Teaching & Learning Resources
Swinburne's teaching staff will use a number of innovative methods to promote understanding of your chosen course.
While studying with us, you will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of lectures, tutorials, laboratory and studio sessions, group work, cross discipline projects, case studies, practical sessions, discussion groups and individual research projects, depending on your area of study.
As a student, you'll be encouraged to participate in culturally diverse study groups and to take responsibility for your own learning.
TAFE
At TAFE, learning takes place in classes, workshops and/or seminars, meaning there is lots of interaction between students and teachers.
In addition, a TAFE course may require you to gain work experience in practical settings.
Many courses include online references and resources to ensure that you have access to a range of up-to-date information.
Higher Education
Lectures
As a student, you will be expected to attend all lectures, and encouraged to take notes during the lectures. Lecture notes prepared by the lecturer may also be available in campus libraries on Counter Reserve. Some lectures are video taped.
You can ask your lecturer if they can audio tape the lecture sessions. This enables you to summarise and prepare your own notes if you have missed out any important points.
Tutorials and Classes
Tutorials and classes usually run in conjunction with the lectures. They are much smaller groups and enable you to address any questions that may have arisen during the actual lectures.
Group work, where everybody in a team is expected to contribute equally, is very common in tutorials and classes.
Research Degrees
If you are undertaking a research degree, you will be required to plan, develop and conduct an approved research project under the supervision of an academic staff member and submit a thesis for assessment. Often the thesis must be accompanied by a product or artefact that embodies the research.
You may also be required to attend seminars or classes relevant to your research topic.
Assessment takes various forms. Generally, if you are studying by coursework, you will be assessed through a combination of assignments, examinations, practicals and presentations.
As a student, you'll have access to library services across all campuses.
Swinburne libraries provide information resources, information literacy training (library orientation and skills in finding, evaluating, organising and using information) and information access services.
You can borrow equipment such as laptop computers and data projectors from the library to use in class presentations and other work.
The Information Technology Services department provides computing services and support including computer labs, online library services, dial-in access and webmail. Wireless internet access is available across the whole Hawthorn campus and within selected parts of Lilydale, Wantirna, Croydon and Prahran campuses.
Computers in the labs are equipped with standard software packages.
You can access an array of support services, some of them exclusive, some available to all students of the university.
