well, such as CINAHL, British Standards Online, EBSCO and many, many more.

There are also pages on literature reviewing, critical thinking and referencing – all of which are some of the fundamental study skills you will need throughout your university career. A section on the use and effective utilisation of reference management systems has also been added should students wish to use ones such as EndNote or Mendeley.

If you have read through our Libguide and still feel that you need a bit of extra support with developing your study skillset, you can email library@napier.ac.uk and we can put you in touch with one of our subject librarians, and most often one that is also specialised in the field and subject of which you are studying. They can arrange a one-to-one appointment with you in person or through a Teams call if needed. Our Libcal also consistently advertises any related tutorials and workshops we have regarding specific study skills such as literature searching, referencing and even getting the most out of using the library for your research.

Wellbeing…

As well as your studies, our libraries also try to support the well-being of our student community as much as we can. As we are aware, there can be stressful periods, particularly when it comes to exam season and looming assignment deadlines. It is important to take regular breaks when you can . Our campus libraries  have relaxation spaces to unwind. These corners usually consist of a few comfortable couches in a section of the library with plenty of natural lighting. We also have our  Wellbeing Collection where the contents and resources available within this collection can be viewed online and physical. Topics covered include mental health, neurodiversity, sleep, body image and university life. Our library staff have also curated displays of physical books and resources from our Wellbeing Collection in each campus library.

 

<p>We always welcome suggestions for our Wellbeing Collection – if you have any that spring to mind, do email library@napier.ac.uk and we will carefully consider all suggestions for our displays and catalogue. Links and contact details for various helplines and support services both within and external to the university are also listed in the Wellbeing Collection page of our Libguide.

 

Inclusion…

Accessibility and inclusion are very important to us at Edinburgh Napier libraries and are two of our most fundamental values. We aim to support the individual needs of all of our patrons by providing equal and equitable access to our resources, collections and services. We frequently collaborate with the Student Wellbeing and Inclusion team. And other relevant departments to help us help you in the best possible way.  Also, we always welcome any feedback, suggestions and comments that come our way regarding the service we provide at the library.

Some examples of accessibility tools we have are…

  • Read Aloud Functionality for E-Resources.
  • Keyboard navigation.
  • A Helperbird browser extension which allows users to change text size, colour and spacing as well as adjust colour contrast.
  • Height-adjustable desks.
  • Accessible toilets.
  • Ergonomic Equipment such as mice and keyboards.
  • Laptop riser stands.
  • Noise-Cancelling headphones.

 

More information on our Accessibility and Inclusion webpage.

 

By Rachel Downie

More Study Skills Posts

Discovering the Future: Research at Edinburgh Napier University image of 3 researchers and a robot

Discovering the Future: Research at Edinburgh Napier University

05/07/2025 / / 0 Comments

Discovering the Future: Research at Edinburgh Napier University

When you think of cutting-edge research, you might picture sprawling labs, scientists in white coats, and complex algorithms running on glowing screens. You’ll find all that—and much more—at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU).

Whether it’s developing AI systems to solve real-world problems, helping veterans reintegrate into civilian life, or leading the charge in sustainable construction, ENU is quietly making a big impact. It’s not just a place to study—it’s a place where ideas come to life.

Let’s take a look at some of the exciting research happening across the university—and how you can get involved.

Research with Purpose

One of the things that makes research at ENU so dynamic is its clear focus on real-world challenges. The university’s work is guided by four key themes:

  • AI & Advanced Technologies

  • Health

  • Culture & Communities

  • Environment

These aren’t just buzzwords. They shape everything from collaborative projects to the kinds of PhDs being offered. You can read more on our research webpages.

Cutting-Edge Tech on Campus

In 2024, ENU took a big leap forward by launching ENUCC—a brand-new high-performance computing (HPC) and AI cluster. It gives researchers and students serious computing power to run simulations, analyse big data, and build AI models.

