How+to+Improve+Your+Study+Methods+Workshop

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR STUDY METHODS WORKSHOP
One element of college that students will undoubtedly experience is test taking. Every student has their own way of studying for those upcoming tests. Whether it's midterms, finals or a scheduled chapter exam, studying for these tests can be troublesome for some and carefree for others. This Learning Unit invite's students to look into their own test taking self-efficacy, and will provide them with a chance to reevaluate the way they study for their upcoming exams and improve upon their methods.

Refer to this Rubric Checklist as you are completing this Learning Unit. Check off the sections as you finish each part.

To begin this Learning Unit, you will be asked to think back to how you felt before the last few tests that you've taken. Think back to all of the emotions and worries that you felt the night before and day of your test. Were you upset and stressed out? Or were you calm and worry-free? Write down as many words and short phrases as you can, and put them into a word cloud using Wordle. At the minimum, include eight words or phrases in your word cloud. It will be helpful to refer back to your word cloud as you progress through the events of this Learning Unit.   Part 1:

Your first assignment is to IDENTIFY your current studying habits. Using the free website Bitstrips, you will create a comic strip using a minimum of 4 panels to describe your studying process before a big test. This test can be whatever you want it to be, whether it's a final or a chapter quiz. Detail in your comic strip what you do in the days leading up to the test. Do you study all week long, or do you cram-study the night before? Also be sure to include dialog that lets your audience know what you're thinking before a test, and how you feel. Make these as personable as possible.

Part 2:

Now that we have identified our current and past studying habits, it is now time to RESEARCH new and useful studying tips. For your next assignment, you will use the internet to research studying tips that can improve on the way that you study. Look for studying tips that actually seem useful to you, and could help you study more efficiently. After you've done your research, create a digital poster using Canva. Your poster will need a title logo, and must include four (or more) studying tips. Please attempt to make your posters eye-catching and easily presentable. You do not need to explain them in detail, as you will do so in Part 3.

Part 3:

Now that you have identified your current and past studying habits, and researched studying tips that will improve on your habits, you must now EVALUATE your future studying habits. You will use the program Jing to create a video using a video screencast to discuss what you have learned about yourself as a result from the activities from this Learning Unit. Your video will capture both what you see on your computer screen, and your voice audio.

The following should be included in your video  Click here for a sample video.  Once you have created your video screencast, you will need to upload it to screencast.com through Jing, copy the video website link, and then you will post it onto your own blog. If you encounter any problems, feel free to contact your instructor. Jing's website has excellent directions on how to use the program. You can create your own free blog here, or you can use an existing blog if you have one. A blog is a great way to save and share thoughts and ideas for both yourself and others. You can refer to it as a public diary, and you can share helpful information to others. By sharing what you have learned about yourself in this Learning Unit, you may be able to help future struggling students.   Congratulations, you have finished this workshop. By completing this Learning Unit, you are now more prepared to study for upcoming tests without having to panic. Dealing with the stresses caused from test taking will now be more manageable, Good luck on all of your future tests!
 * Go over the comic you created on Bitstrips and describe each panel to the audience
 * Discuss the study tips you researched, and go over the poster with the audience
 * Evaluate how you can use the study tips on the poster to improve upon your previous studying habits