Get Some Sleep!

There has been a substantial amount of research done on the connection between sleep and learning demonstrating that proper sleep habits can improve memory functioning. One recent study at UC Berkeley shows that memory functioning seems to be better for people who have had a nap between learning sessions when compared to people who have not had a nap. Some theorists believe that sleep prevents interference from taking place; however, others maintain that sleep actually helps to move newly acquire information from short-term memory into long-term storage (Martin, 1991). The verdict is still out on exactly why sleep is helpful, but it does seem to be important when it comes to learning.

Considering the results of the Berkeley study, some might argue that we should all take a nap after each study session, but it also depends somewhat on the person. Personally, long naps make me groggy and can be counter-productive if I have other work to do. Another possibility might be to study before going to bed, but again if you aren’t alert or able to concentrate late at night, this might not be the best strategy.

Instead, it might be just as useful to take breaks more regularly. Some people spend so much energy trying to cram information into their brains that they never stop to reflect on the information. If people spend a lot of time studying and then try to do other activities that are mentally taxing, there is a strong possibility of interference. Instead, maybe it is better to do something that isn’t going to compete for that valuable memory space even if that something doesn’t involve sleep. According to Nesca and Koulack (1994), it is believed that any type of linguistic activity (talking, reading, or listening) can cause interference. If this is true, then going for a walk after studying might be a good way to take a break, or it might be simply a matter of having some quiet time, so that some of the new ideas can sink in.

There has also been some research on the negative effects of sleep deprivation on brain functioning. One study at the UC San Diego Medical Centre concludes that sleep deprived subjects perform more poorly on arithmetic problems. The brain can do a lot of things when it is tired, but this suggests that it is not a good idea to study all night before a math exam. Writing a test requires a lot of mental processing skills (ex: reading, writing, problem solving, and creative thinking). All of these skills require an alert and well rested mind, so it makes sense that getting a good night sleep before an exam is important. Cramming might be necessary at times, but for the most part it just creates fatigue.

Consider an athlete who is training for an important competition. Does it help that athlete to stay up all night practicing or reviewing video footage of past performances? If the athlete isn’t ready to compete at that point, it is probably too late. In my mind, the same principles apply to the learning process. Prepare as much as possible beforehand by following a regular study routine, but try to get a good night sleep before the exam, so that when the exam starts, you are ready to perform.

References:

Martin, D. G. (2001). Psychology: Principles and Applications. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Inc.

Nesca, M. & Koulack, D. (1994). Recognition memory, sleep and circadian rhythms. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 48(3), 1-15. Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/cep/48/3/359/

-- Tim Podolsky

Thinking about how we learn

Jennifer Livingston’s overview of metacognition is an interesting and insightful read if you have been wondering what the word means: http://gse.buffalo.edu/fas/shuell/CEP564/Metacog.htm. She points out that metacognitive activities are what enable us to be successful as learners. Metacognition is frequently defined as “thinking about thinking”, but according to her it refers to knowledge that can be used to control our thinking and learning. Here are three examples of how we might use metacognition:

1. Knowledge of personal variables (ex: I know that I will be able to get more work done at the library than I will if I study at home)
2. Knowledge of task variables (ex: I know that it will be harder for me to study a Math textbook than it will be for me to read a Psychology textbook)
3. Knowledge of strategy variables (ex: I have a sense of when I should be using a particular study strategy for a particular task)

The key is to actually utilize metacognitive information in order to oversee and manage your own learning. If you aren’t currently thinking about your own learning, and you find that you aren’t getting the marks that you would like, it could be time to get some help. Livingston emphasizes that self-questioning, self-regulation, and self-monitoring are all important ways to use metacognitive strategies. Learners who use these techniques tend to be more successful at comprehending new information. Try asking yourself some basic questions. Is your study location full of distractions? Are you spending enough time on your courses? Would making note cards be a useful way to learn the information? Is it time to start using a highlighter? You can always visit a study skills specialist if you aren’t sure where to start.

Tim

Upcoming Workshops

Reassessing Your Study Strategies:

Did you have a difficult first term? Are you hoping to improve your marks? This workshop will focus on assessing your current study strategies, learning from your mistakes, and recognizing alternative approaches in order to adapt to the demands of different courses. Come and learn about the resources that are available to support you.

