Which method of studying is the best? If you ask the psychology representative at Samford you might be surprised to hear their view on this.
According to Dr Chew, it has more to do with What you are thinking at the time rather than how you are studying.
In this 5 part video studying course, the good folk from Samford's psychology department dissect the elements to being a successful student.
A Case Study
An investigation took place (seen in video 2) where students were split among 5 groups with one of those groups being the mandatory control group. The task what presented by giving the students words to memorise. Two of the groups did not even know they had to memorise the words.
The other variable in this experiment was that two of the groups also had to count the number of letter E in each word. The other two were, rather than count the number of Es, to describe how they felt. An example of this was the word dance. How do I feel about dancing?
The results were that those counting the number of Es scored significantly lower than those emoting the words. Surprisingly, there was no substantial difference in those who had been warned they would have to recall the words later to those who were more incidental learners.
This brings up the point of shallow vs deep learning.
Deep Learning
Deep learning is what the Samford University supports as the best way to learn. It is essentially making connections between what you learn and avoiding learning (where possible) facts in isolation. It brings your emotions into the picture as well as associations with the other points you have learned.
Some of the ways to deep learning include:
Saving Time In The Long Run
While some of these methods may seem an overkill and time wasting, the fact is that students often underestimate the workload. Using deep learning is a skill that you will get quicker with use over time. However, the reality is, it saves time in the long run by not having to reread a chapter because you skimmed it in the first place.
I invite you to watch the 5 part video series - starting below with video 1 - and submit your thoughts, opinions and comments for discussion. Class is out! :)
According to Dr Chew, it has more to do with What you are thinking at the time rather than how you are studying.
In this 5 part video studying course, the good folk from Samford's psychology department dissect the elements to being a successful student.
A Case Study
An investigation took place (seen in video 2) where students were split among 5 groups with one of those groups being the mandatory control group. The task what presented by giving the students words to memorise. Two of the groups did not even know they had to memorise the words.
The other variable in this experiment was that two of the groups also had to count the number of letter E in each word. The other two were, rather than count the number of Es, to describe how they felt. An example of this was the word dance. How do I feel about dancing?
The results were that those counting the number of Es scored significantly lower than those emoting the words. Surprisingly, there was no substantial difference in those who had been warned they would have to recall the words later to those who were more incidental learners.
This brings up the point of shallow vs deep learning.
Deep Learning
Deep learning is what the Samford University supports as the best way to learn. It is essentially making connections between what you learn and avoiding learning (where possible) facts in isolation. It brings your emotions into the picture as well as associations with the other points you have learned.
Some of the ways to deep learning include:
- Ask Questions
- Use Concept Maps
- Practice retrieving the information
Saving Time In The Long Run
While some of these methods may seem an overkill and time wasting, the fact is that students often underestimate the workload. Using deep learning is a skill that you will get quicker with use over time. However, the reality is, it saves time in the long run by not having to reread a chapter because you skimmed it in the first place.
I invite you to watch the 5 part video series - starting below with video 1 - and submit your thoughts, opinions and comments for discussion. Class is out! :)
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