five keys ebook

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Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Mufungulwa. M. AnakokaAdult Education SpecialistManagement And Training

Cell: 0027 82 9666 924 or 0027 18 3861 451E-Mail: [email protected]

The right of Dr. Mufungulwa. M. Anakoka to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted in accordance

with the Copyright Act 98 of 1978.

All rights reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means,

without permission given by the Author.

First Published in South Africa 2012 by New Voices Publishing, Cape Town, South Africa

www.newvoices.co.za

First Edition June 2012 in paperbackreprint September 2013

ISBN: 978-1-920411-62-6

Disclaimer:New Voices Publishing makes every effort to protect the integrity of its authors, however opinions expressed within the pages of the publications are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of New Voices Publishing.

FIVE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL STUDYING &

EXAMINATION PASSING

You can only manage it when you are able to measure it.Special programme for students

DR. MUFUNGULWA. M. ANAKOKA

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DEDICATION

To my family and all that treasure academic life I dedicate this book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION ivLIST OF TABLES viACKNOWLEDGEMENT viiFOREWORD viii1 | INTRODUCTION 12 | OBJECTIVES 53 | FIVE KEYS 7

3.1 RECOGNITION OF PERSONAL NEEDS 7

3.2 HUMAN RESOURCE 19

3.3 NON-HUMAN RESOURCE 23

3.4 STUDENT SURVIVAL KIT 27

3.5 TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS 37

4 | SUMMARY 425 | AUTHOR 43

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vi

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: People’s temperaments 14

Table 2: Johari Window 16

Table 3: Johari Window on what I know contrasted with what others know 17

Table 4: Action verbs and their meanings 33

Table 5: Bloom’s Taxonomy 34

Table 6: Sample Timetable 39

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Without reservation I would like to acknowledge the contributions of Sibupiwa Ilwange Anakoka (my wife and idea editor); Education Student Community (my readership); Dr. Livingstone Makondo (my friend and script editor); Lerato & Philemon Selemela (my outlay and typeset editors); and New Voices Publishing (my publishers).

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FOREWORD

This book discusses five keys to successful studying and examination passing namely: Recognition of personal needs, human resource, non-human resource, student survival kit and time management.

This book is handy to students undertaking diverse levels of studies.

This book spells out that academic success is as a result of a learner’s conscious decision to attain. It also makes it clear that academic success is attainable through planned moves well spelt out in this book.

Dr. Livingstone MakondoSenior Academic Development Advisor/Senior Instructional Designer North West UniversityMahikengMay, 2012

1

1 | INTRODUCTION

Have you ever wondered why, in a class of 40 or so, some students pass exceedingly well while others do the opposite? Students should learn to manage their personal needs, adjacent human resource, environmental non-human resource, available ideas, and time for their personal growth and development in academics. They should use these five keys, resources, or factors, for both home and academic advancement.

How can this be? A good use of the five keys will definitely make a very big difference in a student’s personal academic performance and progress. Since studying involves brain work, Buzan (2010:16)1, in relation to the way the brain works, indicates that the brain revolves around five functions of receiving, storing, analyzing, controlling, and outputting.

This implies that students need to get engaged in the processes of receiving information, store it, analyzing it, controlling the keeping, and how this information can be retrieved and be made useful for survival. These brain functions can be integrated into the five keys discussed in this study guide. The five keys may be outlined as follows:

1 Buzan, T. 2010. The Buzan Study Skills Handbook. Shortcut to success in your Studies. Essex CM202JE: BBC Active.

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FIVES KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL & EXAMINATION PASSING

1.1 Recognition of Personal Needs: Physiological, security, belonging, self-esteem, self-actualization, sympathy, empathy, and spirituality. Being aware of these personal needs make students adjust their lives to identify and accommodate ways to not only improve mediocre performance, but also to allow transformation to take place by means of instituting change for the better.

1.2 Human Resource: Parents, Teachers, Friends, Home Visitors, and Strangers, as stakeholders of either knowledge or space shareholders. Identifying the value of other people in one’s life is key to personal development in any heterogeneous society. Blankstein (2004: 27-28)2 indicates the values of relationships to the successes of a learner as paramount.

