Feedback and Assignment Help

Roxanne  0:00  
Hi guys! Welcome back to the UTS Student Hacks.  Today we'll be talking about the feedback and assignment help. I'm Roxanne, I'm in my fourth year of Medical Science and International Studies majoring in Japan and here we also have-

Kelly  0:10  
 Kelly! I'm also in my fourth year of Law and business majoring in accounting. This podcast we're also joined with Lissy Hartmann, who is the Learning Technologies implementation officer from the Institute for interactive media and learning from the UTS LX Lab!

Roxanne  0:26  
Before we get right into it, get some water, fruit and snacks to relax yourself and make yourself feel comfortable.

Kelly  0:32  
So about feedback and assignment help, this is something that I would have really liked to know, especially in my first year and how to actually approach my assignments correctly using the feedback that I get from my tutors and lecturers and using them effectively. One of the services that I used in my first year was HELPS. 

 HELPS is a really good UTS resource which can help you with assignment help, as well as they provide the service of  U:PASS! 

U:PASS is another division of HELPS that focuses on providing extra help on first year subjects. And to really get you on the track of learning how to make your notes correctly and develop good study habits. Roxanne  did you use HELPS before?

Roxanne  1:16  
I did, I used HELPS back in my first year for U:PASS because during first year, it's a very big difference from high school to uni. So when exam season came up, I definitely attended a lot of U:PASS Sessions, met other students in the same subject. And also, if I had any questions that I wanted to ask, it felt more of like a comfortable atmosphere because there wasn't any, it felt like you were talking to another student. So it's very much more comfortable to ask them like "Hey, I really don't get this" and you don't feel shy. 

I also became a HELPS buddy, this buddy program for students, domestic students and international students to have the- like a form to communicate with each other. And if you have someone that speaks a language because my major is Japan, I met up with a couple Japanese students to help that language exchange. So they would help would help me with my Japanese and I would help them with their English.

Kelly  2:07  
Do you still keep in contact with those Japanese students?

Roxanne  2:10  
I do with one(?) but generally a lot of Japanese students they don't use Facebook. And I don't use LINE . So yeah, so we don't really we haven't communicated in a while but I wonder how they're going. 

What about you Kelly?

Kelly  2:31  
Um, besides HELPS I now use Grammarly, because as a UTS student, you get the premium version for free 

Roxanne  2:40  
OH really?

Kelly  2:40  
Yeah. And so I typically use it to do like a final check on an assignment that I have to make sure like, my grammar is correct. I don't have commas in weird areas, making sure my sentences aren't too convoluted things like that.

Roxanne  2:56  
I definitely use a lot of- I used grammarly back. Well, I still use Grammarly now, a lot because of like, just when you're writing such a big essay that's like 2k words or something.  It's like you can easily miss the minor details or how it sounds when you've been working on it for like four hours. So I think it's definitely good. Did you find out through the UTS library page?

Kelly  3:16  
 Yeah, I found out through UTS library and my friends who actually found out that we could use the premium version I gave it a go. And it was really good because you can just upload a document and it will determine whether or not you actually, have written it in academic writing style or you've addressed your audience correctly.

Roxanne  3:34  
Sometimes when I have friends in the same degree subjects I'm like close with, I would ask them to read- like proofread some of my essays or my scientific reports. And generally, I remember for medical science, like the society, they would host study sessions where they provide textbooks for certain subjects. And then with other students who study medical science and other subjects who are similar in the similar degree. They would also help me out with like assignments, some other societies would hold study spaces two weeks before exam season. So members would come into the room every day in two weeks prior to exams, and would study together and usually we would bond over just eating out together, trying to study, catch up. What about you, Kelly? Do you have anything similar?

Kelly  4:17  
Not quite. I just simply used U:PASS a lot in my first year because the subjects that I went to for U:PASS, they had revision sessions during the final stream of STUVAC which they literally go through all the content that might cover in the final exam. And they give you problem questions which I really, really liked. And it was a very valuable resource that I cherish to this day.

