UK University Learning Culture

In this guide we will look at the concept of culture shock (i.e., the feeling of living in a place that feels very different from home) and ways to cope with it. We will also look at the most common types of teaching and learning formats used at Abertay University.

You may have experienced culture shock when joining a new community such as a new school, university, team, or club. You may also have experienced it when travelling abroad or studying in a new country. Both home students and international students are likely to experience some form of culture shock when they begin to study at university. However, this is a perfectly natural response to a new situation you find yourself in. There is nothing wrong with you, and what you are experiencing is completely normal.

In an article by University of Adelaide College, culture shock is described as experiencing a common set of symptoms in up to five stages. Some of the most common symptoms you may experience during these stages include:

• Withdrawal (staying in your room, avoiding contact with others)
• Feelings of vulnerability, anxiety or helplessness
• Sleeping a lot or tiring easily
• Depression, loneliness and distrust of others
• Suffering from body pains and aches
• Longing to be back home
• Irritability and frustration with local ways of doing things
• Experiencing ‘information overload’
• Having a heightened concern for your health
• Overcompensating to try to ‘fit in’
• Being overwhelmed by even small challenges
• Shyness and insecurity
• Boredom
• Having second thoughts about why you moved
• Feeling lost

However, it is likely that you will only display some of these symptoms as everyone is different. Also, your symptoms may change as you progress through each of the ‘five stages’.

Learning environments are places where people learn. The One Education Group describes these as physical spaces which include classrooms, schools, or workplaces; virtual spaces such as digital platforms; and blended spaces that combine both physical and digital elements. In its blog: Teaching style in the UK: what makes British universities unique? the most common teaching and learning features are described as follows:

Teaching style

The teaching style in British universities is student-centred which means that the focus is on the individual student’s learning experience. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their own education and are provided with the resources and support they need to succeed.

Small group tutorials

One of the unique features of the UK teaching style is the small group tutorial system. These tutorials usually consist of a small group of students and a tutor who is an expert in the subject area. Tutorials provide students with the opportunity to ask questions, discuss ideas, and receive individual feedback on their work. This system allows for more personalized learning and encourages students to engage in critical thinking and debate. It also provides students with the opportunity to develop their communication skills, which are highly valued by employers.

Independent Study

Another key aspect of the UK teaching style is independent study. Students are expected to take responsibility for their own learning and are provided with the resources and support they need to succeed. This includes access to libraries, online resources, and academic support services. Independent study allows students to explore their interests and develop their own research skills. It also prepares students for the demands of the workplace, where they will be expected to take initiative and work independently.

Critical thinking

Developing critical thinking is an important aspect of the teaching style in British universities, and it is a skill that is highly valued in the workplace. Critical thinking is the process of analysing and evaluating information to form a judgment or decision. It involves questioning assumptions, identifying biases, and considering alternative perspectives. Critical thinking is essential for making informed decisions, solving complex problems, and developing innovative solutions. 

Developing critical thinking skills is essential when studying for a degree in the UK as it enables students to approach complex ideas and theories with confidence and develop their own unique perspectives. Additionally, critical thinking is highly valued by employers and is essential for making informed decisions, solving problems, and developing innovative solutions. The teaching style in UK universities encourages the development of critical thinking skills through small group tutorials, independent study, and assessment that encourages analysis and evaluation of information to potentially obtain higher grades.

Please see our Abertay Study Skills guide to Critical Thinking and Analysis

Assessment

Assessment in British universities is varied and includes exams, coursework assignments, presentations, and research dissertations. This allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in different ways and provides them with the opportunity to receive feedback on their work. The assessment process is rigorous, and students are expected to meet high standards. However, the emphasis is on helping students to improve, rather than simply grading them. This approach fosters a growth mindset and encourages students to take risks and learn from their mistakes. 

Good Academic Practice

Plagiarism is a serious issue in UK universities, and students should be aware of its consequences. Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work without giving them proper credit. This can include copying and pasting text from a source, paraphrasing someone else’s work without citing the source, or using someone else’s ideas without acknowledging them. 

Avoiding plagiarism is important for several reasons. Firstly, it is a breach of academic integrity and can result in disciplinary action, including failing the assignment or even the course. Secondly, it undermines the purpose of education, which is to develop students’ critical thinking and analytical skills. Finally, it can have serious consequences for a student’s future career, as employers value integrity and ethical behaviour. 

There are several ways to avoid bad academic practice when studying at Abertay university. Firstly, you should read the Abertay Study Skills guide on Good Academic Practice followed by the Abertay University Code of Student Discipline: Academic Misconduct to fully understand the potential consequences of plagiarism. Secondly, you can access a wide range of support services available at Abertay. Please see the section below on Help and support.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the teaching style in British universities is unique in its focus on student-centred learning, small group tutorials, independent study, and varied types of assessment. This approach provides students with the resources and support they need to succeed and prepares them for the demands of the workplace. 

