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1. The more accessible and easiest strategy I learned from this class is time management, such as using apps like Google Calendar, and Study Scheduler. There is too much time going away without our attention, so time tracking is the primary method to improve the learning efficiency every day. Being aware of what tasks and activities that I have done helps me organize and rearrange the priority and sequence of each task, which allows me to make adjustments according to my academic performance such as grades and the time needed to complete assignments at each difficulty level.
2. The other key point I acknowledged from this class is goal setting, for both short-term goals and long-term goals. The short-term goals are important indicators of how the study can progress. I can simply consider some actions that are achievable, relevant, specific, and measurable and set them as goals either for a single course or a period of the semester. Meanwhile, a definite long-term goal that I really care about and yearn for makes sure that I have abundant motivation to devote myself to insist on it. I should be aware that perhaps when I set up proper short-term goals and finish them, a long-term expectation will be more likely to be accessible.
3. The third takeaway I realized from this class is the note-taking strategy. Personally, the note is necessary for every class to memorize and review study materials. Previously, the most appropriate app of taking notes for me is Notability, but after learning from the sharing of other classmates, I notice that there are a couple of useful strategies and apps that I can try and put into use, such as abbreviation and an app called WPS.

Image Citations:

How to embrace time management

https://www.pttfinancial.com/goal-setting-strategies-for-insurance-agents/

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3226453/wps-office-2016-review-office-alternative.html

In module 7, the most important thing I know about is the mental process of how motivation works and how to use the motivation to make progress. The essential mechanism of the motivation is that people should at first have the action before the inspiration and thought are triggered, and the inspiration can further convert to the power of the action, which is also the motivation. That makes sense since most of the creations or achievements include a process of making an attempt on what would be the possible useful factors to achieve it. Therefore, if I have a goal, the first step I am supposed to do is following the reasonable process and trying it, again and again, to find out if one thing is valuable and is worthy to be continued, and there may be something eligible enough to be improved.

In order to achieve that, I use several apps that help me track and control my time consumed. The time that is set up is powerful to ensure that I can focus on a single task since that means in a certain period, the only thing I should do is to complete the task. Consciously, it is a great strategy to tell my brain what should be focused on to guarantee the efficiency and quality of a task.

The additional thing that I would like to put in practice is to correctly manage my stress. Stress is theoretically unable to avoid and is difficult to control it entirely. However, I can minimize the harm of stress through changing my cognitive process toward the incoming stress and learn some behaviors to adjust my physical health, which is in other words, to prompt my body’s ability to regulate the systems that can automatically balance or regulate my stress.

The advice I should give to others is that despite the importance of the cognition, the simplest way to achieve your goals is to start to work on it right now without waiting and hesitating. Many problems before doing things may be solved when you are really engaging in those things and many inspirations may be triggered passingly as well.

In module 6, the most informative knowledge I have learned is the source credibility evolving reliability, quality, and utility. These terms are mainly responsible for identifying if a resource I get online or from an article is eligible for using or referencing. Specifically, I should consider if the resource is peer-reviewed or does it origin from a regular publisher or organization. The accuracy, consistency, and practical value are also the elements should be taken into consideration. Therefore, when I write an academic paper, whether answering a search question or research question, I am supposed to follow the procedures of conducting a study. I would state my argument, and find reliable resource and data that explain or support one of the conditions in the study. Even though there are various online resources such as Wikipedia or google scholar, not every resource is reliable enough to use in a paper and project.

Several types of searching engines are quite applicable when putting the searching method into practice. I would use these websites to search for information logically and systematically but not just typing the keyword to see whatever present on the screen. Indeed, a thoughtful searching process is likely to help me categorize different types of information and to trigger new ideas and structures of the writing.

The advice I would like to provide is that despite that searching is the starting point of a paper, it is a quite significant process since the more precise and reliable the resource are, the higher quality the paper will have. The searching is like a base, providing information and supporting the idea you want to convey.

In module 5, I learn a series of methods of note taking and listening strategies. The most useful rule for me is that I should actively use different kinds of methods when organizing a group of information such as the Cornell method, outline, map on the paper or the laptop. Specifically, some information about the dates, events or order can be clearly arranged by outline method with bullet points and numbers because that provides me the ranking. For a certain topic that contains several subgroups of information, the cornel method and map are more helpful since they create a frame that includes all about that topic and gives me space to think. I could know the key points to identify and discriminate every single topic by memorizing a certain group. Not any one method can deal with all information, so choosing the most proper method for different kinds of knowledge is a great way to take a comprehensive note.

