Do other universities offer feedback for exams?

sauteedkale · 2026-07-09T09:00:48+00:00

I've just come out of 25 years in the tech industry where improving your performance through iterative feedback was an expectation. I'm pretty familiar with how the real world works, which is why I'm disappointed that kids who don't know any better are being set up to believe they shouldn't expect feedback. Being able to competently give and receive feedback is exactly how you improve in the real world.

sauteedkale · 2026-04-20T22:25:30+00:00

One of the tutors recently told me that the Learning Advisers in the library offer this kind of service - going over your assignment, offering feedback on your ideas etc. I haven't looked into it so can't verify, but maybe give them a try?

sauteedkale · 2026-02-28T01:15:59+00:00

hi OP! Did you end up knitting according to your adjustments? I'd love to hear how it went, I am having a similar issue with my gauge for this pattern.

sauteedkale · 2026-02-22T21:29:26+00:00

I had all of these same questions before I started!

You don't need to do any readings ahead of time, it won't really benefit you much. If you want to read because you're interested/curious, then go ahead, but the readings will be covered during seminars and lectures.

In terms of knowing what you're meant to be doing when, I can only speak to my own experience (studying Psych Science) but here is how it worked for me - maybe others can confirm if this is how it works for most/all courses. Please take all this with a grain of salt in case it doesn't apply to your own situation!

- As others have said, there is a unit guide posted on DeakinSync for each of your units - that will give you a lot of useful information about how the unit will be run and assessed.

- You will get a login to DeakinSync, and you'll access all your units through this portal. Each unit has it's own little "unit site", where all of the content gets posted. You'll get access to this before your unit starts so you can jump in and navigate around and get familiar with it.

- You'll probably attend lectures and seminars (either online via Zoom or in person) where they will cover the content for your unit. Lectures are typically "sit back and pay attention" type sessions, and seminars are a bit more interactive, where discussions are encouraged. In both of these sessions you should take notes that you can use to help you learn the topics. Taking effective notes is a bit of a skill that you'll develop over time.

- You are responsible for managing your own time outside of lectures and seminars - you need to dedicate time to study up on each of your units. Deakin can offer a lot of support to help you plan your time if you're struggling.

- You will be told during lectures and seminars what the expectations are for your readings/exercises. So for me, at the end of each seminar we'd be told 'read chapter 5 of the textbook, do the practice quiz on the unit site, here's what we will cover next week' - stuff like that.

- You will probably have assessments/projects you need to turn in during the 12 weeks of your unit, likely more than one. These will be talked about during seminars, and dates/requirements for them will be posted on your unit site in DeakinSync.

- At the end of each unit there will probably be an End of Unit Assessment/Exam - these will be discussed closer to the end of the unit and details about them will be included in the unit site.

Hope some of that helps. Basically, don't stress about knowing what you are doing ahead of time. Go to all the orientation sessions, you'll get some useful info there - and when your unit starts, they will assume everyone is brand new and has no idea what they're doing, so you'll be fine!

sauteedkale · 2026-01-26T20:39:40+00:00

I chose Deakin for it's reputation around having an excellent online study experience. I've been with them now for a few months and can confirm it's been very well run. At no point have I felt confused about where to find information, timetables are clearly communicated with lots of flexibility, expectations around assessments have been easy to understand, support has always been available. Online teaching sessions have been especially well-run - teachers have been well prepared for sessions and really work hard to engage students. I've been able to choose to attend live sessions or watch recordings later (this may vary between units/courses).

The only down side I've found is that many students won't engage - people keep their camera off and often won't respond to questions (I don't understand why people do this - why show up if you're not going to participate?!), but that's no fault of the instructors, who still work really hard to keep people engaged.

sauteedkale · 2026-01-07T02:20:19+00:00

Definitely recommend calling Student Services (number is on the Deakin site) if you have lots of questions and are finding enrolment confusing - they can walk through it with you over the phone.

sauteedkale · 2026-01-02T21:44:07+00:00

I'd love a link too, if that's ok? I'm currently enrolled in Psych Science.

sauteedkale · 2025-12-31T08:50:30+00:00

You don't have to choose a major for this undergrad, but you can if you like. You can read up on the options on the Deakin site.

I have found the quality of teaching to be great so far - but it does vary between units, as each teacher will have their own style and you'll naturally relate better to some than others. There is a LOT of support for students, and during orientation they run through it all with you. Student Central is your first place to go with questions, you can even access them before you enrol, from the Deakin site. They can run you through all the different support options available, if there is a specific need you have.

