Tag: University (page 1 of 7)

Maximising Your Learning Experience: Tips for Short Course Online Learners

August 8, 2024 / / 0 Comments

For those who you who have never taken a course with us, we offer short courses in a range of subjects from writing to computing, languages, business, and creative industries. Catering to the busy schedules of professionals and lifelong learners, most of our courses are ten-weeks long, but we also offer one or two-day workshops, and the majority are delivered via Zoom or Teams. With the new academic year around the corner, we’ve compiled a list of practical tips to help you get the most out of your learning experience while studying from home.

 1. Stick to a Schedule

Consistency is key to managing your time effectively. Treat your online course schedule as you would a traditional in-person class. Mark your calendar with class times and allocate specific periods for reviewing materials, completing assignments, and participating in discussions.

2. Actively Engage in Classes

Active participation is crucial in an online learning environment. Keep your camera on if possible, ask questions, and contribute to discussions. Engaging with your tutor and classmates will enhance your understanding and make the learning experience more interactive, and more enjoyable

3. Stay Organised

Keeping your course materials organised can save you time and stress. Use digital folders to store notes, assignments, and readings. Tools like Google Drive, OneNote, or Evernote can help you keep everything in one place and easily accessible.

4. Take Regular Breaks

Sitting in front of a computer for extended periods can be tiring. Incorporate short breaks into your study sessions to stretch, hydrate, and relax. The Pomodoro Technique—studying for 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break—can be an effective way to maintain concentration and engagement.

5. Network with Fellow Students

Building connections with your peers can enhance your learning experience and provide support throughout the course. Participate in group activities, or create a study group to collaborate and share insights.

6. Practice Good Posture

Maintaining good posture is essential for physical comfort and health while learning from home. Try to ensure your chair provides proper support, keep your feet flat on the ground, and position your screen at eye level to prevent neck and back strain.

7. Enhance Your Technical Skills

Familiarise yourself with Zoom, and Teams used for your courses. Make sure you iron out any login difficulties way ahead of the first session. Learn how to navigate these tools effectively, including using breakout rooms. This will help you avoid technical difficulties and participate more effectively in class.

8. Stay Motivated and Set Goals

Short courses can be intense, so staying motivated is crucial. Set clear, achievable goals for what you want to accomplish each week. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and remind yourself of the reasons you enrolled in the course.

9. Seek Feedback and Support

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your tutor for feedback on your work or clarification on course materials. All our lecturers are happy to answer questions about the course content and delivery and to help you with any issues that arise.

10. Explore Opportunities 

City short courses has a range of opportunities available to students on particular courses. Familiarise yourself with what’s on offer, e.g. current and past writing students are eligible for our termly City Writes Competition, and make sure you make the most of your time at City.

Enrolling in a City short online course offers a fantastic opportunity to advance your knowledge and skills in a convenient and flexible format. By following these tips, you can help maximise your learning experience and achieve your goals. Happy learning!

For those who would like to try out one of our short courses, we are running an online open evening on September 11 2024, with tasters in a variety of subjects. Attendance is free but you’ll need to register to secure your spot. Full details are here.

 

Interview with Jo Cunningham, author of debut novel Death by Numbers

July 29, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Next week sees the launch of debut cosy crime novel, Death By Numbers, written by City Novel Studio alumna Jo Cunningham. Jo took time out of her busy schedule to answer our questions ahead of publication day. Read on for her answers and for more details about the book.

 

  1. When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer?

Glossing over my dubious childhood poetry and notebooks full of random jottings, I didn’t start writing ‘seriously’ until my early thirties. I went on a beginners Arvon course for a week, with no expectations, and by the end of the course I was hooked. One of the tutors on the course recommended the courses at City University for novice writers and…

 

  1. Who are you currently reading?

I have just finished reading The Misadventures of Margaret Finch by Claire McGlasson which is a beautifully written novel about a young woman in 1930s Blackpool who questions how she observes others, and herself. Next up, is Kala by Colin Walsh – I’m going to hear him speak about the book soon, so that’s exciting. And after that on my TBR pile is Monumenta by Lara Haworth – after hearing Lara’s amazing talk at the recent City Writes event, I had to get her book!

 

  1. You’ve studied creative writing and also worked hard at the craft of writing on your own. What’s been the most useful thing you’ve learned about writing a novel?

Yikes – just one thing? At the moment, I’m in an editing phase, and as I re-read each scene, I ask myself ‘Does this scene earn its keep?’ – is there enough happening to keep it – does it push the story and the characters forward? If the answer is ‘No’ then I either need to rework the scene or ditch it.

