Two Learning Strategies

In the first video “Beliefs That Make You Fail… Or Succeed” Dr. Steven Chew started off by stating you, the student, cannot become an A student overnight with little to no effort. He made a great point by saying “…students base their study behavior on their beliefs of how they best learn”, I agree with this statement because this could be the reason as to why everyone learns in many different ways. He went over three key facts which fall under “Beliefs That Make You Stupid”, which the first was you should always plan ahead of time because your assignments or reading will most likely take longer than you expected them to, therefore be realistic about your timing. The second key fact would be don’t isolate your learning, this meaning to be open minded because teachers look for conception and if you try to constantly remember the things you’re not really understanding what you’re going over. Thirdly, you aren’t born and automatically good at that subject. You must actually work towards achieving a high success in that subject matter. When it comes to being distracted you’re just losing more

Studying by myself in a quiet room is most effective for me. There is less distraction, and it makes me be focused on my studying. If I want to study for a Biology class, I read the textbook. But if I want to study for math I do practice problems. I also don’t bring anything that I don’t need in my studying. This will reduce the distractions, and makes me finish my studying session faster. I try to think positive when I’m studying, it allows me to study efficiently.

From an early age, it is drilled into our heads: Restlessness, distraction, and ignorance are the enemies of success. We’re told that learning is all self-discipline, that we must confine ourselves to designated study areas, turn off the music, and maintain a strict ritual if we want to ace that test, memorize that presentation, and create writing assignment.

This relates to how Professor Dewey says it is easy to feel like you are understanding with your study resources close to you. Flashcards are fairly effective for me. The repetition makes ideas stick. I usually color code them to so I have something tangible to associate with them as well. My study habits are not absolutely terrible but they could definitely use some work.

This student’s preferred learning strategy compared to the learning strategy provided by V.A.R.K. is almost identical. The learning strategies that have been used throughout her education have always netted good results, which is evident by her grades. In the past other students have commented about her learning style and the amount of time spent on note taking, outlines, and writing out note cards, but she has perfected this process for her learning style.

I have learned while in college that the best ways for me to learn are by being able to see or write down something because it is something that I can review and still be able to grasp the concept when it is needed for a test. This strategy was helpful when I was in my English and math class. The second thing that also helps is viewing models because there is something that is tangible which makes it so much easier for me to be able to learn this is the strategy that I used while in my biology. The help of peers has also helped me with my learning process as well because there is not as much pressure when going up and talking to the teacher about what is wrong.

A range of different and useful topics have been discussed since the start of Pathways to lifelong learning, some of which I found to be of particular help. The college expectations which we learned towards the beginning of the course was especially helpful to learning how to become a critical thinker, something that was not very touched upon throughout my time in high school. I now use Bloom’s Taxonomy when beginning to prepare for an important paper or presentation. In addition to the first chapter, I had also found great help in the second chapter on the skills needed to succeed in school. In the past, I used rehearsal as my main strategy to memorize for any upcoming tests or exams, however that often resulted in either retrieval failure or ineffective encoding. I now use chunking and elaboration as my main strategies to studying as I find it most effective when studying and retrieving information, especially when I am needing to memorize and learn a big amount of material.

1. Well, to begin with, most importantly, I like to learn in a peaceful and calm surrounding because that helps in building concentration. I don't like a messy work area because it causes a distraction, so I try to make the area organized if possible. I get distracted easily so, if I am studying near a window, I close the blinds so I won't look outside, turn off the radio, television, etc. I start going through will all easy questions, then I work on the harder questions. Every time I think that I am tired or been studying for a very long time, I take a 30-minute break and I make sure that I am not over-doing it, that way I can take in the best.

One of the simplest and most commonly-used methods of conceptualizing learning is that of reinforcement theory (Noe 2010: 142). Every time a parent promises a child a toy for being good during a grocery store trip or threatens a teen with being grounded for bad grades, he or she is using reinforcement theory. Reinforcement theory is based upon the assumption that people want to experience as much pleasure as possible and avoid pain. Thus, businesses offer workers bonuses for good work, and issue reprimands (such as docking pay or denying a promotion) for poor behavior.

How can I use my preferred learning style to my advantage at school (especially in subjects I find challenging)?

Learning is a multifaceted perception unique to each individual. In looking to address the intricacies of learning, there have been a multitude of learning theories established over the centuries. To this day new theories are developed and traditional theories continue to be developed and expanded upon. (Swinburne Online, 2016)

This essay will compare and contrast three key theories of learning; Behaviourism, Cognitive Learning Theory and Constructivism.

A weakness in my learning strategy is that I don’t study regularly. So, I cram up everything the day before a test or two days before a test. To tell you the truth I don’t even have a learning strategy. The topic I am going to choose to help my problem is minimizing distractions because, in my opinion, this is what makes me not study regularly. The “Success by Design” states that to not have distractions while studying one should look for a place where you won’t be distracted, a secluded place with a working environment. While studying one should turn off one’s cell phone and do not sit in a place where one is going to get to relax to work.

Personal learning styles are highly complex and unique to specific individuals. It is often difficult to pinpoint an exact learning style. Though there are different categories, we often fine tune them to our own abilities. By examining our traits and tendencies we create a clearer understanding of how we process and learn information. With careful review, I have developed a specific analysis of my learning characteristics, including an evaluation of skill levels. Based on what I have recently learned and know from experience, I have also devised a structured plan for improvement of time management and study skills.

A range of different and useful topics have been discussed since the start of Pathways to lifelong learning, some of which I found to be of particular help. The college expectations which we learned towards the beginning of the course was especially helpful to learning how to become a critical thinker, something that was not very touched upon throughout my time in high school. I now use Bloom’s Taxonomy when beginning to prepare for an important paper or presentation. In addition to the first chapter, I had also found great help in the second chapter on the skills needed to succeed in school. In the past, I used rehearsal as my main strategy to memorize for any upcoming tests or exams, however that often resulted in either retrieval failure or ineffective encoding. I now use chunking and elaboration as my main strategies to studying as I find it most effective when studying and retrieving information, especially when I am needing to memorize and learn a big amount of material.