It’s part of a wider push to make sure students and staff have access to the kind of tech that fuels innovation. Read more about it here: ENU launches new HPC and AI cluster

Cool Projects You Should Know About

Cool Projects You Should Know About

ENU is home to some seriously innovative projects and research centres. Here are just a few standouts:

Swarmchestrate: An EU-funded project using swarm computing and blockchain to develop smart, autonomous digital systems. Think of it as nature-inspired tech!

In 2023, a team of Edinburgh Napier University students participated in a pioneering construction project in Guangxi, China. They collaborated with local universities to build the world’s first bamboo-timber composite gridshell structure. This innovative project aimed to explore sustainable building methods to combat climate change. Among the participants were female students like Devika Vijayan, Alice June Davyson, and Zara Anam Rafiq, who contributed their expertise in architectural technology and civil engineering. The project was led by PhD student Yanghao Pei and supervised by faculty members, including Dr. Ahmed Mohamed.

Research into supporting Scotland’s armed forces at the Centre for Military Research and Public Engagement: Housed at the historic Craiglockhart campus, this centre explores topics like PTSD, military transitions, and veteran education.

Innovation Support & Opportunities

If you’re a student, early-career researcher, or even an entrepreneur, ENU has support for you through its Innovation Hub. From Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) to funding for start-ups and seed grants, the university is serious about turning ideas into action.

You can check out what’s on offer here:
ENU Innovation Hub
Research, Innovation & Enterprise Blog

Events & Community

From the ENclusion Conference on equity and inclusion to innovation meetups, ENU offers loads of opportunities to get involved, network, and learn.

One highlight is the annual ENclusion Conference, a day-long event packed with talks, panels, and practical sessions.

The Library

Libraries are essential to research because they provide access to high-quality, credible resources—books, journals, databases, and archives—that researchers need to build on existing knowledge. They offer expert support in information literacy, data management, and referencing, helping researchers work efficiently and ethically. Libraries also preserve knowledge and ensure long-term access to scholarly work, including open-access materials and institutional repositories. Simply put, libraries are the backbone of academic research, connecting people with the information and tools they need to discover, question, and innovate. Start your research journey at one of our campus Libraries or by using our wealth of online resources found at librarysearch.napier.ac.uk.

Don’t forget all the useful information on our Library webpages, including study guides and lists of resources.

——————————————————————————————————————————————-

Edinburgh Napier University is fast becoming a major leader in Research. Whether it’s AI, sustainability, social justice, or health tech, ENU’s research is focused on creating a better future.

So if you’re curious, creative, and ready to make a difference, this is a great place to start.

Want to know more? Dive into ENU’s Research and Innovation pages or explore funding and partnership opportunities through the Innovation Hub.

By Juliet Kinsey

Read more on research at Edinburgh Napier University here on our Blog, with our latest post on Women in Stem

Study support

Study Support and Resources

26/01/2025 / / 0 Comments

Study Support and Resources

Classes have started, and trimester 2 is already on its way. While assignments may seem a bit far away. The university has many support and resources to help you through the trimester. Before those assignments appear closer, we thought we would list the support and resources available to help you get through the trimester.

Library Support

Our training and events calendar details useful library support sessions from Getting Started with the Library to Subject Librarian appointments. We have Getting Started with the library sessions upcoming; a quick introduction to navigate the library space both physical and online. There is Library help for computing, built environment and engineering students. Your subject librarian will detail the most useful resources to help you with upcoming assignments. And the upcoming, we will have training sessions on referencing and writing bibliographies.

With this, we have libguides that are catered to each subject. These guides are designed by subject librarians with study and research guides and the most useful resources for your studies.

Academic Skills Support

At the University, we have a dedicated Academic Skills team. They can help you with:

  • Note-taking and reading of academic literature
  • Academic writing style
  • Essay & report planning and structure
  • Dissertations & literature reviews
  • Presentation preparation
  • Academic integrity issues

The Academic Skills teams are available for any year of study and any program. 1.1 appointment or drop-in sessions are available. Both appointments and drop-in sessions can be arranged online. Email academicskills@napier.ac.uk to schedule.

