Learning Strategies

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Learning Strategies

• Test Taking

Adapted from Virginia Tech Cook Counseling Centre
website http//www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html
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INTRODUCTION

• How well you do on a test not only reflects how
  much one studied in the hours and days right
  before the test but also on your study habits
  throughout the semester.
• This overview provides study strategies you can
  use from the first day of class to improve your
  test performance.  
• You may be practicing some of these skills
  routinely while there may be others that you're
  not practicing as regularly.  
• See if there are one or two skills you would
• like to try to incorporate into your regular
• study schedule.

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QUICK QUIZ

• On the average, how many hours per week is it
• recommended that you study for each hour you
• spend in class?
• A.  1 hour
• B.  2 hours
• C.  3 hours
• D.  4 hours

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QUICK QUIZ
NO RIGHT ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION! Classes
will vary in difficulty and this interacts with
your learner profile. WHATS THE
GUIDELINE? spend a minimum of 2 - 3 hours
outside of class for every hour you spend in
class.  DO THE MATH For a 3 hour credit class,
you are spending 2 1/2 hours in class every
week.  2.5 X 3 7-7.5 hours outside of class
studying each week. How Many Courses are you
Taking? Lets say 3so 3 X 7.5 22.5
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QUICK QUIZ
Study activities include. reading the textbook
doing assignments reviewing notes studying
for tests quizzes
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Basic Training Strategies for improving test
performance

• Strategies for improving test performance
• Take good notes
• Review notes after each class
• Use SQ3R reading method
• Get control of your time
• Begin reviewing a week before test
• Test yourself
• Practice good test taking strategies

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What Forgetting Looks Like
  Amount you are likely to recall if you do
review. Amount you are likely to recall if you
do not review
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Preparation for the TEST

• If you've practiced some or all of the
  techniques discussed previously, you are well on
  your way to being prepared for the test. 
• Now it's important to decide how many hours you
  need to allocate for studying for this test and
  how you will break those hours up over the time
  you have prior to the test.

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Take an Active Approach
Prepare study questions, flash cards and keep
reviewing and reciting the answers. write/type
them out say out loud walk around while talking
out the answers TEST YOURSELF BEFORE THE TEST
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Strategies for improving test performance

• Be well rested
• Arrive on time to avoid other students who may be
  
• cramming
• Do a memory dump.write out info you know will be
  on the test and you are afraid you may forget
• Read directions carefully
• Budget Your Time
• Practice Relaxation to lessen anxiety

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Test Day is Here
REST Fatigue can be your worst enemy on test
day by lessening your ability to concentrate,
your ability to deal with anxiety and making if
harder to retrieve information.
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Test Day is Here
Arrive on time Being late could increase test
anxiety. Avoid other students who are taking
the test, they may start brain picking, asking
you questions that you may not know the answer to
and therefore increasing test anxiety.
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Test Day is Here
READ DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY There may be
valuable information in the directions.  Read the
directions carefully to make certain that you
understand what you are being asked to do as you
respond to the questions. If you are not sure,
then seek clarification.
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Test Day is Here
BUDGET YOUR TIME Review the test before you
begin and decide how much time you will spend
on each part of the test.  Pay attention to
the weight of each section on your grade and make
sure you allow enough time for sections that may
take more time or are weighted more heavily in
the final grade. 
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Test Day is Here
Look for Cues Much could be said about this
strategy.  You can look for two answers that are
similar, cues from other questions, grammatical
correctness with the question as well as other
strategies.  Answer All the Questions Some
professors give partial credit so it is important
to answer all the questions, even if you are
running out of time and can't answer them
fully. Do Not Change Answers Research has shown
that it is best to go with our first instinct
about which of the choices is the correct answer,
unless you are very sure the answer you have
chosen is wrong. Use All the Time If you finish
early, go back and review your answers to make
sure you haven't skipped a question, or made
careless mistakes as you responded to the
questions.
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Test Day is Here
ANXIETY can reduce test performance Practice
deep breathing techniques before the test and
during. Practice deep breathing whenever you
think of it. There are a variety of
relaxation techniques to tryTRY
THEM meditation yoga regular
exercise progressive relaxation
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Autogenic Relaxation
The technique involves the daily practice of
sessions that last around 15 minutes, some people
dot it three times a day. During each session,
you will repeat a set of visualizations that
induce a state of relaxation. You can record the
visualizations yourself! Each session can be
practiced in a position comfortable to you (e.g.
lying down, sitting meditation, sitting like a
rag doll, etc.).
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogenic_training
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Autogenic Relaxation

• Get in a comfortable position
• "my left arm is heavy and warm" (repeat 3 times)
• "my arms and legs are heavy and warm" (repeat 3
  times)
• "my heartbeat is calm and regular" (repeat 3
  times)
• "my solar plexus is warm" (repeat 3 times)
• ...
• finish part one by cancelling
• start part two by repeating from steps 2 to
  cancelling
• part three repeat steps 2 to cancelling
• Visit http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_rel
  axation for a progressive relaxation script

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogenic_training