Starting university is an exciting milestone, but it can also come with new challenges.<\/p>\n
Brock University\u2019s Learning Services team is helping students navigate that transition through two key programs: BU101<\/a> and Embedded Tutoring<\/a>.<\/p>\n BU101 is a free, online non-credit academic skills program that students can complete at their own pace before or during their studies. Modules cover essential skills such as time management, academic integrity, research and writing strategies.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a mature student, going back to school meant learning how to learn while learning course content,\u201d said second-year student Ashley Dawn, who is co-majoring in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies. \u201cBU101 not only helped provide me context to what university learning looked like, but I found myself sharing information I learnt with other students who hadn’t taken a break from academia.\u201d<\/p>\n She said she particularly valued the program\u2019s modules on academic integrity, research and writing.<\/p>\n \u201cI loved that I could take it before school started,\u201d Dawn said. \u201cI would recommend this free course to anyone starting at Brock.\u201d<\/p>\n Through Embedded Tutoring, an academic support designed for specific courses, tutors with subject-area experience work with students on skills such as note-taking, study strategies and self-directed learning.<\/p>\n Faculty can integrate Embedded Tutoring by inviting tutors into their classrooms for workshops, hosting drop-ins in the Learning Centre or arranging review sessions tied to assignments.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the most heartwarming things about Embedded Tutoring is how it builds confidence,\u201d said tutor Sangmitra Madhusudan (BSc \u201925).<\/p>\n Madhusudan said that students often arrive at drop-in sessions uncertain, but leave with a sense of accomplishment and deeper understanding.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s even more special is when they bring friends along and it becomes a collaborative and supportive environment where everyone is learning together,\u201d she said. \u201cEmbedded Tutoring isn\u2019t just about academic support, it\u2019s about showing students we\u2019ve done it, and so can they, and they might even do it better.\u201d<\/p>\n Madhusudan added that creating a welcoming space is especially meaningful to her.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a woman in computer science, it\u2019s especially meaningful to show other women they\u2019re not alone in this field,\u201d she said. \u201cBut beyond that, it\u2019s about supporting every student who has potential and just needs the right guidance to recognize it.\u201d<\/p>\n Fellow tutor Tyler McDonald (BSc \u201925) also said that the program\u2019s biggest impact is the confidence it instills in students.<\/p>\n \u201cThe immediate benefit we, as tutors, often see is an increase in confidence and perseverance from students who take advantage of our services,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cIt really is magical to build a rapport with some students and to watch their confidence and skill rise so quickly, especially if they’re coming from a place of discomfort with the material.\u201d<\/p>\n McDonald said the mutual learning experience is a highlight of his work.<\/p>\n \u201cI start to feel more comfortable with my abilities as a resource for students at Brock, and they start to feel more comfortable with material that they had perhaps written off as \u2018impossible\u2019 at some point,\u201d he said. \u201cThat mutual relationship I can build with students is so infinitely valuable to me.\u201d<\/p>\n As well as BU101 and Embedded Tutoring, Learning Services provides a wide range of academic supports, from skill-building workshops and tutoring to one-on-one consultations. The goal is to help students develop effective strategies, strengthen their academic performance and feel more confident in their studies.<\/p>\n To learn more about Learning Services programs, visit Brock\u2019s Learning Services website<\/a> or reach out via email learning@brocku.ca<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Starting university is an exciting milestone, but it can also come with new challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":104369,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7484,1,4665],"tags":[10507,14830,13898,1819,13842],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104367"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104367"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104380,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104367\/revisions\/104380"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}