Check out their web pages which have their blog containing study advice, and short presentation videos which include how to tackle dissertations. And study sheets to help with exams.

Maths Plus

Starting Monday, Maths Plus is back at Merchiston Library. Running between Monday and Thursday, 2pm till 4pm. This is arranged by the School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, you can contact them for more information, scebe@napier.ac.uk.

Maths Plus is for anyone who needs mathematical help from numbers to data analysis. Ideal study help for computing, built environment or engineering but anyone is welcome. And these sessions make sure you can get 1.1 help.

Additionally, there is Engineering Plus but you can contact the school office for more information.

 

English for Academic Purposes

For help for international students with English in Academic settings, please contact eap.enquiries@napier.ac.uk.

What do you wish you had known earlier?

Earlier this year, a team of librarians, learning technologists and academic skills adviser created a new study tool; What do you wish you had known earlier? You can hear from older and former students about what they wished they had known before and during their studies.

 

Wellbeing.

And last but not least, the most important. Remember to take time out for yourself during university and to take care of yourself. If things ever feel too much, you can contact the wellbeing team.

Good luck with your studies!

More study skills articles.

Coworking Collective (L)

Co-Working Collective

21/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Co-Working Collective

 

Well done on reaching week 7. By now you’re no doubt up to your neck in work: all those pesky assignments, all that reading and note-taking, the class discussions, the late nighters. It can be hard to stay organised and keep on top of it all. The Library is here to help you with all that.

We’re excited to bring back our Co-Working Collective, following on from our successful introduction last semester.

Working together has been shown to beat procrastination, help you stay motivated, work on individual goals, increase time efficiency and become more productive.

We’ll be meeting every Wednesday, starting October 23rd until mid-December, between 2pm and 4pm in Study Room 7, Merchiston library, and we’d love you to join us.

There is no need to book, just come along. All we ask you to do is bring some work materials and a commitment to spend the two hours with like-minded people who want to work quietly in a supported environment.

The sessions are open to all, regardless of which campus you’re based in or what level of study you’re at. If you’ve any questions, email us library@napier.ac.uk or disabilityinclusion@napier.ac.uk, and let the library be your study buddy.

More information on the library calendar. 

By Lesley McRobb

Read our previous posts on study skills. 

Study Advice

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – A Peer Study Advice Resource

04/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – A Peer Study Advice Resource

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – A Peer Study Advice Resource

University can sometimes be a lot. And we understand. For current students, there are some things, you wish you had known earlier. For new students settling into studies, there are some things you want to know before beginning.

This is why a team consisting of librarians, learning technologists and academic skills advisors came together for over a year to address a gap in library and academic skills resources.

We carried out a peer-review study. This resulted in the creation of an interactive guide that consists of testimonies of former and current students. Addressing six key themes will help current and new students on their academic journey.

The themes are

  • Assessments
  • Time Management and Planning
  • Finding Information
  • Study Skills
  • Reaching Out for Support
  • Learning Beyond the Programme.

Each theme is packed with helpful snippets that will hopefully guide the university journey. For the post, we will briefly cover each theme and all the tips and tricks they contain. But we highly encourage you to visit our interactive guide. 

 

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Assessments

Assessments are an essential part of university life…and they can sometimes be daunting to tackle. But with the right preparation and knowledge, assessments can be less “daunting”.

“You have to learn how to write an essay and then actually do the essay – it’s like learning two things”.  And “try to understand what it is your lectures are asking you to do in your assignments so you don’t get lost”.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Time Management and Planning

Remember the old quote: “Failure to plan is planning to fail”.  Time management and planning are essential skills for managing coursework and for striking a balance between studies and personal life. However,  it is easy enough to not plan or lose track of time.  But perhaps the advice of former students might be useful:

“Managing workload to help you with creating a healthy balance between your studies and life”

“Breaking down the hours is an important point because it can be overwhelming when you see it; it’s hard to conceptualise the time needed otherwise”.

