You are here: Learner Development Unit | FAQs
Click on a question to find out more...
Search by Keyword
(or click the button for Keywords instead)
The LDU Reception is based in Room B0.23, on floor 0 in Chesham building. This is where we see students for appointments.
The LDU has been established to help anyone who is looking to improve in their studies.
We work with students of all abilities to help them develop themselves and improve.
Advisers do NOT provide a proof-reading or editing service. We will happily provide detailed feedback on a section of your assignment but will not proof-read your work. Please see our The LDU and Proof-reading. (.doc, 79KB) document for more information about how we can help with proof-reading skills including a link to a list of unaffiliated professional proof-reading services.
The LDU refers to interactions between you and an adviser as a 121 (One-to-one). The interaction is tailored to suit your needs; as such it is highly individual. The 121 interaction may happen in a variety of ways:
In your first meeting with the LDU we will complete a needs analysis, we call this triage. This allows us to decide which adviser you should be seeing and which skills need prioritising. The needs analysis normally takes the form of an `interview' style session where we ask you questions to get to the root of the issues you'd like to work on. Often, we ask you to bring pieces of work in with the tutor feedback attached so that we can go through this with you and occasionally we ask you to complete a diagnostic test. Most of this can be done over the telephone or using e-contact, as mentioned above. This is why we are good at providing support for distance learners at the University. During further 121 interactions, the sessions may take the form of:
It depends on what support and development you are receiving. Our shortest interactions are roughly 30 minutes. The longest a 121 interaction will last is 90 minutes. Any longer than this and the LDU staff know it is hard to sustain concentration and optimise learning. Most clients tend to be booked in for interactions lasting 30-60 minutes.
There's no limit. Some of our clients have one session with us, learn what they need to know, improve their studying and leave it at that. Other people see us throughout their studies at key times only. Many students set up a programme to help them develop much-needed skills. (We call this an Individual Development Plan or IDP.) The programme is monitored and targeted to ensure you are not wasting your time and it does not necessarily have to mean lots of `homework'.
Our advisers use a diverse range of skills to help you to achieve your potential, we:
We employ different approaches to suit your needs. On some occasions you may work with more than one adviser, as our staff specialise in different areas of academic and life skills.
Yes, you can send your drafted work by email to us at:
learner-development@bradford.ac.uk
One of the LDU advisers will respond with brief constructive comments and advice. Turnaround times vary, so please allow plenty of time for a response.
No, there's an excellent Counselling Service here at Bradford. We would refer you to that. Our advisers do listen, however. This means that if you need space and time to talk about something difficult we won't talk over you or cut you short. We'll even support you in contacting the Counselling Service or make a referral for you, if you feel that's appropriate.
Absolutely, our core team of advisers have professional teaching qualifications and a wealth of experience of working with different learner needs. It is important to point out, however, that we are not responsible for testing for dyslexia or arranging official extensions to exam times and coursework deadlines. The place to contact for these issues is the University's Disability Office .
Yes, we keep basic notes about what the adviser covered during each interaction with you. These are not in the public domain and are not freely available to your department. You are permitted to view the notes we keep about our interactions with you at any time, by prior arrangement. We use this basic information to compile anonymous statistics about numbers of students we are supporting and to track our interactions with you so that we are aware of how we have helped you. We may, on occasion, seek your permission to use the information we have on you for evaluation purposes or in collaborating with other University agencies you are using. In many cases we only do this with your prior permission. Please see our information on The LDU and Confidentiality. (.pdf, 80KB) . We work in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998).
Yes, check out our online documentation .
We are currently undertaking a major review of our site to ensure that as many of our resources as possible are available online. This is an ongoing process, please contact us if you need help in the meantime.
We are ideally set up to deal with distance learners as well as on-site students. We can arrange telephone, email, instant-messenger and skype sessions at times that suits you. With notice, this can include weekends and evenings.
If you are a student at the University, there is no charge for access to our services.
Plagiarism/ Breach of assessment regulations
The LDU supports students in referencing, good academic practice and avoiding plagiarism, and we strongly encourage students to contact us for advice in these areas. We also provide support for students who have been found in breach of assessment regulations due to plagiarism, to help them avoid problems in the future. However, we cannot give advice on ongoing cases of suspected plagiarism, that is, if your lecturer/department has suggested that you may have plagiarised in your work and an investigation is in progress. If you find yourself in such a situation, you should wait for the outcome before contacting the LDU for advice. In the meantime, you can contact the Students' Union Advice Centre for advice and support. See (External) http://www.ubuonline.co.uk/content/30585/advice_and_safety/advice_centre/
Academic appeals
The LDU cannot provide a second opinion on work for students who wish to appeal against the marks awarded for an assessment. For support in this process, please contact the Students' Union Advice Centre. See (External)
http://www.ubuonline.co.uk/content/30585/advice_and_safety/advice_centre/
To book an appointment, just contact us by email, telephone or in person and speak to our Information Assistant.
These are taught sessions on a variety of skill areas. They include facilitator input and individual or group activities. More informal than lectures with lots of opportunity to ask questions and talk to fellow participants.
You bring the work and we focus on your questions - there is less structured taught input. Ultimately the content of the clinic is determined by the participants. See our Workshops and Clinics page for more details...
If you miss the LDU Induction talk, you can watch a Video version
of this by clicking on the link below:
(Please note that this link takes you to (External) www.youtube.com )
Reception Opening
(
Term-Time)
:
Mon to Fri: 10am - 2pm and 2:45 - 4pm.
Investor in people
Ecoversity - making sustainability work
Page last modified: Thursday, September 29, 2011
The University is a member of (External) Yorkshire Universities
Please report instances of computer misuse originating from University of Bradford to abuse@bradford.ac.uk - all complaints are investigated fully
Copyright © University of Bradford