Managing the Self - Learning: Comprehensive Notes

Managing the Self: Learning

Learning

A relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience.

Nervous System

Central Nervous System
- Brain
  - Forebrain
    - Cerebrum
    - Thalamus
  - Midbrain
  - Hypothalamus
  - Hindbrain
    - Medulla
    - Pons
    - Cerebellum
- Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System
- Somatic Nervous System
- Autonomic Nervous System
  - Sympathetic Nervous System
  - Parasympathetic Nervous System

Left Brain (Successive Processor)

Prefers to learn in a step-by-step sequential format, beginning with details leading to a conceptual understanding of a skill.
Characteristics:
- Prefer order, structure, and logic
- Like step-by-step instructions
- Think in words and prefer verbal explanations
- Enjoy subjects like math, science, and grammar
- Often more analytical, organized, and planned
- Like doing experiments with clear procedures
- Prefer multiple choice tests and written directions
Example: A left-brain learner likes to make to-do lists and follow a schedule exactly.
Rational.
Respond to verbal instructions.
Controlled, systematic experiments.
Problem solves logically and sequentially looking at the parts of things
Makes objective judgments.
Looks at differences.
Is planned and structured.
Prefers established, certain information.
Analytic reader
Primary reliance on language in thinking and remembering.
Prefers talking and writing.
Prefers multiple choice test.
Controls feelings.
Prefers hierarchical authority structures.
Talks, and talks, and talks.
Sees cause and effect.
Draws on previously accumulated, organized information.

Right Brain (Simultaneous Processor)

Prefers to learn beginning with the general concept and then going on to specifics.
Characteristics:
- Prefer visuals, creativity, and imagination
- Like to see the big picture before the details
- Think in images, patterns, and feelings
- Enjoy subjects like art, music, and storytelling
- Often more intuitive, emotional, and spontaneous
- Like hands-on learning, demonstrations, and creative tasks
- Prefer open-ended questions or projects
Example: A right-brain learner likes drawing concept maps or imagining stories to understand a topic.
Intuitive
Responds to demonstrated instructions
Open-ended, random experiments
Problem solves with hunches, looking for patterns
Makes subjective judgments
Looks at similarities
Is fluid and spontaneous
Prefers elusive, uncertain information

Metacognition

Meta means “about”
Cognition means “thinking”
The learning strategy that you use to understand and control your own performance.
Thinking about your own questions, how your thinking has evolved, and how you incorporate new knowledge into your practice.
It also refers to the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess one’s understanding and performance.
It also includes a critical awareness of one’s thinking and learning and oneself as a thinker and learner.
Metacognition is a system wherein you:
- Evaluate how effective these strategies are for you.
- Implement the best plan of action for optional learning.
- Are totally involved and aware of how you learn and what learning techniques or strategies meet your needs.
Learners with strong metacognitive skills
- Effectively plan for their learning
- Know their limits and seek help when needed.
- Frequently assesses their knowledge to test their comprehension of the topic.
- Monitor their own learning and use various learning strategies.
- Carefully practice a skill to gain confidence and competence.
Two processes of metacognition
- Knowledge of cognition (declarative, procedural, and conditional) involves:
  - Being aware of the factors that involve learning
  - Identifying the strategies you can use to effectively learn
  - Choosing the appropriate learning strategy
- Regulation of the cognition involves:
  - Setting goals and planning
  - Monitoring and controlling learning
  - Evaluating own regulation (assessing if the strategy you are using is working or not; adjusting and trying something new)

