'Studying as an adult is very different to your school experience. This book will give you the skills and confidence you need when returning to education as a mature student.' You have decided to return to education, and now you may be worried that your study skills are not up to scratch. This inspiring and practical book has been written especially for you - whether you are considering a full-time course, part-time studies, evening classes or distance learning such as an Open University degree. It covers everything you need to know to succeed in your chosen course, including how to: discover your learning style; improve your reading seed and memory; take notes and get organised; improve your writing and mathematical skills; master research techniques; develop analytical skills; and, gain marks in exams.Contents: 1. Learning to learn; 2. Preparing to study; 3. Organisation skills; 4. Reading skills; 5. Writing skills; 6. Lectures & seminars; 7. Essay techniques; 8. Writing a dissertation; 9. Research skills; 10. Analytical skills; 11. Scientific skills and experimentation; 12. Information and communication technology; 13. Group skills; 14. Oral presentation skills; 15. Distance and e-learning skills; 16. Examination techniques; 17. Coping strategies; 18. Learner support services; 19. Student support services.

A collection of 46 articles from the diverse and still emerging field of adult education.

"Women with families face particular challenges when they undertake higher education. Questions arise about coping with the demands of study, new family routines, and the changed identity when mother becomes student: Can I manage it all? How will my family react? Will they give me the time and support I need? The author, herself a mother and lecturer when she completed her postgraduate studies, draws on the stories of the women in her study as they negotiate support from their partners and families. Applying theoretical perspectives, she suggests practical and effective strategies for combining study and family life. This book is a valuable guide for women in similar situations, and will enhance the understanding of tutors, lecturers and policymakers."--Back cover.

Have you learned how to learn? Written especially for professional or distance learners, part-time or mature students, and formal CPD qualification candidates, The Return to Study Handbook will teach you how to study effectively, ace your ongoing education, and get the grades you need to advance in your career. Whether you need to balance your learning with full or part-time work, or overcome the 'mindset gremlins' stemming from a negative school experience, this book will empower you to effectively manage your own learning and provide you with the full range of mental and practical skills you need to succeed. Packed with practical tools, tips, exercises, case studies and strategies, plus the author's own inspirational story, The Return to Study Handbook not only covers the study skills necessary for any student to be successful - such as effective note-taking; exam technique; and essay writing - but it specifically addresses relevant topics for non-traditional students. With advice on recommended technology aids; handling procrastination and distractions; dealing with overwhelm and avoiding burnout; managing distance learning; and overcoming the mental and emotional barriers of past experiences, this book will guide you through everything you need to achieve the grades and career you want.

Access to higher education in South Africa poses a number of challenges. First, South Africa is said to be one of the most unequal societies in the world, with an estimated Gini coefficient that ranges between 0.63 and 0.69 (Human Sciences Research Council, 2014; Statistics South Africa, 2014). The wealth gap between the countrys rich and the poorest of the poor is both growing and getting worse. Second, UNISA is an open distance learning (ODL) institution that seeks to intervene and manage the above challenges by offering access to higher education opportunities to millions of South Africans, the majority of whom are descendants of sections of society that were denied opportunities to access higher education by a myriad of institutionalised apartheid policies and legislation which were racist and discriminative. With these concerns in mind, the author compiled Open Distance Learning (ODL) Through the Philosophy of Ubuntu, which is a sequel to the authors previous publication, Open Distance Learning (ODL) in South Africa (Nova Publishers: New Nork, 2015); it explores the potential for the philosophy of Ubuntu to meaningfully shape UNISAs ability to deliver its ODL mode of teaching and learning. The philosophy of Ubuntu, which is also known as humaneness and/or human dignity, is an African worldview or normative concept that encapsulates moral values and principles such as kindness, generosity, compassion, benevolence, respect for persons, care and concern for others, as well as human dignity. The book draws on the philosophy of Ubuntu as a guiding conceptual framework to explore ways in which UNISAs vision of an African university in the service of humanity might be meaningfully driven and realised. This collection of fourteen chapters that constitute the book grapples with a wide range of critical questions such as: How might embracing the philosophy of Ubuntu impact UNISAs ability to meaningfully deliver a humane, open distance education to its students in South Africa, on the African continent, and on a global scale? How, for instance, would grounding UNISAs curricular offerings in the philosophy of Ubuntu turn the university into a uniquely African ODL institution? How would embracing the values and principles of Ubuntu shape UNISAs inclusive focus, research and innovative conceptual framework and impertaives, ODL teaching and learning, assessment and quality assurance, communication and public relations profile, among others? Finally, Open Distance Learning (ODL) Through the Philosophy of Ubuntu explores the plausibility of a radical change of mindset from business as usual to business unusual by re-imagining and recasting UNISAs ODL mission through the values and principles of the philosophy of Ubuntu. The book is the second offering of the planned trilogy of books on ODL in Southern Africa. The final volume, Assuring Institutional Quality in Open Distance Learning (ODL) in the Developing Contexts will complete this thought process on ODL.

Studying as an adult is very different to your school experience. This book will give you the skills and confidence you need when returning to education as a mature student.' You have decided to return to education, and now you may be worried that your study skills are not up to scratch. This inspiring and practical book has been written especially for you - whether you are considering a full-time course, part-time studies, evening classes or distance learning such as an Open University degree. It covers everything you need to know to succeed in your chosen course, including how to: discover your learning style; improve your reading seed and memory; take notes and get organised; improve your writing and mathematical skills; master research techniques; develop analytical skills; and, gain marks in exams.