Study Skills CSK 101

How to optimize your brain and time Keys to Student Success

Text Books
Cover

Title

Note taken from

Copyright/Publisher Contents Index

Material

Note extraction

Why are you here?

Wealth?
Associate degrees double high school diploma earnings

Job

security? Associate degrees = unemployment of high school

diplomas

Respect? Respect is earned, a degree gets you an audience

Prestige?
Easy

Prestige is earned, your education will teach you how

Life? You probably will not be cleaning motel rooms

Who are you

Respiratory

Therapy is composed of:

Tinkerers Creative thinkers Caring people Controlled rebels

People who ask why

What do you want?

From:

Life Career Family Friends Society Pima Your faculty

When do you plan on getting it?

is never too late There is never too soon
There There

is only NOW

How are you going to get it?

Critical

thinking

Why is it this way? Is this the only way? Is that the right answer? Can I do it better?

What stands in the way

Im

stupid I have trouble understanding I dont have time People interrupt me I cant ..

Horse Feathers!

Successful Intelligence
Analytical

Who What Why When How

Information gathering

Successful Intelligence
Creative

Thinking

How does this pertain to my needs? How does it fit with what I already know? Where does it fit in my mental rolodex?
Is it important to remember?

Einsteins parable

Successful Intelligence
Practical

thinking

How can I use this information? Can I apply it to my current problem?

Can I pass this on to my colleagues

Teaching fifth graders

Group Study
Collective

reasoning

Study Buddies

Motivation
Whatever

you learn is yours

No one can take it away It can be your secret to share as you want

You

can learn anything

The longest journey starts with a single step

The harder you work at it, the easier it becomes The more you know, the easier life becomes

Motivation
Set

deadlines deadlines

I will have accomplished by

Tell someone your goal
Disappointing others is a bummer

Share

Enforce

deadlines

You said you were going to

Reward

yourself

Have a cookie because you did it

Motivation
Share

your new knowledge

Everyone draws a different conclusion

What s/he learned might be what you need to complete your thought You have the answer to your colleagues question

Imparting that information feels good

Learning is Mezssy

Messy learning
What

you learned may be wrong

Check your source Does it fit with what you already know?
Do you have to rethink your information?

Be truthful with yourself Right is a fuzzy concept Wrong is always wrong

Learning management
It

will always take longer than you think

Murphys law and corollaries:
If it can break, it will at the worst possible moment It will always be overtime and cost more than budgeted The reference is in the other book

As you research the reference, there is always a snippet you can use

Learning Management
This

is your job

Approach it as your most important task

Do

the job to your best ability

A proper base of knowledge makes the next step easier

Concentrate

Take

a break every hour

Drink plenty of fluids

While you are on break, your brain files the knowledge so you can use it

Personal values
Ethics

A personal set of standards for behavior

Cheating

You know you did it even if no one else does It is not something you can call yours or use later Someone elses property Not usable openly Plagiarism

Stealing

Personal Values
Morals

A set of standards set by society

Personal injury Adultery Cutting in line

Personal values
Where

do they come from?

Parents Teachers Friends Books Personal pride

Define pride

Value pride

Goal Setting
Long

term

Why am I here at school? What will I end up with?

Short

term

What do I need to learn today?

Tomorrow?

Immediate

Where is the drinking fountain?

Goal setting

The Plan

How am I going to find the drinking fountain? When am I going to study? What do I need from study group? What do they need from me? Do we have the knowledge for the test? What is my next class? How far from Graduation?

Goal setting
Maslow

(1942)

Priorities
Physiologic: food, water, sex, sleep, shelter Safety: Security of body, employment, morals Belonging: love, friends Esteem: Basking in the glow of accomplishment Self-actualization: acceptance of self, creativity Knowledge: the need to learn and understand fully (1970)

Goal setting

Plan

Study time Work time Family time Play time

Make the plan Examine the plan, is it feasible? Carry out the plan If you deviate, examine the plan to decide if it is viable Stay on the plan

(critical thinking practice)

Failure
Are

you a bad person?

Can you stand up and dust off? Did you give it your best effort?
You are the only judge

How do you avoid a repeat?

Mistakes are human Figure out why, avoid the same mistake

(critical thinking)

Stress
Your

mind and body thrives on stress

Stretching your limits makes you stronger

Just a little more weight on the bar Just a few steps further Just one more page

Deal with it
Take

a deep breath

Releases calming endorphins

Fuels your brain Relieves need to satisfy lower cravings Burns off pent-up hormones Time to relax and organize

Nutrition

Exercise

Sleep

Exercise
Fill

out wheel of life (10 Min) Small group discussion [4-5 people 20 min] Homework: Time table

Learning styles

Verbal

Hear it
See it Do it

Visual

Manual (kinesthetic)

Logical

Gather and organize

Exercise
Learning

style assessment (15 min)

P.68
Helps me tune my style

Discussion

Personality
Pg.

72-73 I tend to be a thinker

Everyone is a mix

Suggested

study teams

Mix learning styles

Improved Learning

Harley Davidson makes inferior motorcycles

Critical Thinking
Questioning

Is that true?
Where did the information come from? Is it reliable?

Analyzing

Strategizing

How do I get more information for an informed decision?

Creative Thinking
Is

there a different answer? What are potential different answers?

brainstorm

How

might I find the answer?

