executive MBA subject 02
Individual Skills
Pre-programme, open term. 3.5 ECTS, about 88 hours, 4 chapters. Free for everyone.
task, condition, standard
What you will be able to do
Task, condition and standard
Task
Build a personal study and work system that fits your learning style, your week and your energy.
Condition
Given your own diary for one week and the short learning-style check on this page.
Standard
The system names your learning style, protects at least five study hours a week and includes one recovery habit.
Who it is for: Anyone starting the programme who wants to learn faster and stay well while working and studying.
how this subject works
Free entry, voice and your learning style
Free for everyone. This pre-programme subject is open to all, with no payment and no sign-in needed. It is a good first step if you are new to study or to computers.
- Listen. Every part has a Listen button that reads it aloud.
- Speak or type. Answer each part by talking (press Speak) or by typing. Your answers stay on this device only.
- Learn your way. Every part has a See, Hear, Do and Read-and-write route. Not sure which suits you? Take the eight-question learning-style check.
4 chapters
The chapters, with worked examples
Chapter 1 How you learn (VARK profile) 22 hUnderstand: find out
People take in ideas in four main ways: seeing (visual), hearing (aural), reading and writing, and doing (kinesthetic). Most people mix them. Knowing your mix helps you choose how to study.
- Visual: diagrams, maps, colour
- Aural: talk, listen, explain aloud
- Read and write: notes, lists; Kinesthetic: practice, real cases, hands on
Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. A learner answers the 8 questions below: 2 visual, 1 aural, 1 read and write, 4 kinesthetic. Kinesthetic is 4 of 8, or 50%, the strongest. She keeps reading but adds a practice task for every topic.
Activity: Take the eight-question check on this page and note your strongest and second style.
Standard: All eight questions answered and one study change written for your strongest style.
Learn your way
- See. Sketch "how you learn (vark profile)" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
- Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
- Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
- Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.
Learning-style check. Eight quick questions. It works without a computer too: read them aloud and count your answers on paper.
Your answer. Take the eight-question check on this page and note your strongest and second style.
Chapter 2 Personal productivity and time 22 hApply: plan a week
Time is fixed; attention is not. Put your hardest work where your energy is highest and protect it.
- Block study time in the diary like a meeting
- Sort tasks: urgent and important first, important but not urgent next
- Batch small tasks such as messages into two slots a day
Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. A manager checks messages 30 times a day for 3 minutes each: 90 minutes. Batching into two 20-minute slots takes 40 minutes, saving 50 minutes a day, or about 4 hours a week, enough for study.
Activity: Plan next week with five protected study hours and two message slots a day.
Standard: Five hours are blocked, the plan is followed for at least four days, and time saved is measured.
Learn your way
- See. Sketch "personal productivity and time" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
- Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
- Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
- Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.
Your answer. Plan next week with five protected study hours and two message slots a day.
Chapter 3 Feedback and coaching 22 hApply: ask and use feedback
Feedback is useful when it is specific and when you act on it. Ask for it in a way that makes it easy to give.
- Ask one narrow question: "What is one thing I could do better in meetings?"
- Listen, thank, do not argue
- Act on it and report back what you changed
Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. You ask five colleagues the same narrow question. Three name "too much detail". Three of five is 60%, so it is a real pattern, not one opinion. You cut slides from 15 to 8.
Activity: Ask three people one narrow feedback question and list the answers.
Standard: Three answers recorded, a pattern named if two or more agree, and one action taken.
Learn your way
- See. Sketch "feedback and coaching" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
- Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
- Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
- Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.
Your answer. Ask three people one narrow feedback question and list the answers.
Chapter 4 Resilience and wellbeing 22 hApply: build habits
Study on top of work is a long effort. Sleep, movement and short breaks keep your mind sharp; skipping them costs more than it saves.