 I know there's other resources that UTS has such as MSSC, which is the Mathematics and Science Study Center. I haven't personally used it a lot because my degree doesn't really warrant the use of high level maths or science. I've heard from a lot of students that like do a science background or mathematics background that they use this service quite a bit, it has really helped them understand the content more because they're able to go into more depth, your lecturers and tutors are also a great place to go to for help. And they're the ones that are going to be writing your exams and marking your work. So it's always good to go to them for help, and for feedback.

Roxanne  5:24  
On that note, if you know that you are not able to complete an assignment in time, consider requesting an extension or apply for special consideration. Did you ever apply for extension or special consideration when you had assignment?

Kelly  5:37  
I had to once because there was a group project that I did and one of the students dropped out. And it was like near the deadline. 

Kelly and Roxanne  5:46  
Oh, wow. Okay, yeah.

Kelly  5:47  
 So I asked the thing, I asked my tutor for an extension, just in case, because we were right on track with doing the work and everything, but just in case, we needed extra time. And so ask the tutor, and they were like, yeah, it's fine. But luckily, we did it by the deadline. But it's always good to ask to make sure like the tutor knows, like, okay, your circumstances is slightly different to other groups, right. So that would warrant extra time for you because of your circumstances. But it's always good to ask in advance, have you?

Roxanne  6:18  
I think I've always been afraid to ask just because it does feel a bit intimidating to you know, send that email and be like, Oh, can I have more time but I know, it's more beneficial for me. So after first year, and second year, I tried to reach out whenever I feel like I have too much going on or letting them know ahead like I'm struggling. And generally it does help with a sense of relief that you have the extra time just in case you actually need it. So I definitely agree with that.

Kelly  6:42  
If you want to apply for an extension or get special consideration. The details are usually listed out in your subject outline, which should be on canvas or Blackboard, you should be able to email your lecturer and tutor the email should also be in the subject outline. And you can just email them for extra info or tell them about your circumstances and how you could approach this assessment task. We're also joined with Lissy today who has more of an insight of how to deal with feedback and where to get assignment help. Lissy, take it away!

Lissy  7:14  
Thank you so much for inviting me. Yeah, so I've already been introduced. My name is Lissy. I've just recently joined the LX Lab last year. I've been studying at UTS before, so I'm an alumni now. And my degree was basically a master's in science also with an honors degree. And yeah, I graduated in 2020. 

Kelly  7:33  
Cool! So we'll start off with one of the first questions What is feedback?

Lissy  7:38  
So feedback, I think it's important to keep in mind that it's not just a singular moment in time, but it's a process. So you would get feedback, and then you would action on it. And then you would get feedback again. So it's more like a loop, as opposed to just one moment. And I think it's very important to note that it's a common thing in our lives like feedback happens all the time. We're just not overly aware of it. Because it comes natural to us. It's just like a learning process we've incorporated in our life so well that we don't really realize anymore, that it's feedback. And only when someone says, oh, let's give feedback to other people, you kind of freak out. But I guess for me, the most important thing to keep in mind is that there is nothing to be scared about. And it's just this kind of feedback mechanism to help you improve.

Roxanne  8:27  
Though you said you were a student - how did you deal with feedback when you were student at UTS?

Lissy  8:32  
yes. So at UTS, that was my master's degree. So I've been able to encounter all kinds of different feedback, some better, some worse, but it just, I guess, a learning curve. So by the time I started my degree at UTS, I was fairly okay, with just accepting that some feedback is not perfect. And, just keeping in mind that it's not meant as like personal offense, and that you just want to keep like, this open mind and just take it and then 

Sometimes I just try if I can't- if I thought that I  couldn't handle it at that point in time, just write it down, keep it in mind, step back, talk with friends. Revisit it a couple of weeks later, maybe when you've gained some distance to your own work and to the feedback itself, and then just look at it again. And sometimes it becomes just so much clearer. Just because emotions are a thing, right? And it's- it's important to not see it too emotional. And sometimes that just takes time. 

Kelly  9:35  
Do you have like a feedback horror story that you have, or a time that you just couldn't deal with feedback?

