How to Study and Developing Study Skills

Study skills refer to the ability to read, memorize and retain class portions, text book content and other study materials. Developing study skills depend on individual's capability, grasping power, interests, environment and self discipline. Here are some methods to develop study skills and hone them better with few useful techniques.

1. Visualization

This method refers to seeing imagery through the mind on what has been taught, including block diagrams, pictures, matching real world objects with the concepts read. It also develops your creativity, imagination and cognitive skills.

2. Group Study

Joining a study group on few topics lets members to share and collaborate among others. The study materials can be divided for individual preparations, which then can be delivered as a short session or flash cards to other members in the study group. This is one of the most common study methods.

3. Writing what you read

Writing whatever you have just read immediately helps to retain the fresh knowledge and also boost your confidence in the exam. Apart from that, you can train yourself to be patient to really absorb the knowledge through hard work and also improve written communication skills.

4. Learning by doing

This is one best form of developing a study skill - doing things practically based on what one read in the text book although it may not be possible to experiment or implement everything practically. One has to develop the habit of experiencing them practically if there any opportunity exists. For example, college lab exercises, applying them on real world situations.

5. Flash cards

This is the most common method of keeping tab of topics read. It is done through a small post card where key words are noted down for quick reference. Majority of the students keep them handy instead of keeping complete notes or text books. This helps in developing hints to the topics and improvising the whole content from the keywords.

6. Mind maps

It is the best technique to relate topics and associate links among them. Mind map is a powerful tool which follows a tree or hierarchical structure to a particular topic. It is also a great brainstorming method to generate more ideas for essay writing, comprehension, and critical thinking. It sharpens the thought process by looking at various perspectives to the subject.

7. Group discussion and quizzes

Revise the topics through a group discussion with friends to further improve your memory. It is better to allot 30 minutes of time for discussion and clarifications. To make it more interesting, conduct small quizzes through rapid fire rounds, puzzles and other form of investigative learning. This also builds communication and social skills.

8. Relaxation methods

It is vital to keep a healthy mind and body. Taking breaks and rests for 10-15 minutes between studies keeps the mind relaxed. It is recommended to have a minimum of seven hours sound sleep. It rejuvenates both body and mind. The mental pressure can be released by playing sports, doing work outs and spending quality time with family and friends. Practicing meditation, deep breathing exercises and yoga are great methods to improving concentration and focus.

In summary, study skills are both innate and acquired by nature. They may vary across individuals but several common and working practices can be derived and applied by all students to hone and improvise their existing skills.

Making First Grade Math Fun With Online Games

Kids who have completed kindergarten should enter first grade with a solid grasp of basic numerical concepts including counting, number recognition and identifying the difference between number values. First grade math builds on these concepts with the introduction of addition and subtraction as well as more advanced number relationships within base 10. Through integration of technology such as online math games, teachers can present these new ideas in a way that makes math fun and engaging for children of all skill levels.

Technology and Education

Incorporating technology into education isn't a new idea. Computers have been fixtures of schools and individual classrooms for many years, with students using them for everything from learning to type to doing research for reports. Young children are at a prime age for picking up on the skills necessary to properly utilize technology as part of their daily lives and can often adapt quickly to a virtual environment. This makes it both easy and practical for teachers to use first grade math games in the classroom. When kids engage in an online learning environment, they build skills in computer use as well as in the subject being presented, thereby gaining knowledge that they can use in both the classroom and out in the real world.

Individualized Learning Environments

One concept that keeps popping up in modern educational models is the idea of individualized instruction for students who are struggling. Advanced students also benefit from a learning environment where material is presented on their level rather than at a set pace. With a classroom full of students all approaching first grade math with slightly different skill levels and learning styles, it can be difficult for teachers to get all of the essential information across in a way that makes sense to every child. The adaptive nature of online programs and games makes them very useful when it comes to giving students an individual learning experience. Kids can play through games on their own time, progressing to the next level only when they've mastered the current one, ensuring a better understanding of each new concept.