1.3 Non-human Resource: Physical Environment (Places for studying at school, transport, roadside and home). The non-human resources have great capacity to affect one’s ability to academic performance.

1.4 Student survival kit: New start, Friendship, Goal Setting, Study pattern and proper use of action verbs in an examination. A myriad of ideas are quite essential to excellent academic performance, especially pertaining to friendship, goal setting and good academic study pattern.

1.5 Time: Timetable in other Institutional timetables (School and Home). The best way to use time for academic performance is to plan on how to use it; not planning to use time is planning to abuse it.

2 Blankstein, A. M. 2004. Failure is not an Option – Six Principles that Guide Student Achievement in High-Performing Schools. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

3

Notes

4

Notes

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2 | OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this book is to help students learn how to use the five keys to successful studying and passing examinations. After studying this book, the participant is expected to do the following:

2.1 Recognise personal needs that can affect one’s ability to study well.

2.2 Knowing classes of persons with potential to affect personal study patterns, find a way of how to study effectively and efficiently while s/he has people around her/him.

2.3 Identify non-human resource aspects that can boost one’s ability to study, so that a student may make use of the ecological environment for the benefit of personal growth and development in academics.

2.4 Acquire knowledge on ideas of how to manage life with intent to increase personal vibrancy in academics.

2.5 Know, develop skills and be able to put up a personal timetable so that study can be both effective and efficient.

6

Notes

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3 | FIVE KEYS

For the learner to study and be able to pass examinations, s/he should be able to master the following keys to successful studying and passing examinations: Recognition of personal needs, associating with important persons in one’s life, proper usage of non-human resource around, accessing good ideas on student survival, and possessing good time management skills.

3.1 RECOGNITION OF PERSONAL NEEDS

Abram Maslow identified five needs, as reported by Greeff (2007:11)3, as one’s personal needs can lead to better learning. Maslow’s Triangle of needs can be summarised as:

Physiological: Basic needs namely air, water & food, shelter and warmth.

Safety: Freedom from physical harm and Security from threatening events and surroundings.

Belonging: Love, Affection, Companionship, Friendship, and Family.

Esteem: Recognition, Esteem of others, and achievement.

3 Greeff, A. 2005. Personal Skills for Effective Learning. Carmarthen: Crown House Publishing Ltd.

KEY1

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Self-actualisation: Maximising skills and ability, and Realising full potential.

In a triangle format it appears as:

Maslow’s Triangle of needs can better be contextually presented as follows:

3.1.1 Physiological: Air, food, shelter, water and warmth.

3.1.2 Security: Safety while studying. Freedom from physical harm and Security from threatening events and surroundings.

3.1.3 Belonging: Sense of personal affiliation to other humans and systems. Love, Affection, Companionship, Friendship and Family.

Self-actualization on Needs

Self-Esteem Needs

Belonging Needs

Security Needs

Physiological Needs

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Key 1 | Recognition of Personal Needs

3.1.4 Self-esteem: The feeling that one is important to other people and that one is expecting to be treated as well as other people. This entails recognition, esteem of others, and achievement. A student may perform better if his/her self-esteem is high which can be done in 20 ways (tips) as suggested by Gerson (2006:92-93)4. Recognition of personal needs can help boost one’s self-esteem.

Gerson’s 20 Tips to raise one’s self-esteem are:

3.1.4.1 Know your strengths and weaknesses

3.1.4.2 Know your limitations

3.1.4.3 Be happy and satisfied with yourself and your personal life

3.1.4.4 Be happy and satisfied with your work life

3.1.4.5 Look forward to each day for the adventure and challenge it brings

3.1.4.6 Count your blessings; focus on what you have

3.1.4.7 Love yourself and your family

4 Gerson, R. F. 2006. Achieving High Performance: A Research-based Practical Approach. Amherst, MA 01002: HRD Press, Inc.

