Revision

So it's that time of year again... Exams! I thought I would give you an insight into my revision 'tactics' and you are more than welcome to use them! At school, when you come to an age that you need to be revising, teachers bang on about different ways to remember things. That's great but I know that I personally didn't find it that useful. Here are some things that I have used in the past, I not saying that this is the only way to revise, it's just what I found best for me.

1. I don't make a revision schedule - I could never stick to it because life is too changeable and it just made me feel bad when I didn't. I take it day by day, plan times that could be used for revision and then revise what ever subject I feel like doing (sometimes because it's the easiest, sometimes because I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing) at the time. 
2. I can't do the 30mins revision and 10min break - so I don't! I always felt like I was just getting into the flow of things and then the alarm would go off for a break, and then I found it harder to get going again after. I tend to revise for as long as I can, whether that's because I stop for dinner, training or because I've had enough. Some stints can be an hour, others have been 4 hours - but the 4 hour one didn't feel like it because I had found my rhythm.
3. I start my revision by learning the keywords (I study mostly science type subjects) - this way I know i have a basic knowledge and can then build everything else around it. Plus if there is an obscure question on the exam I will know the keywords and can make an intelligent guess if I don't know the answer.

Here are some techniques I have found particularly useful - you can do them the old fashioned way with coloured pens and paper but I want to introduce revision to the 21st Century! I have found some apps that have really helped with my revision, and because you still have to input the information yourself, it's just like writing it out.


Mind Maps:

There are plenty of mind mapping programmes out there that you can try, either free downloads or ones that you pay for. I personally use SimpleMind FREE which I downloaded from the app store (or here http://www.simpleapps.eu/simplemind/). It syncs with my iPhone and iPad so I always have my revision with me on the go. This is quite good if you are waiting around and instead of checking Facebook/Twitter (which we all do) I open the mind map and have another look.

I like this because you can use colours, make connections and link things together and you can print it so there is always the option of sticking it to the wall or back of the bathroom door!





Flash cards:

Again there are lots of programmes out there but I use Flashcards by NKO which was FREE in the app store. I like this because it syncs with my iPad and iPhone, it's on my dropbox and you can create lots of different decks for different subjects. You can also invite friends to join the decks, so you can create them together and compete against each other!

It has the option to use it like regular flashcards or play games, such as true/false, match the pairs up, memory tasks, word searches, spellings, quizzes but you can also have it read the cards to you - which is great if you drive because you can plug in and do revision on the go!


Quizlet:


This is similar to Flashcards above and has all the games type features and sharing capabilities. I originally found it online at: https://quizlet.com and I created an account. You can also access decks created by others so for example, if you wanted to revise the bones of the body, you could search for this and use someone else's cards. Teachers can also set up accounts and use it as a starting base for their students revision and everyone could access the same decks and add to them - which is a great class revision homework type task!

Those are the main three things I tend to use but I also like to revise in a small group or pairs, where someone asks me questions or I describe the word on the card and they have to guess what it is. I also don't mind helping other people out by going over things they don't understand as if I can teach it to someone then I know that I know it!

1. Start early - the earlier you start the better prepared you will be. Even if you just make up your cards and haven't looked at them, you'll know the bits you will struggle with and so can spend more time of them.
2. Have a positive attitude - revision is not the most fun, especially as the weather gets nicer, but we all have to do it at some point in our lives so just get on with it. Taking a positive attitude towards it will just make it that little bit easier to start.
3. Be honest with yourself - if you're not doing enough it's ok to admit, but then you have to do something about it! If you are so stressed that you can't stop revising then maybe a tick list would be good for you - you could check off 3/5 topics a day and then stop.
4. Have an overview of the subject - I write a list of topic areas and the subheadings within those. This way I know what I need to revise, where I am and I know I won't have missed anything.
5. Talk - Revision and exams are stressful times! Talking to friends, family and teachers about how it is going, and being HONEST about it, will really help! If you are struggling that's ok to admit. Use the support network around you to help get you back on track. Keeping quiet won't help your revision and will increase your stress levels, and that won't help either!

Open Days!

Open days are a great way to get to know a University, whether you have already selected your choices or you are still looking at different possibilities, they give you
an insight into life at that Uni.



