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Make Math Become Easier—-use of chunking

How it started?
During this semester, I tried several strategies to help me study. The strategy I use most often is tomato clock. Using a tomato clock can help me keep on studying during a specific time. But sometimes I found I cannot concentrate while learning. Even though my eyes are on the book, my mind is flying away. In this way, I want to find a way to reduce anxiety while improving my expertise.

Why this book?
I find the book “A Mind for Numbers” my best choice. This book focus on the mind or brain, and provides copious information and practical applications to help readers develop habits of mind and behaviors that lead to successful learning not just in STEM fields but in any subject or skill.

During the several strategies shown in the book, I think chunking will be the most helpful strategy to achieve my goal. Chunking refers to the process of taking individual pieces of information and grouping them into larger units. Creating a little library of these chunks will help us perform better on tests and solve problems more creatively.

Use of the strategy

Let’s start a powerful chunking!

1. Work a key problem all the way through on paper.

This problem will be a problem with solutions. But while solving this problem, we should not read the solution and the solving steps. Solve it by ourselves and make sure we understand the reason we write each step.

2. Do another repetition of the problem, paying attention to the key processes.

Do the problem again, may be using a different way to solve it. This step seems amazing but it is useful. People will not remember how to play a song on the piano with once practice. If we practice more times, it will be easier to remember.

3. Take a break.


During this time, we can do anything we want to do, for instance, we can work on part time jobs, doing some sports or work on other subjects. This is a period to diffuse mode time to internalize the problem.

 

4. Sleep.


Before sleeping, it’s a good choice to do the problem again. If we do not have time, just think about the solving steps while waiting for falling asleep.

5. Do another repetition.


Do the math problem again in the next day. During this time, we can find we are able to solve this problem faster. We can better understand each step of the problem and why we write each step. We may even find why we had some trouble with it while first solving it.
During this time, we can focus on the relatively more difficult parts of the problem and scan the easier parts. The focusing time is called “deliberate practice” and this practice can increasing our concentrating time. This is one of the most important aspects of productive studying. And this will give us a good start.
Also, there’s an alternative or supplement at this point is to see whether we can do a similar problem with ease.

6. Add a new problem.


Find a similar question and work on it. It is a good choice is this question is similar to the first one. The solution to this problem will become the second chunk in your chunked library. And continues step 1-5 to solve this problem. And after we become comfortable with this problem, move on to another.
We will happy to find that after a few solid chunks in our library can greatly enhance our mastery of the material and our ability to solve new problems efficiently.

7. Do “active” repetitions.


We need to review the main points of these problems in our mind while doing some actives such as doing sports and waiting for sleep. This can help us enhance our memory and strengthen our ability to recall key ideas when we are solving homework problems or taking a test.

Measuring success
In order to measure the working time, I first using the tomato clock. This is the picture of a tomato clock app called “Forest” and it shows the time I spend every day on studying.

This is a picture of tomato clock to recording my concentration time from 1st Nov. to 17th Nov.

 

Then I use a separate daily/ weekly planner to check off my reading, note review, and assignments.

This is a picture of plans from 8th Nov. to 14th Nov.

Final words
I think combine tomato clock with the chunking strategy is a very useful way to increase expertise and reduce anxiety. In addition, making a daily/ weekly planner to check how many works I do every day is a direct way to help me motivate myself. I can give me some gifts if I finfish all the assignments on the planner and think back carefully if I did not finish the assignments. It is helpful to find the distractions and improve in the future. I will continue this learning ways in the future because I think these combinations of strategies can largely improve my efficiency.
After this semester’s reading of the book “A Mind for Numbers”, I will also recommend this book to my friends in need so that they can be more productivity in the future.

Citation:

Overview of ‘A Mind for Numbers’ – Learn: CSUF. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2020, from http://www.fullerton.edu/learn/interesting-articles/Overview-a-mind-for-numbers.php

(n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.google.com/search?q=sleeping

(n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.google.com/search?q=break

Module 7 Reflection

The most useful thing I learned in this module is how can I maintain my stress. I need to pay attention to, rather than ignore the things which make me stress, accept it and try my best to solve it.

The thing I have already put into practice is I often exercise to release my stress. It is nearly final weeks, I become stress because of my 3 hard math exams, they are about 25% of my whole grades, they are hard and I want to have a high grade. While wronging these, I cannot go to sleep early and this will lead to even harder situation. But after exercising, I become tired and can go to sleep quicker and have enough sleep. Then I think my body can have more energy to fight stress. Also, I try to eat healthy, well-balance meals with lots of vegetables and fruits.

I think in the future, I want to try to find a relaxation technique that works for me and practice regularly. Exercising sometimes takes me too much time because I am living off-campus. I want to find something which can do at home such as painting on computer or some yoga which can do at home.

