Transcript American classroom learning

AMERICAN CLASSROOM LEARNING
BEFORE CLASS:

Do your homework!
Read critically; form your own opinions

Review your notes
from the previous lecture and reading for the day

Communicate immediately with professors
about any study problems

Focus on the task at hand before class:
take a moment of silence to gather your thoughts and mentally prepare yourself to the topic

Write any objectives
that come to mind at the head of your notepaper:
o
preparing for an up-coming test,
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understanding a particular concept,
o
gaining a good foundation on a topic
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understanding or reviewing the readings
IN CLASS:

Arrive on time for class.
Professors do not take lateness lightly

Position yourself in the classroom
to focus on the subject matter; consider the best location for:

o
listening
o
asking questions
o
seeing visual materials
o
discussing--not only with the teacher but also your classmates
Avoid distractions
that may interfere with your concentration
(daydreaming, looking around the room, talking to a friend, passing notes,
dozing)
IN CLASS:


Evaluate as you listen:
o
Decide what is important and should be placed in your notes and what
can be left out;
o
Listen long enough to be sure you understand what was said before
writing.
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Ask clarifying questions (but wait for "breaks" in the instructor's stream).
Review your class objective(s) throughout the class period
o
Did your objective(s) mesh with the instructor's introductory remarks?
o
Has the class digressed from stated objectives, yours or the instructor's?
IN CLASS:

Make a to do list including
o
assignments;
o
reviewing difficult concepts;
o
joining study groups;
o
making appointments with a study pal, tutor, or the instructor.
One resource often overlooked is a classmate who seems to have a good grasp of the
material. If it seem appropriate, seek the individual out for help.
• Periodically ask yourself if the course is meeting your objectives. If you find yourself
dissatisfied with a particular class or the course in general, make an appointment with the
instructor to discuss your expectations. The earlier the better.
• Material adapted from: Gail M. Zimmerman, Assistant Dean of First-Year Students
and Academic Counselor, Dartmouth College and Bob Nelson, et al, Learning Resource
Centers, Rutgers University
PAYING ATTENTION IN THE
CLASSROOM
o
Try to anticipate the main ideas of the coming lecture:
Look over your notes of the previous lecture and read the course
material.
If you have questions about material from the previous class or text,
ask the instructor before class about them
Prepare a few questions
you expect to be answered on new material if possible
o
Resist distractions
by sitting in front of the room away from disruptive classmates and by
focusing on the instructor through active listening and note taking
PAYING ATTENTION IN THE
CLASSROOM
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Put yourself in the "mood" with
attentive expression and posture; do not sprawl
o
Shift position in your seat every so often
Don't sit frozen in one position
Shifting on occasion will help keep the blood circulating,
send more oxygen to your brain, and help you remain alert
o
When appropriate: ask a question, ask for more clarity,
or engage an instructor and the class in dialogue
o
Train yourself not to give in to distractions
THE SPIDER TECHNIQUE
• Hold a vibrating tuning fork next to a spider web. The spider will react and
come looking for what is vibrating the web. Do it several times and the spider
"wises up" and knows there's no bug and doesn't come looking.
• You can learn that. When someone enters the room, or when a door slams, do
not allow yourself to participate. Rather, keep your concentration on what's in
front of you.
FORM A TUNNEL BETWEEN YOU AND
THE LECTURER
o
Practice letting people move or cough without having to look at them - just
let them "be out there" as you focus on what is being taught
o
When talking with someone, keep your attention on that person, look at his
face, and note what is being said. Let the rest of the world just be "out there."
o
Use the Be here now technique to help you regain concentration when you do
become distracted momentarily.
• Adapted with permission from Help Yourself, University Counseling
Services, Kansas State University
• See also: J. R. Hayes, The Complete Problem Solver,Franklin Institute Press,
1981
TAKING NOTES IN CLASSROOM
LECTURES
• You can develop your own note taking system and study strategy
with the five "R's" of note-taking:
•
Record * Reduce * Recite * Reflect * Review
• Get a good loose-leaf notebook:
This will enable you to add, delete, and re-sequence pages and materials.
• Begin each session's notes with a cover page for later summaries and test
preparation.
TAKING NOTES IN CLASSROOM
LECTURES
A typical notes page:
Heading
Heading, continued
Date
Class/subject or title or number (e.g.
3/34)
Guest speakers' names,
including your fellow students' contributions
2. Reduce:
After the class
Summarize:
1. Record/take notes in class here:
key/cue words
phrases
questions
Use outlines or concept maps
identify the main points
capture the main ideas
Use words and pictures and graphs or whatever it takes to get the information down
quickly. Avoid quoting unless it is very necessary.
Link to information from your
textbook, Websites or other sources
that helps you understand or study
the material
3. Place notes in this section when reviewing/studying
(see 5 below)
TAKING NOTES IN CLASSROOM
LECTURES
•
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3. Recite: Talk aloud!
o
Review from memory what you have learned
o
Using the left hand margin's key words and questions, talk through, or
illustrate definitions, concepts, etc.
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Create your own examples
4. Reflect: Think over!
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How does this relate to what you knew before?
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Note the essay terms and find the best ones that refer to your studies:
Apply, Compare, Diagram, Evaluate, etc...
TAKING NOTES IN CLASSROOM
LECTURES
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5. Review the notes you took
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At your next study session
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Before reading new material
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When studying for tests
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Make notes on your "notes page"
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Multiple pages of notes for one lecture:
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summarize each page at its bottom,
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summarize the lecture on a cover or end page
• Adapted from Walter Pauk (1989) and the Cornell Notetaking System
(Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH)
CREDITS
•
Information taken from: http://www.studygs.net/shared/mgmnt.htm
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Study Guides and Strategies