Posts

uwu vibes

top 10 anime/cartoon characters

  1. Robbie Shapiro
  2. Kcomm
  3. Zuko
  4. President Drake
  5. Danny Phantom
  6. the Lil Mac from Mcdonalds
  7. Max from Mostly Ghostly
  8. Corey from Corey in the House
  9. Howl
  10. Not curl

Module 7: Maintaining Motivation

One of the most useful things I learned this module was the importance of morning and night routines. Getting enough sleep is vital for one’s mental and physical health. Your routine before actually going to bed can have a big impact on how much sleep you will get. I often stay on my phone or Netflix before bed and I end up staying on these apps for too long. This causes me to get way less sleep than I initially planned. One’s morning routine also has a big impact on how the day will go. Whenever I would start my work in the morning, I noticed I would have more free time later in the day and I overall feel more motivated. In the future, I hope to be more disciplined with my morning and night routines because I realized they really do have an impact.

I also learned the importance of breaks. I like to study in long blocks with not many breaks in between. This method has not been working since I cannot focus as well at home, but I have started to study more in shorter blocks with short breaks and it has helped me immensely. Taking breaks helps reset your mind and let the information sink in while also letting your brain rest. When I studied in longer blocks, I noticed my mind would get so tired towards the end but cutting up that long session into smaller pieces has allowed my brain to stay on throughout the session.

Module 6: Searching and Researching

This module taught me the difference between “research” and “search.” A research question has no right or wrong answer. It makes you RESEARCH and go deeper in the material. A searchable question has one answer and that is usually as far as you will go with the topic. You could go and look at the history of the answer, but research forces you to dig deeper and find more information. Also, when you research the sources being credible is very important. The author must be very educated on the subject or spent a good amount of time researching as well. The information should be accurate and if sources were used, then they should be cited. The sources also must be quality and up-to date. There should be no bias or opinions. The utility of the source is also very valuable as your using its information in your paper so it should be relevant to the topic.

Some good places to find sources are google scholar or your school’s database. This is more reliable than just the Google search bar. It also makes life easier as you don’t have to file through as many fluff websites. These sources give good credible papers and journals. There is also a good quantity they provide so if the first two do not work there are tens more. Often, these websites already have the citation of the source in various styles so you don’t even need to stress about getting the citation corrrect.

Module 5: Educational Videos

One aspect I have already done from this module is utilize videos to enhance my learning. I never really did this until last year when I had to take a math class. The professor was not the best at explaining and office hours only helped a little bit, so I had to somewhat teach myself. Videos from Khan Academy, Tyler DeWitt, and The Organic Chemistry Tutor really saved me over the past year. I would recommend to any student that if you want additional help with a concept or just need more practice problems then looking up educational videos can really be a helpful tool. Also, a lot of the videos incorporate animations or images so if you are a visual learner then it can really be a catalyst for learning more.

One valuable lesson I learned was active listening. I often try to write down too many details in lecture when I should be focusing on the main points and anticipating what is the most important concepts. I also do this when taking notes from the text book and then my notes look like exact copies of what I just read. I really like doing the roman numerals way of note taking and drawing images and diagrams. I think I will incorporate more of that the future because my current style of note taking consumes too much time. I often find myself staying up late taking notes because I write down too much. This module showed me the importance of focusing on the big picture but also breaking down the concept down so I can fully understand the details of what is going on piece by piece, but not too overly detailed.

Module 4: Web-Enhanced Reading and Study Strategies

The most useful thing I have learned in this module is the importance of utilizing study tools. I never really thought about how much of an impact these websites are even though I often use them. I realized I should use them more often and add it to my study process. I usually only use Quizlet or Anki before a midterm or quiz but I’m going to start using them more frequently to build a good foundation each day. I also use Purdue Owl frequently to help me with papers and essays. I had to write in APA style a few days ago and used Purdue Owl to help me cite my sources.