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3.1.4.8 Help others, especially by adding value to their lives and our shared society

3.1.4.9 Believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish things

3.1.4.10 Believe that you have power to control your life

3.1.4.11 Commit to your life of continuous-improvement

3.1.4.12 Think positively and speak positively

3.1.4.13 Associate with positive people

3.1.4.14 Expect yourself to be the best you can be

3.1.4.15 Reward and reinforce yourself for successes

3.1.4.16 Take risks that you feel comfortable with, and then expand your boundaries

3.1.4.17 Failure and losing are lessons to be learned on the road to success

3.1.4.18 Know that you are always trying to be the best you can be, and that is enough

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3.1.4.19 Do good and nice things for yourself, things that make you feel good about yourself

3.1.4.20 Tell yourself everyday that you have a high level self-esteem, and then go out and do things that support this affirmation.

3.1.5 Self-actualization: Maximising skills and ability, and realising full potential. Self-actualization has an impact on the reflections of people’s temperaments (Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic and Melancholy). Brown & Brown (2003: 97)5 classifies them as follows:

Choleric persons are confident, determined, organized people, and usually they are leaders.

Sanguine persons are cheerful, optimistic, and warm people, and usually they are entertainers.

5 Brown, J. and Brown, P. 2003. A Guide to Parenting: On the Winning tam with your Children. Grantham, Lincs,: Stanborough Press.

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Phlegmatic persons are patient, peaceful, and easy-going, and usually they are relaters.

Melancholy persons are careful, sensitive, and loyal, and they usually are analytics.

Notes:

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Assessment of many sources has helped to unpack the four temperaments as follows:

Knowing one’s temperament can, to a certain extent, help one be able to explore his or her self actualization abilities and work on how to avoid the impact of those weaknesses posed by the temperament type. This can also help in the exploration of self exposure. For the sake of those wanting to know their temperaments, the following Table (1) overleaf may help.

Choleric: Powerful/Rulers/Unemotional Extroverts/Plans for the future

Sanguine: Popular/Entertainers/Emotional Extroverts/Lives for the moment

Phlegmatic: Peaceful/ Relaters/Unemotional Introverts/Enjoys all of life

Melancholy: Passionate/Analytics/Emotional Introverts/Worries about the past.

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Table 1: People’s temperamentsNu

mbe

r

Tem

pera

men

t

Stre

ngth

s

Wea

knes

ses

Pref

erre

dJo

bs

1 Choleric Strong-WilledAdventuresomeDeterminedOutspokenIndependentCompetitiveVisionaryEnergeticOptimisticProductiveDecisiveCourageousLeaderOrganizedFocussed

CraftyArgumentative UnsympatheticShort-TemperedProudDomineeringSarcasticInconsiderateUnforgivingOpinionatedWorkaholicAggressiveIntolerantRevengeful

EntrepreneurBuilder/ContractorManagerExecutivePresidentCrusaderProducer

2 Sanguine StimulatingPersonableEnthusiasticSpontaneousCompassionateDramaticOutgoingCheerfulFriendlyWarmSociableTalkativeCarefreeMotivatingEntertaining

DisorganizedForgetfulHaphazardRestlessExcitableInterruptsLoudEgotisticalSelf-centredUnpredictableExaggeratesShow-OffChangeableEasily-distractedNaïve

Public SpeakerActor/ActressSales PersonPreacherReceptionist

Courtroom Lawyer

Public Relations

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3 Phlegmatic CalmQuietEasy-GoingListenerPracticalSupportiveLikableContentedDiplomaticDependableDry HumourKind-heartedConservativeNeat/OrganizedPatient

StubbornReluctantUnmotivatedIndifferentUninvolvedConformingUnsureDependentCompromisingSelf-ProtectiveDoubtfulSlowIndecisiveTeaseLazy

AccountantTechnicianDiplomatTeacherCounsellorSecretaryAdministrator

4 Melancholy PreciseGiftedAnalyticalThoughtfulIndustriousSeriousExactingOrderlyPerfectionistLoyalIdealisticSelf-SacrificingCreativeSelf-DisciplinedAccurate

MoodyNegative AttitudeRigidInsecureResentfulDependantSuper-SensitiveUnforgivingPessimisticSelf-centredCriticalDepressedScepticalWorrierHard-to-Please