Building Skills Through Interactive Play

It's said that kids don't get enough time to be kids any more, and with the growing demands on students of all ages, this is often the case. More and more frequently, playtime is edged out by homework and other school-related obligations. But kids need time to play and interact in settings outside of the classroom. First grade math games take this need for play into account while still providing the solid foundation necessary for kids to understand basic math concepts and build proficiency in core skills.

The concepts learned in first grade math are essential to developing a full understanding of mathematics as a whole. Combining online math games and other tools within a virtual learning environment helps kids to visualize new ideas as they engage with entertaining characters and settings. With these tools at their disposal, it's possible for teachers to keep math material fresh and interactive throughout the year, making it easier to present potentially difficult concepts to all students within a traditional classroom setting.


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Online Learning Courses and Beyond

The development of the World Wide Web has greatly influenced the way people live their lives, from doing daily errands like sending out mail to studying like going to the library for research. By using the World Wide Web, people can simply send mail or research about any topic they can imagine with just the click of a button in real-time.

Perhaps one of the industries significantly affected by the development of the World Wide Web is Education. In recent years, the Internet has provided us with online education courses offering a variety of programs. The arrival of online training courses on the education scene was inevitable. As people's lives have become active with so many things to do, the convenience of distance education courses has made it possible for home learners and adults busy at work to take up a class during their spare time. With the continued development of technology, we can certainly expect better things for online education classes.

What to Expect From Online Training Courses?

1. Better quality of course and content of online learning courses as the implementation of learning management systems for the assessment and evaluation of e-learners is expected. A learning management system can identify the best content for a particular student based on the student's measured abilities. The appropriate learning techniques are then employed thus propelling the student to success. Students can also look forward to additional course offerings.

2. Improved pedagogic strategies will lead to better and more effective instructional materials that are at par with the quality of those offered in higher education institutions.

3. More dynamic interaction between the instructor and the e-learner through the use of educational technology tools. The teacher can never be truly replaced by the online learning environment. However, with the aid of educational technology tools, students and teachers will be stimulated by real-time collaboration.

4. Flexible Learning Experience unlike in traditional classrooms and colleges online education classes are flexible in schedule handling. Having a fulltime day job is possible if enrolled in an online program. This method of learning gives students the power to choose their learning time according to preferred schedule.

A blended learning environment could conceivably be the next frontier in online learning. The use of web 2.0 collaborative tools like social networking sites, wikis and blogs as well as video conferencing would be used in conjunction with eBooks that offer multimedia content. The delivery of content in multiple modalities would provide students the opportunity to engage with others in a flexible learning environment.

Excellent, quality online education courses deliver top notch graduates. Distance education institutions provide online learning study equipping students with the best knowledge for better career opportunity and advancement.

Using Online Learning to Improve Your Education

Online education has made it easier to get a music degree or nursing degree. Learning online has enabled many people to get a better education. If you know how to surf the Internet, then you have knowledge at your fingertips.

It is no longer necessary to travel long distances and sacrifice work and family in order to expand your skill set and your knowledge. You can get a degree online or in a hybrid arrangement that allows you to do most of your studies on the Internet while you visit a campus for hands-on training. Consider these examples.

Online Paralegal Degree
A bachelor degree in paralegal studies can get you into the legal world without having to acquire training in law. Paralegals do most of the research and prepare cases for lawyers. The only thing that a paralegal cannot do is represent clients in court.

Thanks to the Internet, you can now do much of the class work and reading online. You do not have to lose time traveling to a campus and sitting in a classroom. The Internet can bring all the resources you need to study into your home or any where with access to the online world.

Online Music Degree
A music degree is a good example of a course of study that can benefit from a hybrid approach to distance learning. You will need to study theory. There is no need to take that class on a campus. Instead, you could easily listen to music samples and evaluate them online.

Other classes may require you to play instruments or participate with your instructor in musical performance. By allowing the flexibility which distance learning offers, instructors can adapt courses to meet the needs of students of all kinds. This is especially true for those beginning a second career or simply trying to get a degree that they always wished they had.

