P.O.W.E.R. Learning Ch-3

Good lectures strive to just make..

A few key points (The rest of what they say consists of explanation, examples, & other supportive material that expands upon the key ideas)

When notetaking, doing this will help when you want to spread your notes in front of you.

Using only ONE side of the page for writing. KEEP THE OTHER SIDE FREE OF NOTES.

good note-taking does NOT mean...

writing down everything the teacher says.

Clues about the importance of material (examples)

- "don't forget..." - "be sure to remember that..." - "you need to know..." - "The most important thing that must be considered..." - "there are four problems with this approach..." - "this will be on the test..." - REPETITION is another good sign of importance. - nonverbal signals (is the instructor excited to talk about it?) - listen for what is not being said (note what topics are not being covered in class or are presented only minimally - you can gauge the relative importance of ideas in comparison with one another)

Strategies for using your notes:

- ask questions about the material - ask privately and politely for the instructor to alter the way material is presented - pool your resources - listen to the lecture again - talk with the instructor after class - remember that this too shall pass

Advantages to building a concept map:

- it forces you to rethink the material in your notes and in a new style - it helps you tie together the material for a given class session - it will help you to build a master concept map later, when you're studying the material for a final exam

examples of a preclass warmup..

- skimming notes from previous lecture - looking over what the instructor said - briefly review the main headings or summary section of any reading you've been assigned.

Note-taking help:

- use short abbreviated phrases not full sentences when taking notes - use abbreviations -Take notes and outline form

Steps to prepare you for note-taking:

1: Identify the instructor's and your goals for the course. 2: Complete assignments before coming to class. 3: Accept the instructor, despite his or her limitations. 4: Perform a preclass warm-up. 5: Choose a seat that will promote good notetaking.

When to rethink your notes?

ASAP

How can you come to class prepared?

Complete all reading and other assignments beforehand.

Helpful tools for note taking from textbooks:

Concept maps and flashcards

A concept map can help in understanding difficult material by...

Illustrating how ideas fit together

Re-thinking promotes the transfer of information into ....

Long-term memory

What types of notebooks are good for notetaking?

Loose-leaf notebooks; they permit you to go back later and change the order of the pages or add additional material in the appropriate spot.

Where can you find your instructor's goals for the class?

Most restate the information on the class syllabus. You can also gain lots of info from the first session. THESE ARE CRITICAL.

Study notes

Notes taken for the purpose of reviewing material

P.O.W.E.R. plan for note taking:

PREPARE - Consider your goals ORGANIZE - get the tools of notetaking together WORK - process — don't copy— information EVALUATE - Think critically about your notes RETHINK - review your notes shortly after class to activate your memory

pros and cons of using a laptop to take notes in class:

PROS: legibility problems are avoided, and it's easy to go back and revise or add material after you've taken the notes. CONS: You may end up keyboarding more and thinking less. You may succumb to temptation to check your e-mail or instant message your friends, rather than listening to the instructor.

In regards to note-taking, how can you motivate yourself/give yourself confidence and focus while not-taking?

Taking your favorite kind of notebook and pen to class.

What is one way you can discern the meta-message?

To listen for key words

concept mapping

a method of structuring written material by graphically grouping and connecting key ideas and themes

Successful notetaking involves not just hearing what is said, but...

listening actively.

Generally, using a _________ is much better than using a _________.

pen, pencil - Ink is less likely to smudge, and what you produce with ink is usually brighter and clearer - and therefore easier to use when studying.

For math & accounting classes, where you may be copying down or even working through formulas in class, using a ___________ may be easier.

pencil - Easier to erase if you make a mistake when copying detailed, complex info.

hearing

the involuntary act of sensing sounds. examples: the annoying drip of a facet or the grating sound of a co-worker's voice speaking on the phone in the next cubicle.

meta-message

the underlying main ideas that a speaker is seeking to convert; the meaning behind the overt message.

active listening

the voluntary act of focusing on what is being said, making sense of it, and thinking about it in a way that permits it to be recalled accurately.

What is the goal of preclass warmup?

to refresh yourself, to get yourself into the right frame of mind for class.

The key to effective note-taking is...

to write down the right amount of information - not too much - not too little.