Study Smarter, Not Longer: Blog 3 of 7 - Chunking

One of my students’ favorite learning strategies is chunking – breaking down the information you need to learn into manageable chunks.  Here is why it works:  when you are studying you are using your short-term or working memory and you have to keep working with the material to get it transferred to your long-term memory.   Two things are important to know about your working memory:

1.       Information does not permanently stay there.  Your goal is to work with it enough to get it into your long-term memory which you will access during an exam.

2.       You can only work with 7 plus or minus 2 items at a time (George A. Miller, 1956, Princeton University, Department of Psychology).

So, what does this mean to you, the learner?

·       You cannot learn multiple pages of lecture notes at a once.  You have to break them down into meaningful chunks and learn each of those.

·       When reading a long textbook chapter, stop after each section and review what you read before moving on.

·       When preparing for an exam covering half a semester’s information you have to see the overview picture and then work with meaningful chunks of the information.  

It is important to note that you are always going between the larger view and the smaller chunks.  You need to see how everything fits together, but also work with the small bits of information to learn.

The next blog will look at the multiple encounters that are needed to really learn something.  Stay tuned!

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and  Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right  link.

Study Smarter, Not Longer: Blog 2 of 7 - Use a Variety of Strategies

A common study strategy is to “review” or “reread” lecture notes over and over.  This does not work!  At best you will memorize the information in the exact words you wrote and in the exact order, but you will not understand the information or be able to work with it on an exam.  You need to work with the information is a variety of ways to fully learn.  Here are some ideas from my Learning Strategies classes:

Visually:

• Rework the information into study guides (concept maps, review charts, outlines, time lines, study cards) whatever format suits the information.
• Add visuals.  Many students draw pictures or paste computer print-outs on their notecards.
• If appropriate, look at videos related to the material.
• Go to Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org) and watch someone else explain the information.
• Color code your notes, or highlight different information with different colors.
• Create your own Power Point slides

 Aurally (hearing):

• Obviously go to class so that you hear the professor explain the material.
• Read your notes out loud.  I have had some students sing their notes to a song beat.
• Join a study group and talk about the information with others.  Perhaps take turns either explaining the information or quizzing each other.
• Go to peer tutoring sessions.
• Record yourself explaining the information or reading the notes and listen while driving or exercising (combines hearing and muscle movement)

 Muscle movement:

• Create study guides (see Visual – you are using small muscles)
• Reserve a Library study room or classroom and write the material on the white or chalk boards
• Study in a different location.
• After creating a portable study guide, review it while exercising.   Stationary bikes work better than treadmills!  On the treadmill listen to your recorded notes (see Aural).

You can see there is a lot of overlap.  Try a variety of strategies depending on what you like and the material you have to learn.  It makes learning easier and more enjoyable!

The next blog will look at one of my students’ favorite strategies: chunking!  Come back next week to see what that is!

*****

First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right  link.

Study Smarter, Not Longer: First in a Series of 7

The following seven blogs will cover effective learning strategies that will help you use your study time more effectively.  You can study for hours and not make any progress if you do not know how to learn.  This series, which should take us to the end of the semester and final exams, will explore how learning happens and what you, the learner, can do to maximize your efforts.

In my classes I explain learning with this description:

Learning requires variety, repetition and self-testing spaced out over time.

Obviously, there is not one magic strategy, but many.

The first is to have an overview of the material and fill in any missing background knowledge.  I am always telling my students to look at “The Big Picture” whether they are reading a textbook chapter, taking lecture notes, or preparing for an exam.  Before mastering the details you need to understand the overall organization so that you see how everything fits together.

To see the Big Picture, do the following:

• When reading an assignment, look through the entire chapter or article first.  Read the headings, bold print, charts, graphs, pictures, extra material in side bars, etc.   If these aids are limited, which they often are in articles or higher-level textbooks you might consider skimming the assignment first and then rereading in depth.
• In a lecture class, read the syllabus to get a feel for how the professor has organized the course and the material.
• Before a lecture class, review the previous lecture notes as these will probably provide a foundation for the next lecture.
• Read the textbook before a lecture, even if it is confusing.  You can go back and reread after class but the initial reading will introduce you to the topic, people, vocabulary, etc.
• When studying your lecture notes after class be sure to see how that class fits in with the overall course.
• When you are preparing for an exam, first look at the organization of all the material to be covered.  Then break it down into logical smaller portions and learn each.

The next blog will explain how to incorporate a variety of strategies and some ideas of what those might be.

*****

First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.   Click on the upper right link.

Mid-term Exams and Grades

It is hard to believe, but the semester is about half over.  Here are some things to keep in mind at this time regarding mid-term exams and grades:

Before mid-term exams:

·       Make sure you are keeping your calendar up to date so you know ahead of time when the exams are scheduled.

·       Be sure you have all of the information that will be on the exams, particularly if you have missed a class.

·       Start early to study, NOT the night before.   This is good practice for finals.

