welcome and overview file · web viewwe are delighted that you are coming to join the science and...
TRANSCRIPT
Science & Maths
Highers and Nationals Cluster
ContentsWelcome and overview..................................................................................................................................3
Aims of your Course.........................................................................................................................................4
Structure of your Course................................................................................................................................4
Progression Routes to Further Study and Employment................................................................5
Course Work........................................................................................................................................................ 8
Assessment of your Work.............................................................................................................................8
Re-assessment of your Work.......................................................................................................................9
Submission of your Coursework.................................................................................................................9
Mitigating Circumstances...............................................................................................................................9
Cheating and Plagiarism.............................................................................................................................10
Learner Agreement.........................................................................................................................................10
Attendance and Part Time Employment..............................................................................................12
Student Funding and Finance...................................................................................................................13
Planning Ahead................................................................................................................................................13
Personal Academic Tutor (PAT)..............................................................................................................13
General Advice and Guidance..................................................................................................................14
Care Leavers.....................................................................................................................................................15
Extended Learning Support........................................................................................................................16
Wellbeing Support...........................................................................................................................................16
Study Skills and Academic Support.......................................................................................................17
Library and LRC...............................................................................................................................................17
The Students’ Association and Class Representatives................................................................17
Opening Times – Main Campus...............................................................................................................18
Opening Times – Scottish School of Forestry Campus..............................................................19
UCAS – the next step?.................................................................................................................................19
2
Welcome and overview
We are delighted that you are coming to join the Science and Maths Higher and National courses at Inverness College UHI and we’d like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome you. We’ve produced this course handbook to help you make the most of your time with us and to help familiarise you with your course. There is a considerable amount of information contained in this handbook, some of which will be of greater relevance to you as you work through the course.
Key Contacts
The Personal Academic Tutors for this course and their phone numbers and email addresses are:
(Your individual PAT will be confirmed at Induction, if you are only studying one subject, your PAT will be the tutor for that course if you are part time, your PAT will be clarified at induction)
Anthony Luke 01463 273573 [email protected]
Andrew Duncan 01463 273431 [email protected]
Jane Manson 01463 273574 [email protected]
Phil Hallford 01463 273574 [email protected]
Our Guidance Team phone number is: 01463 273 208
Our Guidance team email address is: [email protected]
Our Extended Learning Support team phone number is:
01463 273526
Our Extended Learning Support email address is:
Our Wellbeing team phone number is: 01463 273 224
Our Wellbeing team email address is: [email protected]
Our Library phone number is: 01463 273248
Our Library team email address is: [email protected]
Main Campus Reception Scottish School of Forestry Reception
01463 273 000 01463 273 600
Our SkillZone phone number is: 01463 273888
Our SkillZone email address is: [email protected]
3
Aims of your Course
The aims of your course are:
To provide a high quality learning experience, enjoyable as well as educational
To support each student the best way we can during their learning and to prepare them well for the final examination
To provide a tailored learning experience, the right subjects at the right level to the right students!
Structure of your Course
Each student within the Science and Maths cluster of programmes is on a different programme, tailored to suit their needs. However, all the units that make up this qualification are approved by the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA). The Highers and Nationals exams are the same as those sat in schools, but we embed extra material to support you during your studies. This material has been carefully selected to suit the needs of the course, and it is vital that you engage with this additional work if you want to gain the best end result that you can.
Most students study either 3 or 4 subjects if full time, 1 or 2 if part time. Most are worth 5 credits, and you must be studying at least 16 credits to be full time. Your ‘16th credit’ if you are studying three subjects is assessed by your PAT and is a unit designed to help you approach your studies and the finding of information in a more structured and efficient way. To this end – there will be a series of mandatory (attendance is required) PAT sessions running for the first 12 weeks of your studies. These sessions are optional if you are part time. More information on the dates and times of these sessions will be confirmed during induction.
