Chapter 11 Managing and Caring For the Self

Lesson Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

a.explain how learnings occurs
b. enumerate various metacognition and studying techniques; and
c. identify the metacognitive techniques that you find most appropriate for yourself.

Lesson 16: Learning to be a better student

1. Set goals Goals, both short and long-term, are a great way to measure your success. If
you don’t have goals in sight, you have nothing to achieve or strive for in your courses. If
you set concrete goals for yourself, it’s easier to become motivated and measure your
success in those goals. Make sure your goals are realistic! While you should challenge
yourself, you shouldn't set yourself up for failure, either. Remember, you can always set
higher goals once you've achieved your first set.
2. Adopt and stick to a study schedule Scheduling is vital to maintaining a healthy
learning balance and keeping up with rigorous courses.
3. Stay well-rested If you’re awake and alert, you’re certainly more likely to absorb
information given in class, during study sessions and in class activities and participation.
Think of it as an equation: awake + alertness = A’s.
4. Take advantage of educator resources In addition to attending class, there are a
variety of resources available to aid students in thriving and achieving in class. TA’s, office
hours and study review sessions are amongst the resources offered within specific classes.
Additionally, many high schools and colleges offer tutoring sessions free of charge to
students who seek extra help with their courses.
5. Healthy study techniques for proper exam preparation
Study techniques considered “healthy” include balance, time-management and avoiding all-
night study “cram” sessions. Information is certainly easier to absorb when reviewed in
increments, rather than procrastinating until the last minute.
6. Develop note-taking skills Listening and taking notes actively during class not only
ensures the recording of accurate information, but also reinforces the information through
recording the information as you take it in. Have you ever gone back to your notes when it
comes time to study for the exam and find that they are illegible or difficult to understand?
It's helpful to go over your note after class and either rewrite them or outline the key
information while it's still fresh in your mind. You'll find it's much easier to utilize your notes
and retain clearer information, come exam time. Clearly, it also provides you with any
important information that was only mentioned in class when it comes time to review and
study the exam material.
7. Extracurricular activities Try to create a life outside of academics, like participation in
extracurricular activities, such as intramural sports or college clubs. Contrary to popular
belief, extracurricular activities increase a student’s overall college experience, contribute to
the learning process and aiding in balancing scheduling skills
. 8. Study buddies Collaborating with other students is a great way to learn - as long as
you're sure to choose students who you'll stay on task with. Try finding various students in
your class, rather than friends you already have. It can expand your social group and you're
more likely to stay focused on the school work. Students who form study groups with one
another can often learn more through learning by teaching. When students explain concepts
to one another, they are able to learn and absorb the information more easily. Inversely,
students that may need clarification on areas of study are able to ask peers in order to be
able to better understand the course materials.
9. Take advantage of school resources Utilizing school resources for setting goals and
creating positive study habits tremendously aids in a student’s success. School resources are
abundant and students who take advantage of such resources are much more likely to
succeed. Such resources include the utilization of school libraries, career centers and school
centers that provide tutoring and knowledge (for example: student writing centers, math
centers, etc).
10. Take on a manageable course load When taking on a well-balanced course load,
students are more likely to succeed because of realistic expectations in the work load that
can be handled successfully.
11. Attendance This should be common sense – if students go to class, they will likely
become more successful in the course. Obviously, the course material is presented during
class periods and students that are paying attention tend to learn while in class and, thus,
are more likely to perform well on exams.
12. Participation Going to class is one thing but paying attention and participating in
class is another. If you listen to the lessons, questions are likely to arise. If they come up in
class, ask! If you’re too shy in a large class, wait and ask the professor after class or during
office hours. It’s important to know, however, that if you’ve got a question, it’s likely that
other students have the same question as well

Lesson 16 : What Happens during learning? Brain and Behavior changes?

Learning changes the physical structure of the brain. These structural changes alter the
functional organization of the brain; in other words, learning organizes and reorganizes
the brain. Different parts of the brain may be ready to learn at different times.
It is also understood that neurotransmitters, or brain chemicals, are responsible
for our moods and of the general state that we are in. ... Lesions or damage to the frontal
lobes and to other parts of the brain can and affect impulses and impulsive behaviors. All
of this knowledge raises disturbing questions.

Lesson 16 : Metacognition and study strategies

Metacognitive Study Strategies

Do you spend a lot of time studying but feel like your hard work doesn’t help your
performance on exams? You may not realize that your study techniques, which may have
worked in high school, don’t necessarily translate to how you’re expected to learn in college.
But don’t worry—we’ll show you how to analyze your current strategies, see what’s working
and what isn’t, and come up with new, more effective study techniques. To do this, we’ll
introduce you to the idea of “metacognition,” tell you why metacognition helps you learn
better, and introduce some strategies for incorporating metacognition into your studying.