·       If you have two or more in a row, make a small study guide to look at as you travel between locations.  This will help you get your brain into the information for the next exam.  (You might also talk to the professor and ask if there is another class period or time when you could take the exam.)

After the exams:

·       If you discover there is information you have learned incorrectly or don’ t know at all, make sure you get it before the class moves forward, especially if the final is cumulative or it is in your major.  You can see your professor or ask another student who you know earned a high grade.

·       Analyze your preparation and learning throughout the first half of the semester and see what improvements you can make.

Mid-term grades:

·       Examine your grades and analyze how you have been studying.  Will just a little more effort earn you a higher grade?    Consider asking the professor, a peer tutor or a successful student in the class about study tips.

·       If you find you are failing a class, ask the professor (in person is best) if there is a chance of passing.  If so, explain how you have been preparing and ask for suggestions.  If there is no chance to pass, talk to your advisor about the possibility of withdrawing.  You should also talk with the financial aid office to see if this will impact any grants or loans.  There are multiple ramifications to failing a class!

The next several blog postings will look at exactly how learning happens and how you can maximize your study efforts!

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies  and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right link.

Successful Habit # 7 – We are what we repeatedly do…

One quote I use frequently in my classes, especially Learning Strategies, is by Aristotle.  I often get kidded about using quotes by dead people instead of someone from current pop culture (especially by the younger faculty members!), but you just can’t beat this idea! 

We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.

Think back on the last 24 hours.  How did you spend most of your time?  What do those choices say about who you are?

Admittedly I like routine and I don’t necessarily like change or variety, so it is easy for me to structure my time to work on the things that I want or need to do.  If you like flexibility and spontaneity, schedule in that time or change up where or how you study.   But if you put something important off and tell yourself you will do it “when you have the time” you will never get it done.

For the college student, one challenge is that each semester is a new class schedule and they have to develop new habits to accomplish their goals.   At the beginning of each semester decide when to study, exercise, relax, etc. and then start that schedule the first week of classes.  Some things that we have looked at in past blogs that should be built in are:

·       Attend EVERY class

·       Review notes after EVERY class

·       Attend any tutoring or Supplemental Instruction available

·       Read the textbook or assignment before class

·       Look at the syllabus every class

·       Write down all assignments

·       Be in the habit of ALWAYS doing your best.  That way you will be able to do your best when it counts.

The list does seem daunting, but once you are in the HABIT of doing this it will seem easy and natural!

Now that you have developed successful habits, the next several blogs will deal with the ingredients to successful learning and how they can be built into your study repertoire.  Keep learning!

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.   Click on the upper right link.

Successful Habit #6 - Read Textbook BEFORE Clas!

This is a simple habit that will make a big difference in your learning.  Here’s why:

·       You will have an idea/preview of what the lecture will be about.

·       If the professor is unorganized, you will have an idea of the structure of the information.

·       If the professor has a heavy accent, you will have an idea of the words he or she may be using.

·       This initial reading starts the learning process.  Remember that learning takes repetition and this is your first exposure to the information.

It is okay if you do not completely understand the information.  Simply reread the assignment after class and coordinate with your lecture notes.

It goes without saying that reading your textbook for the first time the night before an exam is a waste of your time!

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation  for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.   Click on the upper right link.

Successful Habit #5 - Studying Notes After Each Class

If there is one habit you can follow that will make a major difference in your grades, it is to review and start to learn your lecture notes after each class.  This might seem like a lot of work, but in fact this strategy will lessen the total amount of time you have to spend studying in the long run.   Rereading your notes is only the beginning, there are several more strategies you need to add that will help you actually learn and understand the information.

Here is what you need to do as soon as possible after each lecture class and definitely before the next class:

• Reread your lecture notes.  At this time make sure they make sense!  Correct spellings, add more words if needed so that they are very clear, identify any questions, reread sections of the textbook if that would clear up any confusion, etc.
• Make an effort while doing this to see the organization of the material and, if needed, highlight or somehow identify the main categories.  
• You can add information from the textbook if that will help your understanding.
• Of course, if your notes are a disaster (possibly through no fault of yours if the professor is very unorganized) you will have to rewrite them.  Many students always do this and find it very effective. 
• Then go back to the beginning and reread each logical section – not the entire set of notes at once.  At the end of each section, cover up the notes and try to restate the information in your own words from memory.  If you can, move on to the next section.  If you cannot, reread and try again.
• If appropriate, transfer the information onto to note cards.
• You can also make a study guide (concept map, review chart, time line, etc.) to help you understand the information.

The important thing is to do more with your notes than just reread.  You also will occasionally need to study ALL the notes that will be on the next exam.  You cannot just wait until the night before!

The idea here is to get into the HABIT of doing this after EVERY class.  If it is the norm for you to either go to the library after class or go somewhere else to study your notes, it will not seem like that much work at all. 

The next blog will look at another habit related to your classes – reading the textbook BEFORE class!

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.   Click on the upper right link.