Helping Students Be Better At Studying...
Do you have any tips or tricks to become better at studying? Often times I run into students who seemingly do not have good study skills.
Bobbi Bricker
Hi Kimberly:
Sounds like a good technique for students to realize on their own the degree and thoroughness of how their study time and effort is paying off.
There are many effective tools and ideas that can assist students. Part of the challenge is to determine how a student learns, and adapt their study methods to activity.
Regards, Barry
After the first few weeks of class have begun, I can usually tell who studies and who doesn't. I find that if I constantly hound them about their study time I come across as mother hen.
Although I tell my students how important it is to study, I also give a handout which is nothing more than a calender.
With this calender I ask them to write down in each daily square what they did as far as studying and for how long. After the class has completed a full week on the calender, I ask the class to make a up a practice/study plan using the previous weeks study habits as a guide.
Most of the time, a serious student notices that they are practicing but not covering every aspect of what is needed to complete the course and will usually adjust their practice/study habits accordingly without me having to be such a mother hen!!!!
Hi DeVaria:
Assessments like you've described are kind of fun and students usually like doing them beccause they sort of tell something about the student they may not have been aware of.
I've kept track of students learning style inventory for several years. For me, it's about 50/50 as to being accurate over the entire course. But that could be attributed to the less sophisticated nature of the assessments I use, or the students may not be entirely truthful.
What's most helpful, like you, I talk about specific ways to study and use to the students advantage. So even if the assessment is off, they still benefit from hearing about better study methods.
Regards, Barry
At the beginning of each module, the time I get new students. I discuss learning styles. I explain the different types and have the students complete an assessment. The assessment determines the student's learning style. Once we have discovered the learning style, I then give them tips on how to study using that as a foundation.
Hi Brent:
Good points all. Ultimately, what works for students is best for students. But I understand many need help. That first 24 hours is critical and anything students can do to focus on current lessons within that window will help.
I also encourage students to use a topic specific dictionary for unfamilar terms. Then, write that definition down and add it to the review information. That little bit of extra time will add to information retention.
Regards, Barry
Hi Bobbi:
First, I explain to students there's no such thing as time management - it's self management (since we all have the same amount of time in a day).
Next, I try to have students utilize their prefered or natural learning style. Often, this is not known, although there are brief assessments that can give clues as to likey styles.
I try to convey that studying is not some awful, tedious torture every student has to endure. I minimize the chore with emphasis on:
* Commit to regularity
* Spend 30 minutes on focused study, 30 minutes away from study
* Rewrite notes, with attention to main points
* Review their own summarized notes
* Spend a few minutes right after class reviewing and maybe making some summarized comments or notes
I think one of the best ways to study is for students to test themselves, or have another test them. Whenever they are unable to provide a thorough, complete and accurate answer, they've just identified where more study is needed.
Another related technique is for students to teach others. As they are forging along, when they reach a point where they stumble, again, they've just identified where more study is needed.
Studies have proven students learn best when they have to teach the material. So getting them engaged and participating, even in the instruction is a part of the study process. This also develops critical thinking.
Like many teachers, I try to minimize giving attention to wrong, incorrect, or incomplete answers. I try to emphasize and praise accurate responses, and ignore and move on when incorrect information is given.
Regards, Barry
I suggest a number of things:
1. Don't treat non-technical textbooks like novels; rather than start at hte beginning of a chapter and start reading, look at the review/conclusion/end-of-chapter questions first. (I ask students the question, "How often do you get in your car, turn the key, and not know where you are going?"
2. Study at the same time everyday, if possible. Much like meals or regularly scheduled workouts, our brains come to expect new information if studying is incorporated at a particular time of day.
3. Review notes and materials before going to bed. Educational psychologists have found that seeing the material twice in a day to include once before going to sleep helps new information make the transition from short-term to long-term memory.
4. Don't study in long blocks of time: break up studying into 20-30 minute increments with a 7 minute break of doing a non-cognitive activity.
