When it comes to navigating through a busy semester, a course profile can be an effective tool to take some of the stress out of uni life. Below is a list of the course profile features that I find most useful and some handy tips for how to most effectively use your course profiles throughout the semester.
Course Introduction:
This section provides a basic summary of the course, generally providing information about how the subject will run, what you will learn and whether enrolling in this course requires any prior knowledge or prerequisite courses.
Staff List:
The ‘Course Staff’ section of the profile tells you who to contact about any questions relating to the course content or structure, any issues you may be having with the subject itself or external factors that may impact upon your ability to complete the course. I find it useful to note down the course convenor’s contact details in my exercise book so that they’re always close at hand.
Learning Resources:
This section of the profile contains information about any textbooks, dossiers or electronic readings required by the course. Textbooks and dossiers are generally available for purchase from the campus bookstore, while electronic readings are accessed through [email protected] Those listed under ‘Required Resources’ generally form part of the content or assessment for the course and are therefore necessary for purchase. ‘Recommended Resources’ are those that may be useful for more information about content covered in the course. You are not expected to purchase these resources and they are often available to borrow from the library.
Learning Activities:
The ‘Learning Activities’ section of a course profile gives a week-by-week outline of the content that will be covered throughout the course. Essentially, this section tells you about the topics you will learn over the semester, and often the readings that you should be doing each week. This section is a useful tool if you miss a class and need to know what to catch up on, or as an overview when you are preparing for an exam.
Assessment Plan:
One of the most important sections of the course profile is the ‘Assessment Summary.’ It’s here that information is provided about the tasks you will be assessed on throughout the semester, when they are due and their weighting (how much of your final grade each task is worth). The ‘Assessment Detail’ section provides more information about what is expected for each task and where hard copies of written assignments should be submitted.
Hopefully your course profiles are making a little more sense now! Be sure to read through them carefully to make sure you know what will be expected of you in the subject throughout the semester! Now that you know how to use your course profile, pick up some great study tips from Erika’s post.
– Elizabeth
