Program Overview

Course Description

EPFNSC103 is running in place of FNSC1003 Academic Survival Skills for STEM. If FNSC1003 is core in your Diploma, you will enrol in EPFNSC103 instead. This course has the same content and allows you to complete the course fee-free. This course will explore the essential skills needed to survive and succeed at university, including understanding assessments and their rubrics, researching and evaluating sources, and understanding referencing conventions. This course will cover time management, planning, and study skills and familiarise students with the university's support systems. Fundamental numeracy skills which are critical for studies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) will also be covered. These include an understanding of and competence in the skills of numeracy, arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and scale measurement, units of measurement and basic concepts of statistics.

Course Content

Academic Skills

• Time management, study skills and planning, note-taking, brainstorming and mind mapping
• Analysing an assignment question and interpreting a rubric
• Searching an online library catalogue, evaluating source reliability, referencing, and academic integrity

Numeracy Skills

• Numeracy, place value, arithmetic algorithms, mental arithmetic, order of operations, directed numbers
• Fractions, decimals and percentage calculations and approximation of numbers
• Calculator use, ratio and scale measurement
• Scientific notation, units of measurement, prefixes, unit conversions

Statistical Skills

• Basic concepts of statistics, frequency distributions, tables and graphs
• Measures of centre or 'averages', identifying the different data types
• Constructing and interpreting tables and graphs from a set of data
• Calculating the mode, median and the mean from a set of data
• Measures of variability, standardising data- z scores

Enrolment Rules

This course is available to students in the following program(s):

• 50046
• 20 units
• Diploma Foundation Studies This course is not available to students who have completed the following course(s):
• FNSC1003
• 10 units
• Academic Survival Skills for STEM

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyse an assignment question and interpret a rubric.
2. Search an online library catalogue, evaluate the reliability of a source and create a reference list.
3. Demonstrate a sound knowledge and an understanding of numbers and arithmetic.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of mathematics relevant to STEM degrees.
5. Identify different data sets and interpret tables and graphs.
6. Apply basic mathematical and statistical concepts to real world problems.

Availability

Semester 1

• Location: Online
• Delivery mode: Scheduled Online

Semester 2

• Location: Online
• Delivery mode: Scheduled Online

Contact Hours

Self-Directed Learning

• Description: It is expected that you will engage with your online course materials via short videos, course notes, podcasts, readings and other activities. You will also prepare for and complete course assessments.
• Duration: 100 hour(s) per term
• Number of sessions: 1 term
• Starting week: 1
• Delivery mode: Online

Tutorial

• Offerings: SON-ONL-SEM1, SON-ONL-SEM2
• Duration: 2 hour(s) per week
• Number of sessions: 12 week(s)
• Starting week: 1
• Delivery mode: Online

Tutorial

• Offerings: F2F-CAL-SEM1
• Duration: 2 hour(s) per week
• Number of sessions: 12 week(s)
• Starting week: 1
• Delivery mode: Face to Face On Campus

Assessments

Quizzes on Academic Skills, Maths, Statistics

• Type: Quiz
• Weighting (%): 20
• Formative or Summative: Summative
• Individual or group work: Individual

Mid-Semester Test

• Type: In Term Test
• Weighting (%): 30
• Formative or Summative: Summative
• Individual or group work: Individual

Formal Examination

• Type: Formal Examination
• Weighting (%): 50
• Formative or Summative: Summative
• Individual or group work: Individual

Course Details

Study Level

• Enabling

Course Level

• Enabling

Units

• 10

College

• Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre

School

• Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre