Becoming a successful student at the School of Human Ecology

Graduation ceremony

Copyright 2003 All rights reserved William McGraw

Agenda

• WIIIFM (what is in for you)• Short Powerpoint presentation• Your problems, questions and concerns• Personal learning inventory• Web site• Handouts-powerpoint• Assistive technologies learning aids • College, study, reading, exams, stress

Bibliography

• Active Learning, Sherrie Nist• College Rules, Sherrie Nist• Becoming a Master Student, Dave Ellis• The Good Study Guide, Open University.• Handbook of College Reading, Flippo &

Caverly• LASSI Learning Inventory, Weinstein• Web sites

WIIIFM?

• What is in for you?

• Better grades

• Lifelong skills

• Flexible learning

• Better job?

• More earning power click here

• Let’s begin…

College Rules• Your in the “big” time now- more is expected• Become independent learner…be proactive• Think critically• Fewer safety nets• Need to study longer and more efficiently• More self-discipline• More motivation• More energy, keep spirits up• Learning strategies• Faster pace• High stakes grades• Don’t mess up…keep up

Adjustments to college life

• Emotional• Social• Living arrangements• Academic • Frustrations…college is too much work! Too

much reading, note taking and tests! Too much picky detail! Too expensive! Too little time to do it all! Too crowded! Don’t like textbooks!

• Despite the issues, keep at it

Well rounded student

• Likes to learn• Spends time on task• Goal oriented• Has network of family, friends, peers• Connects with faculty• Seeks help• Willful, skillful, curious, open-minded & has

self-discipline

Study strategies

• Read with the purpose to understand and remember• Be clear on teacher assigned tasks (type, tools, due

date, criteria)• To reflect on the content (meaning and importance)• Active listening• Take GOOD notes• Manage time• GET HELP• Question information• Study skills a habit (systematic, organized & effective)• Study aids (software, templates and hardware)

Memory & knowledge

• Knowledge types…• Declarative –what• Procedural-how• Conditional –why• Memory level learning (facts, definitions,

illustrations, etc)• Higher level (apply knowledge, synthesis,

analysis, conclude, compare/contrast, relate, cause/effect, prove/justify, evaluate, argue)

4 success factors

• You as a college learner

• Tasks assigned by teacher

• Textual materials (books etc)

• Learning strategies

Study attitudes• Courses you do not like (or need)• What are your teacher’s expectations?• Do you seek help? Ego, feelings,

embarrassment...tutoring• Interests match major or courses or advisor?• Beliefs about knowledge (does knowledge change,

is knowledge complex, the speed of learning is gradual or fast, do you seek help to learn?)

• Excellence in your work• Excellence in your preparation

What is college learning?

• Take in ideas through readings, teachers and peers

• Facts, concepts, principles and theory• Fit the new ideas into your existing ideas by

reworking this knowledge (think through ideas)• Communicate new ideas with your “take on it”

OR use these new ideas in life• Make sense, make meaning, understand new

knowledge.

Study skills as…

• As a process

• As technique

• As strategies

• As routines and habits

What is it to “study”?

• Read, take notes• Take in ideas, think through ideas, sort out ideas• Create frameworks for critical thinking• Discuss knowledge with other people• Rework ideas into your own knowledge

(constructivism)• Reflect, rehearsal, review, & revise• Use new ideas• Reflect on knowledge

Reflection

• Click here for more information

Rehearsal

• Repetition

• Concept maps

• CARDS

• Charts

• Rehearsal aids

Review

• With other people

• With CARDS

• With notes

• Monitor learning

• What is the focus? Main points, key ideas?

• What should you know per teacher?

• What should you expect per teacher?

So what?

• Helps with exams

• Helps with projects

• Saves time, money & energy

• Saves emotions

• Competence, confidence, comfort

• Aids writing & public speaking

• Aids with real life events

College reading problems

• Increased amount of readings• Increased complexity and difficulty of ideas,

concepts, principles and theory• Much more to remember• More terms, definitions, vocabulary• Needs more discipline time and notes• Manage feelings• Reading speed, comprehension & purpose • Lack of prior knowledge, knowledge gaps &

unknown territory• How much do you need to know, how much

deeper processing and how much time available

College reading issues

• Deal with feelings and emotions• Deal with new & unknown words,

complexities and make meaning• Asking the text for clarity• Create interest• Points of view• What effect does it have on you?• Your reactions

Reading aids

• Software• Slow versus speed reading• Your background and knowledge gaps• Back tracking• Subvocalization• Eye fixations• Check your comprehension• Reading speed, rate, purpose, content difficulty,

what is the task, time to read.

Reading tips

• Get psyched up for reading

• Assemble tools

• Read for learning and remembering

• Read with the intent to remember

• Stay connected to the content-take notes

• Interrogate the text

• Slow versus fast reading speed

• Engage the readings with questions

Why take notes?

• Focus attention• Try to make sense of content• Form of external memory• Sign of progress• Stage in writing process (pre-writing)• Pull course content together• Helps get through difficult material with a record• Helps build ideas• Read, think, write• Aid in reflection process• more

Why take notes? cont

• The way your mind works

• Kind of text, teacher or event

• Pick out argument elements

• Use arguments in writing or speech

What are good notes?• Organized, structured and useful• Capture main points, key ideas, important

ideas, etc.• Has examples• Captures patterns (lists, cause/effect, terms,

definitions, comments)• Legible• Split page format• Aids (templates, software and tape

recorders)

Taking notes tips

• Hilighter• Underline• Tape recorder-mixed view• Annotate (read b4 write, think, key ideas, read

annotations not text again)• Annotate (isolate info, reduce info to key,

organize, help to monitor learning, paraphrase, predict exam, relationships between ideas, use for exams-not reread book)

Writing process-like a lawyer• Argument as per the task, make sure you answer

the question at hand.• Work from notes as to the relevant parts, main

content• Links main points, make connections• Clarify relationships, grasp ideas• Bring in own ideas• Justify arguments, objective, analytical• Raise questions • Argue up to the conclusion• Flow-link words, make sure reader knows where

you are going (signposts),

Writing flow

• Title-get a controlling idea• Gather together content• Get ideas• Make plan-outline• Draft• Revise• Check-values, judgements, answer

question, used own ideas

Leads to exams

• PORPE

• Predict

• Organize notes

• Rehearse

• Practice

• Evaluate

Stress

• Tests

• Projects

• Papers

• Labs

• Life

• Living

Knowledge Beliefs

• What learning is

• Quick versus gradual

• Teacher has the right answers

• Memory versus understanding

• Surface, deep and achieving

• Change if hamper college achievements

• Change for a richer life

Set goals to be successful

• Specific

• Measurable

• Realistic

• Flexible