4
5
9-1111-11.15
11.15-1.151.15-2
2-44-5
5-8
AA
AC
EF
F
PAT TIME A
BB
B
FE
E
PAT TIME B
PAT TIME C
PAT TIME D
GD
DC
PAT TIME E
DG
H
PAT TIME F
GH
H
Saturday
II
ARoom
BRoom
CRoom
DRoom
Higher C
hildcare146
Higher C
are215
Nat 5 M
aths 137
Higher B
usiness Managem
ent146,149
Higher E
nvironmental S
cience238
Nat 5 C
areTB
CN
at 5 Bio
238H
igher Hum
an Biology
238,236N
at 5 Psychology
137H
igher English
144N
at 5 Biology
237,236,238H
igher ES
OL (5 S
paces)142
Nat 5 E
SO
L143
EF
GH
H
igher Chem
istry237
Nat 5 C
hemistry
237H
igher Maths
137H
igher Psychology
143,137N
ational 5 Physics
241,236H
igher Physics
241,236N
at 5 Maths A
236H
igher Biology
238N
at 5 English
236
IJ
KH
igher Hum
an Bio
238H
igher Maths
N/A
Higher E
nglishN
/AN
at 5 Maths
N/A
Nat 5 Lifeskills
N/A
Nat 4 M
athsN
/A
Any queries, please email:
Highers.ic@
uhi.ac.uk
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
241, 238, 237
Nat 5 M
aths B
Progression Routes to Further Study and Employment
The curriculum area map clearly shows where this programme sits within this wider curriculum area and the future progression routes which will be open to you after successful completion of this course.
You may wish to continue your studies and apply for a place on the Highers (if you are studying at National level) or the HNC Applied Science course if you are studying Highers this year. The HNC is a nationally recognised qualification for technicians, and if all 15 credits are gained, as well as an A in the graded unit, we will allow direct entry to the second year of the BSc Applied Science or BSc Environmental Science Honours degree. This course is very popular and gets full very quickly so we’d advise you apply before the 15th Jan deadline which is the UCAS deadline. Applications from current students received by this date are given priority.
If you apply to Inverness College UHI for an HNC place, you will be required to gain at least one Higher in Science, as well as a minimum of National 5 Chemistry and Maths plus satisfactory references from college tutors.
Other options may include: -
Entry into the first year of a wide range of Science and Health degrees A PGDE in Teaching (for those with National 5 Maths or Lifeskills Maths and
Higher English) An HNC in other areas such as health care or social care. An HNC in another college.
You will discuss all these options and anything else with your PAT during your personal interviews throughout the year and specifically when discussing progression.
6
7
Course Work
It is important for your own development that you become a responsible learner. This includes learning to manage your own time, as well as seeking information beyond that which you are given in class. If full time, you should allocate the equivalent of at five full days across the week for your studies and adhere to that, using your diary to plan and prioritise your learning. Poor time management can increase the pressure you experience when assessments are due, and at exam time. Being well organised and setting time aside for personal study will increase your chances of success.
You should always read over a piece of work before you submit it and in particular check for spelling and grammatical mistakes. For most assignments or projects, you will be given more specific guidelines. It is essential that you follow these - they are there to help you.
It is essential that coursework handed in is well presented - preferably word-processed; has a title including your course and tutor name; is stapled together, labelled with your name and college ID number and submitted by the deadline.
Assessment of your Work
Throughout your course, your work will be assessed in a number of different ways, depending on the different criteria in individual units. The criteria are set by SQA and we have a stringent set of quality assurance processes in place to make sure we meet all requirements in this regard.
Many of the units are assessed partly or wholly on a continuous basis – in other words, you will be assessed on parts of your work as you go along rather than all of it at the end of the unit. This assessment is carried out by the lecturer teaching the unit.
So that assessments can be fair to all students, and whoever teaches them, internal assessments are checked by other lecturers teaching the same, or similar, units. This is a process called ‘internal verification’.
Internal assessment is not just about judging whether you have passed or failed. It also provides both you and your lecturers with important information about what you’re doing well and where you have shortcomings in your knowledge, understanding or skills. Assessment is closely linked to the learning process in the sense that the feedback you will receive from your lecturers will help you improve your work in the future.
