1. Effective Note Taking.

     Good note taking can be the most important tool to help a student through their college year. Not only cataloguing the lectures notes into forms of information that you understand, you also take in more information when you write it, opposed to simply listening.

     Note taking encourages engaged listening, provides a record of learning and promotes the memory during and after the learning experience. Lecture notes may be the primary source of information used on a daily basis for a student but it should not be the only source. Journal articles, specific chapters from books and possibly even other people’s blogs can provide back-up information to the notes.
     The act of taking the note is not sufficient. You must find a ‘home’ for your notes. It is always recommended to find a well organised location for the notes. Coloured folders or hard backed folders are recommended.

     I was tested to be a kinaesthetic learner and visual prompts were the best way for me to learn. It was suggested to me that mind maps would be of great benefit to me. I had never used them before and I’m very stubborn in the whole ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ so it took some persuading for me to get on board. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made. The first couple of weeks were hard but they have made all the difference to my study much becoming more efficient and productive.

     I am now a true believer in trying something new if it has the possibility to improve my grades and make my time in education a more productive one. http://www.mind-mapping.co.uk/make-mind-map.htm