Keys to success
What would you say are the keys to success for a positive university experience?
From our own survey, students in the Faculty of Education and Social Work have had a lot to say about this. Research carried out in Australia has also identified a number of factors that can strongly influence student success.
The following table lists these.
| Invest time on task | time spent studying each week is the strongest predictor of success - having a regular study regime is a means of ensuring this. |
| Regularly attend lectures and tutorials | maximising and increasing learning opportunities is also a strong predictor of success - if students attend lectures and tutorials they: - stay up-to-date with what the course is about - can seek clarification about course content from lecturers and tutors - stay in touch with other students. |
| Develop a social network at university | knowing one person's name is a protective factor against dropping out - building a network with other students is a way of creating mutually beneficial peer support. |
| Have a clear goal or purpose for attending university (a sense of vocational direction and purpose especially) | this is a strong predictor of success and helps to sustain motivation – Education and Social Work students have a clear goal to become qualified educators and social workers. |
| Engage with the online environment | this moderates success at university - engagement with the online environment means that students can: - stay informed more generally - build research and information literacy skills by using the library - communicate with other students through student email - engage with their learning through the activities set-up in the elearning system used in their courses. |
| Balance commitments (working on average not more than 15 hours a week in paid employment) | making appropriate time for study predicts success - working more than 25 hours per week as a full-time student can be a risk factor for dropping out. |
| Have some sense of academic self-confidence | this predicts success as self-efficacy and an expectation of success is foundational to success in life - developing study skills and academic skills will lead to success and build self-confidence. |
Resources at Sydney
- University of Sydney – Learning Centre – Homepage (retrieved Feb 2011)
- University of Sydney – Learning Centre – Learning resources (retrieved Feb 2011)
- University of Sydney – Learning Centre – Course information (retrieved Mar 2011)
- University of Sydney – Library – Research and information skills(retrieved Feb 2011)
- University of Sydney – International Student Support Unit – Useful Information for Everyone - Part 1 (retrieved Feb 2011)
- University of Sydney – International Student Support Unit – Useful Information for Everyone - Part 2 (retrieved Feb 2011)
- University of Sydney – Mathematics Learning Centre (retrieved Mar 2011)
- University of Sydney – Counselling and Psychological Services – Courses (retrieved Mar 2011)
References
- Lizzio, A, & Wilson, K. (2010) Effective Strategies for the Orientation, Engagement, and Retention of First Year Students – A Workshop for FYAs.