EduLinks – Communication Special

EduLinkz 

ribbon & hearts

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all.  Today, six links that all deal in one way or another with communication (starting with flirting).  I’ve found out some interesting info through these articles and I hope they’re just as useful for you.

1.Time – Why We Flirt

[We do it even when we don’t want to.  A lot of it goes on in universities.  Some of us use flirting as a primary communication tool.  Some of us only use it when we’re uncertain.  Time Magazine explains all the whys for us on this special day.]

2. Times Higher Education – The art of asking

[Universities in the UK have generally found it difficult or embarrassing to ask Alumni for donations toward the institution they used to study at.  But as each year passes, the liklihood of being asked is increasing.  In a few years time, you may get used to being asked what you can do for your former place of study.  If you had the money to spare, would you choose to give back to your university?]

3. International Herald Tribune – To influence strangers, try a subtle form of mimicry

[There have always been a minority out there who are masters of influencing others.  Their clever copying tactics can win over all sorts of people, without those people even knowing about it.  If you’re not part of that minority, this piece in the IHT should give you some clues on how to join the club of the persuaders.]

4. Dumb Little Man – Stop Talking and Start Communicating

[Combine mimicry with true listening and understanding and you may think you’ve become a different person.  The brilliant thing is that all these techniques are free and pretty easy to build into your everyday actions.  And in caring about others, you’ll do better caring for yourself too.]

5. Communication Reports – How High Self-Monitors View Their Romantic Relationships

[Undergrads and their romantic relationships, huh?  A socially skilled high self-monitor is someone who is “particularly sensitive to the situational appropriateness of his or her social behavior and who uses these cues as guidelines for [regulating and controlling] his or her expressive behavior and self-presentations”.  Yet it sounds like high self-monitors find it more difficult to keep long-lasting relationships going.]

6. New York Magazine – Learning to Lie

[Fantastic: “The music had sounded like a ball.  The ball sounded black and white.”

Looks like clever kids lie the most.  And they get it from their parents.  How much do you knowingly lie?]

Marketing, Universities & You

I don’t know how you chose your uni, but it was probably based on a number of issues, including (and certainly not limited to) in no particular order:

  • Location
  • Word of mouth/current student opinions
  • Promotional Literature
  • Subject you wish to take
  • Campus facilities
  • Availability/Quality of accommodation
  • Nightlife
  • League Tables
  • Student Surveys/Opinions
  • Guide book ratings
  • Size of uni
  • Number of students on particular course or in chosen school
  • Predicted grades

The list goes on…you get the point. The choice probably wasn’t simple.

question_mark (photo by svilen001)

The Guardian Higher Education Summit heard from the Shadow Secretary of State for Universities, David Willetts, on Tuesday. He suggested that more detailed information about courses should be given out to the ‘Facebook generation’ such as: information about crowded seminars and tutorials; details regarding the amount of access students get to lecturers; further detailed stats for students to choose their ideal sounding uni as easily as possible.

I can’t see how even more information will make a difference. It’s already a confusing minefield. There are conflicting reports depending on which university guide you read, which league table you refer to, which independent student report you rely on, which…

It won’t matter how much info is out there. In my mind, there are two major variables in obtaining info for choosing universities:

  1. The Marketing
  2. The Potential Students

Marketing is different for every uni going. Even the Student Unions around the country make a song and dance about totally different issues…from huge entertainments plans and fundraising opportunities through to better student rights and better access to tutors. Nothing is clear cut.

As for the universities themselves, their marketing departments don’t all come to the same conclusions as each other. If they had uncovered the special secret to attracting students, they’d all behave alike. As we know, that’s not the case.

And the uni websites…? Some are easy to use and full of relevant information, while others are frustrating and out of date, or worse, bare. Others are more like an advert than a true idea of what’s going on. It’s enough to drive a potential student bonkers.

That’s the second variable. Some potential students are enthusiastic to the point of obsession and won’t stop until they’ve heard the same piece of info from several alternative sources (e.g. prospectus, independent uni guide, and online student forum).

On the flipside, other candidates will break into a sweat at the prospect of simply sticking a pin randomly into a list of institutions.

Either way, an individual is unlikely to find the degree course of their dreams just because they’ve read a few books and asked a few questions.

And this doesn’t even go into the arguement of ‘uni is what you make it’. That’s a whole debate in itself.

Neither does it cover all of you who used Clearing to find a course and a uni. The Clearing process is potentially separate from the initial applications to specific universities via UCAS.

The fact that information is now regularly shared over the net can only be a good thing in my mind, but not something that can be emulated by an official approach. It’s the truly direct and independent approach that gives a further idea of what’s going on. It might not all be accurate and unbiased, but the same could probably be said for some of the published info out there. Even official statistics can be tainted by protest votes, completion by only a certain type of person, and out of date reporting.