Interior DecoratorFashion DesignerAuthorProfessor

Health Care Professional MusicianPhilosopher

Self-actualization can be realized if self is evaluated on the basis of Johari Window which was developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham (Luft, 1963) and Greeff (2007:38)6 reports this as Johari Window which emphasises the point that interpersonal communication can enhance learning by knowing self, as follows (See table 2, overleaf):

6 Greeff, A. 2005. Personal Skills for Effective Learning. Carmarthen: Crown House Publishing Ltd.

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Table 2: Johari Window

Known to Self Unknown to Self

Known to Others 1.Transparent Area 2. Blind Area

Unknown to Others 3. Hidden Area 4. Discovery Area

Table 2 Key (above):

3.1.5.1 Transparent Area: Known to both self and others.

3.1.5. 2 Blind Area: Things that others know about you, but you are unaware of.

3.1.5. 3 Hidden Area: Known to you, but unknown to others.

3.1.5. 4 Unknown potential/Discovery Area: This is the area of potential discoveries about you. You need to have opportunities for exploration for you to discover the unknown in your life. The best way to do this is to look for them, use what you are given and create opportunities for learning and self exploration. This includes peer teaching when asked to. Group discussions can too be another area of learning methods in which one can be able to explore the unknown quadrant.

McMillan and Weyers (2010:107)7 put the grid quadrant (Table 2) indicating that each one of us has four quadrants, even in terms of personal knowledge relating to what one knows as

7 Weyers, J. and McMillan, K. 2010. How to succeed in Exams & Assessments. Essex CM202JE: Pearson Education Limited.

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compared to what others do. From my personal experience, a knowledge-loving student can do better if s/he acknowledges the limitations reflected in the four quadrants of Johari window. The fourth quadrant, unknown to self and others, can best be explored by doing peer teaching; as this will help identify some blind spots in your academic understanding. So, help others, it works better in school too.

Table 3: Johari Window on what I know contrasted with what others know

I & Others What others know What others don’t know

Things I know 1.Things we all know 2. Things I know, but others don’t

Things I don’t know 3. Things others know, but I don’t 4. Things no-one knows

Source: Weyers and McMillan (2010), but amended by Anakoka.

With special reference to Table 3, above, the assumption of the Johari Window theory is that a student can learn better if s/he can make discoveries into that compartment which is not known to both self and others. This is only possible when an individual makes use of every opportunity available, or else, no self discovery can take place.

So, you are encouraged to pursue self disclosure concept to help you discover your potentials that may not be discovered if no opportunity is created for you to learn of yourself.

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On top of the five needs, there are three others which encourage individuals to get in touch with other humans with intent to develop. These are:

3.1.6 Sympathy: Feeling for others that they are in bad situation. Be human enough to feel that others are disadvantaged, and that they may need help, regardless of where that help will come from. Help others who ask for homework assistance.

3.1.7 Empathy: Putting oneself in the shoes of another. Don’t just sympathise with others, go on helping them, as you would like others to help you if you were in the same situation. This is empathy. Actually, help others; this will be of great benefit to you (the helper).

3.1.8 Spirituality: To have love for others because they are a master piece of the Creator God. This will help the student to love others as much as s/he does self. This can help a student to develop a habit of helping others thus increasing the retention (memory) capacity and that of performance; for strength comes by exercise, and that not using a part of memory leads to the loss of its right usage. Be self-less. This concept agrees with an idea that the need for reform and revival is the greatest need for our time.

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3.2 HUMAN RESOURCE

Humans need each other to optimally function well, but these associations can be fatal if not used properly. Thus we need to learn how to limit our associations with intent to perform better than ordinary. Rohn 2010 (57-68)8 connotes that for success to be achieved; one needs to surround him or herself with people who have a direction that is classified as path to success. Gyimah (2011:6 & 73)9 indicates that other people can either help one to get better or worse, hence we need to be very careful of who should be in our lives for progress’ sake. The following classes of people have the capacity to either help learners cope with the learning processes, or distract them such that progress will be impaired:

3.2.1 Parents: Due to lack of necessary education exposure some parents may not be able to know the impact of how they involve learners in home duties, as well as the kind of influence they exert on learners concerning school work to be done at home. While it is important to do home school work, it is critical to strike the balance so that parents should not view

8 Rohn, J. 2010. Twelve Pillars. Lake Dallas: Jim Rohn International and Chris Widner International.

9 Gyimah, R. K. 2011. Who is in Your Life? Mahikeng: Gyimah (0027 717 510072/ 0027 795 822661).

KEY2

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school as something that puts greater load on home tasks.

