MANAGEMENT of PHYSICAL and SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT Study Skills- Chapter 7

Contents I. Management of Physical Environment ▫Attention and Concentration II. Management of Social Environment ▫Academic Help ▫Group work ▫Communication Skills

I. Management of Physical Environment Attention and Concentration I.1. Definition I.2. Factors influence attention & concentration I.3. How to improve attention & concentration

I.1. Definitions Attention: a selective process that controls awareness of events in the environment. ▫determines the stimuli that are processed or neglected. ▫attention span is limited. Concentration: the continual refocusing on a perceived stimulus or message.

Exercice: The purpose of this exercise is to help you identify your best study environment. You may study in many different locations: dorm room, apartment, home, fraternity, library, … Identify three or five different study locations that you have used to study this term and rate your behavior in each location on a 5-point scale (complete your ratings by writing in the number 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 for each location) Do you need to alter or change your study environment? If, so, what changes might you make?

I.2. Factors External distracters ▫environmental sources of interference (noise, such as the TV), interruptions (telephone calls), uncomfortable study areas (clothes and books piled all over the room), and disruptive roommates. Internal distracters ▫sources of interference from within, such as irrelevant thoughts (“I forgot to return my library books today”), worry (“I don’t know if I can learn this material”), physiological and emotional distress (headache), and daydreaming (thinking about next weekend’s party)

I.3. How to improve attention and concentration?

II. Management of Social Environment II.1. Academic help II.2. Group work II.3. Communication skills

II.1. Academic help Awareness of the need for help. Decision to seek help rather than taking alternative actions Decision regarding the type of help to seek Decision regarding the target person from whom to seek help Employment of a help-seeking strategy Processing of the help

II.2. Group work “ Cooperative learning can promote higher academic achievement, higher level thinking skills and increase friendship” (Johnson &Johnson,1987)

Productive group There are no dumb ideas. People should feel free to be imaginative. When you disagree with an idea, be sure you don’t attack the person. Mutual respect will allow the project to flow much more smoothly. Be slow to draw conclusions about your fellow group members. We are all more complex than we first appear to be. Avoid prejudging. A facilitator, whose job is to help organize the workload and keep the group focused, and who reminds members of the policy and procedures of the group. A recorder, whose job is to take notes and keep attendance. If possible, specific responsibilities should be assigned to all group members. The basic rule should be: fair, but firm!

II.3. Communication Skills II.3.1 Sending messages effectively II.3.2 Receiving messages effectively  Active listeners

II.3.1 Sending messages effectively Clearly “own” your message by (a) using personal pronouns such as I, me, and my and (b) letting others know what your thoughts and feelings are. Describe the other person’s behavior without including any judgment, evaluation, or inferences about the person’s motivates, personality, or attitudes. Make the message appropriate to the receiver’s frame of reference. Ask for feedback. Describe your feelings by name, action, or figure of speech. Be redundant.

II.3.2 Receiving messages effectively One of the most important skills in receiving messages involves giving feedback about the message in ways that clarify and encourage the continuation of discussion. Active listeners: this means letting others know that we recognize the feelings behind what they are saying. Active listening involves recognizing the feeling and meaning of others, and then restating this meaning so others feel understood and accepted. Many individuals do not use active listening. Instead, they want to give advice as to what others should do about their situation without recognizing feelings.

II.3.2 Receiving messages effectively Friend: “That was the worst test I ever took.” You: “Don’t worry about it. Let’s get a pizza!” Friend: “That was the worst test I ever took.” You: “You are really upset about the test.” Student: “I can’t complete all the work demanded in my courses.” Parent: “I have many pressures in my job, too. I wish I was in college and all I had to think about was my courses!” Message: “I can’t believe it that my boyfriend [or girlfriend] said that I was an inconsiderate person! Response: “Your boyfriend [or girlfriend] really hurt you.”

Th ự c t ậ p k ỹ n ă ng nghe: Sau đ ây là m ộ t lo ạ t nh ữ ng phát bi ể u c ủ a sinh viên. B ạ n hãy đ áp l ạ i t ừ ng phát bi ể u đ ể th ể hi ệ n r ằ ng b ạ n có k ỹ n ă ng nghe tích c ự c. 1. Môn h ọ c này t ệ quá! ▫Đáp: 2. T ớ không bi ế t ph ả i làm gì đ ể có th ể hoàn t ấ t bài t ậ p này. ▫Đáp: 3. T ớ không hi ể u t ạ i sao l ạ i b ị b ạ n gái b ỏ r ơ i! ▫Đáp: 4. T ớ m ệ t m ỏ i quá r ồ i, t ớ không h ọ c vô đư ợ c n ữ a. ▫Đáp: 5. Gi ả ng viên ph ả i nghĩ t ớ là m ộ t đ ứ a ng ố c nên m ớ i h ỏ i t ớ m ộ t câu t ầ m th ư ờ ng nh ư th ế. ▫Đáp: 6. Cho dù có c ố g ắ ng cách m ấ y, t ớ không cách nào đ ạ t h ơ n đ i ể m C môn K ỹ n ă ng Vi ế t. ▫Đáp: 7. T ớ bi ế t r ằ ng mình s ẽ tr ở thành c ầ u th ủ ch ủ ch ố t c ủ a đ ộ i bóng chuy ề n. ▫Đáp: