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Learning Advisers
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Learning Adviser Appointments
Learning Adviser appointments are available by referral only, based on academic performance, ensuring that those who need it most receive the personalised support they require.
If your grade point average (GPA) is low or you have not performed well in your assessments, please reach out to your First Year Adviser, International Student Adviser, Client Service Student Adviser, Inclusion Adviser, or the Triage Team, to request a referral. Further referral teams will be progressively added.
- Academic writing style including: paragraph structure, overall structure of essays, reports, and other assessment types.
- Understanding your assessment and rubric
- Referencing - check the Library referencing guides as your first step
- Using assessment feedback for resubmission or subsequent assessments
- Study skills, such as time management, note-taking, and exam preparation
- Numeracy skills, maths and statistics assessments
- Academic integrity
During the first appointment the Learning Adviser will consult with you to assess the support you need in order to meet your study goals and develop a support plan with you. Learning Advisers also offer feedback on a draft assessment, academic skills or numeracy support.
To make the most of your appointment, upload relevant assessment documents to your booking. Think about where you would like us to focus or how we can help you, as well as your strengths and things you do well, or leave a comment about it.
- Appointments are scheduled in Australian Eastern Standard time (AEST)
- Log in to CareerHub and navigate to My Upcoming Appointments.
Attach a copy of your assessment brief, rubric, and your draft at least 2 hours prior to your appointment.
Watch video on how to add documents to your appointment - Proof read and spell check your assessment. Use Grammarly if this is permitted in your assessment – See the Generative AI section of the Assessment Brief.
Get the most out of your appointment:
- For assessments of 2000 words or more, we can provide feedback on the overall structure or selected paragraphs, but not every paragraph
- Ensure you understand all our comments and feedback during your appointment. We can only review your assessment draft once to ensure we help as many students as possible
Learning Adviser appointments are a fantastic opportunity to get advice on your study skills and assessments.
There are many students waiting for appointments so please cancel at least 2 hours prior to your appointment time to allow for rescheduling other students into the appointment slot.
To cancel your appointment, log back into Careerhub and:
- Click on Appointments, then My Upcoming Appointments.
- Click on the appointment you would like to cancel.
- Click on the red box - cancel booking and then click okay to cancel this appointment.
Watch Video on how to cancel a Learning Adviser appointment
If you need to postpone your appointment and would like to reschedule, please contact the Triage Support Team as early as possible by calling 1800 724 357 (press menu option 3 for Triage Officers), or by email: triagesupport@scu.edu.au.
Embedded Unit support
This program offers opportunities for students to seek support in challenging units throughout the term. It is flexible enough to cater to specific unit needs based on the advice of the Unit Assessor. The support is integrated directly into the unit, not additional, ensuring it's relevant and targeted.
The benefits of embedding academic literacy skills within a unit are well documented and have shown positive learning outcomes for students in terms of improved participation, engagement and learning experience, student success and satisfaction rates.
The Embedded unit program includes:
- Workshops: Academic skills workshops develop students skills required for successfully preparing assessments.
- Drop-in Sessions: Two drop-in sessions give students the opportunity to ask questions about upcoming assessments and listen to others' questions and responses, providing valuable insights.
- One-on-One Appointments: Students can book individual sessions with a Learning Adviser (LA) or PALS Mentor throughout the term at times that suit them best.
| Term | Unit code | Unit title | Learning Adviser | PALS Mentor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAWS2016 | Evidence | Alana Bryant | Paul Kleivens |
| EDUC6009 | Education and Indigenous Australians: Ways of Knowing and Being | Nicole Schutte | Leighanne McHugh | |
| TCHR3001 | Early Childhood Matters | Boya Zhang | Tim Browne | |
| HLTH1004 | The Reflective Learner and Health Science Scholar | Suzanne Rienks | Kadie Vignes | |
| 2 | EDUC1004 | Education and Change: The Lifelong Learner | Alana Bryant | |
| ENGL1004 | English: Literature, Language and Literacy | Nicole Schutte | ||
| NURS2016 | Introduction to Nursing Research | Boya Zhang | ||
| OCCU2005 | Lifespan Development and Occupational Transitions | Alana Bryant | ||
| PSYC2005 | Psychological Investigation I | Suzanne Rienks | ||
| BIOL1005 | Cells and Molecules | Nicole Schutte | ||
| 3 | LEGL1001 | Legal Research and Writing | Nicole Schutte | |
| EDUC1003 | Education and Philosophy: Playing with Thought | Boya Zhang | ||
| TCHR5003 | Principles and Practices in Early Childhood Education | Nicole Schutte | ||
| WELF1001 | Introduction to Social Welfare | Suzanne Rienks | ||
| PSYC1001 | Psychology Foundations: Brain and Cognition | Suzanne Rienks | ||
| ISYS1002 | Cybersecurity | Alana Bryant | ||
| 4 | LAWS2017 | Principles of Equity | Alana Bryant | |
| TCHR2003 | Curriculum Studies in Early Childhood | Nicole Schutte | ||
| CRTV1001 | Creativity and the Arts | Alana Bryant | ||
| WELF1002 | Community Development | Boya Zhang | ||
| STAT2003 | Data Collection and Quantitative Analysis | Suzanne Rienks | ||
| SCIN1005 | Organisms and Environments | Nicole Schutte | ||
| 5 | LAWS2012 | Property Principles | Alana Bryant | |
| TCHR2002 | Children, Families and Communities | Nicole Schutte | ||
| EDUC2013 | Human Society and its Environments: Curriculum and Pedagogy | Boya Zhang | ||
| HLTH1003 | Small Business and Entrepreneurship for Allied Health, Fitness and Sport | Suzanne Rienks |
During key times in the term, Learning Advisers will host drop-in sessions for embedded unit students. These are open forums where students completing the unit can ask general questions about assessments or academic skills, like referencing. While these sessions don’t provide personalised feedback, students benefit from hearing both their own and others' questions and responses. Session times and links will be shared via unit sites.
Students in embedded units can request a 45-minute appointment with a Learning Adviser. They will help assess needs and create a support plan to meet study goals. LAs also offer feedback on draft assessments, academic skills, and numeracy support. They are familiar with the specific unit assessment requirements and can provide targeted guidance.
PALS Mentors are senior students who understand the challenges students face. They provide support in areas such as assessment preparation, understanding rubrics, referencing, planning, and time management. Students can book a 30-minute online appointment with a PALS Mentor any week of the term. This is a great way to receive quick, knowledgeable support in a private setting from a fellow student.
For more information about PALS or to book a session, click here: Peer Assisted Learning Support (PALS) - Learning Zone - Southern Cross University
University metrics related to student feedback and unit performance are considered, especially units with higher fail rates, lower student satisfaction rates and first-year units to aid students in their transition to university.
The UA plays a crucial role in ensuring relevant and practical support for students. Before the term begins, LAs and PALS Mentors will contact UAs to discuss the best approach for delivering support. This collaboration ensures minimal extra workload for UAs while providing students with additional resources to lighten their support needs. The endorsement of the UA reassures students that the offered support aligns with the unit's goals and requirements.
To ensure the effectiveness and continual improvement of our support services, we evaluate them using both qualitative and quantitative measures. These include fail rates, student satisfaction, and feedback from surveys. Regular assessments help us refine and improve our support initiatives to best meet students’ needs.