Get Ahead Live Events

September 2022

‘Get Ahead’ is an engaging online platform aimed at giving you the best possible start to university life and study.

Before your courses begin, we will be offering a series of live online sessions on the Get Ahead platform to help you prepare for University. The events are free and there is no need to book. Make a note in your diary and access the event a few minutes before the start-time.

To access our events:

  1. Go to Blackboard via: https://vle.aston.ac.uk/
  2. Login using your Aston username and password
  3. Select ‘Courses’ from the left-hand menu
  4. Search for, and select, ‘Get Ahead at Aston’
  5. In Get Ahead, select 'Enter Live Events' from the left-hand menu
  6. Then, select the event title from the list. (Access to the event opens 15 minutes before start time).
GA1: How to get the most out of your lectures

This session will introduce you to the main purposes of both live and recorded lectures and some practical strategies for getting the most from them. Main areas covered:

  • Preparing well for lectures
  • Engaging effectively with lecture content
  • Making useful notes to aid your understanding
  • Creating quick and easy resources to support your revision and exam preparation
  1. Tuesday 6th September, 11:00-12:00 BST
  2. Thursday 8th September, 15:00-16:00 BST
GA2: Writing at Postgraduate Level

For Masters (MA / MBA / MSc / MEng) students, this session introduces you to the key features and expectations of postgraduate level writing. You will develop your core assessment criteria which will prepare you for your upcoming studies.

  1. Tuesday 13th September, 15:00-16:00 BST
  2. Wednesday 14th September, 11:00-12:00 BST
GA3: Get organised for your studies

Taking an organised approach to your studies can save you time in the long run. In this session, we will explore:

  • Using a study planner
  • Effective workspaces
  • Creating a filing system
  • Assignment planning
  1. Thursday 8th September, 11:00-12:00 BST
  2. Monday 12thSeptember, 15:00-16:00 BST
GA4: Thinking critically

This session will unpack what it means to engage more critically with your subject(s) as well as providing you with practical tips and resources to help steer your thinking in more critical directions. Main areas covered:

  • What we mean (and don’t mean!) by ‘critical thinking’
  • The different types of critical thinking you will be expected and encouraged to engage in
  • The relationships between critical thinking and objectivity
  • Practical strategies help you engage more critically with your subject(s)
  1. Tuesday 6th September, 15:00-16:00 BST
  2. Thursday 15th September, 11:00-12:00 BST
GA5: Key academic skills for International students

This session provides advice for how you can improve your Academic English, both in preparation to study as well as during the academic year. Questions and discussion about this topic will be welcomed.

  1. Wednesday 7th September, 10:00-11:00 BST
  2. Thursday 15th September, 12:00-13:00 BST
GA6: Demonstrating the process of writing an academic research paper

Are you curious about how to write a research paper at University? In this session, an example topic is used to model the process - from understanding the task, to finding sources, to drafting the text. Active participation will be invited in this informal workshop.

  1. Wednesday 7th September, 12:00-13:00 BST
  2. Friday 16th September, 10:00-11:00 BST
GA7: How to read more efficiently

This session will take you through how to read research articles efficiently. Main areas covered:

  • Expectations for reading at University
  • How to take a selective approach to reading
  • Using an efficient reading strategy for academic journal articles
  • Creating useful notes when reading
  1. Friday 9th September, 15:00-16:00 BST
  2. Monday 12th September, 11:00-12:00 BST
GA8: Communicating with confidence at university

This session will help you feel more confident about communicating with lecturers and fellow classmates when you begin university. Informal discussion will be encouraged so feel free to bring any questions or concerns. Main areas covered:

  • How communication at university differs from school
  • How to develop different types of professional communication
  • Examples of effective emails, presentation techniques, and more
  1. Thursday 8th September, 10:00-11:00 BST
  2. Wednesday 14th September, 12:00-13:00 BST
GA9: Tips for writing at University

This session introduces you to the key features and expectations of academic writing at University. You will developp your core assessment criteria which will prepare you for your upcoming studies.

  1. Tuesday 13th September, 11:00-12:00 BST
  2. Wednesday 14th September, 15:00-16:00 BST
GA10: Order of operations, percentages and fractions
  1. Monday 12th September, 13:00-14:00 BST
GA11: Trigonometry
  1. Tuesday 13th September, 13:00-14:00 BST
GA12: Rearranging and solving equations
  1. Wednesday 14th September, 13:00-14:00 BST
GA13: Fractorising
  1. Thursday 15th September, 13:00-14:00 BST
GA14: Getting to know the Careers Service

This webinar will introduce you to the Careers and Placements Team at Aston. It will focus on the wide range of support and resources available, how to book appointments and employer events through our online portal, Aston Futures, and how to access software through the Careers website that will help with psychometric tests, interviews and more.

We look forward to meeting you!

  1. Tuesday 6th September, 13:00-14:00 BST
  2. Tuesday 13th September, 10:00-11:00 BST