8
Finally, the Highers and Nationals are assessed by means of an SQA-set and SQA-assessed examination, so SQA will inform you directly whether or not you have completed your course successfully. College lecturers are not in a position to tell you whether you have passed or failed, until they have been informed by the examining body (usually at the same time as you will know directly from the examining body). If in doubt, please ask your lecturer about the procedures used.
Re-assessment of your Work
If you are unsuccessful in an internal assessment, you will be offered the opportunity to be re-assessed. Depending on the arrangements for re-assessment laid down for a particular unit, this may involve retaking either the whole assessment or just part of it. You will normally only be allowed one (or, in exceptional circumstances, two) re-assessment opportunities. Your tutors will be able to give you more information about re-assessment for your course.
Submission of your Coursework
You should hand all coursework in to the appropriate lecturer. All coursework for assessment will have a specified deadline for submission. It is essential that you meet the submission deadline to ensure fairness amongst all students and to enable staff to mark efficiently. Your subject lecturer may allow you an extension to a submission date if there are valid circumstances affecting your ability to meet the deadline.
If you are unwell when completing assessed coursework or sitting examinations, or have any other specific difficulties that may affect your performance in assessed coursework or examinations, you should notify your PAT as soon as possible, and make immediate arrangements for medical certificates or other letters of support to be submitted.
What if I cannot complete an assessment?
There may be times when you cannot complete assessments to the best of your ability, are unable to attend an examination, or are unable to meet an assessment deadline due to adverse circumstances beyond your control e.g. illness or a serious accident at the time of assessment. As a result, students can request that these circumstances are taken into consideration by the college. Submitting a request does not automatically guarantee that it will be accepted.
For more information on Mitigating Circumstances please as your PAT. This should also be covered at Induction as well.
9
Cheating and Plagiarism
There are various forms of academic dishonesty but in the student's context it means cheating in examinations or presenting work for assessment which is not your own. Plagiarism as a form of cheating takes place when the student 'borrows' or copies information, data or results from an unacknowledged source, without quotation marks or any indication that the presenter is not the original author or researcher. If carried out knowingly, cheating and plagiarism have the objective of deceiving examiners and this threatens the integrity of the assessment procedures and the value of your award.
Work produced by someone else may be summarised or repeated providing it is referenced to the original author. As well as text, work such as diagrams, maps and charts must also be acknowledged. In addition to the use of quotation marks when quoting from original sources and secondary material, full reference for both quotes and paraphrases or summaries of published material must be given. All references should then be included in a bibliography at the end of the piece of work. Appropriate references for web-based material must also be given, including the relevant URL.
Any student found to have used unfair means in any examination or assessment procedure will be penalised.
Learner Agreement
Students who enrol on courses with Inverness College UHI are entering into a partnership with the College. The partnership involves a commitment from you, the learner, to engage positively with your studies and a commitment from the College to provide appropriate support to you throughout your course.
All students who enrol at Inverness College UHI and their Personal Academic Tutor are required to sign this Learning Agreement as a demonstration of the shared commitment to your learning.
10
Learning & Study
I, the Learner agree to:
Treat my fellow learners and College staff with dignity and respect Attend my classes regularly and on time Maintain a positive attitude during classes and not to negatively affect others’
learning, enjoyment or safety Seek guidance and advice when I need it to support my learning Actively participate in class and group activities Work hard and to the best of my ability and accept responsibility for my own
learning Submit my assignments and class work on time Inform my PAT of any issues I am having with my learning Inform the College of any disability, illness or other circumstances which may
affect my attendance or assessment performance Co-operate with my fellow students and College staff Contribute to the continuous improvement of my course and other college
services by providing feedback in surveys and focus groups Provide valuable feedback about my course to my Class Representative Ensure that work submitted is my own Take responsibility for preparing for and attending my assessments and
exams
Inverness College UHI agrees to:
Work with you as a partner in your learning Treat you with dignity and respect Provide you with a comprehensive induction to the College and your course Provide a safe and suitable learning environment Have a commitment to removing barriers and equalising opportunity Provide appropriate learning & teaching resources and learning support Ensure that your classes start on time and are well organised Maintain up-to-date and accurate records of your attendance, progress and
achievement Provide you with clear assessment schedules and deadlines Provide you with assessment feedback within appropriate timescales (usually
within 15 working days) Respond to your enquiries as quickly as possible and in line with our
Customer Service Standards Provide you with access to guidance and support for:
o Academic, personal and financial matterso Employability skills and career progressiono Make relevant procedures and regulations clear and available to you.