The workshop will be offered on the following dates:

Thursday, January 28th from 9:00-9:50 a.m. (215 Tier)

Thursday, February 4th from 4:00-4:50 p.m. (105 Drake)

Friday, February 5th from 12:30-1:20 p.m. (215 Tier)

Wednesday, February 10th from 2:30-3:20 p.m. (206 Tier)

Thursday, February 11th from 9:00-9:50 a.m. (206 Tier)

If all the year were playing holidays

If all the year were playing holidays,
To sport would be as tedious as to work.
Henry IV, Part 1, 1. 2

This line from Shakespeare always reminds me of why holidays are so well deserved after having worked hard. It is important to enjoy our holidays, but unfortunately there always comes a time when we do have to go back to work. Hard work is what makes holidays so much fun in the first place. However, for many people at this time of year it is especially difficult to transition out of holiday mode and back into study mode, and they soon find themselves struggling to catch up with their classes and work load.

As a new year presents itself, it might then be a good time to set some goals for the upcoming term in order to stay motivated and focused. Some academic resolutions are a good way of forcing yourself to improve simple study habits, in order to get better marks.

This year, I sat down to make some personal New Year’s resolutions and quickly found that I had violated a very important principle of goals setting: be realistic. I looked at my list of ten resolutions and quickly narrowed it down to three important areas of my life that needed improvement. When we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves, we doom ourselves to failure because our expectations are so high that there is no chance of meeting them, let alone getting started. The key is to start small. Set small but specific goals for yourself that you stand a chance of accomplishing, and then build from there.

One other strategy that has worked well for me in the past has been to find ways to remind myself of my goals. Some people tell a friend, so that their friend will remind them when they slip up. You can also write them down and post them in a visible place, so that you can see them on a regular basis. Last year, I put my New Year’s resolutions in an envelope and taped them to the calendar month of March. As time passed, I eventually found a reminder for myself, so that my resolutions didn’t slip away after the first week of January. I took stock of my progress and then taped the resolutions to the month of June, so that I could find them again a little further on down the road. The resolutions that I set in January stayed with me for a good portion of the year, because I kept coming back to them.


Related LAC handout: http://umanitoba.ca/student/u1/lac/media/Goal_Setting_07.pdf

Fish or Cut Bait

I've let this blog lie fallow for over a year now, and it's time to either end the project or post on a regular basis. So, no New Year's resolution, but we're (LAC staff and tutors) going to try to post at least once a week. My desire is to have a variety of posts on the writing and study strategies we find useful (including tips from our tutors), as well as information on web and or mobile applications that you can use for writing, thinking, communicating, organizing and studying.

The LAC is open this week with one tutor available on Thursday. Next week we tutor/s working Monday through Friday in 201 Tier, but no tutors working in the library. Starting January 18 tutors will be available in both 201 Tier and Elizabeth Dafoe Library.

Our schedule is available here: http://rich15.com/manitoba/.

Spring Workshops

The LAC is offering some Spring workshops on writing academic papers.

The workshops start this week.

The Thesis Statement
Thursday, May 29 - 10:30 - 11:45 in 405 Tier Building
A strong thesis statement articulates the unifying theme of an academic paper. It may present an argument or opinion, describe an idea, or provoke an analysis. Different disciplines and types of essays require varied forms of thesis statements. Learn how to organize your key ideas, narrow your focus, and clearly direct your paper through writing a strong thesis statement.

Organizing Your Paper
Tuesday, June 3 - 1:30-2:45 in 405 Tier Building
Organizing is an integral part of a well-written paper and helps the reader to recognize key ideas. Organizing can happen when narrowing down the research question and creating an outline and can happen again at the paragraph and sentence level as you decide in which order to present your information. This workshop will focus on the many different ways to approach organizing papers, which will also help writers feel more controlled as they write their papers.

Revising Your Paper
Thursday, June 5 - 2:30-3:45 in 405 Tier
A strong paper is seldom written in one draft. Changing content, sequence of sentences or sections, as well as editing for the finer details enhances a paper’s readability and improves its strength. Gain control of the revision process: learn to revise for common problems with unsubstantiated statements, poorly integrated quotes, faulty structure, weak content, and basic grammar. This workshop offers guidelines on making decisions about what to look at when revising and editing and tips on how to improve your writing.

No registration is necessary and the workshops are free. If you have any questions please call us at 480-1481.