3.2.2 Teachers: Some teachers pass comments that affect learners’ self-esteem to the extent that performance starts going down. It is important to develop an understanding that learners should be having a culture of learning, and that teachers are facilitators of the learning processes. It is a learner’s duty to differentiate between school duty and private one. This will help the learner to support the teachers with due respect.

3.2.3 Friends: Acquaintances come in all shapes. Others are quite parasitic, while some may be of great benefit to a learner. To strike a balance is vital in the life of a learner so that a learner’s relationship with others should ecologically be of mutual benefit.

3.2.4 Home visitors: Take care of some visitors. Like some parents, some visitors have very little value for school work. This has an impact on how they relate to a learner they find in their friends’ or relatives’ homes. You need to be very tactful on how to handle the requests of some visitors so that respect may be maintained as much as learner development may be promoted. Try to have an audience with your parents to establish the way you have to relate to the home visitor so that your school work is not jeopardized.

3.2.5 Strangers: People we are not used to have a way of relating to us. This is no exception for learners. Strangers may also be found in the category of those who either know the benefits of school or not. Do not

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Key 2 | Human Resource

forget that each stranger has an objective of getting where s/he finds her/himself. So, take precautionary measures before your opportunity for schooling falls off.

People around you have an impact on your academic performance, so watch out for the quality of people one mingles with. I suggest that it is good to keep company with those who love academics if academic pursuit is a goal to be realised.

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Notes

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KEY3

3.3 NON-HUMAN RESOURCE

For a learner to learn very well there are other factors that can influence the learning process to mature into some thing desirable. Wright (2001:133-174)10 states that studying is affected by many factors and therefore, studying and passing examinations require preparation and application of certain things in life. The following factors, physical in nature, have been noted to contribute as follows:

3.3.1 Places for study at school: This covers classroom, library, other classrooms, and open spaces (as you wait for events to take place).

3.3.2 Transport: While travelling, use that time by using your pocket conceptual cards (develop some), read

10 Wright, J. 2001. So You’re a Teenager: Vital Facts for Boys. Victoria: Signs Publishing Company.

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a book or card while waiting for transport, and any other opportunity that gets created while waiting. Note: A card should have the main heading, sub-heading, sub-sub heading, etc.

3.3.3 Roadside pauses: Sometimes a learner may be waiting for something by the filling station, use this time to study, and meditate upon your study materials.

3.3.4 Places to study at home: Your home study room is an ideal place. Apart from this get a room (talk it over with your parents), and finally your bedroom (if convenient). Make sure that the room has a chair, table, a good lighting and avoid studying while in bed (it has an impact on your neck, and it may also affect your concentration).

Those specializing in habit formations suggest that 21 days of exposure to a pattern of life makes acts habitual which gets translated into character. So, develop a habit of using non-human resource for academic purpose. It is a good practice.

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Notes

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Notes

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3.4 STUDENT SURVIVAL KIT

In order to be a learner who performs optimally, one need to nurse the following ideas which promote good healthy living:

3.4.1 New start: Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunlight, Temperance, Air, Rest, Trust in Divine Power, as suggested by Ludington and Diehl (2005: 181-213)11. Eat good food that can help your body to work well. Exercise 20 minutes x 5 days a week, or 30 minutes x 3 days a week. Take at least 2 litres of water daily. Approximately spend 5 to 30 minutes in the sun daily, depending on the skin colour quality. Strike a balance in the way of doing things; do not over study. Take 10 to 20 fresh deep breathes daily, preferably in the morning. Sleep at least for 7 Hours each night, avoid sleeping while watching a movie and attend extracurricular activities at school. Have time to worship God, it is a need too.

11 Ludington, A. and Diehl, H. 2005. Health Power: Health by Choice, Not Chance. Hagerstown, MD 21740: Review and Herald Publishing Association.