Self-Assessment of Self-Regulated Learning Skills

Note: These items come from ASSIST (Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students) designed to evaluate university students’ conceptualization of learning, approaches to studying, and preferences for different instructional methods.
The ASSIST tool identifies three main approaches to studying: deep, strategic, and surface.
Surface Approach To Learning Questions
1. I find I must concentrate on just memorizing a good deal of what I must learn.
2. I am not sure what’s important in lectures, so try to get down all I can.
3. I concentrate on learning jut those bits of information that I must know to pass.
4. I tend to read little beyond what is required to pass.
5. I like to be told precisely what to do in essays or other assignments.
6. I often seem to panic if I get behind in my work.
7. Often, I find myself wondering whether the work I am doing here is worthwhile.
Strategic Approach To Learning Questions
1. I think I am quite systematic and organized when it comes to studying for exams.
2. I am pretty good at getting down to work whenever I need to.
3. I organize my study time carefully to make the best use of it.
4. Before starting work on an assignment or exam question, I think first how best to tackle it.
5. I look carefully at my instructor’s comments on coursework to see how to get higher marks the next time.
6. I put a lot of effort into studying because I am determined to do well.
7. When I have finished a piece of work, I check it through to see if it really meets requirements.
Deep Approach To Learning Questions
1. When I am reading, I stop from time to reflect on what I am trying to learn from it.
2. When I am working on a new topic, I try to see in my own mind how all the ideas fit together.
3. Often, I find myself questioning things I hear in lectures or read in books.
4. Some of the ideas I come across in the course I find really gripping.
5. I usually set out to understand for myself the meaning of what we must learn.
6. I like to play around with ideas of my own even if they don’t get me far.
7. It is important for me to able to follow the argument, or to see the reason behind things.

Concept Mapping

Developed to enhance meaningful learning in the sciences.
A way of representing relationship between ideas, images, or words.
Help students see how individual ideas relate to the larger whole or the bigger picture.
A way to develop logical thinking and study skills by revealing connections to the big ideas/ the key concepts you are trying to teach.
*Example:
Nervous system Central Nervous System Brain Forebrain Cerebrum Thalamus Midbrain Hypothalamus Hindbrain Medulla Pons Cerebellum Spinal Cord Peripheral Nervous System Somatic Nervous System Autonomic Nervous System Sympathetic Nervous System Parasympathetic Nervous System
Steps to create a concept map:
- Construct a focus question
- Identify the key concepts
  - Some people rank the concepts by importance as it may help with the construction of the map. *This also help the makers sort the ideas, and if they see no relevant connection, they do not have to include the concept.
- Construct a map
  - If this is the first time you are doing one- do it as a group first.

Metacognitive Note-Taking Skills

Beginning of Class (Plan+Connect)
- Prepare your notes in an organized fashion.
- Complete the connection questions in your notes.
Middle of Class (Monitoring Learning)
- Create 2 columns in your notes. In the left column, record your insights, “ah-ha” moments, questions you have aabout the content, connections they are making to other topics and any feelings or thoughts you have on the class. In the right column, take the traditional notes.
End of Class (Reflecting on Learning)
- At the end of the class, draw a line below your notes and write a summary of thee whole class.

Reflective Writing

It will help you make connections between what you are learning in your homework/ class content and with how you are integrating the content into your current learning structures.
It can take the form of jotting down your affective and other personal reactions to learning the material.
“Minute Paper”
- The most popular reflective writing activity whereby students respond to prompts that ask them to think about their experiences with the homework, class activities or recent learning experience.

Self-Regulated Learning

$Daniel Akst:$ “Self-regulation will always be a challenge, but if somebody’s going to be in charge, it might as well be me.”
How students regulate their own emotions, cognition, behavior, and aspects of the context during a learning experience.
Motivation
- Your general desire or willingness to do something.
Self-regulation
- The process wherein you activate, take control of, and evaluate your own learning.
Self-Regulated Learners:
1. Are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses.
2. Utilize metacognitive strategies.
3. Attribute any success or failure to factors within personal control

The Cycle of Self-Regulated Learning

Plan, set goals, and lay out strategies
Use strategies and monitor performance
Reflect on performance
Use results from previous performance to guide the next one
Showing steps, students can take throughout the process.
Self Regulation as a Process

Steps in Self-Regulated Learning

Plan, set goals, and lay out strategies
- Establish a plan before you start working on a task. It will help you strategize right from the start.
- Set goals.
- Analyze the learning task.
- Plan strategies.
- Set expectations for the outcome.
Use strategies and monitor performance
- Carry out the plan that was outlined in the forethought phase.
  - Use self-observation to reflect on the actions you took and the effectiveness of the results.
  - Since things don't always go smoothly, plan for what to do when obstacles arise (Flanagan, 2014).
  - Stick with the strategies, even though it may be tempting to revert to known (but ineffective) strategies.
  - Monitor your progress on the intermediate goals, and the strategies they are using.
Reflect on performance
- Self-reflection can help you understand why you earned a certain grade and how to improve your performance.
  - Compare your performance to your original goal, rather than comparing themselves to others.
  - Reflect on the effectiveness of strategies used.
  - Do not blame your failure to lack of ability.
  - Reflect on the effort you made and the strategy you used that may have caused poor performance.
  - Manage your emotions.
  - Use this reflection to plan for the next task.

