Learning effectively and efficiently requires some basic learning skills. In other words, we need to learn how to learn. Here are some ways to develop those skills. 1. Identify what is essential. This is one of the most important learning skills to develop. If you are learning to drive a car, getting used to the steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal are essential, right? All the rest can come later. Knowing the essentials helps you make sense of all the rest. If you are studying economics, for example, you need to understand supply and demand. Then it is easier to understand how good weather can depress commodity prices, or how government spending can drive prices up. How do you identify what is most essential? A simple way is to ask, "What is important here?" We often forget to do this. Ask yourself this question, but ask others too, if they are teaching you. In textbooks, the key points are often listed after a chapter. Read these first, and again after reading the chapter. 2. Relate new material to what you already know. Suppose you are a doctor, for example, and you are reading an article about car maintenance. Finding parallels between the two, like the concept of dirty oil and a blood toxins, will help you remember what you learn. Do this enough and you'll train yourself to automatically look for connections between things. You'll think more creatively, and improve your memory, because having more connections makes it easier to recall things. 3. Compare and contrast. Think to yourself "That's like this," or "How is that different from this?" This process categorizes and arranges facts and ideas in your mind, making them easier to access later. It is like using a mental filing cabinet instead of just piling things up on a mental desk. 4. Expose your mind to new material before you feel "ready," or have time to study. This first part of learning is where you look at new ideas and say, "huh?" Do it quickly, reviewing everything for a few minutes, and your unconscious mind will start "incubating" the new concepts, and finding some way to organize them. 5. Get curiosity and anticipation working for you. How do you create this state of mind? Try to leave each learning session with a question or two clearly in your mind. It will help create a sense of anticipation and curiosity that will help you the next time you approach the material. 6. Study as a teacher. This can totally change your perspective and make your learning more efficient. Keep the idea in mind that you will be teaching what you're learning. Imagine how you will teach it, even hearing the words you'll use. This is one of the more powerful learning skills. 7. Take breaks. Research shows that we remember best what we study first and last in a given session. Taking breaks creates more "sessions," and so increases the number of firsts and lasts. Fifteen or twenty minute sessions followed by two or three minute breaks works well for some, but experiment. 8. Imagine the uses for what you are learning. Of all the information you will be exposed to, so little of it is the "important stuff." However, by imagining how you'll use the new information, or at least how it could be used, you will tend to automatically focus on the things you really need to know. 9. Carry a list of the above tips and refer to it until these learning skills have become an automatic part of your study routines.
About The Author
Copyright Steve Gillman. For more on Learning Skills, and to get the Brain Power Newsletter and other free gifts, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com
Found at http://www.ArticleCity.com/
Monday, June 11, 2007
The Ins And Outs Of Experiential Learning by: Tyler Bellamy
What is Experiential Learning? As it's name suggests, Experiential Learning could be most simply understood as learning by doing. Experiential Learning is often associated with contructivist learning theory. Why is Experiential Learning useful? The old adage of 'nothing beats some hands on experience' applies here. Through putting students in situations to build real world experiences, experiences that have both benefits and consequences, students are able to put their learnings into practice. Experiential Learning encourages students to make discoveries and experiment with knowledge themselves, instead of hearing or reading about the experiences of others. Think about when you were studying to be a teacher, if you were anything like me, then the most valuable time spent during your university/college education was the time spent on teaching rounds. How could I incorporate Experiential Learning in the classroom? Chances are if you've read through the what and why of Experiential Learning then you will already have formed some ideas about how best to incorporate this learning style in your own classroom. In the beginning stages of Experiential Learning, and depending on the age of your students, it is perhaps best to use things such as role plays, games and simulations of real life situations. Anything that will bring the subject your teaching out of the text book and into the 'real world' of your students. It may require you, as the teacher, to rethink the way you lead your class, leading to a more dynamic learning environment. If students are a little older Experiential Learning can move outside of the classroom. Longer terms projects that involve numerous elements both in and out of the classroom can work well, depending on the class. Preparing a school magazine is a prime example. Keep it interesting, but keep in grounded in the subject your leading. What are the benefits of Experiential Learning? The benefits for the students are obvious. Experiential Learning encourages students to think more freely about how their actions and knowledge can impact upon real world scenarios. I would argue that the key feature of Experiential Learning is the way in which it asks you, as the teacher, to change the way you view the classroom. It forces your teaching to become more dynamic and active as you, in effect, learn with your students, reviewing what works and what doesn't, and all the while improving. It helps prevent your teaching style from growing stale, and that can only be a good thing for everyone.
