study skills

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College Professors Chatboard

study skills

by Michelle

Oct 23, 2011

I teach a developmental class that focuses on study skills. However, it is hard to motivate the students on this subject matter. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get students engaged? Also, I will be getting observed so I was wondering if anyone has any good ideas for a lesson?

Thanks!

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Resource Room Teacher On 10/23/11, Michelle wrote: > I teach a developmental class that focuses on study skills. > However, it is hard to motivate the students on this > subject matter. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get > students engaged? Also, I will be getting observed so I was > wondering if anyone has any good ideas for a lesson? > > Tha...See More

Oct 24, 2011

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bernoulli On 10/23/11, Michelle wrote: > I teach a developmental class that focuses on study skills. > However, it is hard to motivate the students on this > subject matter. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get > students engaged? Also, I will be getting observed so I was > wondering if anyone has any good ideas for a lesson? > > Tha...See More

Oct 25, 2011

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Michelle On 10/25/11, bernoulli wrote: > On 10/23/11, Michelle wrote: >> I teach a developmental class that focuses on study skills. >> However, it is hard to motivate the students on this >> subject matter. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get >> students engaged? Also, I will be getting observed so I was >> wondering i...See More

Oct 29, 2011

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marjoryt All the community colleges in my state have an "open enrollment" policy, and we actually have 2 levels of college study skills. There is a great deal of material on the internet. Always think - these kids missed that week in elementary school on "how to take a multiple choice test" and as a consequence have suffered on every multiple choice test - ...See MoreAll the community colleges in my state have an "open enrollment" policy, and we actually have 2 levels of college study skills. There is a great deal of material on the internet. Always think - these kids missed that week in elementary school on "how to take a multiple choice test" and as a consequence have suffered on every multiple choice test - it's time to fix that problem forever. Many instructors for this course like the "OnCourse" materials and books.

For your observation, I wouldn't deviate from your syllabus too much!

But, here's something you might try, especially if you have access to a computer lab with printer:

Dr. Howard Gardner of Project Zero, Harvard University, developed the "Multiple Intelligence" theory, which has a great deal of applicability to struggling students. There are many tests available on line for all age groups; one of the very best I've found appropriate for college students is in the Birmingham, England website, which I've linked here. The results print out in a pie chart, which can be printed out color or B&W.

1)Show the students your own pie chart. Describe your top 2 strengths very briefly - one or two sentences each. Do the same for your lowest score.

2) Show the students the website. Be sure to click on one of the language options - my students love hearing Urdu! Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers, simply how they feel at the moment.

3) Ask them to take the test and print the results. In a lab setting, tell them to leave the screen up UNTIL they get the printout. Otherwise, they may pick up the wrong paper.

4) Get everyone up! Ask the kinesthetic learners to gather, then the musical ones, then the interpersonals. Don't be surprised - there may be very few logical or linguistic learners. These two groups historically do well in college and don't need your class!

5) Get everyone settled back down.

6) Explain that this was a fun exercise, but it definitely applies to learning - finding the best mix of personal style and study strategy is the next step.

You can easily find lists online or ask the students to do research via individual skills. For instance, visual/spatial learners should be making flow charts, and using colors in notes. Interpersonal learners should be trading and annotating each other's note cards, musical learners can tie music or chords to bits of memorization. Each student should have 3 or 4 specific skills geared toward learning, then practice applying those skills.

As the evaluation, offer knowledge in a "traditional" method (handout/lecture) and ask the students to create "learning artifacts" via at least 2 MI methods. They bring these to class or conference and discuss why they chose the methods and how they produced them.

Other topics: How to listen and take notes during a lecture, and why it really DOES work. What day and time is it, and how soon are things due? The teacher and the book don't make sense - using youtube to learn/review overviews. What should happen in a study group (vs. the scene in Legally Blonde) Organizing the artifacts - the bookbag, the binders, and the flash drive. Managing the hour and the test.

Nov 2, 2011

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