 

  1. What kind of qualities does a writer need?

Persistence and resilience.  It took me many years from starting to write novels to reach the publication stage. The main thing you must do is finish the novel. I know that sounds glib, but not everyone does. The next thing is dealing with rejection. I wish had some words of wisdom on that. Rejection hurts, but you somehow have to get over it and keep going. Even now I’m at the publication stage, I know there will be more of that to face in the future but… you only need that one person to say ‘yes’!

 

  1. What made you write a cosy crime novel? What is it about the genre that appeals to you?

Back in 2017, I’d just put another novel in the ‘bottom drawer’ and wanted to start something new. I’d been reading Douglas Adam’s Dirk Gently detective novels and was inspired to start on a humorous detective book. I read and watch a lot of cosy crime – there’s something oddly comforting about knowing everything will be resolved and usually there’s a good dose of humour included.

Author Jo Cunningham

  1. Can you tell us about your path to publication?

I’d describe it more as an obstacle course where I created some of the obstacles. For my first three novels, I didn’t bother with looking for an agent or publisher – I didn’t think they were of a good enough standard and perhaps I was trying to put off being rejected… they went straight in the bottom drawer. But the fourth novel I did send round to five or six agents. I got a couple of personal replies in amongst standard rejections and tumbleweed. I think I should have been a bit more persistent at this stage – please see my own advice about writer qualities above. Anyhow… when it came to the fifth novel, Death by Numbers, I decided I would really go for it. I sent the novel out in small batches to agents. I started to get full-read requests which boosted my confidence – this is when the agent has enjoyed the excerpt that you’ve sent and now wants to read the whole manuscript. Eventually I got an offer from my amazing agent Marina de Pass at The Soho Agency – from sending in a submission to the ‘slushpile’ – so yes, it can happen.

 

  1. What advice would you have for someone starting out writing a novel?

I’ve benefitted enormously from taking courses, getting feedback at workshops, and reading books to help improve different writing skills – structure, character, productivity. But there were times when I had step back and work out what was going to work for me. I guess my advice is that you have figure it out so that you create your own advice for yourself.

 

  1. What are you working on now?

I’m currently finishing off a batch of edits on the second book in the cosy crime series featuring Una, an actuary and a detective. It’s called Pet Hates and is due to come out in August 2025. Writing the next book in series has been a learning curve, as it has to be standalone but still have some touches that make it feel there’s some continuity for anyone who’s read the first one.

Thanks so much, Jo! We can’t wait to read the novel!

Death by Numbers will be published on 1 August and you can order a copy here.

Jo will also be our guest at next term’s City Writes. Full information on how to enter the competition or how to come along and listen to Jo read from her novel will be available on the website soon.

For more information about our writing short courses, visit our website here, or come along to the virtual open evening in September. Full information on the free taster sessions available and how to register can be found here.

Livable Cities: a unique conference taking part at City this June

June 10, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Livable City?

This month sees City host this year’s Livable Cities conference, run in association with AMPS (Architecture, Media, Politics, Society), an organisation that brings together academics, publishers, non-profits and universities. Addressing issues affecting life in cities, the conference will explore the complexities of modern urban living. It addresses the interconnectedness of globalisation, gentrification, pandemics, sustainability, and more. The conference is focused on seeing ‘the city’ not just as a physical space but as a construct shaped by various forces, including architecture, politics, sociology, culture, economics, and media.

Key themes will include:

  • Design & Planning
  • Resilience & Sustainability
  • Urban Development & City Economies
  • Technology, Media & Smart Cities
  • Social Justice & the Right to the City
  • Cultural Cities & the Arts
  • Healthy Cities & Public Wellbeing
  • Infrastructure & Transport

By integrating diverse fields, the conference aims to create a comprehensive understanding of what makes cities livable.

The conference will take place from June 26-28, 2024 and we are expecting over 100 delegates to attend.

For more information and to book a place, visit AMPS webpage HERE.

Writing for Social Impact tutor, Ciaran Thapar

There is also a special free Writing for Social Impact taster being offered by City in connection with the conference. It will be run writer and youth worker Ciaran Thapar, who also teaches our one-day Writing for Social Impact short course. For more information on how to enrol for this taster, please email Robert.Lastman.1@city.ac.uk

With huge thanks to the Research and Enterprise team for their support and to Robert Lastman who has tirelessly coordinated City’s part in the conference and who is also helping to head up the short course team, alongside studying for his Phd at Kingston University. If you want something done, ask a busy person…!