What is metacognition and why should I care?

Metacognition is thinking about how you think and learn. The key to metacognition is asking
yourself self-reflective questions, which are powerful because they allow us to take
inventory of where we currently are (thinking about what we already know), how we learn
(what is working and what is not), and where we want to be (accurately gauging if we’ve
mastered the material). Metacognition helps you to be a self-aware problem solver and take
control of your learning.
By using metacognition when you study, you can be strategic about your approach. You will
be able to take stock of what you already know, what you need to work on, and how best to
approach learning new material.

Strategies for using metacognition when you study

Below are some ideas for how to engage in metacognition when you are studying. Think
about which of these resonate with you and plan to incorporate them into your study
routine on a regular basis.

Use your syllabus as a roadmap

Look at your syllabus. Your professor probably included a course schedule, reading list,
learning objectives or something similar to give you a sense of how the course is structured.
Use this as your roadmap for the course. For example, for a reading-based course, think
about why your professor might have assigned the readings in this particular order. How do
they connect? What are the key themes that you notice? What prior knowledge do you have
that could inform your reading of this new material? You can do this at multiple points
throughout the semester, as you gain additional knowledge that you can piece together.

Summon your prior knowledge

Before you read your textbook or attend a lecture, look at the topic that is covered and ask
yourself what you know about it already. What questions do you have? What do you hope
to learn? Answering these questions will give context to what you are learning and help you
start building a framework for new knowledge. It may also help you engage more deeply
with the material.

Think aloud

Talk through your material. You can talk to your classmates, your friends, a tutor, or even a
pet. Just verbalizing your thoughts can help you make more sense of the material and
internalize it more deeply. Talking aloud is a great way to test yourself on how well you
really know the material. In courses that require problem solving, explaining the steps aloud
will ensure you really understand them and expose any gaps in knowledge that you might
have. Ask yourself questions about what you are doing and why.

Ask yourself questions

Asking self-reflective questions is key to metacognition. Take the time to be introspective
and honest with yourself about your comprehension. Below are some suggestions for
metacognitive questions you can ask yourself.

 Does this answer make sense given the information provided?

 What strategy did I use to solve this problem that was helpful?
 How does this information conflict with my prior understanding?
 How does this information relate to what we learned last week?
 What questions will I ask myself next time I’m working these types of problems?
 What is confusing about this topic?
 What are the relationships between these two concepts?
 What conclusions can I make?

Try brainstorming some of your own questions as well.

Use writing

Writing can help you organize your thoughts and assess what you know. Just like thinking
aloud, writing can help you identify what you do and don’t know, and how you are thinking
about the concepts that you’re learning. Write out what you know and what questions you
have about the learning objectives for each topic you are learning.

Organize your thoughts

Using concept maps or graphic organizers is another great way to visualize material and see
the connections between the various concepts you are learning. Creating your concept map
from memory is also a great study strategy because it is a form of self-testing.

Take notes from memory

Many students take notes as they are reading. Often this can turn notetaking into a passive
activity, since it can be easy to fall into just copying directly from the book without thinking
about the material and putting your notes in your own words. Instead, try reading short
sections at a time and pausing periodically to summarize what you read from memory. This
technique ensures that you are actively engaging with the material as you are reading and
taking notes, and it helps you better gauge how much you’re actually remembering from
what you read; it also engages your recall, which makes it more likely you’ll be able to
remember and understand the material when you’re done.

Review your exams

Reviewing an exam that you’ve recently taken is a great time to use metacognition. Look at
what you knew and what you missed. Try using this hand out to analyze your preparation
for the exam and track the items you missed, along with the reasons that you missed them.
Then take the time to fill in the areas you still have gaps and make a plan for how you
might change your preparation next time.

Take a timeout

When you’re learning, it’s important to periodically take a time out to make sure you’re
engaging in metacognitive strategies. We often can get so absorbed in “doing” that we don’t
always think about the why behind what we are doing. For example, if you are working
through a math problem, it’s helpful to pause as you go and think about why you are doing
each step, and how you knew that it followed from the previous step. Throughout the
semester, you should continue to take timeouts before, during or after assignments to see
how what you’re doing relates to the course as a whole and to the learning objectives that
your professor has set.