11
o Ensure that you are provided with appropriate study support and assessment arrangements
Offer you opportunities to be part of decision making in the College and to influence the future of the College
Provide you with membership of the Students’ Association Take your feedback seriously and work with you to improve your course
and/or college services Ensure that your Class Representative is invited to attend Course Team
Meetings to provide class feedback on your course
Health & Safety
Both Inverness College UHI and the Learner agree to promote a safe learning environment by:
Complying with Inverness College UHI's Health and Safety Policy and procedures
Exercising reasonable care: For the personal safety of myself, learners and College staff For the safety of the property of Inverness College UHI and of its students,
staff, officers and visitors. Taking time to observe fire and other emergency evacuation procedures Observing specific Health & Safety Regulations in classrooms, workshops
and laboratories Being familiar with first aid provision within the College campuses
Attendance and Part Time Employment
Your success as a student depends on full and regular attendance of all classes. You should inform your PAT as soon as possible if you have problems with attendance and follow the Attendance Procedure. Our records show that students who do not attend all their classes have a very high risk of failure. We recognise that you may need to undertake part-time work, but we strongly advise you not to take employment of more than 15 hours a week if you are a full time student. Should you need to take employment of more than 15 hours per week we recommend you register as a part time student. A full time student is expected to follow their timetable and negotiate work times around it.
As part of the Learner Agreement you commit to attending classes on time. Attendance at class is imperative; if you do not attend, you are unlikely to successfully complete coursework, or be able to sit and pass assessments. We’ll do everything we can to support your success but you have to be here to enable us!
12
Student Funding and FinanceYour attendance is also important for your funding. Whilst all students are expected to have 100% attendance, bursary and EMA funding relies on your full attendance. If for any reason you are absent, you must advise college each and every day of your absence (whether you receive bursary or EMA or not). This is vital so please follow the instructions on the website link below
https://www.inverness.uhi.ac.uk/students/student-support/attendance-and-absence
The Student Services Centre is there to help you with any queries including those related to funding and finance so please come in and see us if we can help. Staff can also help you with your UCAS application, SAAS applications and any difficulties you may encounter in applying for Disabled Students Allowance, Bursaries, and other funding options and so on. Most students’ circumstances are different so if you are unsure about what you should apply for come over and speak to one of the funding team.
Planning Ahead
It’s important that you plan ahead to help you achieve success in your programme. The full academic calendar for the session will help you identify when holidays are for example and can be found at
https://www.iconic.inverness.uhi.ac.uk/Pages/Academic%20Calendar.aspx
Personal Academic Tutor (PAT)Your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) is your key point of contact. They will be available to give you advice and guidance regarding your chosen course, specific units and your progress. They will also be able to point you in the right direction if for any reason they don’t have the information you need. Your Personal Academic Tutor will also be able to help you to make informed choices regarding future study or employment.
It is the PAT who is ultimately responsible for your welfare and any concerns or issues will be communicated to the PAT by other tutors. The PAT will meet with you a minimum of 3 times over the course of the year and will carry out formal reviews of your progress.
13
Class Tutors
You’re likely to have several different tutors who will give you information and guidance on individual subjects. You will be made aware of the learning objectives, the type of work that is expected of you, different assessment methods as well as special arrangements, ‘remediation’ or re-sits that may be required.
