The Learning Process Fall 2001, rev Jan. 2007, June 2011 by Dennis W. Ritz, D.M.A. Professor of...
39
The Learning Process Fall 2001, rev Jan. 2007, June 2011 by Dennis W. Ritz, D.M.A. Professor of Music Shippensburg University
-
Upload
autumn-pendarvis -
Category
Documents
-
view
212 -
download
0
Transcript of The Learning Process Fall 2001, rev Jan. 2007, June 2011 by Dennis W. Ritz, D.M.A. Professor of...
TheLearningProcessFall 2001, rev Jan. 2007, June 2011
by Dennis W. Ritz, D.M.A.Professor of MusicShippensburg University
TheLearningProcessFall 2001, rev Jan. 2007, June 2011
by Dennis W. Ritz, D.M.A.Professor of MusicShippensburg University
How to study and succeed in the academic world.
How to study and succeed in the academic world.
How to LEARN--based on:
Ch. 1: Material and information organizationLearning takes time.Good process and mechanics pay.
Ch. 2: Information processingHow you think about material is crucial.
Ch. 3: Use of informationDon’t just swallow and regurgitate facts.Digest information and use it to synthesize a
factually “nutritious” story.Note-taking helpsWhat about highlighting in the text?Thoughts on re-writing notes
Chapter 1
Material and information organization
Read BEFORE class
Take the time to do this regularly; it is important.
10-15 minute scan read
DO NOT take notes!
You know if you are prepared if:
1. You know what the class will be about.
2. You know simple, basic information about the main subjects or topics.
Take notes during class!(method 1—printed PowerPoint slides)
Slide 1
info
info
Slide 2
info
info
Slide 3
info
info
Leave this side of your page blank!!
Add details during class
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Take notes during class!(method 2—hand written notes)
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
item
item
Leave this side of your page blank!!
Perhaps, draw a line down
the middle of the page.
Re-read AFTER class
Doing this the same day increases study time effectiveness.
It will usually take 15-30 minutes.Have your class notes beside your text and
refer to them often as you read. THINK about the class notes & text information: Compare, relate, evaluate, write!
Take notes while you read.(method 1—printed PowerPoint slides)
Slide 1
info
info
Slide 2
info
info
Slide 3
info
info
Addtextnotes here.
Details added during class
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
CLASS NOTES TEXT NOTES
Take notes while you read.(method 2—hand written notes)
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
item
item
Topic 1
Fill in important information to get complete picture
Topic 2
Fill in important information to get complete picture
Topic 3
Fill in important information to get complete picture
CLASS NOTES TEXT NOTES
Take notes while you read
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
item
item
Topic 1
Fill in important information to get complete picture
Whether you use PowerPoint slides or hand-written class notes…
THINK about what you are reading.RELATE it to the class notes.EVALUATE it. (Does it add important information to the class notes?)WRITE down ONLY what helps you fully understand the topic.
CLASS NOTES TEXT NOTES
Regular reading and good quality note-taking pays double dividends:
1. You are already learning!
2. You are organizing for future exam preparation.
Your notes are organized!
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
item
item
CLASS NOTES TEXT NOTES
Topic 1
additional info
additional info
Topic 2
additional info
additional info
Topic 3
additional info
additional info
Information is centralized.
Topic 1
item
item
Topic 2
item
item
Topic 3
Occasionally you will have NO Class notes.
Topic 1
additional info
additional info
Topic 2
Sometimes you will have NO additional information.Topic 3
additional info
additional info
CLASS NOTES TEXT NOTES
You are ORGANIZED to study for an exam!
TE
XT
NO
TE
S
CL
ASS
NO
TE
SEVERYTHING you need to know about TOPIC 1!
EVERYTHING you need to know about TOPIC 2!
EVERYTHING you need to know about TOPIC 3!
Use thesepowerful learning tools:
1. THINK about what you are reading.
2. RELATE what you are reading to the
class lecture.
3. EVALUATE what you are reading.
4. WRITE down information.
5. ORGANIZE your information so that
exam prep is more efficient.
Chapter 2
Information processing
Organize your thinking about information…
Get the
picturefirst!
