{"id":1869,"date":"2016-09-19T19:16:12","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T19:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-collegesuccess\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1869"},"modified":"2017-03-15T19:25:48","modified_gmt":"2017-03-15T19:25:48","slug":"text-studying-myths-busted","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/chapter\/text-studying-myths-busted\/","title":{"raw":"Text: Studying Myths, Busted","rendered":"Text: Studying Myths, Busted"},"content":{"raw":"Sometimes the best way to learn a new idea is to first \u201cunlearn\u201d an old idea that\u2019s hindering\u00a0the new one. This is certainly the case with principles\u00a0of learning, because there are many misconceptions about how people best acquire knowledge and retain it. Below, we identify and deconstruct some of these misconceptions and replace them with ideas you can use to help you learn deeply.\r\n<h2>Myth 1:\u00a0Talent Is Everything!<\/h2>\r\nIf you believe that your learning abilities are fixed, you'll put up mental blocks that hinder your\u00a0learning. For example, if you usually get straight A's, you may avoid taking intellectual\u00a0risks that take you out of your comfort zone or jeopardize your perfect record.\u00a0Similarly, if you believe you are not good at something, like math, you may avoid really trying or lower your expectations.\r\n\r\nBut students who have a \u201cgrowth mindset\u201d toward\u00a0learning, and who believe they can really improve over time and with effort, are the ones who\u00a0who tend to take more chances, progress faster, and see risk and failure as part of the learning process.[footnote]Dweck, Carol (2009) <a class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/mindsetonline.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Mindestonline.com<\/a> Retrieved: May, 10, 2014.\u00a0[\/footnote] \"Research suggests that students who view intelligence as innate focus on their ability and its adequacy\/inadequacy, whereas students who view intelligence as malleable use strategy and effort as they work toward mastery.\"[footnote]Ambrose, S.A, Lovett, M.C. (2014) Prior Knowledge is More Than Content: Skills and Beliefs Also Impact Learning, in Benassi, V. A., Overson, C. E., &amp; Hakala, C. M. (Editors). (2014). Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Available at the Teaching of Psychology website: <a class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php<\/a>.[\/footnote]\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Know that your beliefs affect your behaviors<\/strong>. Cognitive psychologist Dr. Stephen Chew calls these \"beliefs that make you stupid.\" Watch his video, below, for suggestions on how to overcome these beliefs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291284\/plugins\/11085.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n<iframe id=\"myytplayer\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RH95h36NChI?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Apply what you learn in practice<\/strong>. Practice builds accuracy and fluency. This fluency also builds the confidence and flexibility to apply what you've learned in different situations. Professor of mathematics, Michael Starbird, describes how practice leads to deeper understanding in the following video:<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291285\/plugins\/11116.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n<iframe id=\"myytplayer2\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ii0xJDVF8c8?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Feed your curiosity<\/strong>. Ask questions, perform experiments, talk to experts, work with others, make mistakes, and explore your questions from many different angles. This helps develop a mindset of growth and will take you farther in your development.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Myth 2: I Only Need One Good Method for Studying<\/h2>\r\nIf your tried-and-true study strategies aren't working, use a different approach. Monitor your learning by measuring your knowledge against what you expect. Before you start studying, think about how it will go. Predict your homework and test results, and see if you're accurate or not. Notice when your expectations fall short of reality, or overshoot it, and adjust your approach accordingly. This is called\u00a0\"metacognition,\" and it's an important part of deep learning.\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Reflect on your studying<\/b> by asking yourself these three questions: What did you do? Was it effective? What can you change? Practice self-testing, described in the following video:<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291286\/plugins\/11117.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n<iframe id=\"myytplayer3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xIDkTZtOUq8?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Test your perceptions.<\/b> After an exam, make a prediction of how many questions\/problems you answered correctly. When you get the test back, see how your score matched with your prediction. If you were way off, consider changing your study strategy to incorporate more self-testing, spaced study sessions and varied approaches to practice.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><b>Use strategies<\/b> like generating your own questions and creating concept maps. Need some guidance? Take a look at the following\u00a0video by Dr. Stephen Chew:<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291294\/plugins\/11118.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n<iframe id=\"myytplayer4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E9GrOxhYZdQ?