Study Skills – How to Study Effectively as an Adult Learner

February 28, 2024 / / 0 Comments

With Lifelong Learning still firmly on the government’s agenda, Short Courses and Continuing Professional Development has become increasingly valued. But what happens if it’s been a while since you studied as an adult? What if the last time you were being taught you were still at school? What if you’ve never been taught how to study effectively?

Because it’s not just what you study, it’s how you manage your approach to study that maximises the educational impact. That’s where Study Skills come in. Read on for our top seven tips.

  1. Time Management

You can’t do everything all at once. Planning is essential. Make a timetable or use a digital calendar to block out specific parts of the day for studying each day or week.

  1. Set Goals

Work smarter not harder. Make sure you have clear, achievable goals for each study session and for your overall learning objectives. If you have exams coming up, or a dissertation, or an essay due, break the goal down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Regularly review and adjust these goals as needed.

  1. Note-Taking:

Effective note-taking is essential when listening to lectures or studying texts. Use short hand and abbreviations, summarise key points and organise your information logically. Highlighting key words can help to make your notes more useful when you revise.

  1. Critical Thinking:

The ability to analyse and evaluate information critically is a crucial party of studying well. Always ask questions, challenge assumptions, and seek evidence to support claims. Try applying critical thinking skills to real-world situations and academic tasks.

  1. Strategies for Effective Reading

When faced with multiple text books to read, the task can seem overwhelming. But if you can break down your reading assignments intop smaller sections and set specific goals, things become more manageable. Skimming texts initially to get an overview before reading in detail is also a very useful skill. When reading in more detail, highlight important passages, make notes, and summarise the main ideas in your note book.

  1. Utilise Resources:

Take advantage of all available resources in your place of study, such as textbooks, online courses, academic journals, and library resources. If you need support or want clarity on a particular subject, ask your tutors or seek advice from relevant online communities. Your university or college may have additional learning tools and technologies available so always find out what’s on offer.

  1. Keep things in Perspective

Studying can become very time-consuming. Make sure you also get enough sleep, eat well and exercise. Meditation or mindfulness techniques can also be very beneficial. Take reguar breaks and allow yourself time to recharge to prevent burnout and maintain your overall well-being

By developing these study skills you will enhance your effectiveness as an adult learner and make the most of your continuing educational journey.

 

 

For anyone interested in our short courses, we are running a free Open Evening and Taster Sessions on March 26 from 6-7.30pm. Register HERE.

 

 

Short Course Taster Evening 26 March 2024

February 22, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

Join us this March 26 for our free taster event, where you’ll have the chance to speak to the team, find out more about our courses and ask any questions.

You can even take part in a free 45-minute taster session to get a flavour of what it’s like to learn with us.

We will have a choice of tasters available, including:

There will also be a Novel Studio enquiry desk for anyone who wants to find out more about how to apply for our flagship year-long novel writing course.

And as a bonus, we are also offering a 10% discount on all our short courses for anyone who attends the open evening and enrols with us on the night.

Attendance at City events is subject to our terms and conditions.

Announcing New Scholarship for the Novel Studio

December 1, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Growing Concerns

We are delighted to announce a new scholarship partnership for the Novel Studio, which will be in place for the next five years.

The Captain Tasos Politis Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship offered to support a successful candidate applying for The Novel Studio, City’s popular Short Course on the art of novel writing.

Generously funded by City Alumni Ambassador George Politis, and named after his father, the aim of the scholarship is to support a student of talent and potential from a low-income household who might not otherwise be able to accept an offer of a place on The Novel Studio.

Applicants to the scholarship will go through the same process as all other applicants but will need to include a personal statement and provide evidence of financial need.

The top three applications will be shortlisted, and a final winner chosen by a panel, including the course director, and course tutors.

The Novel Studio has been very lucky with its generous funders. For four years, alumna and best-selling crime author Harriet Tyce funded and supported the scholarship. Now with The Captain Tasos Politis Scholarship, we are thrilled to be able to continue this vital support and to help nurture more talented writers of the future.

For further details about the scholarship and how to apply, visit our page HERE. Or email the Course Director: Emily.Pedder.1@city.ac.uk

City Writes Summer 2023 Event Competition Winners Announced

June 23, 2023 / / 0 Comments

We’re delighted to share the winners of this term’s City Writes Competition who will be reading their work alongside the fantastic, Emma Grae at 7pm on the 5th July, on Zoom. You can register to come along and listen to them here.

 

This term’s winners are:

 Helen Ferguson for ‘My Grandmother’s Piano’, an extract from her translation memoir.

