PART 1 – ATTITUDE:

MOTIVATION, CONCENTRATION, PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FITNESS

"You cannot teach a man or woman anything; you can only help them to find it within themselves." Galileo

"Just as eating against one's will is injurious to the health, so study without a liking for it spoils the memory, and it retains nothing it takes in." Leonardo Da Vinci

Learning is an ACTIVE process. Active learning requires future planning and goal setting on your part. The first step is identifying WHY you are studying.

MOTIVATION

Write three reasons you want to learn about study skills: focus on your needs, curiosity, and pleasure.

1.

2.

3.

Studies have found that you will:

• put in more effort
• be more persistent
• try different ways to succeed Þ learn more deeply

if you are INTRINSICALLY MOTIVATED

* Intrinsic motivation is your motivation, and includes your goals, your values, and your interests. This is what turns you on!

Examples:

I want to learn to type faster to communicate with my friends.
I want to learn about Africa to learn about my family's history.
I want to work and learn in a ski shop to ski better.
I want to learn carpentry skills to make my own television cabinet.

Write three reasons someone else wants you to learn about this.

1.

2.

3.

Extrinsic motivation comes from outside you and is not as effective as intrinsic motivation. It includes the goals, values, and interests of others as they affect you. You learn in order to avoid punishment, or to get a reward, or to please someone. Examples:

I learn dates to pass a history test.
I learn this computer program as a job requirement.
I learn how to kick a soccer ball to please my coach.

Extrinsic motivation is not as effective as intrinsic motivation. Keep intrinsic reasons first whenever possible.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS IN WHICH I CAN INCREASE MY MOTIVATION?

1) Self-reinforcement system:

• give yourself a positive “reward” that is an immediate consequence of studying; the reward does not need to be “big”, however, it should be “positive”
• the amount of work needed to obtain the reward should be small (i.e. calling a friend, a food treat, a walk) in the beginning, but can be increased as progress is made (i.e. a movie, dinner with friends, going to a party, exercising).
• it is important that the reward only be earned IF you do the required work. If you cheat on the system you will not obtain your goal.
• You should let your behaviour be your guide. If your system begins to break down, adjust it accordingly.

In the spaces below write in some positive rewards that you could use to increase your studying.

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

2) Having a mentor

A mentor is someone who will help you monitor your progress. He/she should be someone:

• you trust
• that understands your motivation
• that understands your project/assignment
• that asks you how you are doing from time to time
• that is not test your learning (this is not his/her role!)
• giving you encouragement without judging
• able to suggest ways of getting around obstacles
• that will confront you if you are avoiding him/her or the project/assignment

Think of at least one person that might make a good mentor. It would be a good idea to schedule time for REGULAR communication with your mentor. Also, many people often have more than one mentor.

Name:

Why would this person make a good mentor?

Phonenumber:

E-mail:

When will you communicate with your mentor and how often?

Where?

CONCENTRATION

The art or practice of concentration: no matter if studying biology or playing pool, is to focus on the task at hand, direct your thinking, and eliminate distraction.

We all have the ability to concentrate -- sometimes. Think of the times when you were "lost" in something you enjoy: a sport, playing music, a good game, a movie. Total concentration.

But at other times,

Your mind wanders from one thing to another
Your worries distract you
Outside distractions take you away before you know it
The material is boring, difficult, and/or not interesting to you.
Over time we develop a concentration-span - the time between starting a task to the time we find our minds wandering. This is because your brain deals with information in a very special way.

The brain receives information from our senses. This is then passed on to our short-term memory where it is stored for a short time. From then on the information in short-term memory must be passed on to long-term memory or we end up "forgetting" the information. Your brain's ability to do this depends on how you feel.

The best way to learn is to limit study periods to the length of our concentration-span. This gives the brain the best chance to store what we are studying in long-term memory.

You will probably find that your concentration-span varies between ten and thirty minutes depending on the subject, how you feel, the amount of rest you have taken, and your eating habits.

SOME TIPS TO IMPROVE CONCENTRATION

• NEVER study beyond your concentration-span. You may still be reading but your brain will be losing most of the information it takes in. This makes it pointless to go on.
• Change topics: changing the subject you study every one to two hours for variety
• Vary your study activities:

Alternate reading with more active learning exercises
If you have a lot of reading, try the SQ3R method (see attached)

Research shows that the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning is linked to the part of the brain responsible for movement (i.e. walking)

HOW COULD YOU INCREASE YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL WHILE STUDYING?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Þ Take regular, brief, and scheduled breaks that fit you
Do something different from what you've been doing (e.g., walk around if you've been sitting), and in a different area. Research shows that you will remember more if you take regular, short breaks during your study session.

NOTE: every 1 – 1 ½ hours you should schedule a major break. This should be approximately 10 minutes. Move around or get some fresh air.

A few words about music...

It is perfectly OK to listen to music while you are studying. But choose carefully!

Educational psychologists have discovered that music with a rhythm of 60 beats per minute actually helps you learn!!

However, most contemporary music has a rhythm of 100 - 140 beats per minute which lowers your brain's ability to retain information.

Physical and Psychological (Mental) Fitness

1. Read the following phrases.
2. Circle the phrases that best describe you. Be HONEST.
3. Match each YES and NO example to one of the indicators of good physical and psychological fitness on the next page. Add it to the third column in the chart below.

Study your most difficult courses at your high energy times

Click here to read up on Part 2 - Your Study Environment