Posts

Maintaining Motivation

This post is based on important takeaways from module 7. It is specifically for audiences who are students in an academic setting.

 

There are multiple ways of getting motivated but maintaining that motivation is challenging. One can stay motivated by multiple ways but it is important to figure out what is the cause of losing that motivation. The reasons can be relative, but they can be figured out by paying attention to studying patterns. As a student, one can either reduce distractions or taking healthy breaks while keeping in check other aspects (like getting adequate sleep, eating right, exercising etc.) of maintaining good health for diligent functioning.

In order to maintain focus, I have found applications like “Forest” very helpful. I have also found the guided access feature for iOS users very helpful. Additionally, journaling while feeling out-of-focus has significantly helped me a lot this week. Since it is the finals week, the pressure has been high, but writing my stressors down has helped me deal with them one by one. I have been able to distinguish between what is an overthinking pattern and what needs my attention. Lastly, it is very important to take controlled breaks. It is easy to get carried away with taking refreshment breaks after a long time of focusing. In order to not get too carried away, students can use timers and take on very short, specific tasks to complete during that time, like working out, eating a snack, journaling, etc.

I hope this can help students during finals week. I am grateful for the lessons in this course!

Searching and Researching

This post is about the main takeaways of module 6, and it pertains to students in higher level academic institutions.

When we transition from high-school to college, one of the main changes we make is in the standard of academic writing. As this is a huge leap, students should be mindful of the difference between searching and researching, and utilize information obtained from credible sources. In this post I will summarize some of the strategies and concepts discussed in the module that might be helpful for students in college.

When looking for resources for information on a certain topic, researching is more important than merely searching, To research is to verify certain aspects of the resource that can make it trustworthy such as the credibility of the authors/researchers, how well the research is cited and what are the sources for the same. In contrast to this, searching simply means to find any source that fits the topic and contains information for it. The main difference is, more credible the resource is, higher are the standards of your writing. Therefore, it is essential that students choose their resources carefully.

Source credibility can be ensured by the reliability, quality, and utility of the source. If you are ever confused about the credibility of a source, make sure that it is cited and written by experienced professionals as that will make it reliable. Also see if the content is organized in way that it is receptive and is updated every now and then, as this will ensure a high quality. Finally, make sure it is related to specific aspects of your topic, your readers, etc. as that determine’s the utility of your resource.

Resource Guidebook

In this post, I have compiled all the resources that have either worked very well for me or i’m yet to try!

  1. SMART Goal-setting Strategies! – (Link: https://www.goconqr.com/en/examtime/blog/smart-goal-setting-students/ ) I have tested this out for myself since the beginning of the semester, and it has worked very well for me. I want to make it a habit to use these strategies with the smallest of assignments so I can get more used to it.
  2. Improving online communication – (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMDBR0wAGP0&ab_channel=DescribedandCaptionedMediaProgram ) This link describes effective ways of improving communication online, and I found this effective for me because now that everything has shifted online, ways and etiquettes of communication have changed. In order to keep up with them this is a great resource to go back to.
  3. Tackling procrastination – (Link: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_96.htm ) This link shows important techniques and reasoning behind why one procrastinates. I believe this would be helpful for me to watch my patterns and remember the difference between procrastinating and being lazy. This can help me get to know myself better.

 

Web-Enhanced Listening and Viewing strategies: ESEPSY Module 6

The internet is saturated with countless resources, both credible and not. As students in higher education, success is correlated to the standards of output they can provide, and college is a great place to learn. Credibility of sources is one factor, and another is intake of bunch of information and noting it down. This post focuses on the latter. This information pertains to the students in academic institutions.

Information in college is not only limited to what we can read online, but also listening to instructions and content in classes to ensure academic success. This module covers web-based strategies to enhance viewing and listening skills. One way in which these skills translate is by note-taking. Taking notes is not just about writing/typing what the professor says in class, it is about paying attention to detail and being able to comprehend which detail to write down that can help the student to connect the dots and analyze the content effectively. This is also termed as “Active listening”. One thing to ensure during the note-taking process is that it shouldn’t be mindless. It is also dependent on the student to figure out whether typing works better for them or writing. There are various technological resources listed under the module that can help students categorize the notes easily. Two apps that have worked well for me are OneNote and Notability. OneNote has a feature with sticky notes to make quick points to remember. It also has a section to label sub-divisions within a specific topic and create extensive notes there. Another app that I love using is Notability. Apart from the basic note-taking features it has options to pick the type of pages student wants to use and option to type and write with the apple pencil. It also allows students to record audio and screen at the same time. This is extremely convenient to go back and review in case students miss the content while taking notes.

I hope these app suggestions can benefit students to incorporate active listening while taking effective notes!

 

Enhancing learning and retention: Module-4

Often times, as a Philosophy major I am required to read a multitude of papers while also compartmentalizing arguments so I can form rebuttals of my own in response. However, a personal challenge I have faced, as I am sure many other students face as well, is that I cannot concentrate for long periods of time and I lose the continuity in my reading. Through the lessons in Module 4 I realized that I need to focus on metacognition and not on the number of papers or pages I get through. (This ensures quality over quantity.) This is a result of active reading where the reader is able to analyze and connect the dots between what I am reading and what I have already read.

When it comes to technology used in order to ensure memory and metacognition, I have not personally come across any that have helped me in this journey, however, I have heard about DuoLingo and Quizlet that help users retain information they have learned through repetition and application of theories through multiple choice questions. I would love to try them for myself to apply my knowledge so I can understand different facets of theories better.

Overall, I believe it is essential for a student to find out what works for them and what doesn’t. One should also keep in mind that different classes have different requirements, and there are different tricks to understand and learn information presented. Students can achieve that by understand what works for them and by communicating with the professor about their needs and queries.

Esepsy Blog: Technology is the Future

It is no doubt that when the pandemic hit in 2020, the whole world went through a major upheaval. We learnt to adapt a new routine for ourselves where everything we did in-person shifted on an online platform. This abrupt change forced people to get better acquainted with technology, and it proved that eventually everyone has to adapt to technological resources because, whether one likes it or not, technology is the future. 

Increasingly, people have started creating companies that are based online, financial transactions are conducted online, and even courses are taken online which covers a portion of the entrepreneurial, financial, and educational industries. Since the world is transforming in this way, I believe that it is extremely essential for people to get comfortable with technology professionally. I like to think of it as a skill. One of the topics covered in our module this week is includes the concept of netiquette. Needless to say, in a professional setting one must follow the punctilios of workplace decorum but it is important to note that it is done differently on an online platform than in-person. It not only involves taking precautions like not using all capitals while drafting messages but also the format in which one does so. This can be in the form of group messages, emails, blog posts, etc. 

I am grateful to be able to learn these strategies at an undergraduate level so I can implement them in the professional world.