Nursing and Midwifery - Rusman Efendi

178 DEMONSTRATING PROFICIENCY THROUGH ASSESSMENTDifficult circumstancesIt is well recognized that life events and stresses may interfere with your ability tolearn and hinder your performance in assessments. Many students cope with verydifficult circumstances and through hard work, support from friends and others,engaging with the university and adopting efficient learning strategies, they succeedalmost against all the odds. Each department will have policies which assistin genuine difficulties. These must usually relate to circumstances which areunexpected, beyond your control and have a detrimental impact on your abilityto study at a time crucial for assessments or related learning. Do read youruniversity polices which will explain the sort of things that may be considered.University staff and university policy will generally be supportive of studentswho experience genuine difficulties. Behind the scenes however there is a raft offorms and administrative procedures and so it is wise to keep in touch with thelecturers concerned. Where you could anticipate a problem go and talk this overwell in advance as this will enable paperwork to be prepared in advance.Often the decision concerning a request for special consideration is a joint oneinvolving a panel of academic staff.Your request must be made:• using the appropriate form (may be online)• within the prescribed time frame, usually before a submission date• and accompanied by sufficient evidence.Examples of reasons offered for special consideration:• Horse had colic• Had to buy a new car and moved house• Could not open data stick• ‘I panicked, realized I had not revised and ran out of the exam room’• Was arrested for being drunk• Grandmother was admitted to ITU and died• Laptop was stolenSome may evoke understanding while others may evoke the disciplinary procedure!Even where there is bereavement it may prove ineligible unless it was at acrucial period. The problem with the horse was accepted but it has been knownfor a student to have around eight grandmothers die during a three-year period!While it may prove impossible you should try to obtain some form of evidence tosupport your claims. Contact with your personal tutor or academic supervisor