UK Teaching and Education

UK education has a reputation for excellence, and most international students in the UK highly rate the quality of teaching they receive. For example, in the survey Tracking International Graduate Outcomes (2011, BIS), 88% of international graduates said they were satisfied with their learning experience. In the HE Academy Postgraduate Taught Experience survey of UK postgraduate students, 93% rated the quality of teaching positively. When you begin your studies, you might find that UK education methods are different to what you are used to. On a UK course, you are likely to be given great freedom to explore your own ideas and to be creative. You may be expected to do your own research or work in groups with other students for some projects. UK education is very interactive too – you won’t just be listening to your tutor all the time. Your tutor will encourage you to share your ideas and may organise activities, such as debates, discussions and quizzes. The idea is that by having fun and getting involved, you will learn more successfully. This way of learning might feel daunting at first, but you should receive lots of support from your tutors, and with a little time we hope you will soon feel at ease. Don’t worry if you feel shy – a lot of people in the UK are shy too so you won’t be alone! But your teachers should make sure that everyone feels at ease. If you are going to study at further education or higher education level, we recommend that you visit thePrepare for Success website. It’s a great resource that gives you lots of information about what classes and teaching in the UK are like, and advice on how to succeed. Another useful resource (particularly if English isn’t your first language) is Writing for a Purpose, a set of materials for higher education students. It gives information about the types of written assignments that UK universities and colleges will ask for, exercises to help you write in the right style, and examples of successful work by other students.

‘You have to be able to structure your studies yourself, and being passionate about your course is a big help. Having less contact with teaching staff was a shock for me after 13 years of school in Norway, but it was also a relief. You have more time to focus on what you want and find out what works for you.’ – Marie Storheim Grongan, Creative Writing with Journalism at Kingston University