Test yourself

You don’t want your exam to be the first time you accurately assess how well you know the
material. Self-testing should be an integral part of your study sessions so that have a clear
understanding of what you do and don’t know. Many of the methods described are about
self-testing (e.g., thinking aloud, using writing, taking notes from memory) because they
help you discern what you do and don’t actually know. Other common methods include
practice tests and flash cards—anything that asks you to summon your knowledge and
check if it’s correct.

Teachers Insight

Learning strategies can take average learners and make them extraordinary.
Since success in any field is mostly about hard work and putting in the time,
it’s important that one understand right away that they’re not simply “born
with it.” Sure, a student may be born with a certain degree of natural talent or
a fascination with one particular field, but by learning how to learn, it’s
possible to accomplish more than you ever thought possible. That’s why
we’ve put together these 8 learning strategies to help you become a better
student..

Lesson 17: Managing your own Learning Self Regulated Learning

 The Cycle of Self-Regulated Learning
Self-regulated learning is a cyclical process, wherein the student plans for a task, monitors
their performance, and then reflects on the outcome. The cycle then repeats as the student
uses the reflection to adjust and prepare for the next task. The process is not one-size-fits-
all; it should be tailored for individual students and for specific learning tasks (Zimmerman,
2002).

The figure to the right illustrates the key steps of the process. These steps are performed by
the student, but instructors play a vital role in guiding and coaching students through each
step. The bullet points below provide additional information, and are drawn from
Zimmerman (2002) and Zumbrunn et al. (2011).

Jump down to:

1. Plan and set goals | 2. Use strategies and monitor performance | 3. Reflect on
performance

1. Plan, set goals, and lay out

strategies
This first step of the cycle may be
overlooked by many students as they
dive headlong into a task. Encouraging
students to establish a plan before they
start working on a task will help them
strategize right from the start. Although
students may see this as taking a step
backward, it will ultimately help them be
more efficient with their time and effort.

Guide students though this process by

helping them ask themselves the following questions:

 Analyze the learning task. Is this a task I've done before or something new? Does it
build off of a task I've done before? How much time will it take? How much focus will I
need?

 Set goals. How will I structure this task? What are the intermediate checkpoints and
sub-goals? Can I complete an outline with two weeks to go, and then a rough draft one
week prior to the due date? That would allow time to get extra help as needed.
 Plan strategies. Will I need resources from the library, a color printer, help from my lab
partners, or an appointment for office hours? Given my needs, when should I get started
on this task?

 Set expectations for the outcome. Given how much time I have available, my
strengths and weaknesses, and my current standing in the course, what type of outcome
would I like? Do I need to "ace" this, or is it OK if I can just complete it successfully?
Instructor tips:
 When students are new to a task, help them map out the most effective strategies to
match the goal.

 Set intermediate, shorter term goals along the pathway toward a larger goal.

 As students gain proficiency, allow them to plan for themselves.

2. Use strategies and monitor performance

In this phase, students carry out the plan that was outlined in the forethought phase.
Ideally, students can proceed with confidence because they have already established a
detailed plan of action.

Here are some key points you can use to coach students through this phase.

 Use self-observation to reflect on the actions taken by the student and the

effectiveness of the results.

o For example, when I studied in a quiet location in the library, I completed the reading
more quickly than when I read at home.

 Because things don't always go smoothly, have students make a plan for what to do
when obstacles arise (Flanagan, 2014).

o For example, if I get stuck on the math in this assignment, I will go to the TA's weekly
help session.

 Prompt students to stick with the strategies, even though it may be tempting to
revert back to known (but ineffective) strategies. Unfamiliar approaches may feel
inefficient at first, but learning the method can be as important as learning the material.

 Have the students monitor their progress on the intermediate goals, and the
strategies they are using. At the same time, you can also monitor their progress and
offer feedback (see structuring feedback for self-regulated learning).
 3. Reflect on performance
Many students focus solely on the extrinsic outcome of their grade. While grades are
important, you can help students reflect on how they think they did on a particular
assignment, and why. This self-reflection can help them understand why they earned a
certain grade and how to improve their performance. Activities like an exam wrapper can
solidify this process.

 Ask students to evaluate their own performance and their results. Students should
compare their performance to their original goal, rather than comparing themselves to
others.

 Reflect on the effectiveness of strategies used. Did they select an appropriate strategy?
Did they follow through with the selected strategy?

 Encourage students to attribute poor outcomes to the effort made and/or the strategy
used. Students should be coached to not attribute failure to lack of ability.