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Myth 3: If It's Easy, I Must Be Learning<\/h2>\r\nWhen faced with familiar terms or examples, you might find yourself feeling like you really understand the material. But in fact your brain might really just be responding to the fact that it has seen this exact material before. This is called the familiarity trap\u2014when everything seems familiar and your brain doesn't have to work so hard and so it feels like you've mastered the material, even though you haven't. Try to mix things up as you're studying.\r\n\r\nMore and more evidence suggests that confusion is where deep learning lies. It might even be that some level of confusion actually activates the parts of your brain that regulate learning and motivation, helping you achieve a greater level of understanding. If you're not confused, you might not be learning.\r\n\r\nTry not to let yourself get discouraged if it feels like you aren't understanding something. Not understanding can be a good sign. For a brief explanation, see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wired.com\/2010\/02\/learning-goes-through-the-land-of-confusion\/\">Learning Goes Through the Land of Confusion<\/a> by Rhett Alan, a physics professor at Southern Louisiana University.<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/605\/2016\/09\/19190846\/The_Path_to_Learning.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1872\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/605\/2016\/09\/19190846\/The_Path_to_Learning.png\" alt=\"http:\/\/wiki.ubc.ca\/File:The_Path_to_Learning.png\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/a>\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retrieve\u2014don't regurgitate. Develop your own test questions, ask yourself questions, solve sample problems, and analyze for deeper meanings. Need some good questions to ask yourself? Try this: Why is this answer important? What does it relate to? How does this answer connect with what I already know? Can I elaborate this answer? Can I illustrate it with an example? Retrieving what you\u2019ve learned from your memory helps you strengthen connections and relearn each time you do it, that is, every time you retrieve something from memory, you\u2019re essentially re-learning it and creating different pathways for retrieval. The more paths you create to knowledge, the more likely it is that you\u2019ll find a way there when you need it. You can find some more at the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facultyfocus.com\/articles\/teaching-professor-blog\/rereading-material-good-study-strategy\/\">Teaching Professor Blog<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you're confused, don't give up. Working hard to understand a problem or to figure something out isn't a bad thing, and it will likely lead to a deeper understanding of the material, which will stay with you for a long time. This is especially important if your other courses build on that concept you are grappling with. If you need help developing new strategies, the following video\u00a0might do the trick.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291295\/plugins\/11119.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n<iframe id=\"myytplayer5\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1xeHh5DnCIw?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Myth 4: Planning My Learning Is a Waste of Time<\/h2>\r\nBeing a self-directed learner requires planning. Answering the five questions from the graphic, above, can help to build a disciplined approach, which will help you tackle your academic work.\r\n\r\nPlanning can also help you develop a workable schedule for studying. \"Research shows spacing study episodes out with breaks in between study sessions or repetitions of the same material is more effective than massing such study episodes. Massing practice is akin to cramming all night before the test.\"[footnote]Clark, C.M., Bjork, R.A. (2014) When and Why Introducing Difficulties and Errors Can Enhance Instruction, in Benassi, V. A., Overson, C. E., &amp; Hakala, C. M. (Editors). (2014). Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Available at the Teaching of Psychology website: <a class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php<\/a>.[\/footnote]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1870\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/605\/2016\/09\/19190645\/5Qs_for_Self_Directed_Learners.png\" alt=\"5Qs for Self-Directed Learners: Drawing of a learner surrounded by the following questions in text boxes: 1. What am I being asked to do. 2. What do I already know that will help me\u2014and what do I need to know? 3. What's my plan\u2014what steps are involved? 4. What progress am I making? 5. What would I change\/do differently next time?\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/>\r\n\r\nPlanning reduces stress, helps you avoid cramming, and builds skills in metacognition. Planning is an important part of any career or occupation, so learning to plan well contributes to your overall competency. Even learning to plan takes practice, so start early!\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Target your studying<\/strong>: Try to study key themes, and take what you know about the exam structure into account when you're planning. If you know you'll have an essay, write outlines! If you have to solve problems, go over homework or make up your own problems.<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Review or practice throughout the term<\/strong>. Without regular review, you may have to relearn a large portion of the course right before the final.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Myth 5: Failure should be avoided at all costs<\/span><\/h2>\r\n\"Every success is built on the ash heap of failed attempts.\" This reminder from Prof. Michael Starbird (University of Texas at Austin) offers a good reason not to fear failure. Failure doesn't often feel good, but it may be your best teacher in helping you learn deeply. In fact, in the book <em>5 Elements of Effective Thinking<\/em>, authors Edward Burger and Michael Starbird say that failure is an important foundation on which to build success.