About The Author
Tyler Bellamy aka. 'The Principal' is the webmaster for http://www.edu-hq.com a website providing a range of informative resources for teachers and education professionals. Join the free teaching forum at http://www.edu-hq.com/forum Please keep all links and 'about the author' section in place. Found at http://www.ArticleCity.com/
What is Experiential Learning? As it's name suggests, Experiential Learning could be most simply understood as learning by doing. Experiential Learning is often associated with contructivist learning theory. Why is Experiential Learning useful? The old adage of 'nothing beats some hands on experience' applies here. Through putting students in situations to build real world experiences, experiences that have both benefits and consequences, students are able to put their learnings into practice. Experiential Learning encourages students to make discoveries and experiment with knowledge themselves, instead of hearing or reading about the experiences of others. Think about when you were studying to be a teacher, if you were anything like me, then the most valuable time spent during your university/college education was the time spent on teaching rounds. How could I incorporate Experiential Learning in the classroom? Chances are if you've read through the what and why of Experiential Learning then you will already have formed some ideas about how best to incorporate this learning style in your own classroom. In the beginning stages of Experiential Learning, and depending on the age of your students, it is perhaps best to use things such as role plays, games and simulations of real life situations. Anything that will bring the subject your teaching out of the text book and into the 'real world' of your students. It may require you, as the teacher, to rethink the way you lead your class, leading to a more dynamic learning environment. If students are a little older Experiential Learning can move outside of the classroom. Longer terms projects that involve numerous elements both in and out of the classroom can work well, depending on the class. Preparing a school magazine is a prime example. Keep it interesting, but keep in grounded in the subject your leading. What are the benefits of Experiential Learning? The benefits for the students are obvious. Experiential Learning encourages students to think more freely about how their actions and knowledge can impact upon real world scenarios. I would argue that the key feature of Experiential Learning is the way in which it asks you, as the teacher, to change the way you view the classroom. It forces your teaching to become more dynamic and active as you, in effect, learn with your students, reviewing what works and what doesn't, and all the while improving. It helps prevent your teaching style from growing stale, and that can only be a good thing for everyone.
About The Author
Tyler Bellamy aka. 'The Principal' is the webmaster for http://www.edu-hq.com a website providing a range of informative resources for teachers and education professionals. Join the free teaching forum at http://www.edu-hq.com/forum Please keep all links and 'about the author' section in place. Found at http://www.ArticleCity.com/
Learning Good Study Habits by: Melissa Fishman
With many habits, the sooner you start practicing and developing good habits, the better chance you will have that you will continue with them. We all know that good study habits are essential to educational success. Good study habits are an important part of any student's success. We probably can diminish the academic dishonesty by promoting good study habits with students, and letting the students know that good study habits are very important when it comes to school. Still, even procrastination can be overcome with proper study habits, and improving your study habits is the key to better studying. Good study habits are a great tool to have in the toolbox of life. Many of the tips for success for online students are the same as those for students in an onsite classroom. Consider asking your school's student council to take on a study tips project. Following a few simple study tips can help students effectively learn new concepts and theories. There have been numerous published tips students can use as a guide for good study habits. A good way to stay organized is to use folders so you child can keep his/her assignments until needed and it is a great way of staying organized. Once children reach the grades where homework and tests are part of the curriculum, there are many things parents can do to encourage good study habits. An effective way to study is to study before and while you do the homework. A little amount of homework may help elementary school students build study habits. Being organized and having homework routines are the most important things in helping your child develop good study habits for life. All learning, however, is a process which settles into certain steps. Students with learning problems, however, may still have generally inefficient and ineffective study habits and skills. Becoming aware of your learning style will help you to understand why you sometimes get frustrated with common study methods. Effective study habits are a very import part of the learning process. Good study habits are all about keeping to a daily routine and giving all subjects equal treatment. If your study habits are weak, take a "study skills" course or have someone show you good study habits. The problem is that those high school study habits are hard to shake. Hard work and good study habits are assets that should be nurtured. Motivation and study habits are obviously crucial as well. Good habits are important for all students to protect investments of time and money and to achieve educational goals. After that experience your study habits are permanently altered, this will help your own preparation as you start teaching and last a lifetime. The main priorities are class attendance, time management, and great studying habits are necessary workings for an academic success.
About The Author
Melissa Fishman is the owner of http://mailordermommy.com. Mailordermommy sells party favors
Found at http://www.ArticleCity.com/
With many habits, the sooner you start practicing and developing good habits, the better chance you will have that you will continue with them. We all know that good study habits are essential to educational success. Good study habits are an important part of any student's success. We probably can diminish the academic dishonesty by promoting good study habits with students, and letting the students know that good study habits are very important when it comes to school. Still, even procrastination can be overcome with proper study habits, and improving your study habits is the key to better studying. Good study habits are a great tool to have in the toolbox of life. Many of the tips for success for online students are the same as those for students in an onsite classroom. Consider asking your school's student council to take on a study tips project. Following a few simple study tips can help students effectively learn new concepts and theories. There have been numerous published tips students can use as a guide for good study habits. A good way to stay organized is to use folders so you child can keep his/her assignments until needed and it is a great way of staying organized. Once children reach the grades where homework and tests are part of the curriculum, there are many things parents can do to encourage good study habits. An effective way to study is to study before and while you do the homework. A little amount of homework may help elementary school students build study habits. Being organized and having homework routines are the most important things in helping your child develop good study habits for life. All learning, however, is a process which settles into certain steps. Students with learning problems, however, may still have generally inefficient and ineffective study habits and skills. Becoming aware of your learning style will help you to understand why you sometimes get frustrated with common study methods. Effective study habits are a very import part of the learning process. Good study habits are all about keeping to a daily routine and giving all subjects equal treatment. If your study habits are weak, take a "study skills" course or have someone show you good study habits. The problem is that those high school study habits are hard to shake. Hard work and good study habits are assets that should be nurtured. Motivation and study habits are obviously crucial as well. Good habits are important for all students to protect investments of time and money and to achieve educational goals. After that experience your study habits are permanently altered, this will help your own preparation as you start teaching and last a lifetime. The main priorities are class attendance, time management, and great studying habits are necessary workings for an academic success.
About The Author
Melissa Fishman is the owner of http://mailordermommy.com. Mailordermommy sells party favors
Found at http://www.ArticleCity.com/
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