Lissy  9:41  
Yeah, I guess I don't have the specific reason or assignment anymore, but I still remember the feeling so well. And it was just something I had worked on for hours and hours and hours and I was super confident about what I'd done and I loved what I done. Basically, I got it back. And everyone was like, ah, why did you do this? Like, this is wrong? This is weird. You shouldn't have done that the expectation was different. Why did you do this and that and that. And it's just, I guess, the most soul crushing feeling that everyone probably knows. Because you're so happy about what you've done. And then other people just think that you haven't achieved what you were supposed to be doing. And I guess that is like one of the horror stories where you just need to take a deep breath. And yeah, I think I was super hurt at the time. But looking back at it, I learned a lot. And I can see what happened and how it happened. But it took me a couple of looks at the feedback and looks at my work to realize what they actually meant with it. And then I was like, oh, okay, I see.

Kelly  10:45  
Yeah, I've had that feeling. When you spent hours on it. And this is the feedback you get. Moving on from that, is there like a certain way students should take when receiving feedback?

Lissy  10:55  
Similar to what I said, it's important to keep in mind that feedback is supposed to be like in this environment anyways, it's supposed to be something that has a professional level. So usually people wouldn't give you feedback just to hurt your feelings or to diminish you or belittle your work. It's usually a grounds of that there is room for improvement, which is not meant as a main thing, it's just that there is ways how you can improve your work. And the way that you will find out about that is that someone gives you feedback, and then going from there, it's very important to look at the feedback you've received, and actually how you can incorporate these comments into your next work.

Roxanne  11:40  
Was there any resources that you recommend students to seek with further feedback or any that you used yourself when you were a student?

Lissy  11:46  
There is definitely a lot of resources out there. I think UTS students have access to LinkedIn learning. So there is definitely some resources out there. If you don't want to go LinkedIn, there is some YouTube channels. As always, Google is always like the internet. We spend so much time there and there is obviously better and worth resources out there. But for example, if you're looking for grammar advice, there, what I loved using is just Grammarly, because there's so many teeny tiny errors I would make or punctuation errors, or just like any other complicatedly writing something that could be so much simpler. So I use that a lot. I think that especially is really nice for non native speakers. So that helped me a lot other than that UTS provides like AcaWriter, automated AI feedback kind of thing. I haven't personally looked at it myself have to admit that, but I know that it exists. So that is definitely maybe something you could look into. Talk to friends and peers that have been going through the same thing or maybe that have done the same assignment.

Kelly  12:59  
A question that's kind of not on the same course. But should students ask for early feedback on things like a first draft, even if like, the subject hasn't required the student to do that?

Lissy  13:11  
I guess this depends a little bit potentially on your faculty on your school, or maybe even subject coordinator or tutor individually, how they want to handle things like that. What my approach is, and I have to admit, that was just my approach in my master's because of my bachelor's, I was terrified, I would never ask any questions. I was like, Oh, I don't want to seem like dumb or stupid or just uninformed or anything. I was terrified. 

But then eventually, during my master's, I was like, You know what, I'm just going to ask, no one will like, it doesn't hurt to ask. Right? So I started doing that. And then usually, I guess, they will tell you individually if they can provide you feedback, or if they will not, depending on their guidelines individually. If you have a question, just ask because you will not be judged for too long, rather than if you don't ask and you'll never find out.

 I still remember from my undergrad where I used to be terrified. I couldn't they were these mystical creatures that were all knowledgeable and he was just like this tiny little student. But in the end, usually everyone wants you to grow. So yeah, just have the confidence to ask and it'll workout.

Kelly  14:27  
Thanks for joining us, Lizzy. it is really helpful, especially learning about that AI software that can actually like give you feedback. That's something I I learned here today. That's really cool. It was lovely having you here.

Lissy  14:42  
Thank you so much. That was great.

Kelly  14:44  
If we get anything from this episode, there are a bunch of UTS services to help you get through that assignment. And go get that free premium and Grammarly. 

Roxanne  14:52  
Thanks for listening if you want to check out any of our other previous episodes, there are on our website and other sites like Spotify. A Special shout out to UTS startups as always, for allowing us in the podcasting space, you should really check out UTS startups as they have an amazing range of resources. Don't forget to join us for our next podcast. 

Kelly and Roxanne  15:10  
Until next time, see ya!

Transcribed by https://otter.ai