Helen Ferguson

Helen is a translator of Russian and German. Her first piece of writing was published in the Lighthouse Literary Journal. She completed The Novel Studio in 2020 and is now working on a translator memoir under the mentorship of Megan Bradbury.

Richard Hastings

Richard Hastings for ‘Jumble’, an extract from his novel-in-progress.

Richard had a successful career in TV (BBC, ITV, C4) before the City Novel Writing and Longer Works short course in summer 2021 inspired him to embark on a major life change. He left the television industry and returned to university (after a 31-year gap!) to take the First Novel MA at St. Mary’s University, London, graduating in Spring 2023 with distinction. Richard is currently working on the third draft of his first novel, which he is hoping to submit to literary agents (sometime!) in the Autumn.

Kate Henderson

Kate Henderson for her story ‘What Happened at Judith’s’.

Kate is an alumna of the Certificate in Novel Writing (now The Novel Studio) and Writers’ Workshop. Growing up in quiet streets in towns where nothing much happened, her writing likes to ask what might be going on unseen next door, or across the way, and casts an eye on the unexpected in the seemingly everyday. Her novel-in-progress, All We Have to Go On is set in a luxury retreat for the cryogenically frozen and follows an artist as she tries to remember who she is and comply with her rehabilitation in a world where she can’t be sure she’s safe.

Kate works in professional services and lives in Surrey with her partner and daughters.

Camille Poole

Camille Poole for her story, ‘Brown Male’.

Camille found her way to City Writes through the Introduction to Copywriting course. She works for a Milton Keynes’ based community charity whilst drafting her WIP, a new adult novel which explores themes of othering and generational curses.

Emily Shamma for ‘Kate’, an extract from her novel-in-progress,

Emily Shamma

Emily is a City periodical journalism and Novel Studio graduate. A former Vogue Talent Contest winner, she started her career as a fashion journalist, before moving into business journalism. Following this, Emily worked in the City, then as a Director at Tesco for seventeen years. But her passion has always been writing, and she now writes creatively for pleasure—alongside running her own business, navigating a hectic London family life, and stoking a serious restaurant, theatre and gallery addiction.

Lana Younis for an extract from her novel-in-progress, Play The Long Game.

Lana, a proud native of Yorkshire and coincidentally born on National Yorkshire Day, embarked on her writing journey during her rebellious teenage years. In 2022, she embraced her passion by enrolling on the Novel Writing and Longer Works course at City University. She swiftly joined The Novel Studio to explore the realms of literary dark humour. Her debut novel, Play The Long Game, serves as a testament to her love for writing unreliable narrators and morally ambiguous characters driven by their relentless pursuit of personal gain.

Lana Younis

These talented authors will all be reading their winning pieces on the 5th July over Z  oom at 7pm. Register here to join them and hear from prize-winning alumna, Emma Grae. From revenge through carefully preserved mementos all the way to the casually observed affairs of the neighbours, City Writes Summer Event 2023 promises to have you on the edge of your seat. We can’t wait to see you there.

The top five computing languages – what they are and why you need to learn them

March 7, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Computing languages are essential for anyone looking to work in today’s growing technology. But with new languages being developed every day it can be difficult to keep up to date and decide which to learn.

Read on for the top five computing languages you should be learning now, and why…

Speaking my language?

  1. Python – Python is still the number one computing language, and for good reason. It’s extremely versatile and can be used in many different fields, from machine learning to data science and web development. It’s also easier to learn than some of the other languages due to its unique structure and syntax. Plus there are a ton of resources for those new to the language.
  2. Javascript – Javascript is a front-end language used to create interactive web applications. If you are looking to work in web development or mobile app development, this is the language for you.
  3. Java – Java is a back-end language used in many large corporations. Employers value the versatility and security of Java and it’s an excellent language to learn to improve your job prospects.
  4. PHP/MySQL – PHP/MySQL is a widely used open-source scripting language especially suited for back-end web development. It can be embedded into HTML and is very popular within the industry. PHP has been used to create many websites, including Facebook, Wikipedia, Slack, Etsy and WordPress.
  5. C and C++ – C and C++ are languages often used in game development and system programming. They are both very powerful and can be challenging to learn, but invaluable for anyone looking to progress within the technology industry.

Improve your prospects

If you’d like to find out more about learning a computing language and how it can open up your job prospects and ability to progress within the technology industry, come along to our Open Evening on March 28. It’s all online, so you can join from the comfort of your home. There are free tasters available for Python and Database Design, or you can simply speak to our Computing Coordinator to see which course would be the best fit for you. Register HERE.

