End-of-Semester Review

The spring semester has ended for most institutions.  Before starting your summer job, volunteer activities or classes, do a quick review of the spring semester.  Here are some things to think about:

• What study and learning strategies worked well this semester?
• What is your academic achievement that you are most proud of?
• What did you do to help yourself be academically successful?  (Maybe getting more sleep, more exercise, attending all classes, etc.)
• Is there anything that you could have done better?
• What will you do the next time you are taking classes to continue and/or improve your success?
• What advice would you give yourself when you start classes again?

We know from learning strategies that if you write down the answers to these questions you will put more thought into them and remember them.  Consider writing the questions and responses and tucking the paper away so that you will find it when you start classes again.   That will be a positive way to begin your next round of classes.

Future blogs will deal with on-line and condensed summer classes as well as some basic learning tips.

Enjoy the summer!

Student Reflections from Spring 2012

I am reading the final papers from students in my Learning Strategies course.  Most of the students are on probation and are taking this course to learn how to be academically successful. There are several themes running through the papers that my students report are important to academic success:

Sleep – We are learning more and more about the importance of sleep in many areas, one of which is learning.  It is difficult to concentrate and learn when you are tired.

Chunking – Instead of working with a huge amount of material at once, break it down into small “chunks” and learn those parts, then put the information together into the whole piece.  (Of course, each “chunk” must be a logical section.)

Review notes as soon as possible after each class – Students who did this were amazed at how well they learned the material and how well they then did on exams.

Academics are more important than socializing – Most of the students who were on probation reported that last semester they spent more time socializing than studying.  Once their priorities were switched and they put more importance on their academics, they grades greatly improved.

Studying: Active vs. Passive

Everyone is busy preparing for final exams.  When you are thinking about how to study, consider how you can use active strategies vs. passive strategies. 

Active strategies are when you are manipulating the information either through writing, shuffling note cards, making concept maps, review charts, time lines, etc.  

Passive strategies are when you are simply reviewing or thinking about the material with limited involvement.  

Obviously the active strategies are going to be the most effective way to get the information into your long term memory.   Here are some examples:

Active Strategies – most effective	Passive Strategies – less effective
Outline textbook material Annotate reading material Study cards Review charts, concept maps, time lines Rewrite notes Combine lecture and textbook notes in a new outline Take on-line practice tests Write answers to study guides provided by professor Form questions, write them and then the answers Form a study group and quiz each other	Reread your notes Reread your textbook Review lecture notes Study while watching television