The Sticky Campus

The term ‘Sticky Campus’ is a phrase which has emerged from Australasia where the idea is to create an environment where students will want to come to and to stay. Abertay is proud to follow this model as ‘the University should not be seen as simply a place where students come to for formal classes and then leave, instead it should be somewhere they can study in private or in groups, relax, meet their friends, grab a coffee etc.’(Robertson, 2016).

Lectures

In a lecture, lecturers usually speak to a large group of students for a fairly long period (usually about 50 minutes) and students are expected to listen and take notes if required. In most cases the lecturer will use some kind of visual support such as PowerPoint slides, to enhance the content of the lecture.

The purpose of a lecture can often be to provide students with information, or explain ideas, that they will need to complete a coursework assignment, or may be tested on. However, in the UK and at Abertay, the main purpose of a lecture can be to give an overview of a topic or issue, to create a starting point for students to read in more detail on specific aspects of that topic or issue.

Some lectures might follow the development, over time, of thinking on a particular issue or phenomenon. In others the lecturer might present, analyse and evaluate a range of different current perspectives on an issue or phenomenon. In the sciences a technique or procedure might be demonstrated in a lecture, and students expected to apply that technique or procedure in some practical work they have to do. In all these cases, instead of memorising the content of the lecture, the students are expected to go away and do more learning related to the lecture.

Study programmes at Abertay usually include a reading list which students can find on the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) with a range of useful sources to help them complete their assignments.

Online lectures and lecture recordings

Study programmes at Abertay sometimes include a mix of in-person lectures (which you must attend) and online lectures recorded by your tutor which you watch by yourself through the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). This is called blended learning and is a style which is becoming more widely used in UK universities. These recordings are intended as a resource you can return to, for example, if you want to check your understanding, or if there’s something important that you forgot to note down.

Watching and listening to a 50-minute lecture on video, and understanding it, can be very demanding. However, if you are watching a lecture recording, you can learn at your own pace by pausing and replaying parts of the video. You can also split your viewing of the video into separate parts according to topics and take breaks in between.

If your tutor / lecturer doesn’t automatically record their lectures, you can ask for permission to make a recording on your phone or other device. They will sometimes give permission – but you must ask.

Small and personal class sizes

You may find that at Abertay your tutorial class sizes will be small which means you will have the opportunity to ask questions, discuss ideas, and receive individual feedback on your work. Indeed, an article by studyin-uk.com: Five Reasons to Study at Abertay University  says that ‘Abertay University is proud to keep its classes small and give personalised experiences to the students. It focuses a lot on students’ satisfaction and their overall development. At Abertay, you are a name, not a number, and you are given more time to discuss a matter. The campus is not as crowded, meaning students can engage in discussions with lecturers more frequently’.

Students as partners in learning

The teaching style in British universities is student-centred which means that students are encouraged to take an active role in their own education and are provided with the resources and support they need to succeed. At Abertay University, the Learning Enhancement Strategy describes its pedagogic philosophy as ‘founded upon active learning and providing our students with opportunities to put into practice theoretical knowledge gained. Students are considered partners in programme design and learning opportunities and we expect all our students to engage in their own learning and take full advantage of the learning opportunities provided to them by the university’.

Reflective practice

Reflective practice was something which developed in disciplines such as teaching, medicine and social work as a way to learn from real life experiences. However, over time many other areas of academic study have adopted the principles of reflective practice. At Abertay, students are often asked to reflect as part of their graded assignments or coursework. Your tutor may give you an exercise where you have to think about a topic in relation to your own experiences or you may have to reflect on something as part of a general essay question or a group work project.

Use of Generative AI tools

As an Abertay student, you are expected to undertake research and identify resources to support your learning. The Abertay approach is not to prohibit the use of some Generative AI tools used to enhance your work. However, you should always read your assessment briefs carefully to find out the tutor guidelines on using AI as in some cases, it is not permitted. You should also consult the Abertay Study Skills guides on Generative AI as these can help you to:

• Use Generative AI to enhance your writing,
• Critically evaluate AI for misleading information,
• Acknowledge the use of Generative AI in your coursework
• Reference use of Generative AI in your academic work.

While GenAi tools can be valuable aids to critical thinking and analysis, they should not be used as a substitute for your own critical thinking, creativity and effort. We want to encourage you, if you use them, to do so only in ways that are effective, and demonstrate Good Academic Practice. At Abertay we want to hear your own ideas and for your own voice to be within your assessments.

At Abertay, all assessments submitted via the VLE (Visual Learning Environment) are scanned by Turnitin. You will receive a (plagiarism) ‘similarity score’ which is visible to the student as well as a Turnitin AI Detection Tool score which is non-visible. It is therefore important to read the Code of Student Discipline: Academic Misconduct  before deciding to use any AI tools to enhance your work.

Important note: If you are in any doubt about how to use Generative AI in your work, please firstly contact your module tutor / lecturer. Secondly, you can also contact the Learner Development Service at Studyskills@abertay.ac.uk  to request a confidential one-to-one appointment with a Learner Development Advisor.

