Diane Mohler, Learning Strategies Consultant Center for Academic Success www.cas.lsu.

edu 578-2872

Center for Academic Success Coates Hall B-31 www.cas.lsu.edu

Serve all LSU students. Assist students in becoming more efficient learners. Focus on developing resources and researching best practices.

New website coming soon!!

2004-2005 National College Learning Center Association Frank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award

Todays Objectives

Why learning is different at LSU. How to create a system for tracking academic responsibilities, and have time for fun! How you can improve your learning efficiency.

Develop a plan-of-action with specific goals.

Do you feel like this . . . ?

Dont accomplish what I need to by the end of the day?

I study a lot and still dont feel prepared?

I feel like I am procrastinating more than in high school?

Why Learning is Different at LSU!

o

o
o

think at higher levels. process more in less time. work in high-pressure situations. work with meticulous professors. resist a wide range of distractions.

o
o

less structure. different incentives (financial, rewards). no supervisor to balance the work load. many people want your time. more responsibilities!!

So Why Do We . . . . .?
Accept that learning a new physical/psychomotor skill (i.e. driving, sport) takes time to become proficient . . while learning new content (intellectual information) skill should just happen?

Blooms Taxonomy: Learning Levels

Creating Forming a unique product, requires creativity and originality. Understanding values, judging the validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria and profound understanding. Identifying components; determining arrangement, logic, and semantics. Solving problems; transferring abstract or theoretical ideas to practical situations. Restating in your own words; paraphrasing, summarizing, translating. Memorizing information verbatim, but not necessarily understanding the material.

Evaluating

Analyzing

Applying

Understanding

Remembering

And why . . . ?
What is the phenomena we experience when we are too tired to go to class . . . then the class is cancelled and we feel energized?

The Jar of Rocks

Planning and prioritizing leads to productivity!

Semester Calendar
M Aug. 1
8 15 Classes Begin! 16 22 29 6 13 20

23 Math Q uiz

30

7 Math Quiz

14

21

10

17

24

O ct. 1

15 Spanish Exam 16

22

Th

11

18

25

23 MathExam

12

19

26

3 Science Q uiz

10

17

24 English Paper due

13

20

27

11 Going to Game 12

18 Going Home 19 Home

25

14

21

28

26 continued

Weekly Schedule
M
7-8 8-9 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 French Biology Work Work Dinner Tennis Work Work Dinner French Biology Work Work Dinner Tennis Work Work Dinner Dinner French Biology Tennis Tennis Math English Chemistry Math English Chemistry Math English Service

TH

SA

SU

What Kind of Planner Are You?

I perform better under stress, thats why I put projects off.

I like to schedule as many activities I can each day, making the most of my time.

I know what I have to do, I just do what sounds good or what I feel like doing.

Learn more about how you learn. .

Learn more about how you process information, what your preferred style is for learning:
Sensory Preference Personality Traits Right/ Left Brain Dominance

Personality Traits
Judging

Vs.

Perceiving
Study in spurts. Need to set deadlines. for themselves create pressure to accomplish things. Enjoy varying their tasks. May be more likely to be a crammer.

Schedule their study time. Prefer deadlines and will meet them if possible. Like to get things done like to come to conclusions (sometimes too soon). Dislike the willy nilly of theorizing and conceptualizing.

The Power of Preview!!

Saves time. Helps you feel in control. Understand more information, make connections while in lecture, improve notetaking.

Controls distractions!

Tell me more?!

The Study Cycle

4 3 Refle Revie ct w Preview before class. Review chapter summary and objectives. Make note of key terms, headings, formulas, graphs, case studies. Attend class - Ask questions, take creative, meaningful notes.

Preview Attend Review

Review Repetition is the key to strengthening your brains neural-pathways and creating long term memory. Reflect on your Learning- teach someone else, create your own tests, recreate the test environment, figure out what ways of studying worked best, etc.

Reflect

Intense Study Session Spaced Study

1.
2.

2-4 20-50

3-5 4. 5-10
3.

Planning Integrating learning- read text/ supporting material, review notes, fill-in notes, create mnemonics, concept maps, create/predict test questions, etc. Wrap-up, summarize progress. Break- let information settle, get a snack, go for short walk, etc.

Hermann Ebbinghous, published work on memory in 1885. Over past century, repeatedly confirmed and extended. The role of distributed, or spaced, practice . . Improves free recall, cued recall, and recall of text . . . . (Caple, 1996, p.22)

Recall Curve
Recall curves when planned breaks are taken
100%

75%

50%

25%

Recall curve when no breaks are taken for two hours.

0% 1 hour 2 hours

Recall curve when no breaks are taken and studying continues more than 2 hours.

From: Use Both Sides of Your Brain, Tony Buzan, pg. 61

The Center for Academic Success, B-31 Coates Hall, 578-2872, www.cas.lsu.edu

What Strategies Will You Implement?

The level at which learning occurs is important!

Setting short, spaced study sessions is great for the

brain and long-term memory.

Thinking about how, where, and when you learn best . . is time well spent!

Active learning is more lasting than passive

learning.

Brain likes patterns, rhythms.

Keys to Learning Based on Cognitive Science Findings

Deep factual and procedural knowledge of a discipline is required to solve complex problems. Learning is a continuous process; repetition is the key. New knowledge must be tied to existing knowledge. Learning should involve both sides of the brain and several learning styles.

Anti-Procrastination Strategies

Keep all information organized, filed together.

Break large tasks into small ones.

Work with others, create study group. Start with most enjoyable tasks and then move to the harder ones.

Leave short notes, summary, when taking break or

changing subjects.

Online Tools &Resources for Planning

Aroundu.com schedules The Assignment Planner http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/instruction_tutorial s/calculator/index.php

www.cas.lsu.edu
Professors, academic counselors, peers, etc.

Khan academy.org, MIT, Yale (& other online resources)

Others ? ? ?

More Resources . . .
Regrouping After Midterms: Strategies That Will Work for YOU! October 20, 21 Take a Deep Breath: Facing Finals with Confidence and Calm November 17, 18 IMPULSE Workshops Weekly at 5-6 Strategies to GEAUX Online resource Tutorial Centers On-campus (Math/Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Spanish)

Final thoughts . . .
1. Create a time management plan that works for you! Weekly and semester calendars. 2. Understand learning level required for each course. Blooms Taxonomy. 3. Learn about how you learn, where and when you learn best. Learning Styles 4. Reflect and adjust as needed . . its a work in progress.

We wish you a wonderfully successful semester!!