Transcript Skim read BEFORE class

The
Learning
Process
Fall 2001, rev Jan. 2007, June 2011
by Dennis W. Ritz, D.M.A.
Professor of Music
Shippensburg University
The
Learning
Process
Fall 2001, rev Jan. 2007, June 2011
by Dennis W. Ritz, D.M.A.
Professor of Music
Shippensburg University
How to study and succeed in the
academic world.
How to study and succeed in the
academic world.
How to LEARN--based on:
Ch. 1: Material and information organization
Learning takes time.
Good process and mechanics pay.
Ch. 2: Information processing
How you think about material is crucial.
Ch. 3: Use of information
Don’t just swallow and regurgitate facts.
Digest information and use it to synthesize a
factually “nutritious” story.
Note-taking helps
What about highlighting in the text?
Thoughts on re-writing notes
Chapter 1
Material and information organization
Read BEFORE class
Take the time to do this regularly; it is important.
10-15 minute scan read
DO NOT take notes!
You know if you are prepared if:
1. You know what the class will be about.
2. You know simple, basic information about the
main subjects or topics.
Take notes during class!
(method 1—printed PowerPoint slides)
Slide 1
info
info
Slide 2
info
info
Slide 3
info
info
Add
details
during
class
_____________
_____________
_____________
Leave this
_____________
side of
_____________
_____________
your page
blank!!
_____________
_____________
_____________
Take notes during class!
(method 2—hand written notes)
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
item
item
Leave this
side of
your page
blank!!
Perhaps,
draw a line down
the middle of
the page.
Re-read AFTER class
Doing this the same day increases study time
effectiveness.
It will usually take 15-30 minutes.
Have your class notes beside your text and
refer to them often as you read. THINK
about the class notes & text information:
Compare, relate, evaluate, write!
Take notes while you read.
(method 1—printed PowerPoint slides)
CLASS NOTES
Slide 1
info
info
Slide 2
info
info
Slide 3
info
info
Details
added
during
class
TEXT NOTES
_____________
_____________
_____________
Add
_____________
text
_____________
_____________
notes
here.
_____________
_____________
_____________
Take notes while you read.
(method 2—hand written notes)
CLASS NOTES
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
item
item
TEXT NOTES
Topic 1
Fill in important
information to get
complete picture
Topic 2
Fill in important
information to get
complete picture
Topic 3
Fill in important
information to get
complete picture
Take notes while you read
CLASS NOTES
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
item
item
TEXT NOTES
Topic 1
Fill in important
information to get
complete picture
Whether you use PowerPoint slides or hand-written
class notes…
THINK about what you are reading.
RELATE it to the class notes.
EVALUATE it. (Does it add important
information to the class notes?)
WRITE down ONLY what helps you
fully understand the topic.
Regular reading and good quality
note-taking pays double dividends:
1. You are already learning!
2. You are organizing for future
exam preparation.
Your notes are organized!
CLASS NOTES
TEXT NOTES
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 1
additional info
additional info
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 2
additional info
additional info
Topic 3
item
item
Topic 3
additional info
additional info
Information is centralized.
CLASS NOTES
TEXT NOTES
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 1
additional info
additional info
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 2
Sometimes you will
have NO additional
information.
Topic 3
additional info
additional info
Topic 3
Occasionally you
will have NO
Class notes.
You are ORGANIZED to study
for an exam!
EVERYTHING you need
to know about TOPIC 1!
EVERYTHING you need
to know about TOPIC 2!
EVERYTHING you need
to know about TOPIC 3!
Use these
powerful learning tools:
1. THINK about what you are reading.
2. RELATE what you are reading to the
class lecture.
3. EVALUATE what you are reading.
4. WRITE down information.
5. ORGANIZE your information so that
exam prep is more efficient.
Chapter 2
Information processing
Organize your thinking about
information…
Get the
picture
first!
Levels of detail = VIMP*!!!
