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Learning – Some Great Teaching Ideas By Alla Volodina

The world around us is evolving everyday and importance of learning and teaching is much more in this world of increasing competition. It is really important to have good study skills for every student, if he wants to get success in his personal and professional life. How to learn to study is a question which every student asks. A good teacher can encourage a student for creative learning and can enhance his study skills. Here Alla Volodina is sharing some great teaching ideas, which will enhance learning abilities in students and will help teachers in multiple ways.

The first thing is to understand the psychology of the student. If a teacher cannot understand the psychology of his or her students, he will not be able to communicate with them properly. Every student has different level of creative learning and he has different study skills. Only a teacher can understand it better and he has to keep that in mind. Individual focus on every student will help teacher to know needs of every student and he will be able to tell him that how to learn to study, on individual level.

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Transitioning your Study Habits as you Enter University

It’s not unusual to feel nervous about your first mid-term or exam at the university level. Many students are surprised that the level of effort required to achieve top marks in high school often translate into poor grades in university. In university, your schedule may vary widely depending on the day. You may start early in the mornings on Mondays and Wednesdays, but have night classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Whatever your schedule, it is essential to be strategic in planning your study time. If you have a two hour gap between classes, use this time to study on campus. It will be easier to do it during the day than at night where there are more social events.

Increased independence is one of the perks of being in university, but many students find it difficult to keep up-to-date with readings and assignments. Many professors will not test you every class, but simply expect that you’re keeping current with the expectations laid out in the syllabus. Skipping this work can lead to overwhelming stress at exam time. Attempting to learn all of the concepts at once in a short period of time is not conducive to your best work. Instead, try to keep up to date with all readings and assignments and take notes you can refer to when it’s time to study. Studying is about reminding yourself about a lesson, not learning it for the first time.

Similarly, it is very important to attend classes regularly. Many professors don’t take attendance, so there may be nothing stopping you from skipping classes. But classroom interaction is a very important part of the learning process. The lectures your professor gives will make concepts easier to understand. Most professors will allow students to ask questions, allowing clarification about any aspects of the lesson that may have been confusing. Even if you may not be brave enough to speak out in class yourself, hearing the questions and opinions of your fellow classmates can be useful as well. In addition, professors often give hints as to what areas to focus on come exam time, but if you skipped class that day, you’re out of luck.

It’s very important to hone your time management skills now that you’re in university. While achieving your degree is your primary purpose for being at university, it’s important to find a balance with social activities as well.

Keep focused on the habits you need to cultivate to achieve your goals, and the transition from high school to university will be a smooth one.

Alla Volodina – Learning How to Learn: Tricks and Tips

Alla Volodina – The last minute cram sessions before a final exam or the caffeine-induced all-nighters are popular study choices among students young and old. But are questionable study habits like these actually doing any good?

Theories on how people effectively learn range from the almost-ancient Piaget to the ultra-modern smart phone apps designed to help people grow bigger brains. The study of studying is a diverse and dynamic field, and there really isn’t one right answer or bit of advice to turn us all into Einsteins. But there is

Here are a few helpful tips for studying and learning in a more effective manner:

Give your learning some variety:

There are a lot of studies that suggest that learning in multiple ways can increase your ability to process and retain information. Instead of just reading from a text book or computer screen, try writing out what you’re reading in your own words. Or even better, if you happen to be keen on studying in groups, try teaching someone else what you’ve just learned. Teaching others is one of the most effective ways to learn and remember information. Remember doing presentations in high school? Teachers know that making students do presentations will help them retain the information that they are teaching the class.

Also, try changing between books and websites, and even documentary films or podcasts that are relevant to the topics you are trying to learn. Processing information visually and through audio is another great way to increase the likelihood that you are learning effectively.

Don’t multitask:

Doing too many things at once can have a negative impact on our ability to learn, and should be avoided. People always claim to be great at “multitasking” but science shows that the brain can really only focus on one thing at a time, but can switch between tasks very quickly. By focusing on only one subject or topic at a time the brain can absorb and process information very effectively. Try not to have too many distractions around you when studying. Television, ipods and cell phones might seem like harmless distractions, but focusing on them while also trying to learn is likely going to hinder the learning process. Try and turn off electronics for an hour or two so you can focus only on what you are trying to learn.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Not being able to understand a particular subject can be very frustrating, and people often feel shy or embarrassed when asking others to help explain things. Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know something, hesitating and struggling will only slow down learning. Ask questions and look things up if you’re not sure that you completely understand what you are trying to learn. Keep a list, even if just in your head, of friends or family that have knowledge on different subjects and don’t waste any time contacting them when you need help.

Know what works for you:

Maybe the most important thing to remember when trying to learn more effectively is to know what works and what might not work when it comes to helping yourself learn. Maybe a favourite coffee shop or a table in the library is the place where you feel you learn best. Habits and rituals when learning like eating certain foods or enjoying a certain beverage can help stimulate your brain and improve the learning process. Music can also help, but be sure not to distract yourself. Knowing yourself and feeling comfortable is a key part of learning.

When all the studying is over, give yourself a pat on the back, and keep track of what kinds of things you think helped or hindered you. Seeking to improve yourself and your study habits can only help you as you strive to learn and retain more and more information for work, school or personal enjoyment.