What is an Open Day? 

This is a day where people are welcome to attend to familiarise themselves, friends and family with the Uni. It provides advice with regards to the course you are interested in, what the accommodation and facilities are like and about services provided by the Uni.



What happens at an Open Day?

I have attended several open days and they tend to follow a similar format. At some point during the day there will be a campus tour, a visit to the accommodation, a visit to the sports facilities, a visit to the library,  a chance to speak to staff and potentially students who are specific to your course, a chance to discuss student finance and maybe a few talks on various subjects. Some faculty specific open days provide 'introductory lectures' so you can get a feel of how lectures work at the Uni. 

What do I need to do?

Firstly check to see if you need to book onto an open day, and if so do it.

Then turn up with a list of questions you would like answering - this may be through various talks, visits or by asking staff/students directly.

Make a note of the answers to your questions somewhere because you are bombarded with so much information that you won't remember everything!




What questions do I need answering?

Here are a few to get you started, but they are individual to you:

• What do you look for in a personal statement (Course Specific)?
• What is the UCAS tariff for this course?
• What have previous students gone on to do after graduating?
• Am I guaranteed a place in Halls if I apply for one?
• Do most students stay or go home over the weekend?
• How much do Halls cost? What does this include?
• What's the town/city like?
• (To students) How has the course been so far? What has the teaching/support/facilities been like?
• (To students) What is the best and worst thing about Uni?
• (To students) How do you manage money?
• What sports teams and societies do you have?
• What bursaries/scholarships are there available and how do I apply for one?

Want more information?

Visit the Universities webpage, search for them on twitter and facebook. 

There is some really useful information on UoB here: 
http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/oe/ug/visit which may answer some of your questions. 

BUCS Wednesdays!

Warming up and checking out
 the competition

Wednesday afternoons are traditionally kept free for University sport. BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sports) is the national governing body for Higher Education sport and have a league in which Universities enter teams for numerous sports. Universities can enter more than one team for each sport and you can find more information about BUCS on there website here: http://www.bucs.org.uk/.

Team Talk Tactics

Most Wednesdays I have a badminton match for the University. We play in the Midlands 2B league and compete against other Universities, playing each twice in the season, once at home and once away. You can search for teams at all institutions and can narrow the search down by gender and sport here: http://m.bucs.org.uk/mSearch.aspx.  

Action Shot!

University is a good time to try new things and joining a sports team could be one of those things! Try some new sports, Ultimate Frisbee, Canoeing and Korfball are among a few I can think of that most people will not have have the opportunity to experience at school. One of my best friends at Uni is a Basketball player who tried Korfball for the first time at Uni and was scouted at an event to go and train with the GB Korfball team! So you may just find the sport for you by trying new things!

Another Action Shot!

Our team has a tradition that we all meet for ‘Brunch’ in town before a home game on a Wednesday. It’s a great opportunity to get to know people, socialise and eat some good food! ‘Away Days’ are notorious for being full of banter, bus games and generally a good laugh. We often have to leave in the morning for afternoon games and will share a coach with another Uni team going to the same venue/nearby venue. Last week we travelled to De Montfort in Leicester with the Men’s Football 3^rd and 4^th teams. There was music, silly games and competitions all the way there and all the way back! It was awesome, the journey went really quickly and we got to meet some new people who I otherwise would probably have never met.

Next Wednesday is VARSITY so I shall be blogging about that! I’ll do my best to get lots of photos from different sports to show you and possibly some video footage! 

Tips for Sport Degree related interviews!

Lots of people will be coming up for interviews as part of the UCAS process. There are lots of sports related courses out there so here are a few tips for University interviews generally and then for a couple of specific sport course types:

Interviews:

1. Be Early - This ensures you have time to familiarise yourself with the environment and reduces stress, so hopefully you will perform better
2. Dress smart - even if there is a practical element, take your kit in a bag to change into (unless you have been specifically told otherwise)
3. Smile - Be positive, happy and look interested. In the first 6 seconds of meeting someone they will have an idea about whether they are going to offer you a place or not. This is unfortunate but use it to your advantage. 
4. Practice - Draft a list of questions you think they may ask and write down answers for each one, with examples. Get someone to do a mock interview with you. This way you will feel more prepared and comfortable in the actual interview.
5. Don't be afraid to ask questions (on a tour of the University Campus or when invited to ask questions at the end of your interview are good times). Make them relevant but most of all LISTEN to their answers! They could provide insider information that you could use later on!