Open Evening March 28th 2023

For our full range of Computing Courses, visit our home page HERE.

 

Or visit our main short course home page HERE for all the subject we offer.

 

 

New Year, New Writing Goals with City Writes – City Writes Competition Open

January 27, 2023 / / 0 Comments

By Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone

City Writes, the showcase event for new writing coming from City’s Creative Writing Short Courses, is delighted to announce that Hannah Begbie will be its published alumna this term at our City Writes Spring 2023 online event on Wednesday 29th March at 7pm.

 A Novel Studio alumna, Hannah Begbie is the author of two award-winning novels, Mother and Blurred Lines, both published by HarperCollins. For your chance to join Hannah on the virtual stage, you need only send in your best 1,000 words of creative fiction or nonfiction (no young children’s fiction or poetry please) by midnight on March 3rd to rebekah.lattin-rawstrone.2@city.ac.uk . You can find full submission details here.

Photo of author Hannah Begbie

Novel Studio alumna and City Writes guest author Hannah Begbie

There is no theme, just your most sparkling prose, and the competition is open to all current students and alumni of Creative Writing short courses at City. If your piece is chosen, you will be asked to read your work at our City Writes Spring 2023 event at 7pm on Wednesday 29th March on Zoom. You will be reading alongside the fantastic Hannah to a supportive audience of students, alumni, friends and a few industry members. Don’t miss your chance, submit now!

 For those of you keen to sign up in advance, you can register for the event here.

We can’t wait to read your submissions!

Meet our Photoshop tutor, Pete Polanyk

August 8, 2022 / / 0 Comments
Portrait of Pete Polanyk

Pete Polanyk, City’s Photoshop tutor

In another interview with the team behind City’s Short Courses, today we meet Pete Polanyk, our Introduction to Photoshop short course tutor.

Please tell us about yourself and your background

I’m Pete Polanyk and I’ve been working in the design industry for near on 30 years and have been teaching at City for 20 years. How I actually got into the field was in the early 1980’s I wrote a music fanzine and sometime later undertook a night class in Magazine Design & Production at The London College of Printing (now the LCC) and it evolved from there. I’ve worked in national newspapers, advertising agencies and publishing houses as well as working for myself.

In my spare time I write a music/gardening blog, compile musical mixes for a shortwave radio show and produce electronic music, self-releasing it on my own label and designing the associated visual material.

What do you teach at City? 

I teach the Introduction to Adobe Photoshop course on a Wednesday evening. The course is an introduction to one of the industry’s top image creation and photo editing software.

Over the ten weeks we learn the fundamentals of the application, how to create and edit your own digital image/artwork using a variety of techniques and I also cover some Graphic Design related topics. We start right from the bottom and work our way up.

Why do you think it’s important to learn skills like Photoshop?

It’s a very versatile programme. By learning it, you could add it to your present work skills, you could develop your own creative output or it could be a way of getting your foot in the door into the design industry. Who knows where it might lead you.

Three surfers in the water at sun set

Learn Photoshop to understand how to manipulate images

Over the years we’ve had students wanting to learn it for many reasons. We had a person who wanted to use it just to do some simple amends on promotional material for her own business as she was fed up with paying a designer an extortionate amount for doing small corrections. We had a deep sea diver who wanted to learn the skills to make a poster to promote his local diving club and a vicar who wanted to correct photographs for a parish magazine.

What are your top three tips for learning Photoshop?

  1. Learn the keyboard shortcuts rather than using the pull-down menus, it’s a lot easier and will save you a lot of time.
  2. Set yourself tasks like simple design jobs, something that may be useful for yourself or your workplace and take it from there (promotional material, a simple web banner or greetings card etc). If you’re working on a project with a purpose it will keep your concentration and hold your interest for longer.
  3. Practice, practice and practice! It’s like anything, you get better by putting more hours into it. Little and often is a good thing too. Keep at it and you’ll get there.

Why would you recommend learning Photoshop at City?

The application is taught in small groups in a friendly atmosphere over ten weeks, two hours a week. I set three simple projects that you can complete over the term which gives you more practical skills with the programme as well as some work to show for the course.

It can be a diverse class with students from different walks of life (it’s not just people from a design related background) and it does you no harm being around people from other disciplines who take different approaches when it comes to learning something new or tackling photoshop projects.

Thank you, Pete!

Pete Polanyk teaches City’s Introduction to Photoshop Short Course. For City’s  other graphic design short courses, visit this page.

To see our full range of Computing Short Courses, visit our short course home page.

 

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