This unit includes:

Introduction

Welcome to the Setting Learning Goals module unit. The aim of this unit is to support you to envision, reflect, set goals and access support based on what you want to achieve during your academic studies.

To help you do this, we have developed a Learning Goal Map which you can download and use as a reflective tool as you go through this module. You can also download an accessible version here if needed. This has been developed from a model by Homma & Matsuse (2007), as well as further research on self-coaching and the important role it plays in academic success (Fukuda et al. 2019; Munzane 2015; Dunn 2014; Rakes & Dunn 2010).

You can use this resource as many times as you like through your time at Bradford, as you progress, grow and change.

Each section has the different questions on your Learning Goal Map, broken down into the following areas:

Envision
Action
Motivation
Support
Progress

We have included reflection activities to help you think through your answers more thoroughly. You can engage with these as much or as little as you like. There are also further resources and support referred to where it is relevant.

If at any stage you feel like you need wellbeing support to help with any issues that have come up when using this resource, then please contact our Counselling and Mental Health team.

1. Envisioning my learning goal

You are now going to start by envisioning what you would like to achieve this semester/academic year and answer Question One: what is your learning goal?

You can use the activities below to help you answer this question:

1.1 Activity: Think and Reflect

Time: 5 minutes

Read and think about your answers to the following questions to help you set your learning goal:

Why is doing your course important to you?
What would you like to happen during your studies?
When you think about yourself getting to the end of your first year, what would make it feel like a success for you?

1.2 Activity: Setting Goals

Time: 10-15 minutes

Using your reflections from the previous activity, you now need to set yourself a learning goal to put in the centre of your map resource. Your learning goal will be at the centre because it should feel like a central part of your journey.

Helpful Hints:

You can always use this sentence to help you get started: ‘this academic year, I want to achieve…’

For example, you might want to:

Know what is expected of me from my course, including all my assessments.
Develop my academic writing style.
Achieve 50% or higher in my assessments.

Sometimes, when setting a learning goal, it can be helpful to make it into a S.M.A.R.T goal to make sure it is Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Time-bound.

If you are happy with your learning goal, then write it in the Question 1 box of your map. However, if you would like to create a SMART goal, then complete the activity below:

1.3 Activity: Making SMART Goals

Time: 5-10 minutes

Watch the YouTube video below (running time: 3mins 57secs):

Using what you have learnt from the video, rewrite your learning goal into a SMART learning goal.
Add your SMART learning goal to the centre of your map to answer Question 1.

Now that you have your learning goal, move onto section 2 when you are ready to explore what actions, activities and resources could help you achieve it.

2. What action will I take?

The focus of this section is to explore what actions you can take to help you achieve your learning goal, by answering:

Question 2: What activities/actions could I do to reach this goal?

Question 3: What are 1-2 small things that I could do each day/week that would help me achieve this learning goal?

You can use the activities below to help you.

2.1 Activity: Think and Reflect

Time: 5 minutes

What has worked well in the past?
What hasn’t worked well in the past?
What support do I already know about that is available to me?

2.2 Activity: What is realistic?

Time: 5 minutes

Before you move onto the next section, this activity will help you make sure that your actions fit into the reality of your life.

Brainstorm what you need to take into consideration that might impact upon your studies. For example, you might have caring responsibilities or a part-time job which will impact when and how you might study and spend time on your assessments.

Now look back at your answers for Question 2 and 3 on your map and think about the following:

Are there any actions you would change?
If so, how could you change it to make it work for you? For example, studying for 20mins in the evening before bed.
Are there any actions you now want to add?

You can use the drop-down menus below to find and access resources and support that could become actions that help you towards achieving your learning goal:

Time Management

Time Management Resource from Academic Skills Advice

Study Techniques

What is Academic Study? Step-Up to HE module
6 techniques for Active Learning
Pomodoro Technique - improve focus and productivity
3 tips on how to study
Small Steps, Big Changes
Body Doubling
Managing Your Time
5 Game-Changing Productivity Apps for ADHD

Essays and Academic Writing

Group Work and Presentations

Group Work:

Presentations:

Maths

Now that you have explored what actions, activities, and resources you need, move onto section 3 when you are ready to figure out what will keep you motivated.

