To help you understand the academic expectations of the university, there
are several practical resources you can tap into. These include:
- Learning Guides
- Course Outlines
- Past Exam papers
Learning Guides and Course Outlines
These will set out:
- what specific skills you'll be expected to have by the end of a course
- what graduate attributes will be developed (see Graduate
attributes)
- what teaching styles will be used (see Self-directed
learning)
- how the course will be structured
- how much time your studies will require
- how you can pace your learning
- what forms of assessment you'll be given
- what criteria you'll be assessed by
- who you can contact if you need to
Learning outcomes - skills and graduate attributes
 Example
1
For example, in Animal Genetics and Breeding (ANIM 2002)
it is stated that on completion of this course you will:
- Have a sound knowledge of the scientific principles of animal ethics
and breeding.
- Understand the impact of genetics on breeding programs, and have
an appreciation of the ethical and social impact of genetic manipulation.
- Be able to develop a breeding program and have the ability to
effectively communicate this orally, in writing and electronically
to clients.
- Have the ability to critically evaluate breeding programs.
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This gives you a clear idea about the type of knowledge and skills the lecturer
wants you to achieve by the end of the course. It also indicates which Graduate
Attributes will be fostered during the course.
Example
2
The Goals and Learning Objectives for Animal Biology (BIOL1012)
state that students will be expected to:
Have a working knowledge of the following fundamental topics
in Animal Biology:
- Basic structure of animal cells, and functions of key organelles
- Cell development, differentiation and multi-cellularity
- Major trends in the evolution of animals and diversity of body
plans
- Respiration, circulation, digestion, osmoregulation, and control
of physiological systems
Develop an appreciation of:
- Importance of scientific research on animals to the advancement
of: basic knowledge, environmental science, medicine and biotechnology
- Animal welfare, experimentation and ethics
- Occupational Health and Safety issues in lab environments
- The evolutionary relationships between animal groups
- Comparative physiology and the utility of different animals as
appropriate biological models
- Australian fauna and biodiversity
Develop:
- Core laboratory skills relevant to Cell and Animal Biology
- Skills in: keeping a lab notebook, biological drawings, and communicating
scientific findings
- Problem-solving skills
Apply:
- The principles of biological classification to animal evolution;
physiological principles to the maintenance of homeostasis
- The knowledge and skills gained in Animal Biology to
problems in evolutionary, environmental, agricultural and biomedical
sciences
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This list may seem rather daunting for a new student but if you look at these
objectives closely it's not expected that you'll be an expert in animal biology
by the end of the course!!! Rather, it's expected that you will understand
some of the fundamentals of animal biology, and develop specific skills associated
with that scientific discipline. You'll also be working towards developing
the core Graduate Attributes. Note that the emphasis in this course is not
just on gaining specific knowledge and developing new skills but on applying
that knowledge and those skills.
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