LOLS - The Lowdown
We all know that studying at HE level is not the same as studying at school. Regardless of whether it’s an HNC or HND at college, or going straight into the first year of a degree at university, the way subjects are taught – and the way in which students learn – are very different.
LOLS has been put together by partner schools, colleges and universities to help to make moving from school to HE easier for S5/6. It looks at some of the key areas where learning is different, and gives pupils a chance to practice some of the key skills that they’ll need for learning at HE after school.
How does it work?
LOLS is delivered over 4 sessions in school, looking at things like critical thinking (fancy!), developing an argument, note-taking, effective reading and research amongst others.
There’s also a campus visit, where everyone doing LOLS right across Fife and Tayside, will come together. The campus visit includes a lecture which, together with the skills learned in the school sessions, is put to use as participants write an academic essay that is marked by their tutors. Don’t panic though - all of the sessions are backed-up with loads of information on GLOW, where there are also online forums for pupils to keep in touch with tutors.
Who teaches it?
LOLS is taught by student tutors – currently studying at post-graduate level at university. That means that they’re bang up-to-date with what’s going on in their own institution and more importantly – they’re using the skills they’re teaching on LOLS every day.
Laura was a LOLS tutor last year. Here’s what she had to say about her experience:
“It was great being able to build up positive relationships with the pupils each week finding out their aspirations and ambitions and providing them with some of the skills and tips needed to give them a head start at College or University.”
What did pupils think?
LOLS really does help prepare you for HE study. It can also help you with school work. Here’s what a few of last year’s participant had to say about it.
“I think that LOLS had been a good, useful experience. It has taught me more than I knew before about higher education and prepared me for university.”
“The campus visit was great; I enjoyed the lecture and found note-talking easier than I had expected.”
“A few things I learned, like how to reference in an essay, will really help me later in life.”
“I definitely found that I was using some of the skills I learned when I was studying for my Highers”.
LOLS is also credit rated and recognised by local universities and colleges, so it can help to make your application stand out from the rest.
LOLS will be coming to your school in late August or early September - we're looking forward to seeing you there, lovely people :)
Please follow the link below for the full evaluation report of the 2011/2012 pilot
