STRATEGIC LEARNING Robert Kamei

SESSION 2: GOAL SETTING (II) Magdeline Ng

& ENCODING MEMORY Teaching Assistants

STRATEGIC LEARNING BOOK!
“Apart from the various strategies outlined in the book, Dr Kamei also
offers several helpful resources I wish I knew about during my
undergraduate days.”
– Genevieve Ng (author from Digital Senior)

“In fact, we should all become experts how we learn best, and the
book helps us on this never-ending journey of self-discovery.”
– Jürgen Rudolph (Head Research & Snr Lecturer from Kaplan Higher
Education Singapore)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2021.4.1.19

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A comment from your senior:
“I do reverberate with what you said earlier about
most people focusing only on the different
learning strategies to maximise recall, instead of a
well-rounded life strategy centred around
making learning effective.”
 THERE ARE MANY MORE
SURPRISES WHEN IT COMES TO
LEARNING...
 STRATEGIC LEARNING Robert Kamei

SESSION 2: GOAL SETTING (II) Magdeline Ng

Teaching Assistants
 ACTIVITY

From the following goals, pick those

goals that you want to fulfil.

Goal Setting (II)

 Submit your answer in PollEv (NO SPACE)

1 Have more money

2 Buy a car
3 More time with family/friends
4 Eat better food
5 Travel to other countries
6 Lose weight
7 Find a boyfriend/girlfriend
8 Relax more
9 Have a higher CAP
0 Live healthier
Goal Setting (II)
 THE MORE GOALS THAT YOU HAVE:

• The less you will get done

• The less likely you are going to achieve anything
meaningful towards any of them
• The hard work of prioritizing (choosing none)
Aspirational Goals
7 Dimensions of a Well Lived Life Academic

• Academic: Learning new skills and knowledge, being

creative Spiritual Health

• Health: Medical therapy, proper eating, exercise practice

• Work: Fulfillment and satisfaction with your career Wellness

• Emotional: Understanding and coping with your feelings
Aspirations
Social Work

• Financial: Freedom from worry about finances

• Social: Understanding and positive relationships with

others
Financial Emotional
• Spiritual: Developing sense of meaning in life

Goal Setting
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TODAY MAY
NOT ALWAYS BE IMPORTANT TO
YOU IN THE FUTURE
It doesn’t mean your priorities today are wrong!
It is normal for your aspirations to change over your lifetime.
The time you spend in your life should reflect your Aspirational Goals.
 SMART GOALS (TASK OR BEHAVIOR)
Specific
Measurable
Attainable / achievable
Realistic
Time specific/ time-determined
Goal Setting (II)
 GOAL ORIENTED
Studies show that setting short-term “goals”
around tasks or behaviours, not outcomes, is
the best way to improve performance.

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American psychologist, 57(9), 705.
Goal Setting (II) Locke, E. A., Shaw, K. N., Saari, L. M., & Latham, G. P. (1981). Goal setting and task performance: 1969–1980. Psychological bulletin, 90(1), 125.
 GOLDILOCKS’ PRINCIPLE FOR
LEARNING

Graphics from https://www.quantumjitter.com/project/goldilocks/

Goal Setting (II)
 GOLDILOCKS’ PRINCIPLE

Just Right!
“Goldilocks Zone”
Motivation

Difficulty

It is too easy! Boring! Too tough! I want to give up!

Goal Setting (II) Figure adapted from https://jitenhbhatt.com/goldilocks-principle-for-motivation-happiness/

“The Dalai Lama, when asked what
surprised him most about humanity,
answered "Man! Because he sacrifices his
health in order to make money. Then he
sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future
that he does not enjoy the present; the
result being that he does not live in the
present or the future; he lives as if he is
never going to die, and then dies having
never really lived.”
 Robert Kamei
STRATEGIC LEARNING Magdeline Ng
SESSION 2: ENCODING MEMORY Teaching Assistants
 THE TWO SECOND
ADVANTAGE
Part 1
2 sec advantage
 ODD:
LOOK AT THE SCREEN
The passage you see next is about:

Going out to eat at a restaurant

(Don’t chat or share it with your friends)

2 sec advantage Individual

This procedure is optional but takes care of something that is required for
you. First, you must decide what you want and discuss it with others. One
place may be better than another. Even if you identify the correct place, you
may need to choose another due to lack of availability.