PE/Coaching:

• Know what the difference between 'PE' and 'Sport' is - they are not the same thing! "Pedagogy" is a good buzz word - look it up and see if you can incorporate it. 
• Know the National Curriculum - What it is now and how it has changed from the previous edition
• Get (or plan to get) experience working in a variety of schools/coaching contexts with a range of ages and activities. This will provide you with lots of examples and will show you are proactive.
• Don't talk about one specific sport - incorporate a range of sports, physical activities and other hobbies to show that you are not a 'one-trick pony' and can transfer skills. 

Sport and Exercise Science:

• Find out what facilities the university has - environmental chamber, cell lab?
• Know some types of performance testing and what they are used for (e.g. VO2 max, Wingate)
• Find out about what areas the Lecturers at the University are researching (Check the University website under staff)
• Know what types of jobs you could do with a Sport and Exercise Science type degree

There is lots of information out there about interview techniques but these are a few 'insider' tips that I don't think you'll be told elsewhere! If you have any specific questions please don't hesitate to comment and I will do my best to answer them!

Commuting...

I don’t live at University; I live at home and commute in. There are many advantages and disadvantages of this but I thought I would talk you through my thinking process when deciding where to live whilst studying at Uni.

Benefits of Living at Home:

• You know who you are living with, their habits, mess and their cooking abilities
• Meals are cooked for you (not always), and cost of food is split.
• Washing machine facilities are in the house – no dragging clothes to the laundrette
• Heating! (although in Halls this isn’t really a problem!)
• I could continue with my activities outside of Uni

Disadvantages of living at Home:

• Traffic - Rush hour traffic is a pain! You will devise several different routes to switch
  
  between just to keep the drive a bit more interesting.
• Sleep - Get used to having to get up earlier, you don’t have the option of rolling into lectures in your PJs!
• Social Nights out – You have to find somewhere to stay overnight, but once you have made a few friends I’m sure there will be a sofa you could sleep on!
• You don’t get to meet new people as easily – there is a wealth of life experience that can be gained from living at Uni that some people really value.

I’m sure you can think of more and specific things that apply to you in your own situations. For me it was a no brainer – I knew I wanted to live at home and commute in. It works really well for me, I don’t feel like I miss out on anything, and if I want to go out I crash at a friend’s house and then drive home the next day.  I think I have the best of both worlds, but it’s not for everyone.

Here are my top 3 tips to consider when deciding whether to live in or not:

1. How will you be commuting? Car, Public Transport? Easy route? Lots of transfers between trains/buses?
2. How long will it take? Remember to double this for 9am starts and 5/6pm finishes! Are you really going to be ok getting up at 6am, leaving the house at 7am, getting home at 8pm (or 11pm like I do after team training) to then have to drive back the next morning?
3. How much will each option cost? Remember to compare the finances of your options as this may help your decision.

     Here is the link to the Beds Accommodation: http://www.studentvillagebeds.com/ 

               Have a look and decide for yourself! 

The Student Juggling Act...

Here I am setting up the course!
It was freezing and really windy
 - don't let the blue
sky make you think otherwise!

This week I have been balancing working, studying and socialising – and I think I have done pretty well! Uni contact time has reduced from first semester as I have completed 2 modules completely, 1 will be done in March, another in April and then I only have 2 modules left which finish in May. This is quite good for me as I find studying whilst the weather is good really difficult, so the fact that I can get outside and work to make some extra cash is nice!

This week I have been helping to run an orienteering scheme called Xplorers (http://www.xplorer.org.uk/ for more information if you are interested), which has been funded by Central Bedfordshire Council and is free to the public. The summary of my job involves following a map to set up the course in a local park area, inviting people to take part and then handing out certificates to those who complete it. It’s great when it’s busy and the weather is good but not so much fun for me when it’s cold and wet! Here are a couple of photos of me setting up the course.

Good hiding spot!

