Three Ingredients for Learning

Often students are surprised that they get a low grade on an exam even after they have “gone over their notes” several times and read the textbook.   BUT - learning requires varied and repeated exposure over time.   Let’s look at those three ingredients:

Varied – You have to do different strategies in order to truly learn.  For example, read the textbook,  read your lecture notes, quiz yourself on what you read, put the information into a study guide, make a practice test, have someone quiz you and give the answers out loud.  (This is six different forms of study!)

Repeated – In order to really know something you have to study it many times, not just once.  It takes a lot of repetition to get the information firmly in your memory.  And this repetition must be done over time (the next ingredient)!

Over time – Knowledge takes time to be set permanently in your memory – the night before the exam just won’t work!  So as you are going over and over the material, spread it out over a week or weeks.   Reviewing difficult material 20 minutes a day, every day, during the semester works wonders!  You will be amazed at how much you know!  (Of course this is above and beyond your regular studying!)

These three things put together will lead you to successful learning and a better grade on the next exam!  It might seem like a lot, but you can do it!  (And it is worth it!)

The Next Step in Your Learning – Study Guides

Besides going to class, reading the textbook and reviewing your lecture notes, what else can you do to increase your learning?

One strategy is to create study guides.  There are a variety of formats:

• Outlines
• Study cards
• Question and Answer
• Concept maps of mind maps
• Review charts
• Time lines
• Venn Diagrams (for compare and contrast only)

 Study guides are versatile.  They can be made from any or all of the following:

• Textbook chapters
• Lecture notes
• Combination of the two above
• Small sections of material you are having difficulty with
• All of the material to be covered on an exam
• Any material you need to organize and understand more clearly

Making the study guide is one major learning session.  Then studying and reviewing from the guide using recitation is another.   If you are making a study guide for an exam, start early and then have several days to review.   Other guides, such as outlines, study cards, and Q and A, can be made as you are learning throughout the weeks.

Keep in mind that you are not limited to just one.  You can do as much as you need to do to be successful in your learning.  The sky is the limit!

More Effective Academic Reading – Two Quick Steps

There are two quick strategies you can add to your academic reading that will make a big difference in your comprehension and retention of the material:

#1 – BEFORE you start to read, PREVIEW the material

• Look through the chapter or article and look at any headings or bold print
• See how the information is organized – think about the big picture of the piece
• Look at any new words defined in the margins
• Read the Learning Objectives or the Chapter Outline
• Look at the pictures, charts, graphs, etc.   (These will distract you during the actual reading!)
• If it is a trade book, read the back cover, any note from the author, table of contents, whatever information is there to help you see (again!) the overall organization of the book and the big picture.

#2 – AFTER you are done, REVIEW what you have read

• Look through the chapter again and reread the headings
• Reread any notes you have taken
• See if you can answer the Learning Objectives
• Think about what you read and see what you can restate in your own words

These two quick strategies can make a big difference in your effectiveness as a reader.  Give them a try!

What are your HABITS?

Here we are in the early stages of the fall semester and you are getting accustomed to your class schedule.    Take a minute to think about what kinds of habits you are developing.  Below are some positive habits that will lead you to success and some negative ones that will get in the way of your success:

Positive – heading for success	Negative – roadblocks to success
Going to the Library to study after class Reviewing notes immediately after class Getting a good night’s sleep Eating healthy food Exercising Building in relaxation and “fun” time Having goals for the day, week and semester Getting to class early and reviewing the previous notes Finding help when it is needed	Going back to your room after class and taking a nap Not looking at your notes until the night before an exam Staying up late and hanging out with friends Not keeping track of your assignments Getting to class late Skipping class! Partying too much

It is important to develop positive habits while it is early in the semester.  It is much harder to change a bad habit than to start a positive habit from the beginning.  What positive habits have you incorporated into your days and weeks?  What habits might you change before they are too ingrained?  Be sure that how you are spending your time, energy and effort is getting you to your end goal!