In order to give yourself the best chance of success, it is essential that you attend all classes and any absences should be addressed with the relevant tutor. Ultimately it is your responsibility to keep up to date with class work, submission deadlines and assessment dates
Contact details for tutors:
Key Contacts
Your Course is: Science and Maths Higher and National Clusters
Higher Maths Andrew Duncan 01463 273431 [email protected]
Higher Chemistry Anthony Luke 01463 273573 [email protected]
National 5 and Higher Physics Jane Manson 01463 273574 [email protected]
National 5 Chemistry Lesley Charteris 01463 273574 [email protected]
Higher Human Biology, Higher Biology and National 5 Biology
Phil Hallford 01463 273574 [email protected] Paula Sime 01463 273574 [email protected]
National 4 and 5 Maths and Lifeskills Maths: Clare MacDowall 01463 273431 [email protected] Stephanie Wright 01463 273431 Stephanie [email protected] Carolyn Cload 01463 273574 [email protected] John Ballatyne 01463 273431 [email protected]
14
General Advice and GuidanceThe Guidance Team are here to support you during your learning journey from pre-entry to exit, including providing information and advice on a range of services and provision. The team provide a client centred guidance service on all aspects of college and any issues you may face.
During your time at college you may have questions that you need some help with. Drop into the Student Services Centre behind reception and the team will try hard to provide the answers – or find someone who can.
Some examples of how they can help are:
Courses - Information and choices Finance - Funding, hardship, budgeting Help filling in forms - Course and funding applications Accommodation - Help and advice on where to look, and funding options Childcare information - College and local nurseries Wellbeing and counselling - Free, private and confidential service for all
students Progression after your course - What to do next and where to look Careers advice, preparation for employment, job search advice, support and
guidance, mock interviews, help with your application Careers coaching, life coaching and budget coaching
This list is not exhaustive. Whatever the situation, we will listen and try to help.
You can find them in the Student Services Centre behind reception at Inverness Campus from 8.30-5pm Monday to Friday and at the Scottish School of Forestry Room 2 Wednesday and Thursday 9am- 12.30pm.
Alternatively you can contact them –
01463 273208 [email protected].
15
Care Leavers
We have a dedicated Transitions Coordinator, Barbara Isaacs, to help students whilst at college who are in or have left care. Examples of care are; residential care, foster care, and cared for by friends or relatives (other than parents).
We are committed to all our students and we will do all we can to make your experience here enjoyable and rewarding. At times young people who are in or who have left care may need extra support to deal with the challenges of being a student and College life. Our Transitions Coordinator can provide a range of support:
Financial advice
Help with settling in to college life
Getting the most out of your student experience
Advice and support finding accommodation
General advice and guidance
For more information or to make an appointment then please contact Barbara:
[email protected] Or phone / text: 07876216878
Extended Learning Support The Additional Support Team is available to help you with any additional support you may need due to any difficulty you may have, such as Dyslexia or Autism, or any disability. Our team can work with you on a one to one basis, in small groups or in-class according to your need. Equipment and assistive materials can be provided for students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD). If you have a support need you may be entitled to additional assessment arrangements such as extra time, the provision of a reader/scribe or the use of a computer. We’d encourage you to get in touch with our team if you want to discuss your study needs. ASN email and contact number –
01463 273526 [email protected]
Wellbeing Support
16
There is a clear link between your wellbeing and academic success. To help you make the most of your time at College, we provide a wide range of support. We provide a service that is tailored to your needs, as a student.
As a Wellbeing Service we want to provide you with:
A confidential and non-judgmental space to work through your difficulty.
To help you to understand yourself better and find better ways of managing your life, inside and out of college.
More information can be found at:
https://www.inverness.uhi.ac.uk/students/student-support/health-and-wellbeing-1
01463 273224 [email protected]
Study Skills and Academic Support Our SkillZone behind the LRC and Library provides a quiet space for you to drop in for any support with your studies and to brush up on your study skills. We have a range of helpful resources on things such as Referencing, Note Taking, Essay Writing and Presentations. This is where to come if you need any academic support with any aspect of your programme. You can either drop in or for more information about SkillZone contact
01463 273888 [email protected]
Library and LRC
The Library and LRC are situated on the Second Floor, and offer study facilities and resources to support your course. The Library offers quiet study space, and has 16 PCs and 16 study booths, as well as over 30,000 books. The LRC is the open plan study area and has over 100 PCs, along with group study spaces. Both areas offer printing and copying facilities, and help is at hand from the Library team if you need assistance in finding the resources for your course.