Socialising and leisure have been balanced nicely; I have played more badminton, sung with my choir and chilled out with friends. I have packed for my cycle this weekend in the Isle of Wight, and it looks like I’ll be away for months with the amount of stuff I’ve packed “just in case”, despite being away for 2 days. The making and eating of pancakes has featured this week – my favourite being strawberries, raspberries, golden syrup and chocolate honeycomb bits – yum! (Sorry no photo – it wasn’t on the plate long enough!) I am not sure how but I have also managed to squeeze in watching the whole first series of Glee (yes, not for everyone but I love the musicality) which I believe totals approx. 16 hours. Not sure h

Another card...

ow I managed that, but nonetheless I’ve had a really productive week of studying too!

I’ve planned two assignments; I’m more than half way through one and will probably finish it next week, I’ve completed my core readings and tasks for the week and begun planning and reading for my dissertation! Very successful week I believe!

My Top Tips for Balancing Student Life:

1.      1. Organisation – Have a diary, either written down or, like me, do it electronically so that it syncs with all your devices. This way you are less likely to double book yourself!

2.       2. Planning – Plan everything! When you’re working, or at Uni, travelling times, when you can do your readings, sports – literally everything. This way you can use your time effectively – for example if I have 10mins spare, when I have travelled more quickly than expected, then I open one of my readings for the week and utilise the time.

3.       3. Sleep – Always make time to sleep! I cannot function with a few hours’ sleep, and the more often you do it the longer it will take to get your body back into a rhythm. Your body needs sleep to recover, physically, mentally and emotionally so don’t scrimp on it!

Work Hard, Play Hard!

Books, Badminton and Bike rides...

This week has been fairly relaxed after the stress of assignments and exams finishing last Friday. The main focus was on thinking about dissertation ideas, doing a bit of reading around and trying to come up with something that I am interested in – well enough to write 10,000 words on! I am due to meet my tutor later today to talk through some ideas, so I'll let you know how that all went at some point!

This is the Alexander Sports Hall (Students call it ASH) where
 the Uni Badminton teams train

Badminton has been a big feature of the week, combining training and matches I have played for at least 2 hours a day. The reason I love to play so much is because it’s a sport that can be played leisurely with friends or at high intensity and speed in competition! The Uni team this year is comprised of people who have not competed in badminton before and so training and matches has really improved their game play and tactical understanding. It’s really good to have people from different sporting backgrounds on the team too because it means training can be mixed up a bit to keep it interesting; people often bring new ideas to the table which means we have a laugh even when we are training hard.

Not even halfway!

Bike rides have been another key theme this week as I am currently training to cycle the circumference of the Isle of Wight for Charity (which is happening next Saturday – ahhh!!) and so I have been out practising for that! It has been a challenge but I feel pretty much ready for it now. I have found that for me the key is in the breathing, which sounds odd but has really helped improve my stamina and power output – especially uphill!

Pause for a Selfie!

As I said previously, it was an unusually quiet week, but plodding along has been a well-deserved rest! Next week is half term (although at Uni we don’t get half term) and I am working on a children’s camp, whilst still attending my sessions at Uni. So the plan for the blog next week will involve balancing life, Uni and Jobs and, hopefully, I’ll have some good stories to share from my Explorer Camp!

Introductions

Hi! My name is Steph, I am a second year Sport and PE (SPE) BSc (Hons) student studying at the University of Bedfordshire. I originally chose Bedford because of its locality but also the phenomenal history and reputation of PE education. I am thrilled with my choice! My course offers a wide range of topic areas from sport sociology, physiology, psychology and, most importantly to me, pedagogy (combination of teachers/teaching, learners/learning and knowledge in context). The SPE course offers in depth and current knowledge of these areas across all years, particularly in pedagogy, which the department prides itself on. They use lots of different techniques of assessment, not just essays, but podcasts, blogs, presentations and practical tasks so if you're not one for writing essays there are plenty of opportunities for you to show you know your stuff! 

The staff here are incredibly supportive, active in research and genuinely want their students to achieve their best. The SPE department are also keen to integrate technology in the classroom which I have found really helps my learning and remembering of content. 

