Studying

Study Study Study!


There are many different techniques when in comes to studying.

The quesrtions we were left with in class was: How do you study? What is your process? Does it differ depending on the subject? How do you feel about the results?

I usually study in my room, where it is quiet. My process in studying includes me going through my notes and the textbook and writing down the key points on a piece of paper. Once I am done going through all my notes and textbook i study my one piece of paper over and over again until I can actually visualize the paper in my head. Then when the test comes I can actually imagine my study sheet in my head and remember the answers to the test. I do study like this for most of my subjects but of course their are a couple courses i study different for. Math I just do practice questions over again and in English I usually just read a book, there are many other good strategies to studying.

A few other I have thought of are flashcards, mapping, association and connections (associating and connecting the key terms with situations on ones own life). I have the best results when I have my study sheets memorized because it is much easier for me to recall information when I am in the test. I use to have horrible study techniques, such as cramming before the test; now I know how to study properly and my marks have been greatlly positively effected.

Memory

Memory

A. Encoding

1. rehearsal: conscience repetition over time
2. deep processing: towards deeper meaning
3. elaboration: taking an idea and extending it
4. constructing images: visual elaboration
5. organization: make meaningful connections (concept maps)

B. Storage

1. sensory: seconds or less
2. short term: 30 seconds
3.long term: A. declarative (explicit) - a) Episodic Memory b) Semantic Memory
  B . Procedural (implicit)

C. Retrieval

1. Cue Dependent Forgetting- the cue we established for one isn't working.

2. Interference Theory- at one time you knew how to retrieve information, but you have learned so much new information that it is interfering with your old knowledge.

3. Decay Theory- when neuro pathways start to fade. Knowledge you no longer use (though lack of use).

Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning is conditioning in which an operant response is brought under stimulus control by virtue of presenting reinforcement contingent upon the occurrence of the operant response.

There are 4 different types of operant conditioning effects:

1. Positive Reinforcement- the direction of the behaviour change is up.
                                - an example would be more time reading in class.

2. Negative Reinforcement-the direction of the behavior change is down.
                               - an example would be less talking on the bus.

3. Positive Punishment- adding something to the punishment.
                                  - an example would be telling them that they are getting a phone call home ( adding the phone call).

4. Negative Punishment- an example would be giving more time to study for their finals.

Generalization- you can change the situation slightly, but you will still get the same results.

Extinction- over time reinforcement and punishent stop working; if you over use it.

Irlen/ Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome

Irlen/ Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome



     Irlen Syndrome is a learning disability that has intrigued me very much. My younger cousin, Jeffrey who is 9 years old had problems reading when he was younger. He was tested for many learning disorders such as dyslexia, but when all tests came back negative they pointed towards a disorder called Irlen or Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome.

      Irlen Syndrome is a is a perceptual disorder caused by a sensitivity to light; many children with this disorder have problems reading and writing. Many people who have Irlen Syndrome have a color, my cousins color is a mixture between yellow and brown. He has problems writing and cannot be exposed to bright light for long periods of time or her gets  headache or feels nausea's. Jeffrey wears glasses that have a yellow/ brown tinge to the lens, these glasses allow him to write better and be able to be exposed to bright light.
    
     Another younger girl I know with Irlen's has a color of blue. The glasses and lens' that are needed are very expensive and many are not able to afford them, such as this little girl. She instead uses a blue overlay; she just puts the transparent blue overlay over her black and white paper and she can see the words clearly. The problem for her was that her words would actually move along the page when she was reading.

      I personally cannot imagine trying to read and having the words moving all along the page.

     These are the paper overlays that many children with Irlen's Syndrome put over there paper to allow them to read properly. The glasses have lens' that are the color that the child is diagnosed with as being their color.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N5qbMFtKQ4

The link above is a video on Irlen Syndrome.



Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

-Mathematical- ability to work with numbers (math logic).

- Verbal- language, speaking, writing.

- Musical- good at detecting harmony, play music.

- Spatial- imagine things 3D à hidden space.

- Bodily Kinesthetic- movement, athletics, dance, physical activity.

- Interpersonal- interacting with others (empathy).

-Intrapersonal- emotional intelligence, self understanding.

- Naturalist- authentic, scientific intelligence.

- Spiritual- connecting with something larger then ones self.

- Existential- intelligence of a philosopher questions (questions of life).



IQ Testing

IQ TESTING

     The IQ test is a simple way to describe intelligence by assigning it a number that represents the ratio of mental to chronological age, multiplied by 100. Average IQ is therefore 100 and is based on a comparison between an individuals performance and that of other comparable people.

IQ= (mental age/chronological age) x 100

In class we discussed if we agreed or disagreed with children being IQ tested. I believe that an IQ test is a good guideline to see where students are in their educational knowledge. The one disadvantage I see in the IQ testing is that every individual is being compared to one another; which in turn causes distress and lack of motivation. Many students believe if they do bad on the IQ test they are "stupid" or "dumb"; which is not the case at all. In the graph above 1 standard deviation is equal to 15 IQ points.

Myths about the IQ test

1.MYTH-  IQ measures a mysterious property: intelligence.

   REALITY- realistically, it only tests how someone did on this specific test on a given day: performance.

2. MYTH- IQ measures only important things.

    REALITY- doesn't measure social skills, etc.

3. MYTH- IQ scores cant change

    REALITY- IQ scores can change

IQ score DOES predict academic success!



Heinz Dilemma

Heinz Dilemma

     In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about $ 1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it." So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug-for his wife. Should the husband have done that?

Many would believe that Heinz should not have stolen the drug from the druggist because stealing is against the law and stealing it would have many bad consequences. I personally think that Heinz did the right thing by stealing the drug for his dying wife because life is worth so much more the money, Although he ignored the punishment stage in Kohlberg's moral development and stole the drug, saving his wife's life was a life long benefit.

My mom has had cancer so I can say that if I was put in the situation that Heinz was in for my mom I would have stolen the drug as well. Yes, going to jail would be a life long consequence but knowing that you saved someones life would be worth it to me.

Kolberg's Moral Development