And of course,

“If you need it, extensions are possible on assessments if you need something off your plate – talk with your PDT if you are feeling overwhelmed”.

Extensions are there if needed. Please don’t leave things to the last minute.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Finding Information

University is all about learning, but where can you go for more information about your course and university life in general?

Where to start finding information is a big question but once things are broken down, the big questions will seem smaller.

“The module handbooks tell you exactly what to do, and every module has one”.

“ Use the resources that Napier has to offer about course information etc. There’s lot s of in-depth information that’s explained well”.

The information is there and it is there to help.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Study Skills

Independent learning is what university is really all about.  But how do you go about

“Find out the information you need at the start of the course and develop your digital skills and academic skills”.

From module handbooks to training sessions from the library, there is a lot available to build up study skills.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Reaching out for Support

Becoming an independent learner at university isn’t about doing everything alone! As part of our university community, you have access to lots of additional support. Whether it be the academic skills team or Wellbeing, you can always reach out for support. And this is what fellow students had to say:

“Reach out to programme leaders, it’s been amazing to talk with them and bridge the gap between the student and the teacher”.

“Building relationships is really important at university”.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Learning Beyond the Programme

University isn’t just about what you learn in the classroom. There is so much more beyond. And it makes the whole experience of university a lot more richer. These are what former students had to say:

“Push yourself to be involved in school activities rather than just coming to class and just living. There’s so much richness in being part of the school beyond this”.

“Look outside if your own classes, so don’t just talk to the people in your course”.

We hope you can take these snippets of advice to help with university. And remember the university is always there to help. 

And we have a blog filled with articles 

librarians

Exam Support Summer 2024

22/07/2024 / / 0 Comments

Exam Support Summer 2024

Whether it be resits or Trisemester 3 exams, our summer exams 2024 are here.  With this, we want to cover the exam support from the library.  And a little reminder, we have an abundance of exam and study support articles on the blog.

Exam Support

Our online tools for study skills include our training and event calendar which will direct you to sessions from Academic Skills advisors and subject librarians. If you can’t find what you need, you can also book 1.1 appointments. by emailing your subject librarian. 

Our subject guides cover all courses. These are designed by the subject librarians. Here you can find useful and more relevant resources for your course like databases.  There are also guides to Google Scholar and referencing and much more. And we have a wide range of books in stock and online to help with exam management on LibrarySearch.

Exam Skills

In a previous post, we covered some exam skills.

Set aside time for studying. Create a revision timetable where you can have specific blocks of time to focus on particular topics. Set goals for what you want to achieve during each study session. Prioritising your studies will ensure that you get the most out of each session.

Do not make your study sessions too long. It is better to study for short periods. For example, three one-hour sessions with breaks in between will be more productive than one long three-hour study session.

Use flashcards to remember key information, phrases or concepts on a subject and use these to test your knowledge. This helps you to not only retain the information but to be able to retrieve it quickly.

Regular revision will help you build and retain knowledge. It will also help to keep you focused and avoid panicking.

Exam Stress

We have a previous blog post by Raquel Bryne on beating exam stress.  Detailing a good plan below from the article:

1. Timetable and prepare a study plan.

2. Create a study space that is comfortable, quiet, well-lit, organized, and has no distractions nearby.

3. Put your information into a format that allows you to absorb it best.

4. Take regular study breaks. Alternating subjects you’re studying will also help.

5. Remember self-care!

6. Schedule fun activities to reduce your stress.

7. Eat nutritious foods and exercise regularly to keep your brain power and energy up!

8. Make sure you have all the items you need for any exams. Get them ready the day before to avoid rushing on the day.

9. Remove anything distracting to help you focus. Try putting your phone in a different room when revising.

10. Write down revision targets for the day, review your progress, and update your revision timetable and targets appropriately.