Levels of detail = VIMP*!!!Opera
LiteratureVisualaria
melodyacc by orchstops plot
recitativetextacc by basso contadvances plot
ensembleduo, trio, 4tetlead charactersmay portray conflicting moods
overtureprefaces operaorchestra plays
scenerycostumeslightinghall décoractingblocking
plottext
MusicTopicbasic information
greater detail
greatest detail level
*VIMP = Very IMPortant
Think and learn according to levels of detail (macro to
micro):
Opera
LiteratureVisualMusicTopic
The broadest
categories of opera’s
components
Least detailed, butimportant
information
Opera
LiteratureVisualariarecitativeensembleoverture
scenerycostumeslightinghall décoractingblocking
plottext
Music
“fleshing out” the categories
Some detailswithin
broad categories
Completepicture with
Topicbroad categories
detailsmicro facts
Opera
LiteratureVisualaria
melodyacc by orchstops plot
recitativetextacc by basso contadvances plot
ensembleduo, trio, 4tetlead charactersmay portray conflicting moods
overtureprefaces operaorchestra plays
scenerycostumeslightinghall décoractingblocking
plottext
Music
Chapter 3
Use of information
Isolated facts are often USELESS information,
AND
they can be very difficult to learn!
Consider 11 facts:
• Ca. 1800• E.T.A. Hoffman (1776-1822)• French Revolution (1789-93)• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)• Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (1803)• Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (1806)• Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (1823)• Napoleon (1769-1821)• Many people considered Napoleon a tyrant.• Romantic period (1820-1900)• Nationalism on rise soon after 1800
Consider 11 facts:
• Ca. 1800• E.T.A. Hoffman (1776-1822)• French Revolution (1789-93)• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)• Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (1803)• Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (1806)• Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (1823)• Napoleon (1769-1821)• Many people considered Napoleon a tyrant.• Romantic period (1820-1900)• Nationalism on rise soon after 1800
NO
THE
LPFU
L
Think and learn: relationships
causeseffects
Try to construct a “story” that weaves all the information together.
Some relevant questions that might be asked about the 11 “factoids”:
• What are the defining or most important historical events ca. 1800?
• Who are the principal figures ca. 1800?
• How do they relate to the important historical events? What do they do?
• What are the relationships between these people and events?
• How do they shape the coming era?
Ca. 1800
BeethovenFrench
Revolution
Napoleon
BeethovenSym No. 3
BeethovenSym No. 5
BeethovenSym No. 9
Comingromanticism Growing
nationalism
tyrannyE.T.A. Hoffman
Learn and know:
• How are Napoleon and the French Revolution related?
• How are Beethoven, B’s Symphony No. 3, Napoleon, and tyranny related?
• How are E.T.A. Hoffman and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 related?
• How are both Sym No. 5 and Sym. 9 related to the coming romanticism?
• How are romanticism and nationalism related?
Remember:
1. Know what the core issue or central idea is.
2. Develop your understanding of the big picture—the overall idea—surrounding that core issue.
3. Think of the “BIG PICTURE” as a puzzle of pieces that fit together and relate to one another. Know those relationships.
4. Add appropriate details, NOT TRIVIA, to “flesh out” the image your puzzle makes.
Note-taking
• Write least # letrs & wrds th/ convey message• No complete sentences• Use abbreviations
– Dev personal sys– Spelling
• Use symbols– = & $ # < > (& more)
A word on highlighting the text
Pros:1. can help keep you focused on what you are reading.
2. can help you “ferret out” the main ideas and important info.
Con (mainly one, but it may be a deal-breaker):
Highlighting does NOT consolidate information; it leaves it “unprocessed” and where you found it—distributed on many pages of text. Remember, paging through the text hunting for information is NOT studying; it does not help you learn information or prepare for an exam.
Thoughts on re-writing notes• Does this help you achieve good testing results?
– Yes. (Stop here. You need not read further.)
– Not sure, or I do not perform well in tests (Go on!!)
• Re-writing can be a “feel-good” job, especially if it produces neat, attractive notes, and you can congratulate yourself for spending much time creating them. Alas, if you do not perform well on tests, rewriting is probably a complete waste of time!
• Take good, organized notes that do not need to be rewritten; add info during your reading/study process; then, LEARN the information. That often means, “memorize.”
• Spend your time doing jobs that produce good results--effective learning verified by good test results.
• Evaluate how re-writing fits into either satisfactory or unsatisfactory test results for you.
Contact
Please email me with any questions, thoughts, comments, suggestions, additions, or corrections.
Dennis W. Ritz