Opera
Music
aria
melody
acc by orch
stops plot
recitative
text
acc by basso cont
advances plot
Visual
scenery
costumes
lighting
hall décor
acting
blocking
ensemble
duo, trio, 4tet
lead characters
may portray conflicting moods
Topic
Literature basic information
plot
text
greater detail
greatest detail level
overture
prefaces opera
orchestra plays
*VIMP = Very IMPortant
Think and learn according to
levels of detail (macro to
micro):
Opera
Music
Visual
Topic
Literature
The
broadest
categories
of opera’s
components
Least detailed, but
important
information
Opera
Music
aria
recitative
ensemble
overture
Visual
scenery
costumes
lighting
hall décor
acting
blocking
Literature
plot
text
“fleshing out”
the categories
Some details
within
broad categories
Opera
Music
aria
melody
acc by orch
stops plot
recitative
text
acc by basso cont
advances plot
Visual
scenery
costumes
lighting
hall décor
acting
blocking
ensemble
duo, trio, 4tet
lead characters
may portray conflicting moods
overture
prefaces opera
orchestra plays
Literature
plot
text
Complete
picture with
Topic
broad categories
details
micro facts
Chapter 3
Use of information
Isolated facts are often USELESS
information,
AND
they can be very difficult to learn!
Consider 11 facts:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ca. 1800
E.T.A. Hoffman (1776-1822)
French Revolution (1789-93)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (1803)
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (1806)
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (1823)
Napoleon (1769-1821)
Many people considered Napoleon a tyrant.
Romantic period (1820-1900)
Nationalism on rise soon after 1800
Consider 11 facts:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ca. 1800
E.T.A. Hoffman (1776-1822)
French Revolution (1789-93)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (1803)
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (1806)
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (1823)
Napoleon (1769-1821)
Many people considered Napoleon a tyrant.
Romantic period (1820-1900)
Nationalism on rise soon after 1800
Think and learn:
relationships
causes
effects
Try to construct a “story” that
weaves all the information
together.
Some relevant questions that might be
asked about the 11 “factoids”:
• What are the defining or most important
historical events ca. 1800?
• Who are the principal figures ca. 1800?
• How do they relate to the important
historical events? What do they do?
• What are the relationships between these
people and events?
• How do they shape the coming era?
Beethoven
Sym No. 9
Beethoven
Sym No. 5
Beethoven
French
Revolution
Beethoven
Sym No. 3
Ca. 1800
E.T.A. Hoffman
Napoleon
tyranny
Coming
romanticism
Growing
nationalism
Learn and know:
• How are Napoleon and the French
Revolution related?
• How are Beethoven, B’s Symphony No. 3,
Napoleon, and tyranny related?
• How are E.T.A. Hoffman and Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 5 related?
• How are both Sym No. 5 and Sym. 9 related
to the coming romanticism?
• How are romanticism and nationalism
related?
Remember:
1. Know what the core issue or central idea is.
2. Develop your understanding of the big
picture—the overall idea—surrounding that
core issue.
3. Think of the “BIG PICTURE” as a puzzle
of pieces that fit together and relate to one
another. Know those relationships.
4. Add appropriate details, NOT TRIVIA, to
“flesh out” the image your puzzle makes.
Note-taking
• Write least # letrs & wrds th/ convey
message
• No complete sentences
• Use abbreviations
– Dev personal sys
– Spelling
• Use symbols
– = & $ # < > (& more)
A word on highlighting the text
Pros:
1. can help keep you focused on what you are reading.
2. can help you “ferret out” the main ideas and important info.
Con (mainly one, but it may be a deal-breaker):
Highlighting does NOT consolidate information; it leaves it
“unprocessed” and where you found it—distributed on many
pages of text. Remember, paging through the text hunting for
information is NOT studying; it does not help you learn information
or prepare for an exam.
Thoughts on re-writing notes
• Does this help you achieve good testing results?
– Yes. (Stop here. You need not read further.)
– Not sure, or I do not perform well in tests (Go on!!)
• Re-writing can be a “feel-good” job, especially if it produces neat,
attractive notes, and you can congratulate yourself for spending much
time creating them. Alas, if you do not perform well on tests,
rewriting is probably a complete waste of time!
• Take good, organized notes that do not need to be rewritten; add info
during your reading/study process; then, LEARN the information.
That often means, “memorize.”
• Spend your time doing jobs that produce good results--effective
learning verified by good test results.
• Evaluate how re-writing fits into either satisfactory or unsatisfactory
test results for you.
Contact
Please email me with any questions, thoughts,
comments, suggestions, additions, or
corrections.
Dennis W. Ritz
[email protected]