I also currently captain the Women's 1st Badminton team. Sports teams and societies are great ways to extend your social network, learn new skills and challenge yourself. This has been one of my favourite parts of University! Another favourite part are the practical sessions for my course - I have learnt how to play ultimate frisbee, how to make cross country running more engaging to students and some non-traditional games. 

However, my favourite part so far has been the science internship that I completed last summer, working on a PhD project, in the sport science labs. I learnt so much spending time in the labs and the paper is now going to be published in an academic journal - with my name on it! This is particularly special for me as I would like to pursue a career in academia and research. 

The next coming weeks are looking quite good. I have completed a few modules now as we are now in the second semester and so I have less contact time, which means I can get cracking with the dreaded dissertation. But I genuinely can't wait! I have a few ideas in the pipeline at the moment, which I am sure I will share with you in future blogs, but I need to read the literature surrounding my area of interest first before ideas can be cemented. 

Please follow me on Twitter @stephwhite121 where I often get involved with various PE related discussions and tweets! My blogs won't always be written, I may try a VLOG or podcast, so if you have a preference then get in touch.  Let me know if there is anything specific you would like to know about and I shall make sure I cover it in a blog, otherwise... Speak to you next week!

On the other side...

Lessons, after school clubs, meetings…its different doing it from the other side. Having dreamt my whole life of being a teacher it is good to be putting that dream into action. There is never one day in the week that is the same. There is always variety, new experiences and new lessons to be learnt. The weather has been a bonus towards the end of this week and it has meant that all outdoor lessons; Athletics, Tennis and Rounders can go ahead. Yesterday I delivered my first ever Javelin lesson! I was so scared to start off with; Year 10s (most of them bigger than me), health and safety and delivery all being aspects on my mind. I survived! Safety being one of the best parts of the lesson…phew!

It is great to see learners achieving their potential and the best thing is that it happens when you least expect it, often giving children that avenue to explore, a new experience/sport can be a real form of motivation and a huge boost that they need. There is also a lot of paperwork that comes with teaching, PE or not, lesson plans, unit plans and evaluations to name but a few. The last couple of weeks I have struggled with this a lot and it certainly needs determination and commitment in order to succeed. Observations by experienced teachers have also been vital in my development. I look forward to the remainder of this placement and seeing more learners achieving their goals.

 

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”-Nelson Mandela.

Exploring new heights

Hi all, things have certainly been hectic lately and the workload is continually increasing with exams and assignment deadlines approaching for my course, before I embark on my School Experience placement  in April. Which I am really excited about!

Last week we had the chance to undertake a new and exciting activity that forms part of some new research being done by our University and other Teacher Training institutions around the country. This is known as “Pedagogy of discomfort” and the aim is to challenge trainee teachers to be out of their comfort zone. Both Psychology and Dance have been combined through Rock Climbing. Below you can see a photo of me on the climbing wall we have here in Bedford. The session was so much fun with music playing, a real team effort and trying to show some moves whilst climbing up the wall. It was fair to say I had a few pulled muscles afterwards but it was worth it and I am looking forward to seeing the research develop over the next couple of years and having the honour to be a part of it.

I am finding the motivation and concentration hard at times and it can be difficult to stay focussed, especially at this time of year, but I am content in the fact that it is in my challenges that I grow the most.

“Move out of your comfort zone, you can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

Hide and S(W)eek!

 Hi all, this week has been exciting and I have thoroughly enjoyed some new adventures. This morning we spent our practical O&AA (Outdoor & Adventurous Activities) class outside in Bedford Park; Geocaching! For those of you who haven’t heard of Geocaching, it is referred to as a “real-world treasure hunt.” It’s like a huge game of hide and seek, hence the tittle. There is said to be about 6 million active Geocachers’ worldwide. It was great to explore the outdoors and there are many caches hidden just within a few hundred metres from campus- there is bound to be ones near you too, I urge you to have a go, its great fun. We thought about how we could incorporate this activity into our teaching, but it is also fun for all the family. Attached are some photos of our finds, the GPS system we used and the signed log book.