Nursing Degree
Some degrees, such as a nursing degree, require a lot of hands-on training. However, even a nursing degree has prerequisites which include a lot of reading and writing. These courses are ideal candidates for distance learning and online education.

Eventually, in a course of study that required hands on experience such as a nursing degree, you will need work on campus or at another specified location. That does not mean, though, that the online world has lost all use for you. No matter how much time is spent on campus, the Internet is always a valuable resource to have.

Even courses which require daily meetings in a classroom can profit from using the technology that makes distance learning possible. Students can save money by purchasing electronic textbooks and bringing them to their classes on laptop computers. Instructors now have access to any video or audio presentation that they think will be helpful to their classes.

Whether you want a paralegal degree, a music degree or a nursing degree, you will find the Internet to be helpful. It can offer mountains of valuable information. It can also make it possible for you to enhance your knowledge without having to give up your job.

Tips Online Students Need to Succeed

Pursuing a distance education, though convenient, will come with a few challenges. Before commencing any course, students should always ensure that they dive in with a disciplined mindset, otherwise it will be a waste of time and energy.

According to a study posted by the National Center for Education Statistics, only 54% of students who enrolled in college in the year 1997, graduated six years later. That's a staggering figure of non-graduates. New students will want to avoid being a part of this statistic. So, to avoid being on cruise control throughout a two-four year quest for higher education, we've listed a few tips below to help students succeed with online college degrees:

•     Practice Good Time Management - If there were thirty hours in one day, it still wouldn't be enough without a plan. To get the most productive 24 hour day, check off the time you currently work, then schedule designated times to focus solely on studies. Students that are working may prefer free times during the weekend to unload chunks of study, or others may prefer spacing it out over the week to finish course materials and assignments. One of the greatest benefits of an online college education is flexibility, so what really matters is a routine that students can fall into for completing weekly goals.
•     Do Not Procrastinate - Many of us, even non-students, fall for the ever-present trap of delay. It's up to online students to make study time a priority. Time scheduled should not be prolonged by a favorite show or game. Just get on with your studies, one page or one sentence at a time - pacing yourself as you go along.
•     Get Into Balance - Humans strive with balance. While work and school together will take up most of your time, you should also squeeze in time for relaxation too. A little me-time, even if it's a mere half an hour per day can let students recharge, which in turn increases focus.
•     Designate a Place to Study - Eliminate distractions like the television, radio and video games. When it's to study, try to do so in a designated space in your home, like at a work desk - just as how you would in a college campus. Creating a study environment will help increase the amount of work you accomplish.
•     Communication is Key - Even though you may not see your Professor face-to-face, it's important to get in touch with them if you aren't clear about an assignment. Many online colleges will have instant messaging or video conferencing systems implemented so that you are able to speak with other students and staff members. If not, a simple email message will suffice to clear up any issues.

These tips can also be applied to all areas of your life. Discipline, time management and organization are key skills that every adult should learn for their personal, professional and financial lives.

A Review of the Instructional Design Models

Before we discuss what instructional design models (IDM) are, it is important to first define itself. Its also referred to as Instructional Systems Design (ISD), is the process of creating instructional experiences that make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient and effective. The instructional design discipline grew out of World War II, when the U.S. military needed to quickly train large numbers of personnel to perform various tasks.

While the terms Instructional Technology and Educational Technology are frequently used interchangeably, they are not exactly the same. The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) defines Instructional technology as "the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning," while Educational Technology is defined as "study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources."

With the key definitions now out of the way, let us examine instructional design models. First, a model is a representation of a complex entity or phenomenon, whose purpose is to objective understanding of what it represents. Models help the designer to visualize the problem at hand, and to then to break it down into smaller, more manageable units.

It then follows that an instructional design model are frameworks for developing instruction that enhance learning outcomes and also encourages learners to gain a deeper level of understanding. In other words, IDM tells instructional designers how to organize pedagogical situations in order to achieve instructional goals. It is important to note that effective instructional models are based on learning and instructional theories.