- Aim for regular sleep times
- Take a 5-minute break every 50 minutes
- Notice early signs of strain and act on them
Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Studying 3 hours without a break, a learner finishes 6 practice questions. With a 5-minute break every 50 minutes she finishes 9 in the same 3 hours: 50% more done with less tiredness.
Activity: Pick one recovery habit and track it for 14 days.
Standard: The habit is tracked on at least 10 of 14 days and the effect is noted.
Learn your way
- See. Sketch "resilience and wellbeing" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
- Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
- Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
- Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.
Your answer. Pick one recovery habit and track it for 14 days.
ten checks
Check yourself
Say or write your answer first, then read the model answer.
- Q1. Name the four learning styles.
Model answer: Visual, aural, read and write, kinesthetic. (Covered in chapter 1: How you learn (VARK profile).) - Q2. 4 of 8 answers are kinesthetic. What share is that?
Model answer: 50%. (Covered in chapter 1: How you learn (VARK profile).) - Q3. Should you study only in your strongest style?
Model answer: No. Lead with it but mix in the others. (Covered in chapter 1: How you learn (VARK profile).) - Q4. 30 checks of 3 minutes each a day: how long is that?
Model answer: 90 minutes. (Covered in chapter 2: Personal productivity and time.) - Q5. Which tasks come first?
Model answer: Urgent and important. (Covered in chapter 2: Personal productivity and time.) - Q6. What is batching?
Model answer: Doing small similar tasks together in set slots. (Covered in chapter 2: Personal productivity and time.) - Q7. Give an example of a narrow feedback question.
Model answer: "What is one thing I could do better in meetings?" (Covered in chapter 3: Feedback and coaching.) - Q8. 3 of 5 people say the same thing. Is it a pattern?
Model answer: Yes, 60% agree, so treat it as real. (Covered in chapter 3: Feedback and coaching.) - Q9. How often should you take a short break?
Model answer: About every 50 minutes. (Covered in chapter 4: Resilience and wellbeing.) - Q10. Why protect sleep while studying?
Model answer: Tired minds learn and decide worse, so it costs more than it saves. (Covered in chapter 4: Resilience and wellbeing.)
slides L1 to L7
The seven-level ladder, slide by slide
- Slide 1: L1 Learning styles. Four ways to take in ideas. Speaker note: Say: put "learning styles" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
- Slide 2: L2 Your own mix. Find your strongest and second style. Speaker note: Say: put "your own mix" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
- Slide 3: L3 Time and energy. Block study time; batch small tasks. Speaker note: Say: put "time and energy" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
- Slide 4: L4 Using feedback. Narrow questions, patterns, action. Speaker note: Say: put "using feedback" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
- Slide 5: L5 Staying well. Sleep, breaks and early warning signs. Speaker note: Say: put "staying well" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
- Slide 6: L6 A personal system. Style, time and recovery in one weekly plan. Speaker note: Say: put "a personal system" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
- Slide 7: L7 Helping others learn. Coach a colleague to build their own system. Speaker note: Say: put "helping others learn" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
how it is judged
Marking rubric
| Criterion | Not yet | Meets | Exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | Several figures or facts are wrong. | Main figures are correct and the working is shown. | Figures are correct and checked a second way. |
| Use of individual skills tools | Tools are named but not used. | The right tools are used for each step. | Tools are adapted to the case and their limits are stated. |
| Recommendation | No clear answer. | A clear answer backed by the analysis. | A clear answer that also says what would change it. |
| Communication | Hard to follow. | Answer first, clear and short. | Clear, short and persuasive under questions. |
jobs this leads to
Where this takes you
- Learning and development officer. Helps staff plan and track their learning.
- Coach or mentor. Supports people to set and reach goals.
- Any manager. Uses these habits to stay effective under load.
language
Choose your language
This subject is in English first. Choose any language and the page is translated for you by machine, with the English kept as the official text.
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Keep going
Draft for review. Not live. Credit values are aligned with the European credit system for orientation only and are not an accreditation.