Study Skills and Academic Enrichment - Essay Example

Study Skills and Academic Enrichment Every learning environment has its unique teaching approaches that differ from one institution to the other. When one transfers to a new learning environment, one has to encounter changes in the teaching approaches in the new institution. While I feel that my former institution played a big role in preparing me for the learning demands in UCSB, UCSB provides a more open form of learning that aims at sharpening the skills of a learner by providing mental, health and psychological nourishment. The institution pays attention to the development of the student a society builder by providing resources and skills that are crucial for academic enrichment. On this note, I feel that the institution will provide me with a better learning environment where I can develop both academically and enrich my talents. One of the things that my former school taught me is the value of integrated learning in academic success. I learnt how to use both play and studies to prepare succeed in academics. While it is crucial for learners to optimize on instructional teaching, the ability to mould an all-round character is crucial. Sports makes a person’s mind more complete helping them to remain physically healthy that is important for academic concentration. In UCSB, a wide range of social and sports activities are available for students to participate in. The institution encourages every student to enroll in these characters so that they have an all-round experience. The institution offers students the opportunity to discover their parents. As an athlete, I feel comfortable to enjoy the same talent improvement that I enjoyed in the previous school (Utotherescue Para. 1-4). I feel that I still have a dream in succeeding in athlete along my academic achievement. In UCSB where talent improvement is encouraged, I feel that it is the best environment to develop my sporting skills. In my former school, I was great fan of research as part of my study methods. The school emphasized on the need for students to engage in research to build on their knowledge and to enrich their learning skills. A well-equipped library was available for the students to find research materials of their choice at any time. I had developed a culture of spending my evening studies in the libraries making research on a wide range of subjects. This skill has helped me in acquiring comfort in UCSB. UCSB has a culture of research and encourages the students to utilize their time in developing research skills. The school upholds this culture and encourages young learners to perceive themselves as part of the world research team. The school has one of the best libraries in the world (CAPS Para. 4). This has given me an opportunity to enrich my skills in research. In addition, the university provides students with a wide range of research skills to foster the students’ research abilities. Most of the assignments in UCSB require research skills. Having developed my research skills in my former school, I find it easy to research and provide quality assignments in classwork. Additionally, the institution has given the incentive of improving my research skills by providing a conducive environment. One unique feature of education of UCSB is the rich resource of motivational programs that help students to build their career and remain relevant in the modern learning environment. The institution has many online programs that provide motivational materials to help students improve in their academics. For instance, the Gauchoskills online program is one of the resources that have inspired my life to remain innovative and creative in my academic life (Gaucho Skills). The resource allows learners to listen to the confessions of successful scholars and to learn the path that they used to build the pillar of education. In school, inspiration goes a long way in shaping the life of a learner. Inspiring students helps students to identify their potential and the way to exploit it. UCSB recognizes that students need role models to inspire their academic life and seeks to provide them with resources that provide the right motivation for students. The principle of UCSB is to foster learning through provision of academic inspiration. Any student who enrolls in this institution must be ready to face life from a different angle UCSB is an institution that provides an opportunity for all students to excel despite their weaknesses or their background. The online motivational resources have provided me with an opportunity to look education, and life as a whole angle, from the lenses of an optimistic learner. Career development is one the values that I have acquired in both former and current institution. In my former school, I learn the value of remaining informed on the prevailing trends in the job market. As students learn, they seek to develop competence to work and acquire relevant skills that are necessary in the job environment. Since the employment demands are dynamic, the students must learn to remain flexible and learn the right skills to ensure they are employable in the changed Job market. In my former skills, the student provided facilitation through provision of career training forums once in every term. This provided the students with the opportunity to learn the skills they require in the learning environment to prepare for employment in the competitive job environment (Baum, Ma and Payea 19). In UCSB, I am glad to continue with career advice that is more available in this institution. UCSB conducts students with career advice programs and strives to adjust their programs to suit the demands of the market. Particularly, the institution has incorporated information technology in the learning environment as part of their commitment not only to provide career advice but their effort to foster students’ competence. When a student transfers to UCSB, they must prepare to face a more open form of learning environment. Unlike other institutions where there is little exchange between the students and the administration, UCSB provides the students with the opportunity to interact more closely with their lecturers. The institution provides an integrative process of learning where academic enrichment depends on the ability of the learners and instructors to form mutual relationship (Sethgodin). In the contemporary learning environment, social approaches are effective in injecting efficiency in the learning environment. Students that learn in an interactive process are creative and knowledgeable more than those in closed learning environment. In the classroom, one must prepare to answer more questions and contribute their opinions on almost every matter. The institution lays emphasis on the need for students to be problems solvers and leaders of themselves. Having come from an institution where there were less interactive sessions, I faced a challenge I having to contribute to learning groups that are encourage in this institution. In addition, UCSB is a place that is open for everyone irrespective of their gender, race, culture or even religion. The institution has put diversity management strategies to ensure that every person has an equal opportunity to grow and develop. This is one of the institutions where all people are treated equally, and cohesion between people from different backgrounds is enhanced to ensure that there is a collaborative approach to education. The institution investment in technology in the education system is unique and efficient. In the recent past, technology has proliferated into the education sector and administrators are using it to eject efficiency in the academic environment (Baum, Ma and Payea 19). The online technology helps administrator to form a social hub where lecturers, students and other stakeholders can come together to share their knowledge, experiences and ideas that are relevant to the academic environment. UCSB has invested in online presence to take advantage of the internet technology to form efficient communication channels. For instance, the university website is a sharing center where the fraternity of UCSB can come together to share their own experiences. The administrators use the organizational website to communicate on changes, updates and unique organization news that impact on the life of students. An important feature of the website is the Alumni column that helps former UCSB students to share their own views on the institutions curriculum. This feature allows the student to learn from the alumni on the schools preparation of students for the employment sector and the areas that student should pay attention while still in school. I have learnt to use this site to model my learning behavior as I identify the most important skills for my career development. In addition, this is a source of motivation as I feel that my goals are attainable, as many former students of UCSB have come out successful in their career. In conclusion, UCSB is one of the institutions that have unique academic enrichment approaches. The institution provides an open learning environment that caters for the physical, health and academic needs of the students. Just like in my former institution, the institution emphasizes on the value of research skills in the contemporary learning environment. Additionally, the institution has helped me progress in my athletic exercise that I started nurturing in my former institution. One of the unique features of the institution is the rich resources that provide career motivation and inspiration that students require to remain relevant in the changing employment sector. Any student that intends to join UCSB must be prepared to adopt into an open system of learning that gives every person the opportunity to contribute to academic excellence. The institution allows every person, irrespective of the background, to interact with fellow members of the institution to ensure that all learning needs are available. Works Cited Baum, Sandy, Ma, Jennifer and Payea, Kathleen. Education pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individual and Society. New York: College Board. 2013. Online. CAPS. Counseling and Psychological Services. 2013. Gaucho Skills. 2013. Accessed from :< http://gauchoskills. tumblr.com/tagged/resources>[Accessed on 11th Mar, 2013] Sethgodin. Graduate School for Unemployed College Students. 2014. Utotherescue. Remaking the University. 2014. Read More