Information on end of study reports

The International Foundation provides college departments and employers with an end of study report on request. To apply for an end of study report, you must request it and arrange to have it sent directly from the foundation to the admission department of the college or directly from us to the employer.Therefore ensure that you supply us with the name of the liaison, the name of the department and the full postal address of the college as well as email and telephone number. It is essential that you allow up to three full weeks for the report to be compiled. If you require the report to be fast-tracked (less than three weeks) there will be a fee payable. If you wish to continue your study at third level, please take note of the information below.

The end of study report:
� verifies the applicant�۪s examination results,
� presents assignment results on all module completed,
� outlines in detail the areas of curriculum studied by an applicant
� attests to the applicant�۪s nature of involvement in his/her study programme
� highlights academic strengths as well as areas needing attention
� gives reference to the applicant�۪s reflection on life�۪s learning and the importance of learning to the applicant
� provides a recommendation for further study
� denotes the applicant�۪s personal qualities that became apparent during the Distance Learning programme that may or may not be relevant to professions that address people�۪s problems or nurture growth and well being.
In order to assist us in compiling your end of study report that will reflect your learning we suggest that you complete a Learning Statement /Personal Narrative and return it to your tutor before completion of your programme. You will find that when you have completed at least five assessments that it will be easier for you to complete. It is not recommended that students attempt it before this point.

The Personal Narrative gives insight into your life and how you became the person you are. It is a difficult task and it is not for everyone and therefore there is no obligation on you to complete it. It requires planning and thought.
The purpose of it is to demonstrate that as a mature learner, you bring a wealth of knowledge to your chosen career goals. It will assist Admission Boards to understand how you have made your experiences in life and study meaningful.

The Personal Narrative should tell of how and where you got to be who you are and what your skills are. Illustrate how you and the abilities acquired throughout your life are connected to what you intend to do in the future.

Think about incidents that influenced who you are now, what you believe and what is important to you. These could include such events such as the birth of a child, friendships, inspiration, nature, divorce, work experience, death, sickness, arthritis, asthma, being made redundant, study experiences etc. They can be intellectual, emotional , spiritual or physical. Describe the impact of the incidents on your growth focussing on the effect on your learning and if possible subsequent life events.

The length and approach is up to each individual, some of the most effective Personal Narratives are generally greater than 500 words and no more than 2000 words. You should demonstrate your unique individuality above all else.

Avoid:
� Writing chronologically
� Telling your life story without appropriate reflection
� Making statement of skills acquired without providing evidence.

Ensure
� Your narrative focuses on connecting, analyzing and interpreting your learning experiences.
� It synthesises your past, present and future learning experience
� You write in an active voice. ( I realised, I noticed, I felt, )
� You select your experiences carefully and be honest and genuine
� To provide a brief sum up in the end

Please Note:
�� Complete and attach the sheet enclosed to your Personal Narrative and return it to your tutor in an A4 envelope and please do not fold or bend

�� Retain a copy of it as with all postage items.

�� It is at our discretion whether or not the Personal Narrative will be included with the end of study report. It may in all cases be used to assist the compilation of the end of study report.

�� There is a sample attached to give you an indication on how to complete your Statement, not all Personal Narratives refer to childhood or intimate personal experiences so feel free to write what you find relevant and comfortable.

Sample of ���Personal Narrative ��� Critical Reflection on Learning�۝ for your attention
My name is XXXXXX and I was born in 1950 in HXXXXze LXVXXnde in The Netherlands. I have three brothers . My mother was from Turkey and when I was young I was aware of some racist attitudes towards her when shop assistants would laugh at her poor command of Dutch language. From a very early age, I developed a keen ear and interest for languages. I became determined that I would speak Dutch fluently because of this. The image of people sneering at my mother at the age of five has remained with me. Languages became very important to me and I now speak my mother tongue Turkish as well as Dutch, English and German. I love to communicate with people from different cultures and it has given me an insight into behaviour and my interest in sociology, psychology and anthropology.

My mother worked very hard all her life, cleaning houses to earn money to educate my brothers and I. My parents�۪ divorce was devastating to me at the age of twelve and it resulted in the family living on my mother�۪s meagre income . Future planning was not an option under such circumstance as the only option was to leave school and help bring in some income. The result was that during my teenage years, I lost interest in school and left with a mere sufficient grade. I got an administration job with the Civil Service which was an admirable achievement, as it was in those days a reliable position and a job for life. I met and married my wife Anna. I spent twenty five year working, during which time I moved from a basic grade employee to assistant office manager.

Since my retirement I am now determined to obtain a qualification that will enable me to assist immigrants in my country. For twenty five years my wife and I have strived hard to educate our four children , three who have now completed their university studies and my youngest daughter who has just commenced studying a social science degree. All my children are trilingual, speaking fluent Dutch, Turkish and English. I feel now that I need to take hold of this opportunity to continue my formal education which due to circumstances I could not avail of or appreciate when I was younger.

During my working life, I participated in many projects, I edited a newsletter in my department and I have desktop publishing skills. I worked in a Passport department and my language ability helped me perform with competence. I had opportunities to meet people from all over the world and to empathise with refugees and migrant workers and I gained an understanding of the challenges facing them. I have organization skills and I have been involved in organising department functions throughout the year which were always a success. So much so that even after retirement I am still asked to do so. I lost opportunities for promotion during my life which I do regret, but this was due to the fact that younger employees were better educated and I tend to have a quiet personality. Now I have had time to reflect on this I know my main goals in life were to help people rather than personal success. Foolish perhaps, but that I would not change.

I have now reached a point in my life where I can reflect on life with greater wisdom than ever before. I am energetic and with a comfortable pension I can grasp opportunities that were not available to me when I was younger. I have completed the Social Studies Diploma and was drawn to it as it encompasses the issue of racism which is still a major problem in this country. The study has reinforced in me a desire to do be active in this area. It has awoken a passion that I think was always under the surface but never articulated. I have enjoyed studying so much over the last year that I now cannot imagine life without the intellectual stimulation. With admission to the undergraduate programme I am keen to work for social justice and cultural understanding. My experiences, especially my knowledge of languages, my observation of problems for immigrants and my recent study in the social sciences are all steps in helping me to reach my goals.