Classroom learning skills Professor Eiad Al-faris

Overview  Revision of reading skills  Goals and benefits of learning in large groups  Goals and benefits of learning in small groups  Important classroom learning skills  Conclusions

Revision of reading skills

Question Yes No Is the need to pass exams, and to complete assignments your main reason for studying? Why?

Introduction

Reading for understanding  Q1. Compare traditional with SQW3R.  True or False The SQW3R takes longer time than traditional reading. The SQW3R is associated with better understanding. The SQW3R is surface reading and the traditional reading is deal.

Learning in large groups  Gathering information and ideas about the relevant topics.  Providing a common ground for further discussion in other learning situations (like tutorials).  Giving you a starting point for private study.  Providing a consolidation of the main ideas from recent research.  Giving you practical examples and applications related to theories you are learning.  Giving you a model of how an expert approaches a particular topic.  Hearing about advances in research which have not yet been published.  Hearing important announcements about the unit.  Motivating you and encouraging you on how best to learn and complete assessments.  Giving you an opportunity to hear an interpretation of a topic that you have been reading about or discussing.

Learning in large groups  Discussion of issues arising from the lectures and

Learning in tutorials  Discussion of issues arising from the lectures and associated readings.  Enabling a topic to be understood more deeply and with greater clarity.  Providing an opportunity for students to test their ideas and hear and comment on those of others.  Encouraging intellectual relationships to develop between students and between students and staff.

Tutorials can be less beneficial if students:  Do not prepare for the tutorial.  Continually move away from the topic of the tutorial.  Refuse to volunteer good ideas and contribute to the discussion, and simply sit in silence.  Try to dominate the discussion and don’t allow others to express their point or view.  Draw attention to themselves by making smart remarks.

Important classroom learning skills  Organizational skills home work preparation focus in discussion Materials, binder Pneumonics A study plan  Listening skills Difference from hearing

Important classroom learning skills  Communication skills Sensitivity to other feelings No interruption Patience Politeness Courage Questioning and expression skills

The deep learning approach?  Reflection, connection and summarizing in your own words.  Relate new knowledge to existing knowledge.  Try to enjoy learning for its own sake. Don’t learn simply to pass exams.  Make good use of feedback i.e., Markers comments

Important classroom learning skills  Social intelligence skills  Note taking skills  Presentation skills  Higher cognitive skills  Growth Insight into your weak points Knowledge is not fixed Ask for feedback

Study plan  Establish priorities through Importance Difficulty Timeliness

Improving Your Learning Strategies  Concentrate on understanding key concepts and principles.  Link individual facts and examples to a conceptual framework.  Obtain an overview of a subject or argument before focusing on the details.

Improving Your Learning Strategies  Relate new knowledge to existing knowledge.  Try to enjoy learning for its own sake. Don’t learn simply to pass exams.  Make good use of feedback i.e., Markers comments

 Plan your study.  Learn to prioritize.  Be an active rather than a passive learner. (newspaper or a novel).

Try using the following techniques:  Underline key points.  Draw diagrams or concept maps to help you to make sense of information.  Summarize lecture notes and course readings (this will help recall).

Relate ideas to other similar ideas. Picture things in your mind as you read.

Summary  Students study to satisfy immediate concerns of assessment.  Solutions Self directed learning Reflection Search, storing and retrieval of…. Integration of new with the old The use of feedback. Which type of assessment?

Summary  Weekly plan based on priorities Imp Difficulty Timeliness  Exposure to a variety of sources  Opportunities for practice

Summary  Review emphasizes links  Formative assessment should focus on feedback  Testing higher cognitive skills

References  University of Otago website

Thank you