For example, when I take notes of a psychological disorder, I use the outline method to list every term and symptom with bullet points, reserve a space to write down the question I have when first learning them and the concerns about the future application, and create a map to show the relationship between certain factors and certain symptoms.

The strategy I should utilize later is to take notes by paper and handwriting more. Even though the paper and laptop are both capable of creating great notes, writing word by hand enhances my memory and understanding since the knowledge goes through my brain when I write them down one by one. More specially, I find that for the knowledge only needs to be memorized, typing on the laptop is a more efficient and quick way to take note but for the knowledge needs to be understood and considered further, handwriting is the more proper method.

The advice I would give is that taking notes is not a difficult thing, but the difficult thing is to let the notes make a real difference to improve the learning. Therefore, we could not just copy the definition from textbooks and repeat them again and again. Instead, we should use them, think about them and understand them to help you really get the knowledge.

In this module, the most useful thing I learn is the mechanism of the information processing model. The process of memory, including the sensory memory, working memory, and long term memory, gives me a better understanding of how the information I perceive is processed and stored. Therefore, when I learn new knowledge, I should not only try to repeat it over and over again but also understand the related meaning and what category it should be put in. By creating the thinking frame and link the information with cues, I could comfortably recall nearly every subtopic or step present in a large term because that matches the hierarchy of memory of my brain. Moreover, I want to try to avoid multitasking when studying. According to research, the habit of multitasking does negatively impact the brain area of attention and perception. Instead, focusing on a single task or specific topic improves the depth of memory since I could think deeply and systematically.  For instance, when I work on a paper, I should not listen to music or text to my friends. Even though it is relaxed and funny when doing things together, the efficiency is meanwhile reduced to the minimum since essentially the brain is not completely concentrating on any of those things. Thus, I have time to try to deepen my memory and think about the knowledge clearly. My advice is that although studying is mostly learning new knowledge, understanding the mechanism and principle of process functioning in the studying is also significant since knowing the reason provides you opportunities to improve the methods and find the most proper way of studying for yourselves.

From the module 3, there is systematic information about the efficiency of time, the barriers that may decline the efficiency, and the methods to overcome the barriers. The most useful strategy for me is of breaking down the large task into a series of small steps. For instance, once I preferred to concentrate on an entire assignment and picked up a whole time to finish that before doing other assignments, which could interfere with the plan and the realization of prioritization that was learned from the module 2. However, to apply the strategy into reality, I decide to split the large task into three or four subparts, and each part is assigned to have 30 to 40 minutes to do, based on the categories of the subparts in a project or a paper, such as methods, discussions, and the conclusions. Also, the inside the mind of a master procrastinator is helpful while telling me the mechanism of procrastination. Knowing what is inside the phenomenon is crucial to make an adjustment, especially when it is related to learning. Therefore, I will make a measurable plan that keeps me on track with studying throughout the semester. By doing this, the rational decision maker is able to help me promote energy and motivation while alleviating the procrastination. The advice I want to give to others is that the time can be used efficiently by organizing, tracking, and adjusting. Learning strategies for time management is a great start to systematically improve the efficiency of the time.

https://osu.instructure.com/courses/57161/pages/lesson-module-3?module_item_id=2649910

Personally, the most useful thing for me in Module 2 is how to prioritize my work, which is a powerful method to manage time effectively. The prioritization presents what things are indeed important and what should be done firstly, given that these things all need to be done. By noticing this, I can achieve my goal while making sure that all things are as best as I can do, rather than being struggling for the unorganized work.

To apply the prioritization in real, I use “To-do List” as a reference to exactly know the entire works for a certain period. Then, I look through every requirement of assignment, roughly estimating how long I should guarantee to do the assignments. By doing this, I can create a list for ranking the prioritization. After that, I follow the list, using a certain amount of time and energy to do a certain assignment, to maximize my efficiency since, in my opinion, not everything deserves the same amount of investment. Further, after getting the grades for the midterm exams, I can obtain the assessment not only for the knowledge I learn, but also for the time management technique I currently use, and the grades trigger the demand for adjustment, which keeps me making progress through the entire semester or even the future.

Another idea that should also be taken into account is to reduce the interruption in the studying or working process. Even though the interruption is somehow inevitable, I can find some ways such as sitting in the quiet library, turning off the phone calls, or stipulating the time for studying and resting, to improve my concentration on the single work I am doing.

Reference: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_05.htm

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