More Web tidbits

Del.icio.us
I have been using del.icio.us for a couple of years now and grown used to web bookmarks that are easily accessible from whichever computer I'm using. Check out this blog (while you are there take some time to explore it - there are lots of useful tips on studying, learning and time management) on the advantages of del.icio.us, and then check out del.icio.us itself!

Visual Dictionaries
Visual dictionaries provide illustrations of words and concepts. Do you want to know what mesocarp* is and what is looks like? Use a visual dictionary. Merriam Webster has a glitzy one. Another Visual Dictionary (copyright by Bernard Dery, but no other information about the hosts of this site except that they are partnered with Wikipedia) has a simpler, but relatively deep dictionary. And then there's the quirkier, artier, visually satisfying Visual Dictionary which is a "collection of words in the real world. Photographs of signage, graffiti, advertising, tattoos, you name it." You couldn't find mesocarp in this dictionary, but you'd find a great illustration of "teenage"

Writer's Block and DarkCopy
Most writers, at some point, have a hard time putting words on a page. When we face that moment, distractions can further interfere with the writing process. DarkCopy has created an online 'distraction free' site where writers can enter text (which is saved automatically) without worrying about format, word count and all those other niggling details that can sometimes derail us. You can even make the writing box full-screen to further that writing immersion.

Miriam


* it's the pulp of a fruit

Some tidbits

I've linked to Grammar Girl before, but I don't think I've linked to this – Top Ten Grammar myths. I love this list because it highlights assumptions made by both inexperienced and experienced writers.

For those of you who think "a run-on sentence is a really long sentence," here's a link to a great handout on subordinate clauses (created by Robin Simmons whose website Grammar bytes is also worth checking out), as well as one we created on sentence structure. If you want to find ou if you have a problem with run-ons, or need help deciphering these handouts please stop by to see one of our writing tutors!

And, because it's exam season, here is a brochure on exam stress put out by Alberta's mental health board and a trio of our handouts - preparing for exams, tips on taking multiple choice exams, and writing essay exams. Finally, now is a perfect time to try out Counselling's "Chill out at Noon" meditation group.

Miriam

Avoiding bad study habits.

Hmmmmm, one of the bad habits I should obviously avoid for 2008 is procrastination. I apologized for my rather spotty blog additions.

Cal Newport who wrote How To Become A Straight A Student also has a blog called Study Habits. January's entry (which I saved many weeks ago . . .) is called "5 Bad Study Habits You Should Resolve to Avoid in 2008." This entry is useful (particularly his first suggestion – study with a plan) as is much of the rest of his blog. Check it out.

Miriam

Learning and Memory from multiple perspectives

I just found this totally funky website on memory and learning designed by Bruno Dubuc (affiliated with Canadian Institutes of Health Research). The website is interactive and adjusts focus and level of information based on your knowledge (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced) and interest (Social, Psychological, Neurological, Cellular, and Molecular).

So, for example, the first "Beginner" (the default) sentence is "Memory and learning are so closely connected that people often confuse them with each other. But the specialists who study them consider them two distinct phenomena." However, if you click "Intermediate" the opening sentence is "Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour that marks an increase in knowledge, skills, or understanding thanks to recorded memories. A memory is the fruit of this learning process, the concrete trace of it that is left in your neural networks." And finally, the "Advanced" opening sentence is "Learning is a process that lets us retain acquired information, affective states, and impressions that can influence our behaviour. Learning is the main activity of the brain, in which this organ continuously modifies its own structure to better reflect the experiences that we have had."

All of these sentences present memory from the psychological point of view. If you then click on "Social" the first sentence (Intermediate) is "People have always tried to keep some records of what they have learned. The earliest records consisted of oral tradition, rituals, and cave paintings. Later on, the ancient Egyptians used pictographs called hieroglyphs to glorify their pharaohs. The subsequent invention of alphabetical writing marked the first universally accessible form of external collective memory (as opposed to internal individual memory, located in the human brain). This was the birth of history."

I really like the flexibility of this site and how easy it is to see how different disciplines approach a different topic. Students who are taking different subjects (as most of do) may find themselves discussing/learning the same topic from a number of different disciplinary perspectives. However, sometimes we have a hard time seeing topics from multiple perspectives and this site provides one useful example of such an exercise.