3. How will I stay motivated?

The focus of this section is to explore how you will stay motivated, particularly when things get hard, to help you achieve your learning goal, by answering:

Question 4: What can I do to motivate myself when things get hard?

Question 5: What reward will I give myself for reach my learning goal?

Question 6: What is my inspirational quote?

You can use the activity below to help you.

Activity 3.1 – Think and Reflect

Time: 5-10 minutes

Use the following questions to help you think about what motivates you:

What has kept you motivated in the past?
What would help during the hard times?
What is your ‘why’? For example, why do you want to achieve this goal? why are you doing the course you are doing? Why is it important to you?
Who inspires you?

Now that you have explored what motivates you, move onto section 4 when you are ready to identify and access support that you might need.

4. What support do I need?

The focus of this section is to explore and identify what support you might need and want as you work towards your goal, by answering:

Question 7: Who can support me?

Question 8: What resources will I need access to?

You can use the activity below to help you.

Activity 4.1 – Think and Reflect

Time: 5-10 minutes

Think about the following questions:

Who/what has made you feel supported in the past?
Who might be able to support you in the University?
What type of resources might you need?

You can use the drop-down menus below to learn more about the academic, wellbeing, programme support on offer here at the University of Bradford that can support you in achieving your goal.

Academic Support

Academic Skills Advice Canvas - make sure to enrol to access and have in your dashboard
Book onto Academic Skills Advice Workshops
Book 1:1 appointment with Academic Skills Advice team
Academic Skills Advice team - New to Bradford
Language Centre Canvas - make sure to enrol to access and have in your dashboard
Language Centre Workshops
Book one-to-one appointment with Language Centre
The Library Website
Referencing and Plagiarism
Finding Resources Module on Step-Up to HE
Book onto Library Workshops

Wellbeing Support

Programme Support

Find out who your Personal Academic Tutor is on e-vision and contact them about a meeting.
Speak to your programme admin team for general enquires about your course.
Speak to your module tutor if you have questions and ask if they have office hours. If so, book an appointment.
Speak to the Course Student Representative and/or Programme Leader to share your views.

Financial and Welfare Support

Now that you have identified what support you might want and need, move onto the final section that explores how you will know you are making progress.

5. How will I know I am achieving?

The focus of this section is to build in opportunities to recognise the progress you are making towards your goal, by answering:

Question 9: What checkpoints will I use to check my progress?

Question 10: How will I know that I have achieved my learning goal?

You can use the activities below to help you.

Activity 5.1 – Think and Reflect

Time: 5-10 minutes

What does progress look like to me?
When would it be good to have a checkpoint? For example, before or after assessment deadlines.
What/who can give me an idea of how I am doing? For example, draft essay feedback, assignment results, speaking with my Personal Academic Tutor (PAT)/Module Tutor.

Congratulations! You have completed your Learning Goal Map that you can refer back to as you begin your journey to achieving your learning goal. Remember, you can come back to this unit at any time and change/add to your map, so it grows with you. You can also use it whenever you need time to reflect on where you are at, where you want to go and how you might get there.

Further support and useful links

If you have any specific questions about the content covered in this unit, you can email studentexperience@bradford.ac.uk.

Other useful links:

References

Dunn, K. 2014. Why Wait? The Influence of Academic Self-Regulation, Intrinsic Motivation, and Statistics Anxiety on
Procrastination in Online Statistics. Innovative Higher Education. 39: 33–44

Fukuda, S.T., Sakata, H., & Pope, C.J. 2019. Developing self-coaching skills in university EFL classrooms to encourage out-of-class study time. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching.

Homma, M., and R. Matsuse. 2006. Introduction to Self-Coaching. Tokyo: Nihon Keizai Shimbun Shuppan.

Munezane, Y. 2015. Enhancing Willingness to Communicate: Relative Effects of Visualization and Goal Setting. The
Modern Language Journal. 99 (1): 175–191.

Rakes, G. C., and K. E. Dunn. 2010. The Impact of Online Graduate Students’ Motivation and Self-Regulation on Academic
Procrastination. Journal of Interactive Online Learning. 9 (1): 78–93.