Get Organised Workshop Maeve Gallagher Student Learning Development

Get Organised Workshop Maeve Gallagher Student Learning Development http: //student-learning. tcd. ie Tel: 01 8961407 Email: student. learning@tcd. ie

Learning Objectives • To identify your own strengths and areas for improvement in terms of managing yourself and your resources. • To explore and evaluate strategies to help you to effectively manage your time and commitments. • To identify ways to engage actively in your study and identify clear objectives and outcomes.

Self Assessment – Organised study Methods • Complete the ‘Organised Study Methods’ checklist. • Discuss in pairs/or trios how well you are doing and identify 2 areas you would like to improve. • Feedback from groups

Questions • I have organised my lecture notes and written notes (yes/no) • I know when and where I study best (y/n) • I have a regular study routine and switch off for regular breaks, food, rest and exercise (y/n) • I practice exam questions (timed/untimed) y/n • I regularly revise my knowledge and progress (y/n)

Academic Performance Skill Self Management Will

Skills Academic Skills include: • Reading and note taking • Critical Thinking and analysis • Academic Writing • Oral and written Presentation skills • Gathering information • Revision and exam taking skills.

Will ‘Will’ involves: • Positive attitude and belief system • Creating meaningful motivators and rewards • (e. g. “what’s in this for me? ” and “what are the consequences if I don’t do this? ”) • Setting and reviewing SMART Goals • Observing, recording and challenging negative beliefs and behaviours.

Self Management • Self – Management involves managing your time, environment, resources and supports to maximise your performance and results, • Strong self-management skills are associated with high academic achievement in third level students (e. g. Flynn, 2012). • The good news is that anyone can improve their time and self-management skills.

Self- Management strategies • Managing and utilising all available time: • Find a system of using time that works for you (e. g. Time-table, task-list or ‘goals on post-it notes’. ) • Set goals with a clear purpose and time-frame so you can answer the following question? • “What will be different in an hours time from now when I have completed this task? ” • (E. g. what in terms of what I will know, understand, have written, produced or experienced)

Self-Management Strategies • Make use of small pockets of time as well as large chucks of time to increase productivity, concentration and purposefulness. • Learn to skim read and scan information first to give you a framework of understanding before reading in more depth or detail. • Learn to take meaningful notes rather than transcribing texts or information from books.

Critical Thinking and Reading • Ask questions (Ref: www. learnhigher. ac. uk, Critical Thinking – Plymouth University Model • Descriptive or context setting Questions – E. g. Who? What? Where? When? • Analytical Questions – E. g. Why? How? What Evidence? What alternatives? What is similar? What is different? What are the main points? • Evaluation Questions –E. g. So what? What next? What else? What conclusions can be drawn?

Note-taking technique Key words Main ideas Source/Reference My ideas /how this relates to my assignment? Academic procrastination, Relationship between procrastination and Beck et al (2000) , Academic Procrastination Findings support previous studies (e. g. Ferrari, 91, 92) Self-handicapping Self- handicapping Psych Info database On relationship (. e. g. delaying study (accessed 9 th Jan between selffor exams until last 2013) handicapping and Exam performance minute – in order to attribute test results to lack of time and effort rather than due to intelligence or ability levels. ) Fragile self esteem. Next steps– can I find research suggesting interventions to use with students fitting this description?

Exam Preparation • Be selective - ask lecturers/students in other years and refer to past papers and course handbook to decide what topics, information to prioritise. • Use other senses (Visual, Auditory or experiential learning to revise information and make it memorable and easier to retrieve in an exam setting (e. g. VARK Learning Styles Self-Assessment Questionnaire). • Practice past-exam questions (timed and untimed) as part of your revision process • Rehearse and answer exam questions as though in exam conditions to improve your exam performance on the day.

Over to you What do I need to do next? When will I have done this by? What tasks are involved in completing this? How will I know if I’ve been successful?

Over to you What is my reward (what’s in it for me? ) if I do this? Who will I tell that I am going to do this and after I have completed it? What’s next?

Final words Good Luck From Student Learning Development Please contact us if you would like further guidance Tel: 01 8961407 Or email: student. learning@tcd. ie