KEY4

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3.4.2 Friendship: Have balanced symbiotic relationships. Beware of Mutual-harmless (Non-harmful) associ-ates, Harmful associates (Parasitic) and Mutual-ben-eficial associates (Symbiotic). Be balanced in the way you associate.

3.4.3 Goal Setting: Set your goal for study pursuit in a smarter way. The smarter acronym may better be pre-sented as follows: Specific, Measurable, Achievable/Attainable, Realistic, Time-based, Expandable and Result-based. No objectives, no direction; that is it. Set up a goal of what is it that you want to reach in a specified time period.

3.4.4 Study pattern: Have a study routine to follow. Wright (2003: 174-179)12 indicates that goal setting is an important factor for success in study and that it requires a particular pattern to follow. Develop a pattern to follow so that study can be easier to do. Develop systems for waking up and execute duties in other areas of life as if someone is watching you for the finishing. Develop a tendency to be working up in the morning and force yourself to study. Study pattern goes hand in hand with memory boost. Larcher (2007:53)13 states that there are seven (7) rules to develop memory, and these have been placed in 6.4.1 below.

12 Wright, J. 2003. So You’re a Teenager: Vital Facts for Girls. Victoria: Signs Publishing Company.

13 Larcher, B. 2007. The Greatest Personal Success Tips in the World. Warwickshire CV377XW: The Greatest in the World Ltd.

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Key 4 | Student Survival Kit

3.4.5 Good Memory Development

3.4.5.1 Make up your mind that you will remember.

3.4.5.2 Give your brain the nutrition that it needs.

3.4.5.3 Constantly recall and refresh positive memories.

3.4.5.4 Store memories with positive images.

3.4.5.5 Employ as many senses as possible to store images as memories.

3.4.5.6 Regularly rest your mind between periods of study.

3.4.5.7 Remember that a good memory is a skill you can foster, not just something you are born with.

3.4.6 Preparation for Examination

To prepare for examinations, Melgosa (2010: 46- 47)14 states that a student is expected to do the following:

3.4.6.1 Devising a study plan.

3.4.6.2 Study actively.

3.4.6.3 Learn more than you need to.

3.4.6.4 Practice under exam conditions.

3.4.6.5 Talk to your teacher when meeting difficult situations.

3.4.6.6 Put some time aside for recreation and information retrieval (from the memory). This helps you to remember the important facts about the subject you

14 Melgosa, J. 2010. New lifestyle to Adolescents and Parents. Madrid: Editorial Safeliz, S. L.

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have studied without referring to the book.

3.4.6.7 Look after yourself during the preparation times.

3.4.7 During the examination

On the day of examination, Melgosa (2010: 47)15 suggests that the following may be observed for optimum performance.

3.4.7.1 Arrive in good time. Not late, not too early.

3.4.7.2 Breathe deeply.

3.4.7.3 Read the instructions and questions carefully.

3.4.7.4 Plan the examination.

Start with the easiest question first, but temperately.

Review the exam at the end of the examination and use these for perfecting your answer. Don’t run out of exam room if not satisfied.

15 Melgosa, J. 2010. New lifestyle to Adolescents and Parents. Madrid: Editorial Safeliz, S. L.

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Personal experience on this issue has it that on being given instruction to start writing your examinations, you first check the number of questions you are supposed to answer. Distribute your time for each question, and start with the simplest one and make some kind of outline before writing an answer. The sanity behind the idea of making an outline is that you may be reminded of some important information as you continue writing. Not making an outline, I suppose, may explain the regrets many students have had after leaving the examinations room.

3.4.8 Reviewing old examination papers: In an attempt to justify the value of past examination papers for the learning of students, McMillan and Weyers (2010: 86)16 say:

Past papers or sample questions are a vital resource. They may be published electronically on websites or virtual learning environments, or in paper form within the library. If you can’t find them in these locations, ask staff or senior students for help.

In order to have an idea of how the examination looks like, it is a wise practice to seek access to old examination papers that have been written by students of the schools in previous years. This practice has many benefits such as follows:


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Students expecting to write an examination will have an idea of what kind of arrangement the examinations come.