There is no surefire way of finding the university of your dreams. You can try your best and get close, but even then it’s uncertain until you’re there.  And even if one place feels superior to everywhere else, there isn’t usually a guarantee of acceptance. When rejection takes place (or not enough UCAS points are attained), many new choices have to be made.

That’s my piece over, now it’s your turn…

How did you choose your university? What would you advise potential candidates now? Is hindsight a fine thing, or would it have made no difference to your choices? Are you applying to unis at the moment yourself?  How are you making your choices?  Do you agree that more information should be available. If so, what?

Which Athlete of Learning Are You?

A degree is about an individual’s work.  You know that your modules aren’t run as a competition between others.

Accepting that inconsistency, I wondered what it would be like if everyone’s study methods could be compared to athletic runners that you see in the Olympics and suchlike.  Here’s what I came up with:

The Sprinter

photo by je1196

 – As soon as the questions are set, you’re off and away.
 – You want to get the work done as quickly as possible.
 – You see no reason to dwell on things.  What comes to you first is usually what works for you.
 – You give it your all in a short burst.
 – The euphoria of finishing first is great.  A huge hit of happiness when it’s handed in.
BUT:
 – Be careful you do consider all angles.  Slow down at the final stages and seriously consider what you’ve achieved.  Is it enough?  Have you missed out on a particular argument/working/explanation?
 – Do you have a backup plan if your sprint isn’t enough?  Giving up should not be an option.

The Long-Distance Walker

Walking

 – You take in a bigger picture as you slowly survey the surroundings.
 – The focus is often on style and research and consideration.
 – Getting the words on the page comes a lot later.
 – You pace yourself strategically so you can speed up just a notch when it’s necessary.
BUT:
 – Are you confident that the determined walk won’t turn into a relaxed stroll?
 – By considering so much, you risk running out of time and missing that finishing line completely.

The 1500 Metre Runner

photo by Suicidal

 – You are organised in your approach.
 – Different styles come in handy at different stages.
– You consider the options and don’t like to miss out on an opportunity.
– You use reasoning and consideration to stay one step ahead.
 – If possible, you like to see things objectively.
BUT:
 – Do you have the pace to catch up if you’re caught off guard?
 – When you’re in a situation that has more than usual to consider, do you prioritise and keep an eye on the most important factors?  You can’t do everything at once.

The Hurdler

photo by mzacha

 – You thrive on small challenges along the way and try to keep them uniform.
 – If you stumble along the way, you pick yourself up and keep going.
 – Sometimes you clear all obstacles without thinking about it…other times, you’re close, but it’s all part of the plan.
 – Even on the uncomplicated straight moments, you are focused and ready for the next challenge.
BUT:
 – Would a series of difficult challenges tire you out?
 – Crashing down too many hurdles could bog you down.  Are you ready to adapt your pace to suit the hurdles?

The Marathon Racer

photo by Ian Wilson

 – Each task is a quest.  You’re in this for the long haul.
 – You seek a balanced approach to your work, splitting things up in short chunks of time.
 – You are determined to seek out the facts and gain knowledge from many sources.
 – The motivation for you to keep battling until the very end is high.
 – You look to others and seek to make the most of their skills to benefit your own work too.
BUT:
 – Have you got the power to make a properly crafted sprint finish when it’s needed?
 – Can you modify your approach halfway through your marathon session if it’s not working as you’d planned?

The Cross Country Runner

photo by billac

 – You have a variation of styles and an ever-changing approach to your work.
 – It doesn’t matter if you go off track once in a while.
 – You adapt to the situation, sometimes finding more ideas, sometimes increasing your written output, sometimes reading new texts, sometimes working with others.
 – When steeper hills are up ahead, you take time to watch your pace and work accordingly, so you don’t get tired.
 – A plan is mapped out in your head before the task begins.  You’ve learned where you have to go and how you might tackle more problematic areas.
BUT:
 – Do you have the stamina to keep on until the bitter end?
 – Do you have the right mindset to appreciate the varying conditions?  Not only do you need to adapt, but running off the well-worn path can be intimidating for some.  How would you cover this?

The Pace Maker (best not be one of these…)

photo by szlea

 – Speedily completes all the initial work.
 – Shares enthusiasm with others in the first instance.
 – Drops away just as things are getting exciting.
 – Lacks the stamina after the first flourishes and simply gives up.
BUT:
 – What do you mean ‘but’?  Giving up is already no good.  Thinking further, it looks like Pace Makers and degrees don’t mix!

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What do you think of these suggestions?  Do they fit?  Can you think of any other possibilities?

