Posts

Stick with what you started(Module 7)

Hello Future Students,

 

This week, the most important thing I learned was the importance of sticking to a tool once you choose one. This could be anything, from an app, a website, or even just a small notebook. This week in 1159, I took a look at the app Pocket Points. It was a simple application to reward me for staying off my phone while I studied. I tested it out for a couple assignments, then I went on with my day, continuing to go back to my old patterns of getting distracted by my Phone.

As the day was ending, I realized that I have a terrible habit of setting up a tool, and never utilizing it again. I realized just how important it is just commit to using something no matter if you want to or not. Too many times have I created a calendar in a new tool and just never gone back to it.

If I could impart any wisdom to you, its that sticking with something will pay its dividend in the future. It allows you to create a rhythm with your workflow and that is a stepping stone to a good work ethic. Whether its a small app to improve your  focus, or a complete turnaround of your regime, it pays to stick with it in the end.

To learn to love investigating (Module 6)

Hello future students,

 

This week I learned about researching and how one should go about finding a quality source. However, the most important thing I learned was much deeper than than: The importance of researching for your own sake, not just an academic one.

 

Everyday, you have conversations with others, and everyday, people discuss new ideas and new topics relating to everything from science and technology to politics and people. Everyday you are presented with new information, and now-a-days, you never know whats true and whats false.

 

If I have learned anything in college, its that you need to think and research for yourself, no matter what anybody else thinks. That requires having good researching skills, and good fact-based resources to be able to take from. In the end, being able to research, not for any academic reason, but for a true love-of-learning sake, is a skill every student needs to learn.

 

This allows you to grow as a person and live your own life, with your own opinions and own ideals. In order to do so, you need to take the time to sit down and just learn. Not for any real reason, besides your own self-interest in self development, and how you can grow personality. For example, I was reading about artificial intelligence as it is something that interests me, and today it was relevant in an online discussion in class. If you would like to have a read, its really interesting!: (https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/ai-will-reduce-socioeconomic-inequality-f40a19b18340)

 

As it is will all work, learning ain’t easy, but it makes the world a very interesting place.

Deep Dives Start with Small Swims (Module 5)

Hello Future Ohio State Students,

 

This week, the most important thing I learned was about how to truly crawl before you walk so to speak. In my Online Study Skills class we were given an assignment about learning something new, and it really opened my eyes on just how to start learning a new subject. Many people now-a-days take think that one can really just jump right into a subject and start learning, without understanding an overview or the basics of a subject. As a student, you need to be prepared to advance your knowledge and understand how to do so without biting off more than you can chew.

There are lots of helpful resources when you truly do not know where to start when initially learning a subject

Youtube search bar: <subject> + “basic tutorial” usually pulls hundreds of resources of where to be able to start when learning something new

Wikipedia: While it isn’t the world most reliable source, it can still be useful for a quick reference, or a quick summary on a topic

Online Forums (Reddit, StackExchange,Etc): This is a remarkable source as it is able to create an environment to ask others where to start. This provides a solid, though sometimes unreliable source, get familiar with before you jump into a larger subject.

Google: When in doubt, just Google where to start!

Overall, there are plenty of resources, not to mention knowledgeable people, to help students get started learning a new subject or skill, one just needs to know to look and test the water before they decide to swim.

 

Understanding Data (Module 4)

Hello future OSU students!

This week in 1159 we discussed online learning tools and their ability  to transform data into powerful study tools for students. Over the course of the unit though, I learned how many ways data can be manipulated for better learning. The number of ways? Infinite! I learned that data can be displayed and ingested in countless ways, and there are hundreds of tools out there that can make that happen. For example, there is Quizlet, that allows you to create flash cards for the information you are learning. Additionally, there is a flowchart tool available from GoConqr, which allows you to really visualize what you are trying to learn.

All in all, this module taught me the importance of having an open mind how to understand something. For example, if I was learning about French vocabulary, then I would spend more time using Quizlet making flash cards of the words. However, if I was trying to build a model for my project, then I would turn to GoConqr. I learned that there is no “one” tool for learning, and that you are going to have lots of different tools at your disposal at how you would like to learn that info.

 

Here are the links to some useful sites that I discussed if you would like to use them!

 

Quizlet: https://quizlet.com

GoConqr: https://www.goconqr.com/en-US

The Importance of Self Reflection (Module 3)

Hello Future Students,

This week’s module for 1159 focused heavily on how efficient a person is in their daily lives. Personally, the most useful thing I learned in this module is the importance of self reflection in both an academic environment, and a personal one. Throughout the module, I completed a task which had me record each and every thing I did during the day and the time it took to do so. This was very eye opening as it created an opportunity for me to truly understand what I do during my free time, and just how efficient I am. Not surprisingly, I learned that I have time issues I should definitely work on, as it will make my life more stressful as I can plan better for school and beyond. From this point forward, I know to create better schedules for myself to create a better work environment, and to make myself more efficient. Beyond that, I now know it to be a good idea to record my days every once in a while, to ensure that I haven’t slipped back into any bad time wasting habits.   One useful resource I utilized this week in my tracking of my time was Google Sheets. Through the tutorial listed on Slide 18 of this Weeks module (https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6000292?hl=en&ref_topic=2811806), I learned how to effectively track my time. Google Sheets makes it very easy to self evaluate, and thus self improve. I hope this helps!

 

Learning how to learn (Module 2)

Hello future students!

In today’s day and age, tech is all around us, and is ever evolving and improving. As such, students need to learn how to improve their technological literacy, and the best ways of doing so. Throughout Module 2 of ESEPSY 1159, I learned about the different cloud solutions available for use for students such as Google Doc’s, Google Slide’s, and Google Sheet’s. ( Slide 13, Module 2 Lesson Slides)  Since these are all very interesting technologies, they tend to be very large scale, and have many, many features. Over the course of the module, I started to learn and understand a few ideas of my own, in regards to how much technology is effecting out everyday life.

The most important? Learning how to learn.

Students need to be able to pickup and understand technology in a timely manner, as it because critical for everything from assignments to everyday use. This means learning where your best tools for finding info on new technologies is. This can be anywhere like YouTube, Stack Exchange, to even Wikipedia! These are common sites that I use in learning about different topics and platforms. A quick search about a certain tech can yield thousands of results of helpful videos, posts, and discussions. At the end of the day, learning how to use new and improved tech is the key to success in college and beyond, and this Module has helped me figure out how to do that, and I hope that I can help you learn that skill too.