Quiz: Managing the Self – Learning

What is learning?
- A. Repeating actions automatically
- B. A sudden reaction to change
- C. A permanent change in behavior due to experience
- D. Memorizing a list of facts
Which part of the brain is responsible for logic and order?
- A. Right brain
- B. Left brain
- C. Cerebellum
- D. Brain stem
Right brain learners usually prefer:
- A. Step-by-step instructions
- B. Repetition and drills
- C. Visuals and creativity
- D. Math problems only
What does 'metacognition' mean?
- A. Memorizing information quickly
- B. Thinking about your thinking
- C. Using your five senses to learn
- D. Writing long essays
Which is an example of metacognitive activity?
- A. Daydreaming in class
- B. Highlighting all sentences in a book
- C. Planning how to study and checking if it works
- D. Listening to music while reading
A learner who memorizes just to pass exams is using a:
- A. Deep approach
- B. Strategic approach
- C. Surface approach
- D. Practical approach
What does a strategic learner do?
- A. Memorizes randomly
- B. Gives up easily
- C. Plans and works for high grades
- D. Focuses only on games
What does a deep learner focus on?
- A. Understanding the meaning
- B. Just passing exams
- C. Copying others’ notes
- D. Ignoring feedback
Which tool helps show the relationship between ideas?
- A. Calculator
- B. Concept map
- C. Calendar
- D. Flashcards
What is self-regulation in learning?
- A. Doing what the teacher says without question
- B. Relying on friends to study
- C. Taking charge of your own learning
- D. Copying from others
Which of the following best describes a left-brained learner?
- A. Likes to imagine and draw
- B. Follows steps and uses logic
- C. Daydreams during class
- D. Writes poetry
Right-brain learners are often:
- A. Very logical
- B. Very structured
- C. Intuitive and creative
- D. Focused on grammar
What does a reflective learner do?
- A. Forgets after class
- B. Avoids homework
- C. Thinks about what they learned and how
- D. Plays games during lessons
Which strategy is NOT part of metacognitive note-taking?
- A. Writing questions while listening
- B. Organizing notes clearly
- C. Copying a friend’s notes
- D. Summarizing after class
Which activity strengthens deep learning?
- A. Skipping hard questions
- B. Connecting ideas from different topics
- C. Studying only night before exam
- D. Memorizing without understanding
How can concept mapping help?
- A. It helps memorize word for word
- B. It hides mistakes in your notes
- C. It shows how ideas connect
- D. It improves your drawing skills only
What is one benefit of knowing your learning style?
- A. You don’t need to study anymore
- B. You can copy others better
- C. You can choose study strategies that work for you
- D. You stop needing a teacher
What is the first step in self-regulated learning?
- A. Sleeping late
- B. Copying answers
- C. Planning and setting goals
- D. Watching videos
Self-reflection helps students:
- A. Compare themselves with others
- B. Blame their failures on others
- C. Understand and improve their performance
- D. Avoid responsibility
A metacognitive student will:
- A. Ignore feedback
- B. Be unaware of how they learn
- C. Think about their own thinking and learning process
- D. Depend only on lectures

Answer Key

C – A permanent change in behavior due to experience
B – Left brain
C – Visuals and creativity
B – Thinking about your thinking
C – Planning how to study and checking if it works
C – Surface approach
C – Plans and works for high grades
A – Understanding the meaning
B – Concept map
C – Taking charge of your own learning
B – Follows steps and uses logic
C – Intuitive and creative
C – Thinks about what they learned and how
C – Copying a friend’s notes
B – Connecting ideas from different topics
C – It shows how ideas connect
C – You can choose study strategies that work for you
C – Planning and setting goals
C – Understand and improve their performance
C – Think about their own thinking and learning process