Educational methods

The education at Hasselt University consists of 2 key components:

1. contact moments
2. autonomous learning

Most programmes combine lectures and practical sessions, both on-campus and online. Attend all your classes and practical sessions, even if they are not mandatory.

• A professor teaches in front of a (large) group during a lecture. Lectures can be on campus or online. There can be (a lot of) interaction between professors and students, depending on the group size and the setting.
  
  Tips during a(n) (online) lecture
  • take notes since the professor might teach subject matter that is not in the PowerPoint or the textbook
  • if you have questions about the subject matter, ask them
    
    
• Practical sessions, known as ‘work meetings’, ‘practica’, etc., are primarily organised in smaller groups. You will learn to apply and discuss your course material during practical sessions. The setting is informal, and the teacher expects active cooperation. You will look for solutions for problems or exercises, and group discussions might occur. Students are encouraged to ask questions.
  
  Tip: prepare for your practical sessions
  If you have a practical session coming up, prepare for it.
  Check your Blackboard a few days in advance to know what your teacher expects.
  You might have to
  • prepare exercises
  • do a reading assignment,
  • send in your questions.
  • …

There’s more than attending lectures and practical sessions. Hasselt University has a unique approach to learning: guided by study instructions from the professors, you can study the subject matter more or less autonomously.

The following skills are indispensable to be successful in an educational system that includes autonomous learning:

Self-regulation

Since you have to take charge of your learning process, self-regulation is an essential skill in autonomous learning.

And here’s some good news: you can self-regulate your learning!

• Check the self-regulation cycle at a glance (Infographic)
• Become a better self-regulated learner via this step-by-step plan (website)

Are you suffering from a lack of self-discipline?

• Develop self-discipline with these tips (video, 9’)
• 14 ways to boost your self-discipline (Infographic)
• Start by setting reasonable goals (video, 6’)
• Transform your plan into an ‘if…then…plan’ (website)
• Let’s get motivated (video, 4’)

Critical thinking

Reflect critically on what you are learning, on the information, ideas and arguments you hear and read.

Tips & tricks to apply critical thinking:

• Don’t assume every academic judgment is correct, but evaluate how strong or valid it is
• Recognise possible weaknesses and notice the implications behind a statement or argument
• Analyse all the information (sources, data, etc.) objectively and make a reasoned judgment or find a solution to a problem
  
  
  • Find out what critical thinking looks like (Infographic)
  • These strategies help you think critically (video, 2’)
  • Learn everything about critical thinking (website)

Academic writing

Academic writing is essential to your study at Hasselt University since you must write academic papers for some of your courses, not to mention your master’s thesis.

Tips for academic writing:

• Writing a paper takes time, so careful planning is essential. Don’t postpone the writing work until the last week before the deadline.
• Make sure you know the exact objectives and evaluation criteria.
  Reread the assignment before you start.
• Gather literature, e.g. scientific articles, via the university library (on campus or online). Read through the texts and research and select the main ideas.
  Create links between articles and create new ideas.
  And remember: It is essential to think critically about everything you read.
• Beware of plagiarism. You can’t just copy-paste the work of other authors. If you do so, even accidentally, you plagiarise. In that case, the examination board will decide on your penalty, ranging from getting an adjusted grade to being excluded.
  So, rephrase or synthesise other authors’ ideas and use references.
  
  
  • Read more about how to avoid plagiarism (website)
  • Write an academic paper via this step-by-step plan (website)
  • This list summarises six features of academic writing (Infographic)
  • The features of academic writing explained (video, 10’)

Teamwork

Some courses include group assignments, which means you need teamwork: you’ll work constructively with fellow students towards a common goal.
Your grade can be based on the product but also (partly) on the process (e.g. by peer assessment).

Tips on teamwork:

• Make sure every team member understands the assignment ahead.
• Write a detailed plan on how to complete the task.
• Get to know your group members: what are their strengths?
• Divide the different tasks among the group members, which saves time.
• Set short-term deadlines and evaluate the individual work regularly in the group. Don’t be afraid to adjust the plan if needed.
• Turn to your lecturer if you are having difficulties in your group.