 Help students manage their emotions, and in time, direct them toward productive lines of
thinking about how they can improve their performance. Even if their outcome is not
what they had hoped, they can still learn from the experience.

 A key part of this process is that students use this reflection to plan for the next task.
How will they adapt their planning, strategy, time management, and self-monitoring
Chapter 16: Setting Goals For Success

The Five Golden Rules

1. Set Goals That Motivate You

When you set goals for yourself, it is important that they motivate you: this means making
sure that they are important to you, and that there is value in achieving them. If you have
little interest in the outcome, or they are irrelevant given the larger picture, then the
chances of you putting in the work to make them happen are slim. Motivation is key to
achieving goals.

Set goals that relate to the high priorities in your life. Without this type of focus, you can
end up with far too many goals, leaving you too little time to devote to each one. Goal
achievement requires commitment, so to maximize the likelihood of success, you need to
feel a sense of urgency and have an "I must do this" attitude. When you don't have this,
you risk putting off what you need to do to make the goal a reality. This in turn leaves you
feeling disappointed and frustrated with yourself, both of which are de-motivating. And you
can end up in a very destructive "I can't do anything or be successful at anything" frame of
mind.
Tip:

To make sure that your goal is motivating, write down why it's valuable and important to
you. Ask yourself, "If I were to share my goal with others, what would I tell them to
convince them it was a worthwhile goal?" You can use this motivating value statement to
help you if you start to doubt yourself or lose confidence in your ability to actually make the
goal happen.

2. Set SMART Goals

You have probably heard of SMART goals  already. But do you always apply the rule? The
simple fact is that for goals to be powerful, they should be designed to be SMART. There are
many variations of what SMART stands for, but the essence is this – goals should be:
 Specific.
 Measurable.
 Attainable.
 Relevant.
 Time Bound.
Set Specific Goals

Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals are unhelpful because
they don't provide sufficient direction. Remember, you need goals to show you the way.
Make it as easy as you can to get where you want to go by defining precisely where you
want to end up.

Set Measurable Goals

Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of
success. If your goal is simply defined as "To reduce expenses" how will you know when
you have been successful? In one month's time if you have a 1 percent reduction or in two
years' time when you have a 10 percent reduction? Without a way to measure your success
you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you have actually achieved
something.

Set Attainable Goals

Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set. If you set a goal that you have no
hope of achieving, you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence.

However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. Accomplishing a goal that you didn't
have to work hard for can be anticlimactic at best, and can also make you fear setting future
goals that carry a risk of non-achievement. By setting realistic yet challenging goals, you hit
the balance you need. These are the types of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and
they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.

Set Relevant Goals

Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take. By keeping
goals aligned with this, you'll develop the focus you need to get ahead and do what you
want. Set widely scattered and inconsistent goals, and you'll fritter your time – and your life
– away.

Set Time-Bound Goals

Your goals must have a deadline. Again, this means that you know when you can celebrate
success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and
achievement will come that much quicker.

3. Set Goals in Writing

The physical act of writing down a goal makes it real and tangible. You have no excuse for
forgetting about it. As you write, use the word "will" instead of "would like to" or "might."
For example, "I will reduce my operating expenses by 10 percent this year," not "I would
like to reduce my operating expenses by 10 percent this year." The first goal statement has
power and you can "see" yourself reducing expenses, the second lacks passion and gives
you an excuse if you get sidetracked.

Tip 1:

Frame your goal statement positively. If you want to improve your retention rates say, "I
will hold on to all existing employees for the next quarter" rather than "I will reduce
employee turnover." The first one is motivating; the second one still has a get-out clause
"allowing" you to succeed even if some employees leave.

Tip 2:

If you use a To-Do List , make yourself a To-Do List template that has your goals at the
top of it. If you use an Action Program , then your goals should be at the top of your
Project Catalog.
Post your goals in visible places to remind yourself every day of what it is you intend to do.
Put them on your walls, desk, computer monitor, bathroom mirror or refrigerator as a
constant reminder.

4. Make an Action Plan

This step is often missed in the process of goal setting. You get so focused on the outcome
that you forget to plan all of the steps that are needed along the way. By writing out the
individual steps, and then crossing each one off as you complete it, you'll realize that you
are making progress towards your ultimate goal. This is especially important if your goal is
big and demanding, or long-term. Read our article on Action Plans  for more on how to do
this.

5. Stick With It!

Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity, not just a means to an end. Build in
reminders to keep yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your
goals. Your end destination may remain quite similar over the long term, but the action plan
you set for yourself along the way can change significantly. Make sure the relevance, value,
and necessity remain high.