Our lives have been drastically different in 2020 compared to other years, from the way we communicate, socialise and exercise – generally we’ve had to adapt our lifestyles to adjust to these temporary changes. Our students and staff have done a fantastic job in adjusting to new ways of delivering tuition, as well as the way we learn and absorb new knowledge.

Online learning and blended learning options may seem a little daunting to some, so we have asked a few of our International Foundation Programme students about their experiences.

Hear what they have to say below:

Gaotlholwe Rakale

Which International Foundation Programme pathway do you study?

Creative Industries pathway.

Which course are you planning on progressing on to?

Interior Design.

Where are you from?

South Africa.

Did you find your online classes engaging? If so, why?

I found my classes engaging because in most of our classes we were given small tasks to do during the lesson. During lessons we would interact with other students and have discussions on certain topics.

What would be your top tip for getting the most out of learning online?

My top tip would be to take notes during lessons and participate by asking and answering questions.

What support did you get from the team at Solent?

I could request one-to-one tutorials which were very helpful because I could get more clarity when I was unsure. It was easy to communicate with the team at Solent, especially via email and they would reply to the emails as soon as they could.

Arianna Amani Suji

Which International Foundation Programme pathway do you study?

STEM Pathway.

Which course are you planning on progressing on to?

Psychology (Forensics and Psychopathology).

 Where are you from?

Kenya.

What would be your top tip for getting the most out of learning online?

Never be scared to reach out and ask for help, may it be from a lecturer or even a friend. With the virtual classes, lectures will not know if you are stuck unless you let them know – so communicate as much as you can.

Did you have any challenges when you first started online classes? If so, how did you overcome them?

I will not lie it was a challenge at the beginning as I had never done online classes before. Fortunately, the more I took part in all the different aspects of the online classes, such as student discussion forums, it became easier and I adapted well.

What support did you get from the team at Solent?

As a STEM pathway student learning some topics through a screen was challenging because the lecture could not always physically demonstrate the topic, but to my surprise my tutor hosted extra lessons and always replied to any questions, as soon as possible with an in-depth explanation. Aside from that the lecturers were always supporting us with every issue they could handle and did not hesitate to give us individual tutorials on how to use different online applications to help us get through the course.

Nafeesah Saeed Abba

Which International Foundation Programme pathway do you study?

Business and Management pathway.

Which course are you planning on progressing on to?

Business Management.

Where are you from?

South Africa.

Tell us a bit about your experience of studying online?

My online experience has been great, the teaching method has helped me develop my skills during quarantine. Solent and the teachers have outdone themselves in delivering effective knowledge.

What support did you get from the team at Solent?

The Solent employees are the best in everything they do honestly, I received frequent phone calls to ensure that I was well and they also always offered to help me with any difficulties.

What would be your top advice for anyone about to start their IFP and joining online?

Any student starting their IFP online should be rest assured that QA Higher Education and Solent University has all the resources to help them harness their full potential.

If you’re interested in hearing more from our Solent University Pathway students and their advice, take a look at the video below!