Active learning.

Do you run out of time when you are studying? The key is to learn efficiently. This doesn’t just happen in SWOTVAC, it is a process that begins early in the semester.

You need to have some learning strategies and develop some learning skills. You need to learn independently; you need to be proactive. This means finding answers to things you do not know, and being aware of what you do not know in the first place.

You need to be efficient, so that you are not going over and over the same material. You do this by using active learning strategies and knowing your learning style. This means understanding how you yourself learn best.

Organise your notes and you to-do list into categories. A long, long list is scary, and the most important things can get lost. Sorting things into groups is the brain’s natural way of remembering.

Another tip is to use active learning strategies. Reading and listening is okay, but you will only remember 20 to 30 per cent of the information. It tends to go in one ear and out the other. Writing, speaking, and even teaching a concept to someone else is much more effective. So, by all means, chat with classmates about the material, take notes, and make your own summaries. These are all active learning strategies.

It also helps to know your own learning style, so you can use strategies that suit you. If your learning style is visual, you should try drawing stuff to understand and remember things. Some people learn best by doing, so hands on activities help them to learn. Explaining things to others really helps [auditory learners] absorb information themselves.

The most important strategy, of course, is to take charge yourself, because no one’s going to do it for you. There is support there if you need it, but you will need to seek that help yourself. Your lecturers, the website, the Learning Lab, the Study and Learning Centre, and the library are all there to help you achieve your best, but when it comes to your study, you are now the boss.