Summary of course taken

I am nearing the completion of a three year diploma in Higher Education in Adult Nursing Studies. I found the course challenging but also very rewarding but tough! I am also looking forward to qualifying but apprehensive of the future and working in acute care.

Description of strategies used.

I have been given a computer as I’ve had the Disabled Students Allowance and I have added some programs to make life easier.

One thing is the background colours are quite intense and I find it hard to read black text on a white background. I do not find it that easy to read from pale cream or beige paper offered to many dyslexic students. I have chosen blue for this web page as it takes the glare off the text, but I usually use a dark green colour to highlight the text when working in Word rather than changing the whole background. This allows me to focus on the text I want to read, as if it were in a frame but this makes it difficult for others to read!

The other advantage is that the highlighting is very flexible and good for proof reading. When I have finished reading one section I will leave it highlighted in red and this will allow me to see what I have read when I return to the document. It is so much easier when you have a big block of text like a 4000 word assignment.

I find my mind works in two settings, which seem to be visual or auditory, one is either switched 'on' or 'off'! I have difficulties using too many senses at once! If I working on an assignment I need to concentrate on writing ideas and I will use a recorder to make sure I do not miss what someone may be saying to me.

When I am working with some study skill strategies I have recorded the session and whilst bouncing off ideas as I mind map the main points. I really get quite dynamic when I am working on a huge A1 pad. When I go back to my assignment I can listen to the recording and use the map to check I have not missed any points. I sometimes make a map on one strand or have another go with the whole project. It can be cyclical, in that I will go back and back again checking my thoughts till I have covered the whole question.

I sometimes have difficulties actually constructing sentences when faced with a blank page. Its like I have 2,500 words to write – or 5 sides of A4 to fill and I have not got a clue what to write next. Its like decorating – you know you have to take the wall paper down before starting but it is such a huge job! If I can just get started it helps, so I may use Dragon NaturallySpeaking to get the ideas going. It does not have to be perfect it just has to be some ideas – but I do have to speak clearly. I find if I am getting tired it starts glitching and I have to take a break, but at least I have got going! Once you have trained the system you know what the program does so you know where it is going to misinterpret what you are saying.