Imagine this: you’re an undergraduate at a prestigious university taking six courses. You just received your first midterm back and can’t help but feel disappointed that all your hard work amounted to an average grade. Sound familiar? Semester after semester, this seems to be a common theme prevalent among students despite many hours of studying. So the question becomes, are there ways for students to learn more effectively and have a better shot at acing that exam?
In today’s technology-driven world, one can expect a plethora of distractions that may hinder student success. A study done by Microsoft: details that the average attention span since the year 2000 has dropped from 13 seconds to just 8 seconds in 2013! Unsurprisingly, a student’s ability to concentrate on the task at hand is crucial for absorbing and processing information. It turns out the first step to achieving better grades is simple, put away your cell phones and get off Facebook when you study. Create a schedule where during certain hours of the day, you eliminate all outside noise and focus solely on work. Additionally, the student should study in an environment that promotes learning. What does this mean? As Western Governor’s University defines it,
“Find a spot that’s comfortable, but not too comfortable, and make it your go-to study location.“
Humans are habitual creatures, when you associate a room as your place of study, your brain tends to switch into a learning mindset whenever you’re there.
Example of a well-setup study area. Image via google images
Okay, so now the student has put away their distractions and setup camp in their favorite study area. What methods can they use to maximize the amount of information that can be processed in their session?
It turns out, there are three study techniques that are easy to use and incredibly powerful. The pomodoro technique, is a great way to solve the problem of a short attention span. The idea is simple but effective. The student divides their studying into cycles of 25 minutes worth of studying with five minute breaks and repeats the cycle four times for a total of two hours. After two hours elapses, the student then takes a 30 minute break. By using this technique, you allow your brain to constantly recharge and keep productivity high.
The next method is called active learning. Students often attend lectures and do readings half-focused. By applying principles of active learning, which include engaging in lecture, questioning reading material, teaching the material to others, a student can make learning more effective and enjoyable!
Lastly, don’t just take notes randomly! Structure your page to maximize learning. Cornell university’s note-taking system is extremely popular. The student divides their page into three sections, right, left and bottom. The right is for your notes, the left for questions and the bottom for a concise summary. An explanation is included in the following youtube video by Jennifer DesRochers.
To become a top student, not only should one study hard, they should also study smart.
Brian Wong