Another valuable lesson I learned was the importance of reading mindfully. I did not start reading the textbook until this semester and I noticed a huge change in my grades and understanding of the material. My midterm scores went from bottom of the class to one of the highest due to this specific change in my studying. I used to try to cram last minute and memorize the concepts without understanding but now that I take time to read I perform better. I would also high-lite the whole page, but now I focus on the bigger themes. Reading the slides in this module reminded me how much of an impact taking time to go over the assigned material can be on your learning.

I would recommend to other students to also utilize these websites and applications to help with their study habits. There are applications and websites for everything now so if you need help, the internet is always there. If you need help with math problems or any subject, Khan Academy is a good resource. There are various websites that help with keeping track of your time and some even block websites so you can’t get distracted as easily. As I mentioned, Quizlet and Anki are good for memorization if flashcards help.

Module 3: Efficiency in the Digital Age

The most useful thing I learned in this module was the impact of task lists. I liked having the visual representation of what I need to do in the day. I like it better than a calendar because I can adjust the tasks by priority versus due date. I also prefer the list format better, it is more appealing to see what I have to do in vertical form rather than horizontal. I feel like I could put this to use in the future as I really do like it. I enjoy organizing the list of things I need to do for each week, so I can keep making lists each Sunday or Saturday. It is also satisfying to cross it off the list and makes me feel more accomplished.

Some advice I would give to students is to find a method that allows you to organize what you will do in a week. A list, spreadsheet, or calendar can be some ways to keep track of what the week will look like. Also, when you make these tasks, make sure they are small and doable. Instead of putting down “finish research paper,” split the assignment up in various days. One day can be to read articles and the next can be to start the introduction. This allows you to know what the goal is before starting the task. Also, splitting it up makes it more manageable than just doing it all in one day.

 

Module 2: Communicating and Collaborating

The most useful thing I have learned in this module is how impactful interruptions are. After taking the quiz, I realized that I need to cut down on distractions in order to do better. In the Managing Interruption section of the quiz’s results, there was a link to an article. The article said, “When this is the case, saying ‘no’ in a courteous and sincere way, followed by a short explanation is the best course of action to take: ‘I am working against a very tight deadline on an important project right now so, I am sorry, but I can not jump in and help’ (https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_94.htm).” I often struggle with saying no to people, so if I am asked to go eat or hang out, I often say yes even when I have to do work. I realized it is OK to turn down people and they will understand as long as I explain why, especially if I have a lot of work to do.

In the lessons part of the module, there were tips on how to professionally email another person. I realized I already do a lot of what was advised. I have sent a lot of emails even over the past week. I understand the importance of full sentences, proper subject lines, nice greetings, and good closures. This has helped me appear more professional to those I email and receive responses back that reciprocate the same level of professionalism. I frequently email my professors or TA’s questions and I am able to get a good response due to being able to format the contents of my questions correctly. The email does not end up in spam or junk as I make sure to add the correct subject.

In the quiz, the other factor I struggled with was procrastination. The results advised me that I try to understand why I procrastinate and then work on my habits. I thought about it and realized that I procrastinate because I get overwhelmed, especially with big projects. I get anxious to start them because I know it is worth a lot and will require a lot of work which intimidates me. In the future, I plan to tackle these major projects and exams by scheduling what I will do when I first hear about them. I will plan out what I want done for each day in the beginning so these small goals will accumulate and I will be ready for the due date.

I would advise students to take the quiz or think about where they struggle in time management and brain storm different resources/ideas that could help. Then, I would tell them to think about what would help them specifically. For example, some students struggle with writing papers. For some students, going to the writing center would help but for others, it might be better if a peer or family member assisted in editing the paper. It is important to find a method that works for you rather than something that works for someone else because it could be different for you. I also would advise for students who struggle with time management to do the time logging activity because it gives a good overview of how you use your time. You can see where you could improve or cut back which can be helpful, especially to people who see the big picture.