Blog #1

In Dr.Blumin’s college learning strategies class, we learn tips on how to succeed throughout our four years of college. So far the tip that has helped me succeed most is the ten and twenty minute test prep. For each exam I have coming up I take twenty minutes to study for any exam coming up. After the twenty minutes are up, I do some other homework for twenty minutes then go back and review from what I had studied for in those twenty minutes. This has helped me tremendously with exams so far. I would recommend this to anyone who has trouble focusing on one subject for a long period of time. I understand it’s hard to study for one subject for a long period of time so the twenty minute test prep is perfect for those who have trouble focusing!

20 Minute Test Prep

This week I used the 20 Minute Test Prep as a studying tool for ECN 203 and PHI 192. I have actually been using 20 Minute Test Prep since summer start. I chose to use this strategy because it was one that I was very familiar with and one I found useful in the past. For each test prep I would usually write down 5 possible test questions after each class. You don't always have to only write down 5 questions, you can write as many as you need on that day. In my economics class the teacher usually takes us through a powerpoint. After class I would look at my powerpoint and write down questions about all the important information. For Philosophy the professor doesn't give notes he will just lectures us all class. I found it most useful to do the 20 Minute Test prep during class. Whenever something he was talking about seemed real important I would write down a question. I find this strategy effective because it helps you anticipate possible test questions which will also help you learn the material. If you are writing down 5 to 10 possible test questions after each class, by the time your unit test comes up you have your own practice test to help you study. I found that this study tool is very effective for helping out with exams. Click on the links below to see examples of 20 Minute Test Prep:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KNW8_kqYBe2jhIX8wFyC3OMZKeRFlLHbcx1c4JofW8Y/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ycn8nLL0ZBW-IxZdyFNpwAzcDZCFwtp5h-u1V1u7Soc/edit?hl=en_US

20 minute Test Preparation(Kevin Kim)

The 20 minute test preparation was the most helpful strategy for me thus far. I noticed immediately that I could finally retain more information, and for once I felt like the lecture actually made sense to me. Normally, I would go to lecture and get side tracked either by my phone or my laptop, however because I know I need good notes in order to complete this test preparation it forced me to stay engaged in class.

The first time I tried this technique was in my HST 101 class. My notes were all scattered, and it was tough to get a grasp at anything. Therefore, I used the 20 minute test preparation to organize my notes, and add a title for every sub-topic in class. Furthermore, I was able to make up many possible test questions, and it felt rewarding to have known everything that was taught in class and beyond. The one thing that I struggled with was finished organizing, and making up questions in just 20 minutes.

The second time I wanted to try things a little differently. Unlike HST 101, PSY 205 is not as writing intensive, so I decided that a better approach for this class would be to make a study guide. I took down key terms during the lecture, and after class I researched the terms in my textbook. This forced me to read, and furthermore I was able to make certain connections with some of the concepts. However, once again it was tough for me to complete organizing and making up question in just 20 minutes.

Fritter Finder

For this weeks Time Management Task I have chosen to do the Fritter Finder. I chose to use this task because my learning style is kinesthetic and visual, so for me I need to visual see what exactly I need to do then do it. Using the Fritter Finder really helped me stay organized and plan out my events to see where I have free time to study,do homework,or just catch up on things. What I did was fill out a piece of paper with all the days of the week, then on the left hand side I put the time starting from 6a.m. to 12p.m. You can also add in a top row above the days of the week that will have things that are due the next day. After you set up the calendar you can then fill it in with all your homework assignments and projects for the week. What you will see is that you tend to have free time (fritter time) which can be used for multiple things. For me all my free time was at the end of my day, so that is when I would do my work but for others it might be spread out throughout the day. I would look at my fritter finder twice a day sometimes maybe more and if needed I would fill in more items. What helped me with making this, was to look at all of my syllabi and put down all of my homework assignments for the week. The only downfall about this strategy is that you have to make a new one each week and it gets hard to remember to re-due it. The most important thing about this task is to ensure that you use your time wisely. It helps a lot having everything laid out and it makes it a lot easier to follow things when they are all organized. If anyone is having trouble with their time management, I would definitely recommend this time management task. Although it worked for me, it might not work for the next person, but I believe that it is worth a try.