7 - Getting The Most From Class

Chapter 7: Getting the Most from Class

Become Engaged in Learning

• Practice techniques of active learning
• Talk with others
• Ask questions in class
• Study in groups
• Seek out information and required reading
• Explore other information sources
• How does the material relate to your own life?
• Engaging in learning helps develop valuable skills
• Working with others
• Improving your thinking, listening, writing, and speaking skills
• Functioning independently and teaching yourself
• Managing your time
• Gaining sensitivity to cultural differences

Prepare for Class

• Do the assigned reading
• Pay careful attention to your course syllabus
• Make use of additional materials
• Warm up for class
• Get organized

Participate in Class

• Participation is the heart of active learning
• Listen critically and with an open mind
• Be ready for the message
• Listen to main concepts and central ideas
• Listen for new ideas
• Repeat mentally
• Determine the importance of what you hear
• Keep an open mind
• Ask questions
• Sort, organize, and categorize

Speak up!

• Speak up
• Sit close to the front
• Focus on the lecture and class discussions
• Raise your hand when you don’t understand
• Speak up in class
• Don’t bluff
• If you recently read something relevant, bring it in

Take Effective Notes

• Covering all important points of the lecture and of the reading material
• Not too detailed
• Not too limited
• Prepare you to do well on quizzes and exams

Note-Taking Formats: Cornell Format

• Create a narrow “recall” column
• Write only in the wider column as you take notes
• Use the recall column for main ideas and important details when going back through notes

Note-Taking Formats: Outline Format

• Roman numerals for main ideas
• Uppercase letters for points related to main ideas
• Arabic numerals and then lowercase letters for descending levels

Note-Taking Formats: Paragraph Format

• Write summary paragraphs as you take notes
• This might not work well for class notes

Note-Taking Formats: List Format

• List terms and definitions
• List facts
• List sequences
• This method is easy to use with the Cornell format

Note-Taking Techniques

• Identify main ideas
• Don’t write down everything
• Don’t be thrown by a disorganized lecturer
• Keep notes and supplementary materials for each course separate
• Download notes, outlines, diagrams, charts, and graphs, and bring them to class
• If handouts are distributed, label them and place them near your notes

Taking Notes in Science and Mathematics Courses

• Write down equations, formulas, diagrams, charts, graphs, and definitions
• Write your instructor’s words precisely
• Use standard symbols, abbreviations, and scientific notation
• Write down all worked problems and examples step by step
• Take notes in pencil or erasable pen
• Listen carefully to students’ questions and the instructor’s answers
• Highlight important points and questions to revisit
• Refer to the textbook after class
• Keep your notes until after you graduate or even longer

Review Your Notes

Forgetting curve:

• Memory declines over time
• We forget much within twenty-four hours

Strategies for remembering important details:

• Write down main ideas
• Repeat your ideas out loud
• Review notes from the previous class just before the next class session

Comparing Notes

Benefits of comparing notes with another student:

• Taking better notes
• Seeing if your notes are clear and organized
• Seeing whether you agree on the most important points
• Take turns testing

Class Notes and Homework

• Once you have reviewed your notes, use them to complete homework assignments
• Do a warm-up for your homework
• Do any assigned problems, and answer any assigned questions
• Don’t give up too soon
• Complete your work \n