Essential Study Skills for DVM Students - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Essential Study Skills for DVM Students…what works, what doesn’t

Anne LaFrance, LMHCCounselor, College of Vet Medalafrance@vetmed.wsu.eduSlide2

References and ResourcesCounseling & Wellness website, Study Skills section:

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/counseling/studyskills.aspx“What works, what doesn’t” Scientific American Mind, 2013Meta-analysis of 700+ scientific articles on 10 common study techniques

“What Will Improve a Student’s Memory?” D. Willingham, 2009 (on website)

Becoming a Master Student

, Dave Ellis, 2003

Study without Stress: Mastering Medical Sciences

,

Kelman

and

Stracker

, 2000

Slide3

TIME

Memory

Reading & Notes

Test takingSlide4

Evaluate your current study strategies…and what you’re willing to change

…maybe some before your next exam?Slide5

Making the most of your time

Expect to spend 60-65 hours/week in learning activities… including about 25 hours/week studying

A regular study schedule protects against cramming, lack of sleep, stress, and vulnerability to illness

Planner use to track assignments, study hours, exams, and outside commitments can improve exam prep and decrease procrastination

Without

a planned

schedule, multiple exams/week = poor allocation of time across subjectsSlide6

Procrastination, goals, motivation, encouragementProcrastination is fueled by perfectionism and difficulty initiating work on high priority tasks

Set daily goals & checkpoints, do work before “escapes” Hardest work when most alert, 3 hr. blocks, active breaks

Allocate time/subject, manage distractions,

avoid multi-tasking

Daily & weekly rewards, plan for the unexpected

Encourage & praise yourself, celebrate successes!Slide7

Memory…Slide8

What works What doesn’t

Self-testing during daily studyDistributed study sessions Continued reviews after you know the material

Creating conceptual frameworks of related material

Develop memorable CUES:

mnemonics

Re-reading, re-copying

Cramming

/ massed

study

Highlighting text or notes

Rote memorization

Late night studying

Pressure & sleep deprivation

Multi-tasking while studyingSlide9

Self testingCornell Note Taking Flashcards

Chapter review questionsRetake prior quizzes and tests

Quiz study partner from notes

Highly effective across wide range of content and time intervals – forms multiple retrieval pathwaysSlide10

Distributed study periods & breaks

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Distributed practice vs. massed practiceKeppel: massed learners forgot

almost 2/3s of items after 1 weekDistributed learners recalled over90% of items after 1 weekResearch meta-analysis:

Average person using

distributed learning sessions remembers better than 67% of those using massed learning, and these gains persist over years. (Donovan and

Radosevich

)Slide12

What’s wrong with these??Re-reading, re-copying

Cramming / massed studyHighlighting text /

notes

Rote memorization

Late night studying

Pressure & sleep deprivation

Multi-tasking while studyingSlide13

Discuss current methods: what will you change?Self-testing during study

Distributed study sessions Continue reviewing after you know the material

Deep learning: how concepts interrelate, why meaningful

Develop memorable CUES:

mnemonics

Multiple memory modes

Re-reading, re-copying

Cramming

/ massed

study

Highlighting text or notes

Rote memorization

Late night studying

Pressure & sleep deprivation

Multi-tasking while studyingSlide14

Notes & self-test in one

Review notes w/in 24 hours & add ?sQuizzing easily identifies unlearned material Active method for notating assigned reading

Prompts user to summarize & synthesize concepts

Slide15

A system for reading and note-taking

1. Pre-read: skim, note main topics 2. Read & take Cornell notes before lectures

Monitor comprehension!

Question how it connects w/existing knowledge, makes sense

3.

Lecture notes

:

listen first, write main ideas

4.

Review notes:

a

dd missing ideas & questions to

notes and quiz 1x w/in 24 hrs. of lecture,

review notes

before next

lecture, then

at distributed intervals.

5.

Exam prep: review & quiz

all notes--lectures, labs & textSlide16

Test TakingSlide17

Test taking preparationRate yourself on 1-5 scale, 1= low:

I clarify what topics & kinds of questions will on exams.2. I study early & long enough to be prepared for exams.I make a prioritized checklist of review materials and allocate study hours accordingly.

4. I study in 1-3 hour periods, distributed, with breaks.

5. I review using different methods:

self-testing,

prior

exams

, study groups

, flashcards, open labs, etc.

6

. I get 8 hours’ sleep the night before exams.Slide18

Test taking strategiesArrive early, avoid anxious discussions w/peers

Preview test and points, make time notations in margin Start with easiest items, mark unknowns for laterKeep self-talk encouraging, expect unknownsAnswer every item unless guessing is penalizedReview carefully: difficult & missing items, correct tracking on answer sheets

Do a test post-mortem on your preparation & mistakesSlide19

Post-mortem review

Preparation: study methods, topics, time spent, distributed study, materialsIdentify key reasons for lost points:

difficulties w/concept recall, definitions, studied wrong material,

lack of

practice, unclear expectations, focus, anxiety, ran out of time, etc.

What will I do differently?

Identify at least three specific things. Consider preparation, time management, types of review,

mastery of concepts, use of review materials, knowledge deficits

Reminders in planner

about your revised plan for next examSlide20

Managing test anxietyStrong preparation diminishes test anxiety.

Sleep, exercise, limit the caffeine, good morning routineLet go of perfectionistic beliefs: you won’t know it all.Learn to control your focus and self-talk: I’ll just do the best I can. This is just one test.

Breathe, relax, refocus: I am calm and clear.

I’ve studied well, and can recall what’s needed.

Monitor time, but don’t watch the clock.

Website resources!Slide21

Evaluate your current study strategies…and what you’re willing to change

Thanks for participating, and best wishes!