\r\n\r\nBut seeing failure as an opportunity for learning requires a fresh mindset. Once you make a mistake, you can ask, why is THAT wrong? Failure is an important aspect of much creative work, though it goes by a different name: iteration. Iteration is important in refining, working though problems, starting small, and refining until more can be added. Iteration is a feature of work in design, science, technology, and really any field where innovation is important.\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use failure as an opportunity to rethink and relearn. Ask yourself why you got it wrong and what happened. What is an alternative approach? How might a new approach be more successful? Watch Prof. Michael Starbird's video about making mistakes as a strategy for learning:<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291296\/plugins\/11261.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n<iframe id=\"myytplayer6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Txq-bsbbhaY?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give yourself permission to fail. When working through problems or studying unfamiliar concepts, consider allowing yourself to fail nine times before getting it right. This may free your mind to think creatively about solutions without the pressure to \"get it right.\" You may find that repeated failures may actually lead you to new insights about the problem that you can take into other contexts.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Additional Study Techniques<\/h2>\r\nThe following\u00a0are additional study techniques you can use to work your brain, raise your grades, perform well on assignments, and, most important, learn deeply.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Consider real-world applications<\/strong>. Use what you are learning when tackling real world events or problems, or consider real-world applications of what you\u2019re learning. Reflect on how the skills and knowledge you are building can be used beyond college. This creates more pathways in your brain and can help keep you motivated.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Monitor your learning<\/strong>. Self-monitoring your learning includes evaluating, planning, and reflecting on your learning strategies and approaches. Reflecting on what you\u2019ve done helps you see the value of certain strategies that leverage your strengths and improve on\u00a0your weaknesses. It also increases your sense of control over outcomes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Seek specific and meaningful feedback<\/strong>. Ask for and use feedback from instructors, teaching assistants, and peers to adjust your learning and studying techniques. This can help you avoid studying and working very hard without results.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Chunk the information you\u2019re studying<\/strong>. With chunking, you break the concept you\u2019re struggling with into smaller pieces, and sort those pieces by theme. Focus on understanding these chunks and they\u2019ll be much easier to digest. Test yourself 5\u201315 minutes later. Mind maps and visual note taking can help with chunking.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Set priorities<\/strong>. Set realistic goals and prioritize your studying by surveying your syllabus, reviewing material, and identifying the most important topics covered in the class, or areas you\u2019re struggling with.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Create association maps<\/strong>.<a href=\"http:\/\/wiki.ubc.ca\/Mind_Mapping_Resources\"> Mind maps<\/a> and<a href=\"http:\/\/wiki.ubc.ca\/Concept_Mapping_Resources\"> concept maps<\/a> can lead to meaningful learning, as they force you to reorganize and make sense of the information. Redo your notes as a diagram or as a concept map.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Make connections<\/strong>. What you\u2019re learning ideally applies to the real world. Make connections between course concepts, different courses, and real-world situations. If you\u2019re having trouble understanding something, ask yourself how these concepts apply to your life.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Ask questions to reduce bias<\/strong>. Check your thinking by asking questions about what you\u2019re learning. What\u2019s being said? Who is saying it? Why are they saying it? Who else says this? What do I believe? Why do I believe it? What\u2019s missing? Asking good questions helps us solve problems, make thoughtful decisions, and think creatively.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","rendered":"<p>Sometimes the best way to learn a new idea is to first \u201cunlearn\u201d an old idea that\u2019s hindering\u00a0the new one. This is certainly the case with principles\u00a0of learning, because there are many misconceptions about how people best acquire knowledge and retain it. Below, we identify and deconstruct some of these misconceptions and replace them with ideas you can use to help you learn deeply.<\/p>\n<h2>Myth 1:\u00a0Talent Is Everything!<\/h2>\n<p>If you believe that your learning abilities are fixed, you&#8217;ll put up mental blocks that hinder your\u00a0learning. For example, if you usually get straight A&#8217;s, you may avoid taking intellectual\u00a0risks that take you out of your comfort zone or jeopardize your perfect record.\u00a0Similarly, if you believe you are not good at something, like math, you may avoid really trying or lower your expectations.<\/p>\n<p>But students who have a \u201cgrowth mindset\u201d toward\u00a0learning, and who believe they can really improve over time and with effort, are the ones who\u00a0who tend to take more chances, progress faster, and see risk and failure as part of the learning process.