Miriam

Graduate Writing Kit

The University of Ottawa has developed a wonderful resource for graduate students called the "Graduate Writing Kit." The "kit" covers graduate writing, thesis writing, writing a thesis proposal, information management and writing a literature review. As many graduate students know there are few writing resources available for them, so this new site is very welcome!

Also, don't forget about the graduate section of the VLC!

Yet another podcast post

I confess I'm addicted to listening to podcasts. In particular, I like listening to them on the bus on my way home after work when I'm kind of brain-dead, but still need to do some work. I also like accessing information on my own terms and podcasts allow me to listen anywhere – even in the bathroom!

It's easy to find great radio-based podcasts (I love CBC Radio 3 & NPR's All Songs Considered for example) but informational podcasts on something other then technology (and the wonderful grammar girl mentioned in the previous post) are more difficult to track down. However, McMaster's Centre for Student Development has developed a useful series of video podcasts that are short (usually under 4 minutes) and to-the-point. These podcasts present time management, writing, math, and learning tips. I really like the one podcast called "winning through wedging" (as opposed to "winning through wedgies"). They also come in a variety of video formats: video iPod, mp3, Flash, Quicktime and Window's media.

Miriam

Grammar Girl and "Writing Dates"

For me, January is all about remembering to write down the correct year. For the next couple of weeks I'll be writing 2007 instead of 2008. New year or not, there concerns about how to deal with dates in text that arise over and over again – for example, do you write two thousand and eight or two thousand eight? Grammar Girl (Quick and Dirty tips for Better Writing) tells us what do in this case, as well as explaining why we should never write January 1st, 2008 (you write January 1, 2008), where to put the comma, and whether to capitalize New Year's Day (you do). Grammar Girl's podcasts can be downloaded on to your mp3 player and/or read in transcript form on her web page.

Miriam

Facebook and Privacy

Personally, I enjoy Facebook. I like having a central location where I can keep up on my friend's activities, particularly those friends that have moved away and I love Scrabulous! I'm not at all fond of all the add-ons (what vegetable are you? Zombie bites?), but those are easy enough to avoid.

However, Facebook has been getting some bad press on their privacy policy. Brian Lamb, the "Emerging Technologies discoordinator" outlines the privacy issues and some steps you can take to better protect your privacy on Facebook.

Miriam

Book Ahead

Lately the LAC has been a hectic place. Our new found popularity can be easily explained when one looks at the calendar as it is crunch time once again here at the U of M. This time is marked by the donning of sweatpants, an increased consumption of coffee and a total lack of sleep on behalf of students. We love the attention, and the fact that people are willing to line around the block just to get a glimpse of one of our hard working tutors. Okay, it isn’t that busy, but if you would like to see a tutor I would like to suggest that you book at least two days in advance. We really hate to see students turned away and, unfortunately, this has been happening a lot lately. It isn’t a big deal, just try to book ahead and you will save yourself some unnecessary stress during a time of year when stress is easy to find.

Have a very merry crunch time!

- Jeff

Words as weapons

People are always talking about how books can heal – those Chicken Soup for the Soul books are a good example. But the opposite is also true. Books are often used as tools of propaganda (Hitler’s Mein Kampf) or of more subtle manipulation where the writer’s objective may not be so clear. In this sense, books and words are weapons and can result in both perceived and real damage.

There is a way to defend yourself, and your “W” requirement is part of it. One of the aims of the written requirement is to get university students used to thinking about the written word. By examining books and articles to be used in essays, you can learn about bias, voice, logical progression of thought and tangential arguments. No one publishes anything without a reason and having the skills to decipher that reason means you will be less easily manipulated.

The important thing to remember is that the skills you learn plodding through some seemingly incomprehensible article can just as easily be applied to the newspaper, television, advertising or the internet. Those skills are continually relevant just as someone will continually try to convince you of something. Words are weapons, but education is your armour.

Kris

Whoosh!

First week. Aaahh!
Don’t any of the professors know that I’m taking more than just their class? How the heck am I supposed to get all this reading done? What does this assignment mean? No one is making any sense!

What you have just read is so commonly said and felt in the first few weeks of school, that they may as well just broadcast it over the campus radio.