Models are classified into prescriptive and descriptive. Prescriptive models provide guidelines to organize and structure instructional activities while descriptive models describe the learning environment and how it affects variables at play.

There are many instructional models that have been developed over the years, and most are based on the ADDIE model. ADDIE stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.

This systematic IDM consists of five generic phases, which have been refined over the years in other models like the Dick and Carey Design Model and the Rapid Prototyping Model.

Common examples of these instructional models include:

    Merrill's First Principles of Instruction
    Bloom's Learning Taxonomy
    Kirkpatrick's 4 Levels of Training Evaluation
    Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction
    Kemp's IDM
    Keller's ARCS Model of Motivational Design (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction)
    ASSURE Model (Analyze Learners, State Objectives, Select Methods, Media, and Materials, Utilize Media and Materials, Require Learner Participation, and Evaluate and Revise)
    Smith and Ragan IDM
    Rapid Prototyping Model.

This of course is a non-exhaustive list.

Of importance to note is that in all models, the learner is (or should be) central to instruction. The learning context is also of importance to positive instructional outcomes. This includes instruction at all levels, i.e. K-12 education, adult learning, and higher education. Thus instructional design models are applicable to teachers, designers, trainers, and college level instructors mention a few.


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Benefits of Educational Technology

Today, everything that we come across has some technological connotation to it. Be it at home, school or workplace, technology has found a comfortable niche and has become an integral part of life. With the use of technology, several arenas are seeing changes and education is also one of them. The birth of educational technology has proved to be a boon to students the world over. Not only in the regular setting, but also in educating students with special needs have known to be benefited with the introduction of this modern invention. Let us now discuss the uses and benefits of educational technology in this modern-day setting.

What is Educational Technology?
The term 'educational technology' has a broad perspective and is also referred to as instructional technology or learning technology. This method plays a vital role in enhancing the learning process of students and also assists teachers in communicating with the students in an easy way. Educational technology can be a classroom affair, or can be even taken out of the classroom. This technology has successfully transformed the stereotypical image of classrooms into a modern and more interesting one. Thanks to this modern development, classrooms are no longer a boring place and learning is actually a fun experience. With the use of computers and software programs, which provide learning materials, technology has changed education to a great extent.

Educational Technology Benefits
There are a number of benefits of introducing technology in the field of education. There has been a positive impact of technology on education. Virtual classrooms have made learning easier for the student community. With the potential use of technology, the learning speed and style have undergone a sea change and communication has become easier. Here are some of the benefits of educational technology.

    * One of the benefits of educational technology for students is that it helps them improve their learning capabilities. Since it is one field which is constantly changing, new updates can be easily introduced to the students and class plans can be prepared with the help of the software.

    * In the earlier days, education was considered to be mostly for the elite class and people under other strata were quite ignorant of it. With the introduction of educational technology, there is no discrimination and everyone is equally accessible to get educated.

    * The information can be portrayed in various ways with the help of study materials. Knowledge has become easily accessible to students in every part of the world with the implementation of technology in the field of education. Online classrooms help students to interact with other students belonging to the same stream, but located somewhere else in the world.

    * Since the Internet is the main medium and other things like handheld tablet PCs and smart boards have entered the arena, students do not have to carry heavy backpacks loaded with books. They can walk in comfortably to the classroom where these equipment are already placed.

    * With the birth of virtual classrooms, the instructor from any part of the world can teach the learner (or learners) who may be living at the other end. The reach of this technology is quite far and students living in the remote parts can also avail it with ease.

    * In special education, the educational technology has brought about a sea change where the needs of students are catered to in a different manner. With the introduction of the software which teaches students with special needs, the appropriate study materials are designed so that learning is comfortable.

With the inclusion of technology, the concept of education is undergoing a modification, for the betterment of the students as well as the teachers. Hence, the introduction of technology is important in education. Thanks to educational technology, now learning and teaching have become an enjoyable experience.
By Marlene Alphonse