Module 7: Maintaining Motivation

The most useful thing I learned this module is that finding motivation can come from more sources than just trying to get a good grade. It can stem from wanting to do well, but it can also be from other factors such as your own personal curiosity to something closer to getting ahead to manage your stress. Something that I have already used from this module is listening to lower volume music in the background of my studying. For some reason I cannot focus when it is silent so having something to listen to helps me stay on track.

Some ideas from this module that I would like to put into practice at some point in the future is the idea of getting up earlier in the day even if I don’t have classes. Anything to get me moving earlier in the morning to help set the theme of my day rather than lounging around. I was considering getting up and getting my workout in before having breakfast to get my body moving.The advice that I would give to students regarding this module is to look to more than just one factor for your motivation. Good grades are nice, but consider seeing how the information you are learning now will be useful to you later on.

Module 6: Searching and Researching

The most useful thing that I learned in this module is that Searching and Researching are two different things. Research requires a critical look at quality of the information you finding where searching is simply finding information that could fit the topic you are looking at. Something that I have already put into practice is researching papers with a question in mind. That being said after reading through this module I can see I was just searching for the answers rather than researching them.

The main idea that I would like to put into practice from this module is to spend more time pre-searching instead of just jumping right into the researching process. Whenever I write papers for a topic or just or my own interest I am going to put more work into the thinking process of determining what I should look for instead of just copying down all information I find on the subject. The advice that I would give to students in regards to this module is to put more thought into what you are trying to answer and look less for yes or no questions but rather questions that are open ended to help you expand on the question at hand.

Module 5: Web-Enhanced Listening and Viewing Strategies

The most important thing I learned this module and the one that is probably most prevalent is how to properly take notes. Looking at the first video on slide 6 it is clear that notes do much to support your learning. The video also mentions how it is important to make sure you don’t just memorize things like terms, but actually understand them. Something I have already put into practice in this module is talking to someone about a topic to help me remember and understand it better. It seemed to work out very well for me as it was a pharmaceutical test and I ended up passing it with flying colors even though a week before the test I was struggling.

An idea from this module that I could practice in the future is taking notes in a way that will deepen my thinking rather than just writing down the lecture and not processing as much. I would attempt  to start doing this by stopping to bring my laptop to classes in the future and just taking notes won paper. The advice I would give to those who are also struggling with making the most of their note taking is attend all your classes and do your best to stay engaged in the class while only taking notes on key points.

Module 4: Web-Enhanced Reading and Study Strategies

The most useful thing I learned from this chapter was the section about remembering what you read starting on slide 12. More often than not when it comes to school readings I find myself either zoning out or having to re read paragraphs because the information goes in one ear and out the other. Something specific from this section that I have already put into practice was simply highlighting important points from my notes. This worked out about as well as I assumed it would which was more along the lines of just drawing my eyes to the important topics and not necessarily helping me to remember them.

 

Something that I would like to put in practice that I discovered in this module is exercising more to help increase my attention span and help with smoother information processing. My plan is to wake up an hour earlier than I normally do in order to get a workout in before I start working on school assignments. Based off of what I read this module I would recommend for students like me to try doing school work in short focused bursts earlier in the day and to also try out exercise to see if it helps you with your focus.

Module 3: Efficiency in the Digital Age

The most useful thing I have learned this module is that you can use technology to manage technology. Technology has always been one of my largest distractions and something that has been around throughout my lifetime so finding a way to manage my digital distractions would be a wonderful way to start getting back on track and regaining control of my time. Something in this module I have already put into use is blocking out time to do things like homework and it has worked out great, however doing that now is mostly on a computer where is is very easy for me to get off topic.

What I would like to put into practice most in this module is getting a distraction blocker and putting my favorite social media sites on there so I can activate it during the times of day that I study so I get more in the routine of not being distracted by technology. The advice I would give to others going through similar issues is to try a blocker as well and create a supportive environment for yourself as mentioned later in the module to make it easier for you to get and stay on track.

Module 2: Communicating and Collaborating

After reading through module 2, I found the section about blogs to be the most useful thing I learned.  In particular the video on slide 18 that explains how blogs work and what makes them something people would want to read among other topics relating to blogs. I personally have never had the desire to make a blog; however that is also due to the fact that I assumed that blogs were mostly sites people would use like an online diary. The main reason why I found this particular area of module 2 to be useful to me is because of the switch OSU made to an online learning environment.  I have seen more and more classes requiring the use of blogs whether it is an ongoing project for their class or just a one-time assignment.

A few of the topics I found most relevant to me in the video was learning that blogs are a collection of posts where readers can comment on each individual post to create a discussion. Another important piece of information, even though it may sound silly, is that each new blog post appears at the top of the screen rather than the bottom which is what I am accustomed to. Lastly it’s mentioned that what makes each blog special is your unique perspective on the topics you choose to blog about which in turn can help you to make relationships with your readers and others who have similar interests.