The first step is to take control of the careening car of anxiety by realizing that everything you’ve been handed is doable. Generations of students have succeeded before you and you’ll do just as well (or better). Coming and talking to one of our friendly writing tutors or chatting with your friends with more university experience can also be extremely helpful. A more experienced student can help you break down your dramatically overwhelming chores into itty-bitty, accomplishable tasks. So can the assignment manager on the Virtual Learning Commons.

The Learning Assistance Centre also has workshops and handouts on time management, essay writing, research, textbook and lots of other areas that students find tricky.
www.umanitoba.ca/u1/lac

Relax and remember, it’s only the first week. No one’s expecting miracles…yet.

Kris

Study spots

You’re reading a textbook. It’s boring. Very boring. You’re getting sleepy…very sleepy. BANG! You wake up when your head hits the desk. Now your forehead is red and you have to re-read that stupid, boring paragraph for the third time. How are you going to get through the entire chapter? Who will save you from the Boredom Fairy?

You will. It is possible. Getting through overly dense and jargon-filled text is a challenge for any student, especially in a less-than-interesting subject area. (Note: The Learning Assistance Centre officially denies that any of University of Manitoba’s subjects are dull, and we in no way imply that any specific subject is.) Success is just a matter of getting creative and knowing your own limits.

I read my plays for my Shakespeare class on the kitchen counter near the sink. That way, I had plenty of natural light, I was able to put my feet up, but I wasn’t so physically comfortable that Dreamland threatened to invade Renaissance England.

My brother made a point of studying for his accounting courses next to an open window in the middle of winter. He was cold, but he was able to focus through it and get his reading done.

My cousin used to read journal articles while sitting on the bus – all night. She liked being able to sense people moving around her, but the bus was quiet enough that she wouldn’t be distracted and, most importantly, she could get off and get a coffee when the bus driver did.

In the end, a unique study spot can help you through a difficult text, but mastering the material is more than just gimmicky fun. Knowing where and when you learn best is often a matter of experimentation, and thinking outside the box. Just like university is.

Kris

VLC Contest for UM Students

If you're a University of Manitoba student, this is a contest for you:

Google or Facebook - which is more important to you? Tell us why and you could win:

1st prize: 80GB Video iPod $399 courtesy of Student Services
2nd prize: 30GB Video iPod $299 courtesy of Learning Technologies Centre
3rd prize: 1GB iPod shuffle $89 courtesy of Learning Technologies Centre

Contest Instructions:

1. Go to the University's Virtual Learning Commons and under the discussion topic 'Google or Facebook' post your rationale for why either Google or Facebook is more important to you.

2. You will have to log in to the Virtual Learning Commons with your UMnetID to post your rationale.

3. The winner will be selected at random from all posts that meet the following criteria:

• Posts must be exactly 54 words long
• Posts must offer a compelling argument as determined by our judges rom UMSU.

4. Postings must be submitted by Sept 21, 2007.

5. One entry per student.

While you're at the VLC, why not explore a bit and find out how the assignment manager works, discover what other students are interested in doing, and find the writing or study supports you might find helpful.

Welcome to university!

Anita

Fall rituals and routines

Many people have rituals and routines that they associate with the (not necessarily unique) North American event called returning to school. The following blog offers a perspective from Kris. We invite you to share your rituals and routines. Are there things that fall + school make you think of? Things that you do every year?

Tradition

Every time that big tree in my front yard starts to turn yellow, I know school is about to start. Involuntarily, I start to assess my wardrobe and note how many faded and pilly clothes I’ve got, wonder the last time I wore that very trendy shirt, and decide I will need more clean underwear in case I get into an accident and have to go to the hospital.

Yes, you read correctly, I am channeling my mother. She’s still very much alive, but I can hear her disembodied voice telling me to try on every stitch of clothing I own to see what I need to buy for the coming year. My cheeks flush at the embarrassing memory of having to parade in front of my mom outside the change room and have her tug at the waistband of my jeans to see how much room I’ve got left. *shiver*

So despite the fact that I haven’t lived with my parents for nigh-on a decade, just before tuition is due, I go shopping. I am not a shopper. I hate malls and I hate trying on clothes. My strategy is therefore comprised of finding an eager store attendant who can stock me up without me having to look for anything myself. It’s a flawed strategy, and invariably leaves me with things I only wear sporadically, but it’s a survival mechanism and, ultimately, tradition. If my mother has taught me nothing else, it is the importance of tradition.

Kris