Learning Support
We offer a wide range of learning support options to all our students, whether they are based on campus or studying with us online.
You can access our services via the experienced Learning Advisors in the Learning, Teaching and Library team, who provide support in key areas, including:
- Effective learning
- Academic writing
- English language for academic study
- Information literacy
- Mathematics and statistics (undergraduate)
- Postgraduate statistics
- Thesis and dissertation research and writing.
Support available
Our learning support services will enable you to:
- Develop learning strategies to cope with the variety and diversity of learning environments at university.
- Generate your own self-directed learning skills during non-contact hours, including skills to learn effectively when your course is taught online.
- Use effective learning principles to develop good study habits and implement weekly and semester study timetables.
- Listen effectively in classes and online, including lectures, tutorials, laboratories and field trips.
- Create useful notes from texts and lectures (both in person and online).
- Select and apply appropriate strategies for different reading purposes.
- Make effective use of the Akoraka | LEARN course page tools for learning.
- Deliver a competent and coherent oral presentation.
- Work effectively and collaboratively in groups on group assessment tasks.
- Develop revision techniques and programmes.
- Use appropriate examination techniques.
Need help getting your thoughts on paper for an academic audience? We can help you to:
- Identify the range of academic writing genres required in written university assignments.
- Identify the generic features of academic writing.
- Identify a variety of effective writing processes.
- Analyse writing tasks.
- Select and apply appropriate techniques to plan and draft specific written assignments.
- Produce a well-structured text in the genre required in your specific discipline.
- Appropriately incorporate the work of others into your own writing.
- Correctly use referencing conventions.
- Identify and apply the features of a clear, concise writing style.
- Revise and edit your own written drafts.
If English is not your first language, you can get help with your academic English language skills to enable you to:
- Communicate fluently and confidently in the academic environment.
- Improve the accuracy of your academic language use.
- Identify specific features of academic expectations and communication in a New Zealand university environment and learn how they differ from those in other languages and cultures.
- Develop learning strategies to continue your language development independently.
You can also find out more about studying English at Lincoln here.
If you need help to find and evaluate information, we can assist you to:
- Analyse a research question for core concepts and information needs.
- Make effective use of technical tools such as databases.
- Evaluate and reflect on the value and suitability of discovered materials.
If you want to sharpen your numeracy skills, we can develop your skills in:
- Using the correct terms and symbols, basic concepts, processes and calculations required in your area of study.
- Identifying and using the correct process to solve relevant problems in your area of study.
- Working independently on mathematical and statistical problems.
If you are a postgraduate student, support is available to help you:
- Identify correct statistical procedures to solve problems in your field of study.
- Input data ready for analysis and correctly interpret the output results in statistical packages.
- Generate graphs suitable for data analysis and presentation.
If you are writing a thesis or dissertation, we can help you to:
- Manage time effectively through short and long-term planning.
- Select appropriate strategies for managing information, including using bibliographic software.
- Use Office tools effectively for complex documents.
- Select from, and apply, a range of effective writing processes.
- Produce a well-structured text in the genre required in your specific discipline.
- Write clearly and concisely for a range of audiences.
- Revise and edit written drafts.
- Deliver an effective conference paper.
Accessing our support
Learning support comes in many shapes and sizes, depending on the nature of the assistance you require. Our services are available face-to-face and online.
Learning, Teaching and Library
The LTL website provides access to a host of online resources. For instance, you can:
- Take advantage of our real-time chat facility, Ask Live, where questions are promptly answered online by the available Learning Advisors.
- Access an unlimited number of workshops via general or course-specific workshops. If fully booked, repeat workshops, or an appointment can be arranged.
- Make an appointment with a Learning Advisor, either online or face to face, or drop in at a designated time.
- Get advice on writing and submitting your thesis.
- Find out how you can ace your assignment.
- Learn how to use APA referencing.
The Postgraduate Toolbox (PDF) provides postgraduate students with a wide array of resources and support. It is a programme that focuses on professional development in academic, research, communication, employability, and personal skills that are very important to know about while completing your studies.
Skills for Success programme
The Skills for Success programme is designed for students from the Diploma of University Studies and will help to ensure that you reach your full potential with personalised support in a range of areas.
- Receive tutoring in academic writing and reading, maths and statistics, science, business and economics and Māori studies.
- Develop study skills so that you can make the most of your time, decide what to focus on first and discover which learning strategies work best for you.
- Get help with assignments and learn what is expected, discover how to break large tasks into more manageable chunks and understand how your assignments are graded.
- Receive general guidance including course advice, becoming familiar with university processes and knowing where to find information and other resources.
Peer-assisted study sessions (PASS)
Peer-assisted study sessions are voluntary revision meetings associated with our core first year courses. They're facilitated by students (called PASS leaders) who have successfully completed the course.
PASS leaders do not reteach content, but are trained to plan and facilitate activities that help you to find answers yourself.
The sessions provide a fun and informal peer-led study environment.
On-campus support
Drop in to L003 (Ground Floor, Ivey Hall) Monday-Friday 10.30-11.30am or any other designated times to meet and chat with a Learning Advisor.
Off-campus/online support
Make an appointment to chat face-to-face or online via Zoom to a Learning Advisor.
Support for Māori and Pasifika students
The Learning Advisors work closely with the Māori and Pasifika team to provide learning support for Māori and Pasifika students. In addition to the variety of services described above, we can tailor workshops and appointments to your needs, including offering sessions in Te Whare.
Support for international students
Apart from the many services described above, we can offer sessions tailored to meet the needs of international students, whether you have just arrived on campus, have been studying with us for some time, or are beginning online study. The Learning Advisors work closely with the International Advisors to help you to succeed.