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Dweck, Carol (2009) Mindestonline.com Retrieved: May, 10, 2014.\u00a0\" id=\"return-footnote-1869-1\" href=\"#footnote-1869-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a> &#8220;Research suggests that students who view intelligence as innate focus on their ability and its adequacy\/inadequacy, whereas students who view intelligence as malleable use strategy and effort as they work toward mastery.&#8221;<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Ambrose, S.A, Lovett, M.C. (2014) Prior Knowledge is More Than Content: Skills and Beliefs Also Impact Learning, in Benassi, V. A., Overson, C. E., &amp; Hakala, C. M. (Editors). (2014). Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Available at the Teaching of Psychology website: http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php.\" id=\"return-footnote-1869-2\" href=\"#footnote-1869-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Know that your beliefs affect your behaviors<\/strong>. Cognitive psychologist Dr. Stephen Chew calls these &#8220;beliefs that make you stupid.&#8221; Watch his video, below, for suggestions on how to overcome these beliefs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291284\/plugins\/11085.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"myytplayer\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RH95h36NChI?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Apply what you learn in practice<\/strong>. Practice builds accuracy and fluency. This fluency also builds the confidence and flexibility to apply what you&#8217;ve learned in different situations. Professor of mathematics, Michael Starbird, describes how practice leads to deeper understanding in the following video:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291285\/plugins\/11116.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"myytplayer2\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ii0xJDVF8c8?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feed your curiosity<\/strong>. Ask questions, perform experiments, talk to experts, work with others, make mistakes, and explore your questions from many different angles. This helps develop a mindset of growth and will take you farther in your development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Myth 2: I Only Need One Good Method for Studying<\/h2>\n<p>If your tried-and-true study strategies aren&#8217;t working, use a different approach. Monitor your learning by measuring your knowledge against what you expect. Before you start studying, think about how it will go. Predict your homework and test results, and see if you&#8217;re accurate or not. Notice when your expectations fall short of reality, or overshoot it, and adjust your approach accordingly. This is called\u00a0&#8220;metacognition,&#8221; and it&#8217;s an important part of deep learning.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Reflect on your studying<\/b> by asking yourself these three questions: What did you do? Was it effective? What can you change? Practice self-testing, described in the following video:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291286\/plugins\/11117.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"myytplayer3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xIDkTZtOUq8?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Test your perceptions.<\/b> After an exam, make a prediction of how many questions\/problems you answered correctly. When you get the test back, see how your score matched with your prediction. If you were way off, consider changing your study strategy to incorporate more self-testing, spaced study sessions and varied approaches to practice.<\/li>\n<li><b>Use strategies<\/b> like generating your own questions and creating concept maps. Need some guidance? Take a look at the following\u00a0video by Dr. Stephen Chew:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291294\/plugins\/11118.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"myytplayer4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E9GrOxhYZdQ?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Myth 3: If It&#8217;s Easy, I Must Be Learning<\/h2>\n<p>When faced with familiar terms or examples, you might find yourself feeling like you really understand the material. But in fact your brain might really just be responding to the fact that it has seen this exact material before. This is called the familiarity trap\u2014when everything seems familiar and your brain doesn&#8217;t have to work so hard and so it feels like you&#8217;ve mastered the material, even though you haven&#8217;t. Try to mix things up as you&#8217;re studying.<\/p>\n<p>More and more evidence suggests that confusion is where deep learning lies. It might even be that some level of confusion actually activates the parts of your brain that regulate learning and motivation, helping you achieve a greater level of understanding. If you&#8217;re not confused, you might not be learning.<\/p>\n<p>Try not to let yourself get discouraged if it feels like you aren&#8217;t understanding something. Not understanding can be a good sign. For a brief explanation, see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wired.com\/2010\/02\/learning-goes-through-the-land-of-confusion\/\">Learning Goes Through the Land of Confusion<\/a> by Rhett Alan, a physics professor at Southern Louisiana University.<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/605\/2016\/09\/19190846\/The_Path_to_Learning.