Exam success - it's all about preparation

Thank you Clip Art!

Well, it's that time of the study period again - exam time! It comes around quickly, doesn't it?

As usual, dear reader, we are posting some goodies for you to maximise your preparation and performance.

Really (strictly speaking) the preparation for final exams starts in week 1 - doesn't it? Keeping track of your notes and topic materials; revising lecture notes on a weekly basis; clarifying any difficult concepts with your lecturer or the computer or maths help desks and keeping up-to-date with readings happens every week - right? Well for some, maybe. The reality is that we are all busy people and there just might be some slippage along the way.

Anyway, there is much you can do right now to polish your performance in your exams.

Firstly, make sure you start sorting your notes RIGHT NOW. Clear up anything you are having difficulty with through your own revision; in collaboration with another student or by consulting with your lecturer.

Secondly, make a study plan using a 16 or 24 hour planner to help you map your time productively.

Thirdly, decide on a repertoire of exam study strategies. This great resource How to remember what you've learned was developed by our colleague Monica Behrend. It demonstrates how we can use a range of techniques which employ different parts of our brain - thereby creating a 'deep' learning experience. In other words, helping the learning to 'sink in' to the memory.

Finally, talk! One of the best ways of remembering what you've learned is to talk about your learning in a study group. In addition, you can post study tips and techniques to the comments below or to Talking about exams - a bubbly little community for students who take exams.

We will talk more about preparation and performance and are keen to hear your ideas, too.

The learning advisers and counsellors

Andrea, Helen and Helen

What are my student visa conditions?

Every international student studying at UniSA will have specific conditions applied to their student visa. Did you know that there are nine “Mandatory Conditions” which are applied to ALL student visa holders and another seven “Discretionary Conditions” which may or may not be applied to you?

Many student visa holders will have a visa label stuck into their passport which will list your visa conditions on the right hand side such as “8101-No Work”. It is important to note that these conditions are those that applied to you at the time your visa was granted and that if that was some time ago your visa conditions may have changed. An example of this is if your visa was granted before 26th April 2008 and you have applied for Permission to Work since your commencement of study and it has been granted, the 8101 condition will have been removed and replaced with “8105-Work Limitation” which allows students to work up to 20 hours a week during periods of study.

If you were granted an “e-Visa” your visa conditions should be listed in the documentation you received when your visa was granted. There is no difference between student visa conditions between e-Visa and Visa label applicants. Each student visa is assessed individually and conditions applied on a case by case basis.

If you do not comply with one or more of the conditions of your student visa Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will consider you to be in “breach” and your visa may be jeopardised. The best way to avoid being in breach is to know what visa conditions apply to you.

A list of all student visa conditions are available at the DIAC website.

If you are unsure and would like to know which visa conditions apply to you than you should contact DIAC directly on 131 881 (Mon - Fri 0900-1600 AEST)

What are my workplace rights?

An article published in "The Weekend Australian" on Saturday raised the issue of employers taking advantage of students in the workplace with regards to pay and conditions. An example in the article was of an international student who worked 18 hours cleaning serviced apartments in Sydney and was paid only $10 for his efforts. The student was also told that when he completed his training period he would be paid only $16 per apartment he cleaned and not an hourly rate.

Everybody working in Australia, either part or full time, be they a citizen, permanent resident or student has rights protected by Commonwealth Workplace Law. This law sets down conditions of employment such as minimum hourly wage, hours and conditions of work. By not paying the student in the article the minimum hourly rate for 18 hours of work, the employer broke the law and is liable for prosecution.

The government body which investigates and prosecutes breaches of Workplace Law is the Workplace Ombudsman. Currently there is a campaign underway by the Ombudsman to raise student awareness of their workplace rights.

The Ombudsman has produced a very useful pamphlet specifically for international students.

Depending on the industry in which an employee is working, they may also be covered by an "Award" which sets out further conditions of employment and protections for an employee.

If you believe you may have been underpaid or have any questions about your conditions of employment you should contact the Workplace Ombudsman Help Line on 1300 724 200 or speak to a Unilife Student Advocate.

All work and no play...

Makes Jack a dull boy...

That saying suggests that someone who concentrates on work (or study) all the time, risks becoming a very boring person; and a very bored person.

There are plenty of things going on in the community that are worth checking out. Bring a bit of variety into your life, meet new people, and maybe learn something different.

Here are some current possibilities:

• If you’re interested in shipwrecks, there’s a display at the South Australian Maritime Museum. There are lots of other things to see there as well and it’s just up the new expressway at Port Adelaide.
• For those with skills in art or photography and an interest in the environment,there’s the Wetland Care National Art competition. There are wetlands just up the road at St Kilda, so get out your camera or your sketchpad and head up there.
  
• The Skeptics National Convention is being held at the Norwood Town Hall 11-12 October. This will be a gathering of people who think critically about the claims people make and challenge many of those claims.
  
  
• If you haven’t yet visited the Clare Valley, north of Adelaide, this weekend might be a good time to do it, with the Valley of the Vines Festival on 12 October.
  
  
• It’s also Sleep Disorder Week, so you may choose to do a little more sleeping this week!
  
  

For information about future events and places to go, you might like to bookmark the SA Tourism Commission site and the South Australia Events site.

Mental Health

Did you know this week was mental health week?

Mental health is a serious issue in our community with one in five people likely to experience a mental health problem at some point in their life.

For this reason, the Counselling and Disability teams at each UniSA Campus are proud to support Mental Health Week by providing information and activities between 6 – 10 October.

Please look at the Mental Health Week website for information about mental health and how we can promote it.

Mawson Lakes kicked off the celebrations on Tuesday 7 October with a very successful and tasty BBQ provided by UniLife and Aroma Café. Thanks to all the students who came along and enjoyed the food and drink.

You may also have noticed the Mental Health Week display in the Library foyer which will be running between 6 – 10 October. Please feel free to come and take whatever information you feel is relevant to you or a loved one.

There is information on anxiety and depression including reducing stress, coping with loss and grief, useful contacts, and living with and caring for a person with depression.

Mental health influences everything we do:

• How we think, feel and behave

• The way we relate to other people

• The way we respond to the challenges of life

• How we cope with events such as changing jobs, moving home and missing loved ones, having a baby, retirement, loss of a loved one and physical illness

You are not alone:

• Get help if you feel mentally or physically stressed

• Get involved in your community

• Look out for your family and friends

If you would like to speak to a Counsellor at UniSA about any issues that may be causing you stress please contact Learning Connection at Mawson Lakes on 8302 5006 or pop into the office in the C building (Library).

Further information:

Mental Health Coalition of South Australia

Beyondblue (the national depression initiative)

SANE Australia

Multicultural Mental Health Australia

Auseinet Australian Network for Promotion

Carolyn Donlan
Disability Advisor

Engineering Careers

Careers in Engineering First Year Networking Event

You have enrolled and are nearly through your first year – so what is in store for your graduate engineering career?

Come and find out! Join your engineering teaching staff, our contacts from the profession and Career Services for an information and networking event.

Friday October 17th 12.00 – 2.00pm Mawson Centre

Presentions on Careers in – Mechanical Engineering Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering

Your chance to meet industry professionals and ask alumni about studying and working in engineering. What is the best part of the job? How do you research where you want to work? What can you do while studying to graduate already employed?

Registration is a must at MyCareerPlan – “Events” NB create a registration with your UniSA username and password if you haven’t already.