I hope all the students can find their own way to relive stress.

Module 6 Reflection

The most useful thing I learned in this module is the difference between search and research. Search is a random process of trying to identify something in a non-systematic manner and research is a process of analyzing data and information in order to establish facts and get the required conclusions. Also, I learned some ways to do a research such as evaluate the resources’ reliability, quality and utility.
The one I have already put into practice is I know that for searching, I can find a specific right or wrong answer but for researching, I need to find both advantage and disadvantage. In this way, while making some research, I will not only focus on the good impacts. For instance, I made some research of Empress Wu in my Chinese class, I did not only focus on the achievements and good aspects on her, but some question such as she break the Tang Destiney and she killed lots of people who rebel her.
In the future, while doing research, I want to evaluate the resources’ reliability, quality and utility and then choose the resources. I need to think of the resources’ authority, purpose, coverage, currency, objectivity and accuracy before I choose it as a “resource”.
The advice I would give to students is that it is useful to think before researching and they need to separate their research to parts for more detailed resources.

Module 5 Reflection

The most useful things for me in this module are the different ways of note taking. Kate and Sarah show several note taking ways such as Cornell Notes, outline, sentence/ bullet points and mapping.
The way I’ve already use is bullet points because my handwriting is not very fast and I want to follow the professor’s talking. Most of my class is math and while the professor doing questions, the most important thing for me is recording the equations and understanding how the professor explain and solve the questions.
In the future, I want to try mapping method od note taking. It is a visual way to organize class notes. The page is organized by topic and the main topics branch out into subtopics with detailed information about each. This technique is useful when learning about relationships between topics. This method is useful for visual learners who struggle with studying from notes because is very clear. It can also help to remember and connect relationships between topics. But I think it will take a long time to make it neat and well-organized, so I prefer to use this method on reviewing rather than in class. Also, related to last week, I can make some e-notes of mapping method on Mindmaps.
The advice I would give to students is that in class, the most important thing is to follow the professor and actively listening to what the teacher is saying. So, try different note taking ways and find one fit them best.

Module4 Refllection

The most important thing I learned in this module is how to improve my memory. While reading a textbook, I will often highlight and underline some important formulas and key themes. I will read them again and again and try to remember the highlighted things. Then I will try to apply it or explain it. But sometimes I face a problem that for some e-books, they were pdf version, and I do not use an ipad which can directly write on it. So, it will open a note on the computer and record some important themes on the note. Sometime lots of notes will become crowed and not very organized.

In the future I will use mind maps to record the important tips because mind maps can make notes clear and organized by different colors, such as yellow is the most important and light green are topics below the yellow one and dark green ones describe the light green ones. The Mind Map is the external mirror of people’s own radiant or natural thinking facilitated by a powerful graphic process, which provides the universal key to unlock the dynamic potential of the brain. I think this can help memory and understand important theories a lot.

Module 3 Reflection

In this module, I have already put into practice is using some technology to manage time. I use Pomodoro Technique app on my phone which create 25-minute time block for every studying period. The idea behind the Pomodoro Technique is to break down all of your tasks into 25-minute time blocks. Between each time block, there is a 5-minute break. And after completing four Pomodoros you take a longer break—usually 15 to 30 minutes. I think it is useful because 25 minutes is not very long and I can better focus on the task without shifting focus or multitasking. The app can also bring some music like sound of clock, wind and some music related to Buddha. This music can let me calm down and be more concentrate.

In the future, I want put creating a supportive learning environment into practice. A supportive learning environment can expand learners’ sense of family and enhancing their self-esteem. When combined with increased literacy skills, it can help students take more chances in pursuing their goals. I can find some classmate to do some review tasks together at library. We can communicate about different ways to solve math questions to enhance our understanding of different math formulas.

For other students, I will encourage them to use some technology on phone, they can set to lock the phone for “concentrate time” and I think it is really useful.

Module 2 Reflection

The most useful thing I learned in this module is how to deal with group members. In another class, I was in a final presentation group, we need to decide our topic before November. However, I shared three topics in our Instagram group. All of them read but none of them respond. While having a face to face discussion, they said all the topics are interesting and they have no idea. Then I talked to the professor and decide one topic for them.
I think I can try to build mini-deadlines into my project. I think making a detailed plan, figuring out what needs to be done and creating a timeline of when everything should be completed can guarantee everyone’s participation. Since anything that can go wrong will go wrong, put the deadline ahead of schedule can let people have enough time so that if one person doesn’t meet the deadline, others can still address the problem.
Also, I want to try some project management tools, so that all the group members can add ideas in. I will try Asana since it is free and it can be used as a tool which can built from the ground up for managing group projects. Also, after discussion, I think it is important to record the ideas. If using such a online tool, it can be easier to share the recorded ideas.

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