UNIT 3 SEMINARStudying and Learning:

How to Do It Better

Kaplan University

Professor Gentius

UNDERSTANDING MEMORY

IT IS OKAY! Everyone Remembers AND Forgets Things!

Forgetting is not a bad thing! Why? Our Senses Help Us Take In Information With Very Little Effort, You Can Remember

Some Information With Rehearsal (Study), You Can Remember

a Great Deal of Information Without Study, Information Is Forgotten Information Needs to Be “Filed” Information Must Have a Retrieval System

TYPES OF MEMORYSensory:

Storage of information gathered from and related to the 5 senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight. Very short-term; easily forgotten.

Working(or Short-Term):Storage of information for a short period of time;

5-9 facts or pieces of information at once. Long-Term:

Storage of information that is used often, seen often, heard often; special effort to retain information.

YOUR STUDY ENVIRONMENT

For Discussion…

What is your favorite “study environment?”

If you have one, why does it work well for you?

If you don't have one, what do you think your ideal study environment would/should be?

Does it make a difference for you?

VISUALIZATION

What is “Visualization?” 1. formation of mental visual images 2. the act or process of interpreting in visual

terms or of putting into visible form -Source: www.Merriam-Webster.com

How does visualizing help solidify information into long-term memory?

What are some ways you can incorporate visualization into your studies?

MNEMONICSDefinition of MNEMONIC 1. assisting or intended to assist memory; also : of or

relating to mnemonics 2. of or relating to memory-Source: www.meriam-webster.com

Mnemonic: any device for aiding the memory. Named for Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory in Greek mythology, mnemonics are also called memoria technica (Latin: “memory technique”). The principle is to create in the mind an artificial structure that incorporates unfamiliar ideas or, especially, a series of dissociated ideas that by themselves are difficult to remember. Ideally, the structure is designed so that its parts are mutually suggestive. ...

–Source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/386631/mnemonic

What are some mnemonic devices, and how can they help you study?

DON’T MEMORIZE . . . KNOW OR LEARN!

Make an effort to know or learn information – make it a part of your life, relate it to real life situations.

If you memorize, you likely forget it after you need it. E.g., memorizing for a test and then forgetting it a day after the test.

If you know or learn the information, you will have it in long-term memory.

YOUR VCRVCR-3 MEMORY TRICK VV = Visualizing: create word pictures

in your mind

CC = Concentrating: focus on committing it to long-term memory

RR = Relating: associate with what you know already

RR = Repeating: repetition and rehearsal

RR = Reviewing: using and seeing the information again and again

MEMORY HELPERS Proper sleep Proper nutrition / diet Exercise Mental exercises such

as crossword puzzles, brain teasers, name games, etc.

A positive mindset The proper

environment Scheduled study breaks Repetition and

visualization

MEMORY HINDRANCESProcrastinationInternal and external

distractionsAlcoholDrugsStress – too much on your mindClosed mindedness (tuning out

things you don’t like)Inability to distinguish important

facts from unimportant factsLack of focus or concentration

HOW CAN I OWN THE MATERIAL?

Owning: making a personal commitment to Owning: making a personal commitment to using the information in your lifeusing the information in your life

Can I relate x to y? Can I illustrate how x does y? Can I compare and contrast x to y? Can I apply x to y in the real world? Can I distinguish x from y? Can I define, identify, name and describe

x? Can I solve the problem of x? Can I re-arrange x to make it work with y? Can I support the theory of x and y? Can I defend my knowledge of x or y?

STRATEGIES SQ3R Method

› Survey: quick scan; look ahead in chapter, headings› Question: develop questions from the headings; 4Ws› Read: the information; highlight; paraphrase› Recite: tell the story; what did you grasp?› Review: verify and tell it again

Mnemonic Devices› Jingles, Sentences, Words, Story Lines,

Acronyms,

Cooperative Learning: With Others› Questioning, Comparing, Drilling,

Brainstorming, Sharing, Mapping

STUDYING WITH SMALL CHILDREN @ HOME? POSSIBLE?

Study at school/library (even 30 minutes of pure study time is proven to be better than 5 hours with distractions)

If at home, have crafts and hobbies available for them

Study with your children- their home work Rent movies or let children watch

educational TV shows Invite your child’s friend over Hire a sitter Study after bed time

STUDY GROUPS

Does a classmate live nearby? Maybe meet them for coffee or create a study group.

Community Center tab on your KU Campus Homepage. Click “My Community” and you will find valuable resources about for Legal Studies Students.

Cyber Café within the classroom.

STUDYING IN A CRUNCH De-compressurize: Admit to Yourself! No “blame game” here Know what to study Read it quick with H2FLIB

read HEADINGS, HIGHLIGHTS, FIRST SENTENCE, LAST SENTENCE, INDENTED, BOXED materials

Make connections Use your study guide Visualize your material Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! Choose wisely