There is the well-being collection found on the libguides. 

 

Good luck everyone.

Edinburgh Napier

Edinburgh Napier DLTE

11/06/2024 / / 0 Comments

Ho e Edinburgh Napier DLTE

Today we are exploring the wonderful DLTE here at Edinburgh Napier University. DLTE recently won the best team, Service or Department award at the ENSA Excellence Awards.

Who are DLTE?

The Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement (DLTE) aims to inspire and support the development of learning and teaching practices across Edinburgh Napier to enhance the student learning experience, as well as ensure that our educational provision and regulation processes are laid out suitably to meet sector benchmarks.  To quote DLTE:

”We are scholarly in our mission, with particular interest in:

  • the application of scholarship in the support of high-quality learning and teaching
  • the study, support and promotion of partnerships with students in learning
  • the appropriate use of technology to complement and deepen learning.

We are committed to enabling staff and students to thrive and succeed in our University and in the future.”

DLTE organises ENU’s learning & teaching conference, The Gathering, which takes place each summer, and this year is on Tuesday 18th June at Craiglockhart. The Gathering is a chance for staff and students to come together and share their experiences and build relationships to take a running start on enhancement based on the work of others.

ENhance

Additionally, DLTE works to further Edinburgh Napier’s curriculum Enhancement Framework: ENhance. ENhance is designed to support curriculum design and enhancement through:

  • ​Providing a shared reference point and vocabulary.
  • Giving a clearer structure to curriculum design and enhancement work, and the support on offer for this.
  • Facilitating more systematic sharing of existing effective practice.
  • Make internal expertise in curriculum development, from academic and professional services colleagues, more accessible
  • Support and encourage external sharing of effective practice.

DLTE put on webinars under the Learning & Teaching ENssentials banner. You can find details of upcoming training events on the Napier calendar.

DLTE have worked with a range of departments to compile longitudinal induction resources to support students in adjusting to Edinburgh Napier University and UK Higher Education, and these can be embedded into programme and module Moodle sites to help students to settle in without being overwhelmed by an influx of information in week one.

 

DLTE and Staff at Edinburgh Napier:

Through teaching and peer recognition, DLTE supports the development of staff approaches to Learning, Teaching & Assessment. The PgCert in Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education guides colleagues who are new to teaching in Higher Education to develop their practice with consideration of relevant pedagogical literature and reflection on their own identity as an educator at ENU. Participants in the PgCert can achieve either Fellowship or Associate Fellowship of Advance HE through this programme, as well as through ENroute, our experiential pathway to all categories of Advance HE Fellowship. The content from this programme has been modified to give a foundation for Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) who teach.

In trimester 2 2023/24 Dr Louise Drumm introduced the ‘Beginner’s Guide to Generative AI short course’, which uses webinars, online discussions and tasks to develop an understanding of Generative AI, its capabilities, shortcomings and risks, and how it may fit into the lives and work of staff at the university. There are plans for a student-focused version of this in the new year. Louise has led 3 phases of the ChatGPT & Me research project which seeks students’ anonymous perspectives and experiences around generative AI in higher education, and has presented on GenAI in HE at various conferences, including the Networked Learning Conference.

 

DLTE and Students at Edinburgh Napier:

DLTE are strong proponent of student partnership, through funding of Strategic Enhancement Projects. And support of student voice through research, Student-Staff Liaison Committees and collaboration with ENSA Sabbatical Officers.  Home to the wonderful Academic Skills team. The Academic Skills team help students to understand how best to approach university studies. Approach at every level and programme of study, whatever their previous experience or aspirations. They advise on fundamental aspects of the university, work including paraphrasing, academic, integrity, active reading and note-taking; planning and drafting essays and reports; managing large projects, and critical analysis and argument. If you want, you can book one-to-one appointments, find drop-in sessions throughout the trimesters or  or attend integrated Academic Skills sessions within your programme. Additionally, you can check out their own blog, which contains resources to help you with your studies

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