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1872\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/605\/2016\/09\/19190846\/The_Path_to_Learning.png\" alt=\"http:\/\/wiki.ubc.ca\/File:The_Path_to_Learning.png\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retrieve\u2014don&#8217;t regurgitate. Develop your own test questions, ask yourself questions, solve sample problems, and analyze for deeper meanings. Need some good questions to ask yourself? Try this: Why is this answer important? What does it relate to? How does this answer connect with what I already know? Can I elaborate this answer? Can I illustrate it with an example? Retrieving what you\u2019ve learned from your memory helps you strengthen connections and relearn each time you do it, that is, every time you retrieve something from memory, you\u2019re essentially re-learning it and creating different pathways for retrieval. The more paths you create to knowledge, the more likely it is that you\u2019ll find a way there when you need it. You can find some more at the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facultyfocus.com\/articles\/teaching-professor-blog\/rereading-material-good-study-strategy\/\">Teaching Professor Blog<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re confused, don&#8217;t give up. Working hard to understand a problem or to figure something out isn&#8217;t a bad thing, and it will likely lead to a deeper understanding of the material, which will stay with you for a long time. This is especially important if your other courses build on that concept you are grappling with. If you need help developing new strategies, the following video\u00a0might do the trick.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291295\/plugins\/11119.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"myytplayer5\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1xeHh5DnCIw?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Myth 4: Planning My Learning Is a Waste of Time<\/h2>\n<p>Being a self-directed learner requires planning. Answering the five questions from the graphic, above, can help to build a disciplined approach, which will help you tackle your academic work.<\/p>\n<p>Planning can also help you develop a workable schedule for studying. &#8220;Research shows spacing study episodes out with breaks in between study sessions or repetitions of the same material is more effective than massing such study episodes. Massing practice is akin to cramming all night before the test.&#8221;<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Clark, C.M., Bjork, R.A. (2014) When and Why Introducing Difficulties and Errors Can Enhance Instruction, in Benassi, V. A., Overson, C. E., &amp; Hakala, C. M. (Editors). (2014). Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Available at the Teaching of Psychology website: http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php.\" id=\"return-footnote-1869-3\" href=\"#footnote-1869-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1870\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/605\/2016\/09\/19190645\/5Qs_for_Self_Directed_Learners.png\" alt=\"5Qs for Self-Directed Learners: Drawing of a learner surrounded by the following questions in text boxes: 1. What am I being asked to do. 2. What do I already know that will help me\u2014and what do I need to know? 3. What's my plan\u2014what steps are involved? 4. What progress am I making? 5. What would I change\/do differently next time?\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Planning reduces stress, helps you avoid cramming, and builds skills in metacognition. Planning is an important part of any career or occupation, so learning to plan well contributes to your overall competency. Even learning to plan takes practice, so start early!<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Target your studying<\/strong>: Try to study key themes, and take what you know about the exam structure into account when you&#8217;re planning. If you know you&#8217;ll have an essay, write outlines! If you have to solve problems, go over homework or make up your own problems.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Review or practice throughout the term<\/strong>. Without regular review, you may have to relearn a large portion of the course right before the final.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Myth 5: Failure should be avoided at all costs<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;Every success is built on the ash heap of failed attempts.&#8221; This reminder from Prof. Michael Starbird (University of Texas at Austin) offers a good reason not to fear failure. Failure doesn&#8217;t often feel good, but it may be your best teacher in helping you learn deeply. In fact, in the book <em>5 Elements of Effective Thinking<\/em>, authors Edward Burger and Michael Starbird say that failure is an important foundation on which to build success.<\/p>\n<p>But seeing failure as an opportunity for learning requires a fresh mindset. Once you make a mistake, you can ask, why is THAT wrong? Failure is an important aspect of much creative work, though it goes by a different name: iteration. Iteration is important in refining, working though problems, starting small, and refining until more can be added. Iteration is a feature of work in design, science, technology, and really any field where innovation is important.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<h3>Bust the Myth<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use failure as an opportunity to rethink and relearn. Ask yourself why you got it wrong and what happened. What is an alternative approach? How might a new approach be more successful? Watch Prof. Michael Starbird&#8217;s video about making mistakes as a strategy for learning:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/static.3playmedia.com\/p\/projects\/20361\/files\/1291296\/plugins\/11261.js\"><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/iframe_api\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"myytplayer6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Txq-bsbbhaY?enablejsapi=1\" width=\"440\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give yourself permission to fail. When working through problems or studying unfamiliar concepts, consider allowing yourself to fail nine times before getting it right. This may free your mind to think creatively about solutions without the pressure to &#8220;get it right.