Once you are asked what you want, you are required to speak your mind
clearly and loudly. Someone usually takes notes on what you say. Only ask for
what you know you can handle. You have to wait for some time before you
are satisfied. Give back what is expected.

2 sec advantage
 Goal Setting

Holistic Learning Framework © Robert Kamei

 Learning
Strategies

Holistic Learning Framework © Robert Kamei

 Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve
Before
or during
Encoding After
Memory Retention Encoding Encoding

e.g., Pre-read, e.g., Chunking, Depth of Processing,

Encoding Interleaving, Retrieval Practice,
Specificity,

Flattening the Curve

Holistic Learning Framework

Time
Learning Strategies are based on 3 features
of Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting curve:
1. Encoding Memory
Encoding memory
2. Durable Memory
(flattening the curve)

3. Resetting Memory
Hermann Ebbinghaus, 1885
Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve
Encoding

Memory Retention

Time
 AEIOU
Part 2

Encoding Memory
 PREVIOUSLY…

26

Encoding Memory
 LOOK FAMILIAR?

NOW…

Write down all the WORDS that

you just saw.

27

Encoding Memory Copyright NUS ALSET—All rights reserved. No unauthorized use, distribution, reproduction.
 DID YOU GET THEM ALL?

Computer Cutting Edge

Strawberry Leader
Arrowhead Milo
Wednesday Teamwork
Whiteboard Literature
Encoding Memory
 LEARNING STRATEGIES (BEFORE ENCODING)

• Must match your studying to the test

• BEFORE you start studying ask yourself
• What is the goal of what I’m supposed to learn?
• What is the format of the test?
• What material will be covered?
• How can I match how I study to better fit the test?
• What is important to learn?
Encoding Memory Copyright NUS ALSET—All rights reserved. No unauthorized use, distribution, reproduction.
 THE TWO SECOND
ADVANTAGE (ENCODING)
Part 2
 LESSON LEARNED

WHY DID ODDS REMEMBER MORE?

2 sec advantage
 WHAT DID THE ODDS SEE?

“…I have learnt that it is important to make connections with the

materials learn in order to retrieve it better. Context matters when
you study as it might provide cues for retrieval after encoding….”
2 sec advantage
 INSTRUCTIONAL
SCAFFOLDING
• Educators use as temporary
supports that allows enhance
student learning
• May be different levels or
types (can be information or
approach)
• You can use the same
principle to prepare (pre-read,
watch video)
Bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong
Photo: AFP
 Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve
Before
or during
Encoding
Memory Retention Encoding

e.g., Pre-read,
Encoding
Specificity,

Flattening the
Curve

Holistic Learning Framework

Time
 Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve
Before Encoding
or during
Encoding After Encoding
Memory Retention

Flattening the
Curve

Holistic Learning Framework

Time
Next session: Other Learning Strategies

The Forgetting Curve

Encoding memory 1. Encoding Memory

2. Fading Memory

3. Resetting Memory

Hermann Ebbinghaus, 1885

THE LEARNING PLAN TEMPLATE
 TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT
1. Identify your top 2-3 aspirational goals
(put in Learning Plan, OK this is a work in progress).
2. Refer to your 3 goals from the previous lesson
3. Modify to SMART tasks and behaviours to make it ‘just right’
• Achievable, Give a proposed timeline

4. Input your modifications using a different color.

5. You will be deciding later which task/behaviors to implement
 SUMMARY OF SESSION 2
Aspirational goals should align with your
GOAL SETTING
Tasks/Behaviours. Then align to your time!

AEIOUS Your learning should match the materials and

(Preparation for Encoding) format of your examination/test.

2 SECOND ADVANTAGE Direct experience & context are ESSENTIAL to

(Preparation for Encoding) learning (the smartest keep getting smarter)

Summary
Have a great week ahead! See
you at the next session! ☺