Time management is very important in tertiary education. Both the lecturers and students have to observe time for the smooth running of the institution. With proper time management, students for example can complete a given task comfortable. Lectures are also very important in tertiary education and for this reason there is the need for both the lecturer and the students to observe time. The essay endeavours to examine the importance of time management and the role of lectures in relation to tertiary studies. To start with, the essay shall explore the importance of time management in the lives of tertiary students. The second part of the essay shall examine the important role played by lectures in tertiary studies.
To start with, time management enables students in tertiary institutions to organise their different activities effectively. Proper time management enables students to balance between their studies and social life. Similar sentiments have also been echoed by Burdess (2007) who argues, ‘balance your non-academic activities with your academic work’ (p. 6). Poor time management by tertiary students may result in overlapping of activities. For example, they may either dedicate a lot of time to their studies or miss out on their social life. Alternatively, students could also dwell too much on social activities (for example, sports) to the detriment of their academic work. As such, such students should learn how to balance between academics and social activities.
In addition, proper time management enables tertiary students to complete their tasks within the stipulated time. Proper time management would also give tertiary students enough time to study, complete their assignments on time, undertake leisure activities (for example, swimming, shopping, and visiting friends), and still create time to study for examinations.
Moreover, proper time management helps tertiary students to reduce stress levels. Those students who are able to manage their time well from the beginning of an academic year are more likely to perform better than their counterparts who are poor time managers. As such, they do not have to rush to complete assignments or revise for examinations at the last minute. This way, they avoid poor academic performance.
Lectures are important to tertiary students since they guide them on how to undertake their studies successfully. Students who attend lectures regularly get the chance to clarify with the lecturer the areas of a given unit that they do not understand. This way, they are not likely to be overwhelmed with a lot of information when completing assignments or sitting for an examination. Lectures also make tutorials easier.
Furthermore, students who attend lectures are also more likely to get additional information that may not be available on the study material. For example, sometimes lecturers provide very clear examples that enable the tertiary students to gain further insight into the subject of study. Also, students can also use these examples when writing examinations. Accordingly, tertiary students who attend lectures regularly may find it easier to study and prepare for examinations.
In conclusion, time management plays a pivotal role in helping tertiary students to strike a balance between on the one hand, their academic work and on the other hand, their social activities. Such students are also likely to attend lectures regularly and as a result, have a better understanding of the different subjects taught. The students are also likely to prepare for examinations adequately, thereby resulting in enhanced success in their studies.
This section examines why ASC 160 is a compulsory subject and to do so, a number of reason have been provided. To start with, this unit has a lot of useful information on important strategies that tertiary students can employ to adopt good study skills. I am convinced that by teaching this particular unit to tertiary students, they are in a better position to learn how to access the right learning resources such as books, articles, and journals, among others.
In addition, the unit also helps the tertiary students to learn the basic skills of writing academic essays and business reports. The unit also acts as a guideline for tertiary students while attending lectures, writing assignments, and preparing presentations. Moreover, the unit also guides tertiary students on how to create an effective group work. In addition, it gives them a few insights on how to pass their examinations. Thus, the unit prepares tertiary students for a good study.
With a good study, tertiary students are in a better position to overcome the demanding tasks often encountered during the first year at the university. The key elements of the unit lay a foundation for the tertiary students to get a better understanding of the higher standards of learning. Tertiary studies calls for the maintenance of the right routine by the students. For example, they must attend lectures regularly and on time, have access to the correct tutorial materials and listen keenly to the lectures. Students who wish to be successful must first organised. In addition, such students should fully understand and appreciate the requirements of tertiary education.
The subject is also very important to tertiary students because it teaches them on the importance of proper referencing. For example, students learn the need to ensure that all sources used in any given assignment are properly referenced, both in-text and at the reference section. Moreover, the unit teaches students on the different referencing styles.
Students also learn the different writing skills. For instance, through this unit, tertiary students are in a better position to distinguish the tone of their written work targeting a given audience Also, the unit teaches tertiary students on the need to ensure that their writing style remains as simple as possible for ease of understanding by the target audience. Passive voice should also be discouraged because as Burdess (2007) notes, ‘The active voice is more informative because it can reveal who is doing what’ (p. 71).
The subject also plays another important role in that it facilitates a smooth transition of students from high school to tertiary education. As Goldwasser (2011) has noted, ‘the transition also involves becoming an independent and, hopefully, responsible adult’. If at all students wish to gain the most from this subject, it is important that they remain proactive while still practicing all the necessary skills to become successful in their studies.
Accordingly, Goldwasser contends that ‘this means being regular and punctual attendance, having all the necessary resources and reading, revising them regularly, listening to the lecturer, taking clear class notes, asking questions, and preparing for lecturers and tutorials’ (Goldwasser (2011).
In conclusion, ASC 160 is a very important unit that helps students to make a smooth transition from high school to tertiary education. It also helps students to enhance their reading and writing skills, prepare for lectures, and read for the examinations.
Reference List
Burdess, N., 2007, Good study, Sydney: Pearson Education Australia.
Goldwasser, I., 2011, ASC 160 lecture note. MIBT, unpublished.