Using Elaboration Strategies

Using Elaboration Strategies

Whats wrong with the way I am studying currently?

One of the most common mistakes students make when coming to university from high-school is relying on memorization as an effective method to study. Courses in university are too packed with information to use simple rehearsal strategies by themselves. Students then begin to feel like a machine programmed to spew-out information on demand, not fully getting a grasp of what all that information means in the context of their course. This becomes especially dangerous later in the year as information memorized in this method is quickly forgotten and new concepts require the old concepts to build on.

Rehearsal doesn't lead to encoding - thus doesn't lead to information  being stored in  "the long term memory."

So, how does one learn new material as a pose to just memorize material?

This is where elaboration strategies come in to play.

What are "elaborations strategies"?

"Elaboration strategies" are methods of engaging with the material in order to create stronger connections with the material, so that the information is not only passed to long term memory but also learned in the context of the course for deep understanding.

So how does I use elaborations strategies?

Check out this video from McMasters University for just a small example of elaboration techniques available to use to improve your studying.

The Student Success Centre also offer a variety of workshops on how to use elaboration techniques along with organizational methods and many other techniques to maximize your learning on your tight schedules.

Come check us out at SUB 2-300

How to Get the Most out of your Studying (Videos)

How to Get the Most Out of your Studying

With the first couple of weeks of school over, its time to start studying for those midterms (Yes... already). But in order to ensure you use your study time effectively you might want to spend the first little bit of time "learning to learn" rather than jumping in head first with ineffective learning strategies.

Lets make a metaphor here: two people want to canoe across the great lakes, both have canoes but no paddles. Would it be more effective to be the first in the water and try to paddle across lake Ontario only using your hands, or to spend a little time making or finding paddles then going in after you have the right tools?

Giving you those tools is what the Student Success Centre here on the U of A campus is all about!

Here is a short series of videos that will give you quick overview of effective study strategies to kick start you this study season courtesy of Samford University.

The video is about 36 minutes longs in total for all 5 parts, so sit back and enjoy.

Pt.1 - Common Beliefs that undermine Learning

  
Pt.2 - Basic Principles of How People Learn and how you can use those principles to improve your studying (Shallow vs. Deep Level of Processing)

Pt.3 How people study best and how to use this to improve your learning (Short Term vs. Long Term memory and use of Elaboration strategies, Automaticity vs. Overlearning)

Pt.4 - Using Deep Processing 

Pt.5 - I just blew the test!?!? Now what?

Looking for more study tips or perhaps even some actual face to face help with studying or essays?
Check out our website at : www.studentsuccess.ualberta.ca 
Or see us in person at: SUB 2-300

First Year Tips from a Recent Graduate

First Year Tips from a Recent Graduate (With a Job!)

The first year of University can be daunting. You are entering a massive school and know next to no one. You know how to handle highschool but University is COMPLETELY different.

BUT FEAR NOT!

Here are some tips that I found helped me or I wish I knew about upon entering the University of Alberta.

1. GET IT DONE EARLY -

This doesn't only apply to assignments, but to life! Get up early, be the first in line for your ONEcards or text books, if the line looks like more than a 20 minute wait, wait till a dead zone (times when most people are in class) or till next morning. Dont waste your time, get up early and use your time as effectively as possible. If possible try to pick your text books up before classes start so that you can get it done before the rush and get second hand text books for cheap.

2. KNOW YOUR LIMITS -

If you know you are not a morning person don't register for an early morning class. I know this sounds simple logic, but I dont know how many times I have heard "I can adapt to being a morning person" followed 3 weeks later with "So I dropped that class....". Same goes with night classes, unless you have the ability to sit through 3 hours class marathon, avoid them. It all comes down to knowing yourself.

3. TALK TO YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE -

Try to get a one-on-one meeting as soon as possible with an adviser. This will give you the framework you need to build your future class schedule and get you going in the right direction. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR FACULTY AT ANY TIME, TALK TO A STUDENT ADVISER OF THE FACULTY AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OK ON THEIR END (this mistake cost me about $2000 and an extra year of school).

4. TAKE PART IN WEEK OF WELCOME! -

It is a great chance to meet people and get free food/swag.

5. JOIN A CAMPUS CLUB, INTRAMURAL SPORT OR THE GREEK SCENE -

Week of welcome is a great chance to test out some of these clubs and activities. Being part of a campus group will help you not only make friends with similar interests but create a support network that will help you grow as a person.

The University of Alberta is also home to many fraternities and sororities, which not only give you the opportunity to make friends but also network with a strong group of Alumni that are no longer part of the group. They are also not based around a single activity or ideology allowing them to be inclusive of many different people regardless of religious beliefs or athletic skills.
Here are some other interesting facts on Greek Societies:

• Nationally, fraternity members acquire grade point averages above all other college men's scholastic rankings.
• Nationally, fraternity members have an overall higher graduation rate than non-Greeks.  71% of all fraternity men persist to graduation while only 50% of all non-fraternity members graduate.
• All but two U.S. Presidents since 1825 have been fraternity men, and 63% of the U.S. Presidents' cabinet members since 1900 have been fraternity men.
• Studies show that 76% of Congress, 71% of the men listed in "Who's Who in America", and 85% of the Fortune 500 executives belong to a fraternity.
• Since 1910, 85% of the Supreme Court Justices have been Greek.
• Greeks contribute innumerable community service hours and contributions to local and national charities annually.
•  The first Female Senator and Astronaut were Greeks
• The Greek system is the largest network of Volunteers in the US, with member donating over 10 million hours of volunteer service each year. 
• The UofA's entire slate of elected Student Union representatives are in fraternities

Source: http://www.commercekappasigs.com/ and http://www.njit.edu/greeklife/directory/facts.php

6. HAVE FUN, JUST DONT GO OVER BOARD-

You wont want to be part of something that you don't enjoy. Make friends, enjoy the student life, get out and have fun, but university can be a training ground for alcoholism amongst many other horrible habits. Take the time to find fun outside of drinking. Also dont forget your foremost reason for being at the UofA is to graduate, dont let fun supersede that one main goal.

7. CHECK OUT THE STUDENT SUCCESS CENTRE!

The Student success centre is a fantastic resource that is extremely underused at the undergrad level (grad students use it fairly frequently, that should tell you something). We offer workshops on everything from understanding Time Management for University to Individualized Writing Consultation to help you with that tough essay!
Check out more at : www.studentsuccess.ualberta.ca