Posts

Module 7: Maintaining Motivation

The most useful thing that I learned in this module are the practices for managing stress and emotions.  It is important to relax, make sure you get enough sleep, try exercising, and maybe see a counselor.  Something in this module that I already practice would be finding a quiet place to concentrate.  I went my entire undergrad and now post-grad with completing assignments and studying alone in my bedroom.  Even though a library is quiet, I feel better when I’m completely alone.  It has always worked for me.  The hardest part though is starting, but once I’m able to begin and eliminate phone and online distractions, I lock in.  What I can put into place in the future would be using some of the apps that prevent online distractions such as Freedom or Self Control.  I can also start breaking my work into portions so that I can take intentional breaks in between.  There were also some good techniques that I will try to ensure I get enough sleep.  What I can suggest to you all is to give yourself an honest self-assessment and evaluate your progress towards achieving your goals.  It is important that you find ways to improve so that you can maintain motivation in the classroom and in the workforce.  Nobody is perfect, but you can use progress as a motivator.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vTsf2ZT9EM1lbzVBxgTSPu-BrF5YV3bmw2r6qDdoZyBN_JX34mJ81sheuvdDWjhUTP9pO7VeGS2jOmt/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.g112b25bb_1_26

https://osu.instructure.com/courses/58758/pages/lesson-module-7?module_item_id=2828338

Module 6: Searching & Researching

What I found most useful in this module would be determining the credibility of a source.  The first step is finding its reliability.  To interpret this, look for credentials of the author.  Ensure that the information comes from a credible publisher.  And make sure that the source is peer-reviewed.  The second step to determining the credibility of a source is analyzing its quality.  Things to look for here are consistent, up-to-date information, lack of bias, and citations from other peer-reviewed sources.  You want to ensure that everything is well-written and professional as well.  The final thing needed to deem a source credible is by evaluating its utility.  Without going into too much detail, you want to ensure the source is related to your originally posed research question.  Something in this module that I already was familiar with was using OSU Library.  It’s an online research database.  For previous courses, I had to use this to find peer-reviewed journals/articles.  It works out well because I know I’m getting reliable and credible information.  I used it to find a source for the discussion post this week as well!  I never used the reliability, quality, and utility method prior to our discussion posts, but I will definitely use that going forward.  That is something I would recommend to my fellow students, as well as using library.osu.edu and filtering for peer-reviewed articles.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQZrj92KI3pYOhE3FI5nQiDiNr7c6RnxVvE-i4BthXmA5EmgV3mlKmiYpH6NqqR7Br1ApVFUxrLnkr7/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.p

Module 5: Web-Enhanced Listening and Viewing Strategies

The most useful thing that I learned in this module was deciding when it’s a good idea to type out your notes.  I typically write out my notes for an in-person lecture or if the slides or recorded lecture is posted on Carmen.  For the assignment this week during the mock-lecture, I actually typed out my notes.  I did notice a difference in my immediate intake of the information, as when typing the notes I was just scrambling to get everything I could down.  In contrast, I tend to memorize information better when I have to write it out.  The benefits of typing notes out are you can be more organized and can collect more information for review.  I found typing my notes to be more efficient, but less effective.  Something in this module that I already practiced was the concept of bullet point notation, instead of mapping or outlining.  What I could put into practice in the future would be Cornell note-taking.  Not only are you writing information out, but with this method, you are able to provide immediate analysis on what you just learned, which provides better understanding of the material.  What I would recommend for in-person lectures is recording the lectures if possible, because you may not catch everything.  Find the note-taking method that works best for you.  If I could suggest a method, it would be the Cornell method.  After comparing my notes to Kate’s notes in the learning strategies video, I saw a lot of ways that would improve my learning of the material.

 

Module 4: Web-Enhanced Reading and Study Strategies

The most useful things I learned in this module came from our class discussion.  I was referred to Khan Academy.  They have a website designed to help improve study strategies through video tutorials.  Something I already put into practice was memorization.  In this module, we learn how to use memory as a foundation for strategic studying.  I was already familiar with websites such as Quizlet and StudyBlue, which allow you to study with flashcards, thus helping with memorization.  In the discussion, I also learned about memorization.com.  This website allows one to study material in numerous ways.  One can study by making flash cards, multiple choice questions, or matching terms.  As someone who already practices using memorization as a focal point in my studying habits, I could definitely use this website as an alternative to Quizlet.  Something else I learned in this module that I could apply is working on 1 assignment at a time.  The concept focuses on eliminating the practice of multitasking.  I can turn off my cell phone to prevent distractions, and focus on one assignment at a time.  I would definitely recommend giving some of the websites mentioned in this blog a try.  They can only enhance your studying strategies.  However, memorization is wonderful, but it is also important to understand the concepts.

Module 3: Efficiency in the Digital Age

After completing a full week of time tracking, I analyzed my usage of time to determine how well I am managing.  It was shocking to see that I actually get more sleep than I thought, but it was disappointing to see how much time I gave to leisure, which could have been used to get my schoolwork done in an earlier fashion.  So after seeing how I spend ever 30 minutes of my week, I have developed a Google Calendar!  This is a concept I had never heard of until the start of this module, and it appears to be very useful, as now I have set times and restrictions for when I need to do specific assignments to ensure that I am not scrambling last minute to complete them.  Something that I was kind’ve familiar with was using a task list.  This was my first time using Google Task because I typically just use the CarmenCanvas dashboard to tell me the order of upcoming assignments, which is already helpful.  However, it doesn’t hurt to try out this new method of Google Tasks.  I do believe using Google Calendars in the future will be beneficial, because this is the only semester I am in where all my classes are online.  So using that app will help me manage my time as I incorporate that course load with my job.  What I can recommend to you all is Google Calendars for sure!  It is nice having the CarmenCanvas dashboard, but you still should consider setting a schedule for when to attack all of the assignments.

Here is a tutorial for how to set up Google Calendars:

Module 2: Communicating and Collaborating

The most useful thing I learned in Module 2 would definitely be how to use proper “netiquette”.  This concept focuses on how we communicate with others online.  One may have more flexibility on social media, but in emails or discussion posts, professionalism should always be a priority.  In regards to netiquette, my biggest takeaway was communication with professors and TAs through academic email.  Not only is it important to greet the recipient, but one must also provide a proper closing (e.g.,Thank you, Selvan Manthiram).  I have communicated through email, but never really greeted, and just relied on my default signature at the bottom of the email.  It is also important to proofread for spelling and grammar errors before sending, as well as making sure you cannot answer the question on your own given the syllabus or whatever other resources have been provided.  In the email, you should also inform them that you had already looked at the resources prior to.  All of these tips go a long way on making a good impression on your professor!  Not only am I recommending all of these tips to you students, but I will also put them into practice myself going forward.

A concept from this module that I’ve already put into practice would be the use of discussion boards on CarmenCanvas to communicate with other students, as well as the use of GoogleDocs to complete group assignments.  I have had much success with these tools in the past, and will continue the use of them as a student.

To fellow students, I would suggest creating a spreadsheet to document the daily use of your time.  Time management is critical to having academic success.  We are all given the same 24 hours in a day, and how you use them is important.  We all may have other things going on such as work or organizations that may limit our time to complete our coursework, so you must manage well!