Task 1

Here are examples of five different teaching/learning formats with 21 descriptor sentences below. Test your understanding by matching the sentences to the situations. Note: a sentence may describe multiple teaching/learning formats but try to choose the situation that each sentence best describes. An answer key is provided at the end.

Task 2

Here is a table with some of the most commonly used academic terms you will hear used whilst studying at a UK university. Match each term with its respective definition. An answer key is provided at the end.

Task 2: Answer Key 

Both home students and international students can easily experience culture shock and the symptoms that are associated with it. Remember that this is a perfectly natural response to a new situation you find yourself in, particularly if you are living away from home for the first time and / or have moved to the UK from a different country. There is nothing wrong with you, and what you are experiencing is completely normal.

• SEZ / Advisory Service

If you would like to talk to someone about any personal issue, you can go to the Student Enquiry Zone (SEZ) in the Library (Level 1). Someone will either be able to help you immediately or will put you in touch with the Advisory Service who offer confidential, non-judgmental support and guidance to students facing a wide variety of challenges.

• Counselling and Mental Health

Counselling is an opportunity to explore issues that concern you without judgement. The Mental Health Nurse Advisor also provides confidential advice and support for students who have a diagnosis or enduring mental health condition. The Counselling and Mental Helath support service offer a free and confidential service to all students.

• Abertay MyWellbeing App

The Abertay MyWellbeing App has been designed to increase student ad staff wellbeing and to help prevent mental health problems. By using the app, you can track your progress on the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a set of evidence-based actions, developed by the New Economics Foundation, which promotes people’s wellbeing over the long-term.

• Academic programme / module support

If you are seeking academic support with your studies, you should firstly contact your module tutor / lecturer or School Academic Advisor (SAA) to see if any additional help is available. If they are unable to help, they will often refer you to the Learner Development Service who offer a range of study skills support.

• Studiosity

Studiosity is a service that you can access 24*7, 365 days a year via MyLearningSpace and/or an app. There are two main services, called 'Writing Feedback' and 'Connect Live'. You can use Studiosity to get feedback on your academic writing before you submit coursework and /or to speak to a study skills advisor at any time.

• Turnitin

Turnitin is a web-based plagiarism prevention system used by most universities in the UK. At Abertay University, Turnitin is embedded within assignment submissions in MyLearningSpace. Turnitin is a useful learning tool which can be used to identify and correct possible occurrences of plagiarism (similarity) in your work and to improve your academic writing

• Study Skills support

The Learner Development Service aims to support all students at Abertay with any study skills related issue. Firstly, you can access our wide range of Study Skills guides designed by our team of Learner Development Advisors and Academic Librarians who are here to help you improve the skills you will need to become a successful independent learner.

• Individual appointments

If you would like to discuss any study skills related issue you can book a confidential appointment (face-to-face or online) with a Learner Development Advisor. To request an appointment, please contact the team at Studyskills@abertay.ac.uk

• Abertay University (2024) Learning and Enhancement Strategy. Available at: https://www.abertay.ac.uk/about/the-university/strategic-plan/learning-and-enhancement-strategy/#:~:text=Abertay's%20pedagogic%20philosophy%20is%20founded,into%20practice%20theoretical%20knowledge%20gained (Accessed 21/11/24)

• Barkl, N. (2021) The University of Adelaide College. 5 stages of culture shock (and how to deal with them!). Available at: https://college.adelaide.edu.au/blog/5-stages-of-culture-shock-and-how-to-deal-with-them/?utm_content=buffer6e474&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer (Accessed 21/11/24)

• FutureLearn.com (n/d) Study UK: Prepare to Live and Study in the UK. Purpose of Lectures. https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/prepare-to-study-uk/0/steps/48553#:~:text=In%20a%20lecture%2C%20lecturers%20speak,PowerPoint%20or%20other%20presentation%20programmes (Accessed 21/11/24)
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• One Education: Study Abroad Blogs (2023) Teaching style in the UK: what make British universities unique? Available at: https://one-educationgroup.com/en/teaching-style-in-the-uk/#:~:text=The%20teaching%20style%20in%20British%20universities%20is%20student%2Dcentered%2C%20meaning,support%20they%20need%20to%20succeed (Accessed 21/11/24)

• Robertson, A. (2016) The ‘sticky campus’. Available at: https://abertaytle.wordpress.com/2016/03/24/the-sticky-campus/(Accessed 21/11/24)

• StudyIn-UK.com (2023) Why study at Abertay University? Available at: Five Reasons to Study at Abertay University | SI-UK (studyin-uk.com) (Accessed 21/11/24)

• Yahanpath, S. & Yahanpath, S. (2015). Does Happiness drive students’ performance – how influential teachers are as educators? International Conference on Innovations, Shifts and Challenges in Learning and Teaching – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316813254_DOES_HAPPINESS_DRIVE_STUDENTS'_PERFORMANCE-HOW_INFLUENTIAL_TEACHERS_ARE_AS_EDUCATORS (Accessed 21/11/24)