10 + 2 Keys to Success

 The Key To Your Success (photo by Clearly Ambiguous)

It’s just like in business.  By following certain keys to success, you can greatly improve your lot.  Working toward a degree needn’t be a slog and it should be fun.

While reading various tips to success from top businessmen, it becomes apparent that they are good tips for life in general.  So you can use this same advice toward succeeding in your degree and beyond.  Here are 10 keys to success that are consistently mentioned by those at the top:

photo by danzo08

1. Put the work in/Work hard – This is pretty obvious, but we all need reminding from time to time.  You won’t get anywhere if you sit around and wait for everything to magically finish by itself.

2. Do your best, then aim for better – Doing your best is great, but that doesn’t mean there’s no scope for improvement.  When you know what your best looks like, consider what you can improve.  Target areas that were (constructively) criticised by tutors, marked lower than you would have liked, or structured in a way that no longer look as good in your mind.

3. Keep at it (practice makes better…and better…not perfect) – Tiger Woods doesn’t stop practicing his golf.  He may be bloody good, but there’s no such thing as perfect.  One of the secrets of many successful people is not that they were true overnight successes…they actually put in many years of practice before establishing themselves in the public eye.  So the more you work on something, the better you can master the necessary skills.

4. Don’t be complacent – It’s a big mistake to ‘get by’.  Just doing enough might feel like a good balance, but it’s not enough.  I have first-hand experience of this and it was my biggest issue when at school (all those many years ago! 😉 ).  I don’t regret what happened, because I learned not to be complacent again.  Sometimes we just have to learn the hard way before it sinks in!

5. Have the courage to change – There are several human blocks that hurt more than help, yet they are regularly used to make life feel easier.  Crazy.  One of those blocks is the resistance to change.  Routines and comfort zones feel so safe, but they end up getting us nowhere.  Plus, we look around and see more successful people and grumble about that too.  One of the reasons for the success is no doubt down to embracing change.  If something isn’t working, do something else.  When a process can be improved, make the alterations with pride.  How do you get whatever you want?  You adapt until you find a way to get it.

6. Let go of fear – Another blocker.  When you fear, you don’t give it your all.  When you fear, ambition fades away.  When you fear, success is trampled over by negative thought.  You don’t need to be cocky to be ambitious and you don’t need to be arrogant to reach your goals…A lack of fear is the beginning of confidence.

7. Failure doesn’t mean losing – If at first you don’t succeed, try TRY again.  We learn from our mistakes, which are plentiful.  You’re not alone in getting things wrong.  You’re not an idiot.  The most successful of people often fail just as much (or perhaps more) than they succeed.  But they learn lessons, they pick themselves up, and they move on.  Whatever does turn out a success more than makes up for the past failures.

8. Stress out and relax…in equal doses – Full-on stress is clearly a bad thing, but it’s just as bad to chill out non-stop.  To make the most of a project, you must push yourself beyond what you already know.  Learning isn’t always cosy, but that shouldn’t make it less fun.  With some intense focus, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t surprise yourself.  And once that push results in achievement, it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy a well-earned break.

9. Be open, be warm, be friendly – Whatever your mode of study, there’s more to be had from it when you consider others and treat them as you would want to be treated yourself.  Even if you’re usually a lone worker, there are still occasions where you need to ask questions or you have to interact with staff.  The more you can engage with them on a friendly level, the more you should get out of them.  A big part of success is getting people on your side.

10. Take some risks – It feels good to play it safe, but it’s pretty exhilarating to take a risk.  Well, that’s as long as you’ve considered the risk and you don’t just blindly go forth into dark and scary lands.  If you’re just reaching out to danger for the thrill and danger, you’re on your own mate!  But sometimes the risk is about either improving your lot a great deal or taking a minor setback that can easily be recovered from.  If the potential advantages outweigh the disadvantages (and it’s not completely outlandish, natch), it might be time to take that risk with a smile and a skip in your step.

photo by danzo08

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There are 2 other keys that don’t particularly rely upon your input, but are worth thinking about:

  1. Sometimes you just get lucky – Success can occur when you least expect it.  Sometimes a half-hearted effort turns out to be pure genius and you’re hailed a hero.  While congratulations are in order, don’t expect this to be the case and don’t bother too hard trying to work out how to emulate this fluke success.  If we could all do that, we’d all know the answer by now.  Although you could try to make your own luck…
  2. Sometimes other people just get lucky – All that hard work you put in to something may end up getting you nowhere special.  Then someone else comes along and strikes it lucky without even trying.  Again, you won’t be able to emulate that success.  And it’s certainly not worth dwelling upon.  You’ll get your fair share of success if you follow the 10 keys set out above…