According to a study conducted by researchers at Stanford, students who reflect strategically on how to approach their learning end up performing 1/3 of a grade better in the exams.
So what exactly does it mean by reflect strategically on how to approach learning?
In the study, the participants went through a Strategic Resource Use exercise which directs them to consider:
- which learning resources to use
- why each resource would be useful
- when to schedule studying, where to study, and
- how (or what steps to take) to study effectively
As an educator, I must say that reflecting on how to approach learning is THE factor that transforms an average student into a high-achieving one.
“All too often, students just jump mindlessly into studying before they have even strategized what to use, without understanding why they are using each resource, and without planning out how they would use the resource to learn effectively,” – Dr. Patricia Chen
And may I remind you: If you want to have what others don’t have, you must do what others won’t do.
So how does one go about doing the reflection? In this post, I shall render a list of guiding questions and provide an example for the preparation for A level Chemistry examination.
- lecture notes
- tutorial workbook
- quizzes, tests and exams
- textbooks, guide books
- revision packages
- TYS (topical/ yearly)
- consultations with teachers
- other schools’ exam papers
- Yes: lecture notes/ tutorial workbook/ quizzes, tests and exams/ revision packages/ TYS/ consultations with teachers
- Not so: textbooks, guide books
Lecture notes
- to memorise and understand the key definitions, equations and concepts
- to flag out concepts and explanations that I am unsure of for clarification
Tutorial workbook/ Topical TYS/ Revision Packages:
- to practice and internalise the problem-solving approaches for different type of questions
- to practice the questions multiple times to improve speed of recall and application
Quizzes, tests and exams:
- to review the mistakes made and highlight them such that they will not be repeated
- to practice and internalise the problem solving approaches for different type of questions
- to practice the questions multiple times to improve speed of recall and application
Yearly TYS/ timed practice
- to practice identifying of the the topic in question and the type of question
- to practice time management and various exam strategies
Consultations with teachers
- to prepare sufficiently before each consultation; flag out the questions and concepts for clarification
- revise lecture notes to memorise and understand the key definitions, problem-solving sequences and concepts; flag out concepts that need clarifications
- redo tutorial qns, quizzes, tests and exams to practice problem-solving sequences; identify (1) key answering points/ concepts. (2) common mistakes, (3) questions that need clarifications and (4) other key definitions, equations and concepts that you did not identify earlier.
- seek clarifications from teachers/ peers/ Google, for the concepts and questions identified in step 2.
- repeat step 2.
- attempt TYS, revision packages, other school papers to practice problem-solving sequences ; identify (1) key answering points/ concepts. (2) common mistakes, (3) questions that need clarifications and (4) other key definitions, equations and concepts that you did not identify earlier.
- seek clarifications from teachers/ peers/ Google, for the concepts and questions identified in step 5.
- repeat step 5.
- Go through the lecture notes to recap the consolidated key definitions, problem-solving sequences and concepts.
- Repeat steps 2-8 as many times as time permits.
I’m sure many students will be crying out loud: where do I find the time?
From personal experience, the first round of revision will be extremely daunting, tedious and time-consuming. But subsequent rounds will become easier as you get more and more familiar with the content and you can complete each round within a fraction of the time.
So moral of story: start revising early.
Reference:
Patricia Chen, Omar Chavez, Desmond C. Ong, Brenda Gunderson. Strategic Resource Use for Learning: A Self-Administered Intervention That Guides Self-Reflection on Effective Resource Use Enhances Academic Performance. Psychological Science, 2017; 095679761769645 DOI: 10.1177/0956797617696456