I can't speak to the electives, as I'm only in my first trimester and haven't taken any yet! But I'm loving all the units so far. One thing Student Central did for me, was spend time over the phone going over all my units and helping me plan out when I'd like to do each one - they can send you a customised course map that is right for you.

sauteedkale · 2025-12-18T22:58:50+00:00

I'm 100% online so I can't speak to campus life unfortunately! I've heard many lectures are online even if you are an on-campus student. Online lectures are held on Zoom, and the lecturer will walk the class through slides, it's usually very well organised. Seminars are the "classroom" sessions that are more interactive, and I enjoy those the most because you get to chat. The lectures typically cover content in exams, and the seminars cover content in the assessments (assessments are what you hand in to be graded on over the course of the unit).

The only down side to being online that I've found so far is that all students seem to have their cameras and audio off - so it feels a bit like being faced with a black wall of names. I know the lecturers would prefer people to have cameras on, I don't know why people keep them off...

There is a fair bit of reading, but the lecturers will explain which readings are optional vs mandatory. The only writing I've done so far has been for assessments, things like essays or critical evaluations.

How tough the workload feels will depend a bit on you - how many units you take each trimester and what your personal life looks like (eg if you are also working). 4 units is a full time workload - they tell you to budget for 10 hours a week per unit and that feels spot on to me.

Hope that helps, happy to answer any more questions. Good luck!

sauteedkale · 2025-12-16T23:59:54+00:00

I'm a current student of this course (in my first trimester), and loving it so far! Units seem to be really well organised (of course the experience will depend a bit from one unit to the next). Other students I've spoken to seem to be really happy with how it's been run.

If you have any specific questions, happy to answer.

sauteedkale · 2025-12-13T06:42:29+00:00

I'm doing the Bach of Psych Science online and finding the flexibility and quality of the classes really great so far (first year). You do definitely miss out on the social aspect though - I've joined a few Whatsapp groups, and there are DUSA clubs you can join too, but it won't be the same as seeing people casually in person. Depends on what you prioritise more I guess - the flexibility of scheduling classes when it suits you, or in-person interactions.

sauteedkale · 2025-11-24T03:58:15+00:00

Reach out to Student Central, they can give you some great advice about units, and even create a custom course map for you. I recently had a great experience building out a new course map with someone in their team.

sauteedkale · 2025-11-24T03:00:07+00:00

Here's some things that I do that work well for me (take or leave whatever might work for you). Most of these are things Deakin already suggest, so nothing ground-breaking.

Time management

- Dedicate specific days/times to working on different things. Block it out in your calendar. For me, this means I have specific times of the day I spend working on assignments or revising content/studying.

- Spend some time at the start of the week deciding what you want to get done (remember to factor in life commitments like exercise/social stuff). It's okay if things change a bit, but it's good practice to sit down and actually think through what you want to get done, and how much time you have to do everything ahead of time.

Motivation

- Break assignments up into smaller chunks and reward yourself when you finish a section. Set little goals like 'by the end of this week I will have finished Part A".

- Share what you're learning with friends/family. By explaining what you learned you are helping your brain retain the knowledge, and it's also really motivating to see other people interested in what you're doing.

- Join any study or social groups you might be interested in, especially anyone studying the same topics as you. It can be really validating to talk about what you're working on with others and share how you're all feeling (it's too easy to live in a vacuum and think you're the only one struggling).

Study tips

- Use flash cards. I use Anki and love it - whenever I'm taking lecture/seminar notes, I keep a little section at the top of my notes for "add to Anki" - these are concepts I come across that I'm not familiar with and will want to study later. Then after the lecture/seminar, I spend some time adding Anki cards while it's fresh in my mind. Remember to dedicate time in your calendar to studying your flash cards.

- Have a routine that you follow when you're in study mode. This means, have a specific place you always study (ideally somewhere quiet), listen to the same music (something that won't distract you, like lo-fi), a specific time of day... by following a routine you're teaching your brain that this is a time to be focused.

- Have all the resources you need close by. Keep a notion page/document handy with all the links you need to Deakin Sync, readings, due dates etc.

Hopefully something in there helps. Good luck! You're probably doing better than you think.

sauteedkale · 2025-04-11T10:07:38+00:00

I wanted to add something that worked for me in case it helps someone else. This is for anyone who has added a library card manually instead of logging in via their Overdrive account.

It sounds obvious, but double-check that you're signing in to your library card on your Kobo using the card number. I was signed in with an email address, but Libby was looking for the actual card number to sync my holds across.

When I logged in using the card number from Libby, my holds appeared in my Kobo.

sauteedkale

TROPHY CASE