Books Asking questions Try out different bikes

Practical Thinking
Compare

Your experience and knowledge

Information from all sources Your findings True statement, based on your information

Gather

Research

Conclude

Follow-up
Keep

an open mind

You may not have gotten all the facts

Add and analyze new information

Reading to learn
Get

comfortable

Pleasant surroundings
White noise

Get

relaxed

Drink Light snack Deep breath

Take

the time

There are no more pressing matters

Reading to learn
Dictionary

Do not skip words you dont know

Look them up and understand

Thesaurus

What words would you substitute to make meaning clearer

Reading to learn
Understand

one concept before moving to

the next. Does the writer communicate the information well?

Understandable?
Using big words when small words will do

Organized?
Does the writer build on concepts?

Pathophysiology
We

were talking about reading

Stay on task

Reading to Learn
Practice

reading

Be well informed
Read for pleasure Read for general information

Extract information that pertains to your career

Reading textbooks

Do not assume

The writer is always correct You can skip

You might be able to skim

Understand before moving on

It may take 2 or 3 times

Take a break between re-reads

Often you missed an important word

Move your lips when you read

Often hearing the words associates them with something you already know
Enunciate clearly when your lips move

The 5th grade test

You

do not fully understand until you can explain it to a 5th grader

You may have to look at another source
Different people use different words

Reading to learn

SQ3R

Survey
Read quickly

Do not hang on every word

Question
Did you miss something?

Read
Thoroughly to find the answer

Recite
To yourself

Review
With your study buddy

Read to learn
Scribble

questions

Difficult concepts deserve a review

Avoid

over-highlighting

You may just end up with yellow pages

Summaries and exercises

Always

read summaries

Is something mentioned you did not see? Did the author present evidence to convince you?
Answer at least every third question
Many authors are overly impressed with themselves and become bombastic

Exercises

Study groups
Show

up having read the assignment

Reading and studying alone prepare you to optimize your group time

Challenge

concepts to your colleagues

Did you see?

Are you convinced? Did you understand?

The value of diverse learning styles

Study groups
Meet

often

Not necessarily in person

Always directly after class

Participate

You are not the only one having trouble

Everyone grasps a slightly different piece

Active listening
Book

pg163

Look at the speaker

Listen to body language as well

Active listening
How

does it fit with what you already know?

Concepts stick better when mixed with prior knowledge

Mentally

critique the delivery

You may be next

In critiquing, you are thinking critically

Active listening
Prepare

questions

The question you need clarified may be on a test.

Notes
Always

be prepared

Plenty of paper
Extra writing utensils

Fresh batteries
Technology dependence

Note

taking can be distracting

What system?next slide How to spell

Wududeesay?

Notes
Multiple

systems

Fishbone Outline Cornell Think links Recorders

Some lecturers object

One system does not fit all

Notes
Review

during breaks or directly after

lecture

Opportunity to clarify
Fellow students Instructor

Notes
Review

Alone
?what did I mean by that

At study group
When he said ___, what did he mean Does this make sense?

Imprinting

Memory
Short

term

Fleeting unless connected to existing knowledge

Or else your brain explodes

Long

term

Imprinted by critical thinking

What is critical thinking?

Memory
Short

term

Fleeting unless connected to existing knowledge

Or else your brain explodes

Long

term
Who, what, when, why, how? Do facts back it up? Do I need more information?

Imprinted by critical thinking

What is critical thinking?

Memory
Always

question facts

When you doubt and question, the mere act imprints on your memory
Associate with previously accepted facts

Tests

Cramming

Does not work

Cramming works on instant or short term memory It makes your mind tired Review notes or book on subject

Relax

A good night sleep or quick nap opens mental files Caffeine makes your mind race Finding the mental files becomes difficult

Avoid caffeine

Tests

Topic

What subject?
Choose review materials

Type
Multiple guess Fill in the blank Essay Your tests will be a combination

Material
Lecture Reading, textbook or outside research Yours will be all of the above

Tests
Review Make

your self quizzes

What prompted you to write them likely prompts us

sure you have the answers to your quizzes

As you answer them, you scan pertinent information

Review

previous tests in the same course

You learn styles ?Does this guy like trick questions Questions from previous tests are often repeated

Tests
Schedule Try

adequate time

You will have questions not previously considered

to study in small groups

Your peers have a slightly different perspective Share your thoughts and notes Avoid group think

Scan

end-of-chapter summaries

These are practice for your brain and bring out unanswered questions

Tests
The

instructor viewpoint

Did I teach it adequately? Did I cover important points in my test? What am I going to find I missed?
How much am I going to have to review?

Test taking

Bring all the allowable accessories

Pens (2), pencils (2), good eraser, calculator, highlighter

Bring your books

You will have questions at the end Simply knowing you can find the answer afterward brings comfort

Stay on schedule
Dont rush, dont dawdle Skip questions you cant figure out quickly, highlight them The answer is often hidden in other questions If you finish early, keep your test, and relax You may want to re-address an answer

Test taking
Guessing Partial

is okay

Odds are, it is correct, based on your knowledge

answers are okay on the first pass

The word you fumbling will often show up later The concept will come to you Often partial credit is awarded

Test taking
Multiple

guess

Some of the answers are patently bogus (distracters)

Fill

in the blank
Fill in what you know Highlight what you dont

Essay
Write a quick outline to organize

Tests
You

dont fail tests

They are an opportunity to focus your research