The examination papers can be used to practice the speed for writing an examination. This will help a student to learn how to allocate time to each question in a particular examination paper.

The practice of examining the old examination paper is good for the working with others, in a group kind of learning.

3.4.9 Develop concept maps: Concept maps are a set of concepts, usually put on a piece of paper for easy studying. Highlighting the value of the use of concept maps, Hewitt (2008:61)17, says that “concept maps are a good way for teachers and pupils to understand what they already know about the topic: in and outside of school.” A student should put a topic, photosynthesis for example, and then put down whatever information on the concept so that it can be easy to study and to commit to memory. This helps a student to study from such arrangements, especially if the concepts have been put on cards, and then use cards to remind oneself while waiting for a bus, next period teacher, etc.

3.4.10 Proper Use of Action Verbs in an Examination: Writing an examination is quite stressful, especially to new students in academics. So, it is important to learn some of the action verbs often used for due attention

17 Hewitt, D. 2008. Understanding Effective Learning - Strategies for the classroom. Berkshire: University Press.

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to the examination requirement. Action verbs like: State, briefly explain, define, describe, discuss, compare, motivate, illustrate, draw, calculate, name, identify, etc, are often used to demand an action from students. So, there is need for students to master the action verbs long, if possible, before the examination time comes into being. While it is good for students to look at the old examination papers, it is advisable that they should be careful in listening to the instruction of each question in an examination. Understanding the following action verbs can contribute to one’s good performance, as shown in table 4 below:

Table 4: Action verbs and their meanings

Action Verb Meaning

List Listing implies that you simply state, name, or rather mention what is required to reproduce.

Define Defining implies that you explain very briefly what the concept is.

Describe This requires explaining how the phenomenon functions, and no personal opinion is needed.

Discuss Discussing requires you to debate over something and make your conclusion on the phenomenon. At this level, you are required to substantiate your debate to indicate scholarly behaviour.

Explain Explaining may imply that you clarify, or give reasons, for a phenomenon. It is advisable to use examples for clarity and authenticity’s sake.

Compare Comparing means that you indicate differences, as well as similarities, between, or amongst, concepts, or phenomena. Another term that can be used for compare is contrast.

Formulate Formulating implies that you develop a concept, systematically linked, to other concepts, and taking care of the details.

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Apply To apply indicates that the term is used in a practical way in the real world. This indicates that a phenomenon is used to solve an actual problem in life.

Motivate Motivating implies that you give be reasons for your support of an opinion, concept, or phenomenon. The approach, here, must be systematic.

Illustrate Illustrating implies that you explain with the examples of a figure, diagram, or examples to qualify the view, idea, or phenomenon.

Analyse Analysing indicates that you break the concept, idea, or phenomenon into fragments, and make meaning on how those fragments relate to the whole.

Synthesise Synthesizing is the reverse of analyse. You build up the whole from the fragments so that the concept, or idea, can be built from its diverse fragments.

Evaluate Evaluating requires you to clearly indicate your thinking value judgement of an idea. This implies that you may be required to indicate the advantages, and, or the disadvantages, of a phenomenon, with intent to indicate its value or importance.

Examination questions are usually aligned to Bloom’s taxonomy, as indicated by McMillan and Weyers (2010:6)18 in table 5 below:

Table 5: Bloom’s Taxonomy

Level Category Definitions of the Levels and their Categories

Action Verbs

1 Knowledge. If you know a fact, you have it at your disposal and can recall or recognise it. This does not mean that you understand it at a higher level.

• Define• Describe• Identify


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2 Comprehension. To comprehend a fact, means that you understand what it means.

• Contrast• Discuss• Interpret

3 Application. To apply a fact means that you can put it to use.

• Demonstrate• Calculate• Illustrate

4 Analysis. To analyse information means that you are able to break it down into parts and show how these components fit together.

• Analyse• Explain• Compare

5 Synthesis. To synthesise, you need to be able to extract relevant facts from a body of knowledge and use these to address an issue in a novel way or create something new.

• Compose • Create• Integrate

6 Evaluation. If you evaluate information, you arrive at a judgement based on its importance relative to the topic being addressed.

