Concrete, Hands-on Learning Strategies

The more actively involved you are with the material you want to learn, the more efficiently you will learn it.    Learning will take a lot longer if you sit and passively read or review your lecture notes.  Instead, try some hands-on activities.  By adding movement, color, and/or noise you will increase your retention and shorten your learning time.  Here are some ideas:

When reading your textbook, make notes in the margin or take separate notes

Read some passages out loud

With textbook material or lecture notes, transfer the material you want to learn into a study guide

Make study cards

Add color to any of the above

Practice remembering – close your book or notebook and restate what you just read

Teach someone else

Make a practice test and trade with a friend

Take your notebook to the gym with you and review on the treadmill or exercise bike

Record a summary of the material and listen while you are driving or walking

Sing your notes to a rap beat

The idea is to add some variety to your studying.  Use multiple strategies to learn the material.  (And don’t forget to space your studying out over time also!!)

What Should I DO When I Study?

This is a question many students have!  You know you need to “study” and you may even have heard the rule of thumb about studying 2 hours for every hour in class.  When I am working with students on probation they say they are going to study “more” or “harder” but they often don’t know what to actually DO.

Remember that to learn something you need to be exposed to it in a variety of ways, at several different study sessions, and spread over some extended time period.

Here are some ideas for different, concrete things to DO when you are studying:

• Of course you are going to “review” your lecture notes.   While doing that be sure you understand everything and that all of the information is clear.  If there is something you are not sure of, check back in the textbook.  This should be done as soon after class as possible - definitely before the next lecture.
• Break down the information in your notes into logical sections or chunks.  Read that section, then close your notebook and restate the information in your own words.  Check yourself and do it again if you are not 100% correct.
• Take important terms, people and events from your notes and put them on study cards – term on front and definition and additional information on the back.  You can add more information from your textbook.  Then quiz yourself.  Remember to restate the information before checking the back of the card.
• Create study guides from the information.
• Form a study group and either teach the information to the others or take turns quizzing each other.
• Take advantage of any online study guides or practice tests.
• Make your own practice test and take it a few days later or switch with a friend.

Remember, you need to do several of these strategies and they need to be spread out over the time period leading up to the exam.  They will not work during an all-nighter before the exam!

 So – pick one strategy and get started!

Preparing for the Start of a New Semester

One aspect of college that is interesting is that each semester is different.  You have to set new habits and routines each semester.  So, as you approach the beginning of the spring semester, here are some things to do and consider:

Make a weekly chart of your classes and any other weekly responsibilities or commitments you have.  Then decide:

• What is the best time for studying?   How will you fit in the number of hours needed?
• When will you sleep, exercise?
• When will you eat?  If you have back-to-back classes, does the food service offer bag lunches?
• It is easiest if you get into a good routine from the beginning of the semester.

Look at your various classes.  Are there any that will be particularly challenging?  How will you handle that?  Is there outside help on your campus?  Where and when?

When you receive the syllabus for each class, put the major papers, assignments and exams on your monthly calendar so you know in advance how to organize your time.

Make sure that you start the semester at the top of your game.  The first week always seems easy, but things get hectic and stressful quickly.  Start off running!

Good luck and enjoy the semester!