The Students’ Association and Class Representatives
You can find the Inverness College Students’ Association (ICSA) to the right hand side of the front entrance in the Atrium. ICSA’s main role is to represent students and
17
therefore it is so important. Students are represented largely through the role of class representatives. Class reps are chosen for each class by the class and will act on their behalf to represent their views and opinions at the Student Representation Committee (SRC). This is a crucial role and excellent experience. Full training is provided for this role which many find valuable for their CV and future employment.
There is also a fun side to student life that ICSA helps to facilitate. This is done through charity fundraisers which are held throughout the year such as Pink day and MFR Cash for Kids. ICSA also have term time sports clubs, these include Badminton, Fitness Kick Boxing, Basketball, Football, MMA and Volleyball. There are also societies including Anime and Manga Society, Alliance, Dramatic Society, Games Development Society and the campus Debating Society. There are always opportunities to create new clubs or societies too so we welcome any suggestions! ICSA also cater to your stationary needs by selling everything from pens and pencils to pen drives and note pads, all available in the Inverness College UHI shop.
Opening Times – Main CampusDuring term time -
Day Open CloseMon to Thurs 07.00 21.00Fri 07.00 19.00Sat 09.00 13.00Sun Closed
During academic holidays-
Day Open CloseMon to Fri 07.00 19.00Sat & Sun Closed
Library during term time -
Day Open CloseMon 08.30 18.00Tues & Wed 08.30 20.00Thurs & Fri 08.30 17.00
18
Sat 09.00 13.00Sun closed
Opening Times – Scottish School of Forestry CampusDuring term time -
Day Open CloseMon to Friday 08.30 17.00Sat & Sun Closed
Please note that the Scottish school of Forestry is closed during academic holidays
UCAS – the next step?
If you plan to apply to university level courses next year – then you need to be thinking about your UCAS application now. It might seem early (you haven’t even got homework yet!) but many courses have more applications than they have places, so you need to make sure yours is the best it can be. This takes planning!
Entry requirements
Each course has different requirements you should have or be working towards in college – usually a mix of qualifications, subjects and/or exam grades. This is where the option to apply for up to five courses comes in handy – you can choose courses with higher and lower requirements so that you’ll have a backup plan!
You’ll be able to see exactly what they are when you search for courses, but here’s the general idea:
Qualifications, subjects and exam grades – usually Highers or similar, and often converted into UCAS Tariff points, which are explained below.
Your suitability – course descriptions often mention skills, interests or experience it’s good to have, so look out for these details because applications can be quite competitive. Still time to get an interesting hobby and do some volunteering!
19
An admissions test – less common, but check course requirements to see if you’ll need one, as some tests are held in autumn the year before the course start date.
An interview – if so UCAS let you know online after you’ve applied, but it might be worth doing some early preparation or putting together a portfolio if required.
Further requirements – it’s possible there may be health, financial or Disclosure Scotland checks.
Remember to also check the content of the course - are you sure this course includes what you think it will?
When to apply
Some courses require applications almost a year in advance of the start date, so it’s worth doing your research and getting started early. There is a lot to check!
UCAS Undergraduate Apply is now open for 2017 entry. You can start your application now, but completed applications cannot be submitted until 6 September 2016.
For courses starting in 2016, your application should be with UCAS by one of the following dates – depending on what courses you apply for. If your completed application – including all your personal details and your academic reference – is submitted by the deadline, it is guaranteed to be considered.
All applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing.
However, we will be giving you a deadline of before the Christmas break in order to make sure we can write your reference and send your application to UCAS on time! This is not negotiable, the team often have many references to write and this is not an easy job!
What needs to be done?
You'll need to leave enough time to complete your application, resolve any queries and make sure it reaches us by the deadline.
After you find courses and you’re ready to apply, we’ll explain everything in more detail, but here’s a brief overview:
Fill in your details, qualifications and course choices.
20
Write a personal statement to demonstrate you’ll be a good student. Include your reference and pay your application fee.
Tips for writing a personal statement can be found here:
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/when-apply/writing-personal-statement
21