• Recommend• Support• Draw a conclusion

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Notes

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3.5 TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS

Time is a 24 hours available resource. The use of it makes a big difference between a poor man and a rich one. For the learner to make remarkable progress, s/he needs to make use of the available time while pursuing studies. In harmony with Dittmer (2006:15)19, man must manage time, instead of it managing him/her. Weyers and McMillan (2010:63)20 say, “Successful students tend to have the ability to focus on the right things at the right time, the capacity to work quickly to meet their study and revision targets, and the knack of seeing each task through to a conclusion. In short, they possess good time-management skills.” Time management requires both

19 Dittmer, R. E. 2006. 151 Ideas to Manage Your Time. Pompton Plains, NJ 07444: The Career Press, Inc.


KEY5

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time and activity audit, but ultimately, one needs to put up his/her timetable. It is a good idea to take stock of what really chews your time, and make a decision, either for or against its keeping. Loss of time may lead to losses untold if not properly assessed for recovery.

3.5.1 Timetable in other Institutional Timetable: Follow your school timetable, read that particular subject if the teacher for the subject is not present. Use free periods to catch up with subjects that have given you tough times.

3.5.2 Personal timetables while at School: Within your timetable at school, there is some space you can use. Develop a habit of keeping yourself busy, sometimes memorise some of the school work given to you, more especially, the chemical equations and mathematical formulas.

3.5.3 Personal timetable at Home: Make your own timetable. Here is how: Take your activity audit, time audit, slot your activities in your available time, while respecting other Institutional timetables set for you, then make your own timetable. List all your activities according to their priorities. Remember that you should accommodate other family member’s activities in your timetable. Be productive in all that you do. Below are the steps in making the timetable:

3.5.3.1 Audit your time

3.5.3.2 Audit your activities

3.5.3.3 Make a table with columns and rows

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Key 5 | Time Management Skills

3.5.3.4 Slot your activities in your table and this makes it a timetable.

Normally, your timetable should look like the table below:

Table 6: Sample Timetable

DAY TIME SLOTS

MONDAY 5-6 6-7 20-21

MONDAY Rising Up Closing

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Putting a timetable requires a lot of time and energy, so force oneself to get time to put up a timetable. It is a worthwhile idea. This can be successfully done at the beginning of the year.

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3.5.4 Examination Item Time allocation: Personal observation has it that it is good to check the number of items (or questions) in an examination paper and allocate a specified time to each item as expected by the examination paper. Make a plan on how to answer each question and allocate time for each. Make an outline of your prospective answer.

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Notes

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4 | SUMMARY

To optimally use this book, the student needs to remember that after learning in class, one needs to process the information in order that s/he be able to retain it for good retrieval, and reproduction of it when required to do so by the authorities that be. This process recognizes the five keys to successful studying and passing examinations: Recognition of personal needs, persons one associates with, non-human resources in use, proper use of student survival kit, and good use of time management skills.

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5 | AUTHOR

ANAKOKA M.M, PHD

Mufungulwa Maurice Anakoka was born on the 19th July, 1964. He did his Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Education in the two countries of Zambia and South Africa. He has

been running Family Life Education Seminars since 1984, and has run these in the three countries of Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa. Apart from these Seminars, he runs workshops on Management and Training Issues, and serves the Mahikeng Community as a Motivational Speaker, since 2004. The year 2012 started with his running the study habits-seminars which influenced him to put a book for students. He has contributed numerous articles to Mafikeng Mail News Paper on issues of Family Life from January 2008 to 2011, and has coined an Evaluation Training Model (ETM) for training Home Health Educators. He has contributed to graduations of many University students by offering private research supervisions at Honours, Masters, and Doctorate Levels. He is married to one wife, Sibupiwa Ilwange Anakoka, and has been blessed with three beautiful children: Mufungulwa, Sepo, and Tabo. He is a member of Mahikeng Service Point for Social Development Reference Group, Chief Executive Officer for Elijah Institute

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for Life Skills Education and Assistant Publishing Director for the North West Region of South Africa of the Trans Orange Conference for the Seventh-day Adventist World Church. He currently holds five University Credentials, including the Doctor of Philosophy in Adult Education.

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