This week has also been great for my Swimming progress (that’s where the ‘W’ comes from in the tittle.) For those of you who read my previous blogs you may know that when I arrived at University I wasn’t a strong swimmer, it wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy it- I love water, I just never had the access. I have made it my goal to improve over the 4 years undertaking my degree and so far…it’s going well. This week I received my grade from the Synchronised Swimming assessment we did in January and I got a (B+) this is such an achievement. Maybe by year 4 I can reach that grade A. I attended my weekly improvers’ class with a lot more motivation, knowing the hard work is paying off, and swam 12 lengths. This is a working progress but I am determined to improve. There are certainly many new opportunities here at UoB and I am enjoying learning more about myself in the process.

 

“Everything seems impossible, until it’s done!”-Nelson Mandela

"OPEN" a new chapter...

Hi all, my week has been very hectic! I have had numerous assignments due in and have found the approaching deadlines pressurising but they are now all submitted, until next month, so it is now time to focus on my exams before I go on placement in April; my favourite part of the year! I am enjoying the new units on my course; we did “Jitterbug” in Dance today which was thoroughly enjoyable and last week I was in an Outdoor Adventurous Activities (OAA) lesson where I found myself climbing up the side of a bench which was only held up by fellow students, about 10ft in the air, and standing on the top, arms out to the side, without support- I love a good challenge and adrenaline rush! I also enjoyed the Christian Union Society this week, we have had a great time exploring faith and fellowship on campus and we are continually growing in numbers which is great to see.

OPEN a new chapter…by this I am meaning new opportunities and new beginnings. For those of you hoping to study here I would say come along to an open day. If I am honest, I never had chance to attend an open day here- the distance from home was a little too far during the time I wanted to go, I was however quite fortunate in the sense that for PE QTS you have to attend an interview day and during this time I got a tour from a current student who was undertaking the same degree, this was very informative and vital. This is not true for all courses so I urge you to come along if you can and gain a real sense for the campus and surrounding area, after all you will spend 3/4 years of your life here. I wish I did attend. Recently I became a Student Ambassador here at the Bedford Campus and part of my role is to give tours around the campus especially on open days. I have now seen how valuable a tour can be, and how valuable an open day can be, it gives you a chance to speak to current students, ask questions that you may not feel comfortable asking staff members and you will certainly get an honest insight into life here.

Come and explore and have a look around and remember:

 

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”- Lao Tzu.

 

"YOU CAN DO IT!"

Hi everyone! This is my first blog so I just want to say hello and I hope the New Year has started well for you all. A new year means new challenges and new experiences and for those of you that have applied to come to University that is exactly what you will get. I have enjoyed my start to year two and the hard work has kicked in significantly since the beginning of January. I think back to two years ago when I was sat in your position, awaiting confirmations and interview dates- I was so nervous! The thought of having a new life, a new place to study, living away from home, meeting new people…the list goes on! It is certainly a strange transition period in your life but one you will always remember. What was preparing for University like for me? Enjoyable and time consuming.

So much energy and effort goes into preparing your personal statement on UCAS, waiting for offers and confirming places and sorting out your student finance and in the next few months you will just want to leave college, enjoy summer and look ahead to University! There is so much to look forward to but be patient and stay focussed on them A levels/BTECS in the meantime. YOU CAN DO IT! and you will achieve whatever you set out to achieve and there will be a course out there that is perfect for you.  

Three words to sum up my course so far:

·         Challenging

·         Developmental

·         Exciting

Undertaking a PE degree is physically and mentally demanding and here at the University of Bedfordshire it allows for a time of growth and development whilst giving you an opportunity to explore different elements of PE, new and exciting sports that you may not have done before and it helps in working towards a more physically active lifestyle. One highlight of mine in the last 3 weeks is Synchronised Swimming! As a non-swimmer the prospect was daunting but ended up being thoroughly enjoyable and one of the best things that I have ever done. Our group assessment was just last Monday and we chose the theme “The Great Escape” I was hoping to truly escape when I heard the assessment task but then I realised that I have to achieve my grades so this was all I could think of! I did it! WE did it as a group and we ‘escaped’ safely having performed a 3 minute Synchro routine. This is just one example of how you can reach new depths; excuse the pun, and how you can enjoy all the new experiences that being a student will give to you. I hope you are all confident with the choices that you make and remember “YOU CAN DO IT!”

(We didn't quite look like this!)