Succeeding In Any Type of Classroom

Take time to reflect on your learning experience so far and examine areas that challenge you as a learner as you begin this term with both in person and virtual experiences.

• Leverage Your Learning Style: Knowing how you learn is one of the most important skills to have not only in the classroom but also in the workplace.

• Make Your Notes Work: Strategize on how to make your note taking strategy and organization work for you.

• Learn Through Audio: Improve your ability to learn through listening to enhance your ability to retain information.

Notetaking is a skill needed both in the classroom and in your professional career ahead.  It is always best to refine this skill and have a plan when taking notes such as how you will organize your notes or ways to abbreviate what your recording.  Here are some suggestions to try: 

Strategies For Beginners

• Scan for important ideas before reading more thoroughly.
• Mark key words and concepts (examples).
• Write down questions within the text as they occur to you.
• Be selective about what you write: don't just list every fact you see!
• Take notes by hand or type .(whichever works for you).
• Draw things out if possible.

Advanced Strategies

• Do you prefer the simple life? 'The Outline'
• Want to maximize your review time? 'The Cornell'
• Focused on one specific topic? 'The Mind Map'
• Practicing your active listening skills? 'The Flow Chart'
• Would you rather work smarter, not harder? 'Writing on Slides'
• Are you a visual learner? Love to doodle? 'Bullet Journal'

Auditory learning strategies are based on learning from listening.  Because everyone learns differently, some of the new ideas below might suit your ability to retain information from classes: 

• Attend class
• Read out loud
• Attend discussions and tutorials
• Start/join a small study group
• Review notes within 24 hours of class
• Recite, restate, and summarize key information and ideas to yourself
• Explain and talk about what you are learning to others
• Record lectures when possible a
• Leave spaces in notes for later recall and 'filling in'