&#8221; You may find that repeated failures may actually lead you to new insights about the problem that you can take into other contexts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Additional Study Techniques<\/h2>\n<p>The following\u00a0are additional study techniques you can use to work your brain, raise your grades, perform well on assignments, and, most important, learn deeply.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Consider real-world applications<\/strong>. Use what you are learning when tackling real world events or problems, or consider real-world applications of what you\u2019re learning. Reflect on how the skills and knowledge you are building can be used beyond college. This creates more pathways in your brain and can help keep you motivated.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Monitor your learning<\/strong>. Self-monitoring your learning includes evaluating, planning, and reflecting on your learning strategies and approaches. Reflecting on what you\u2019ve done helps you see the value of certain strategies that leverage your strengths and improve on\u00a0your weaknesses. It also increases your sense of control over outcomes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Seek specific and meaningful feedback<\/strong>. Ask for and use feedback from instructors, teaching assistants, and peers to adjust your learning and studying techniques. This can help you avoid studying and working very hard without results.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Chunk the information you\u2019re studying<\/strong>. With chunking, you break the concept you\u2019re struggling with into smaller pieces, and sort those pieces by theme. Focus on understanding these chunks and they\u2019ll be much easier to digest. Test yourself 5\u201315 minutes later. Mind maps and visual note taking can help with chunking.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Set priorities<\/strong>. Set realistic goals and prioritize your studying by surveying your syllabus, reviewing material, and identifying the most important topics covered in the class, or areas you\u2019re struggling with.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create association maps<\/strong>.<a href=\"http:\/\/wiki.ubc.ca\/Mind_Mapping_Resources\"> Mind maps<\/a> and<a href=\"http:\/\/wiki.ubc.ca\/Concept_Mapping_Resources\"> concept maps<\/a> can lead to meaningful learning, as they force you to reorganize and make sense of the information. Redo your notes as a diagram or as a concept map.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make connections<\/strong>. What you\u2019re learning ideally applies to the real world. Make connections between course concepts, different courses, and real-world situations. If you\u2019re having trouble understanding something, ask yourself how these concepts apply to your life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ask questions to reduce bias<\/strong>. Check your thinking by asking questions about what you\u2019re learning. What\u2019s being said? Who is saying it? Why are they saying it? Who else says this? What do I believe? Why do I believe it? What\u2019s missing? Asking good questions helps us solve problems, make thoughtful decisions, and think creatively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1869\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>College Success. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Linda Bruce. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Myths About Learning. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: UBC Learning Commons. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/learningcommons.ubc.ca\/tutoring-studying\/myths-about-learning\/\">http:\/\/learningcommons.ubc.ca\/tutoring-studying\/myths-about-learning\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Learning and Memory. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: UBC LEAP. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/learningcommons.ubc.ca\/tutoring-studying\/learning-and-memory\/did-you-know\/\">http:\/\/learningcommons.ubc.ca\/tutoring-studying\/learning-and-memory\/did-you-know\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">All rights reserved content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>How to Get the Most Out of Studying: Part 1 of 5, Beliefs That Make You Fail... Or Succeed. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Samford University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/RH95h36NChI\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/RH95h36NChI<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><li>The First Element of Effective Thinking: Understand Deeply. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: College of Natural Sciences Video. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ii0xJDVF8c8\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/ii0xJDVF8c8<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><li>Self-Testing. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: UTSchoolUGS. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/xIDkTZtOUq8\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/xIDkTZtOUq8<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><li>How to Get the Most Out of Studying: Part 4 of 5, Putting Principles for Learning into Practice. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Samford University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/E9GrOxhYZdQ\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/E9GrOxhYZdQ<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><li>How to Get the Most Out of Studying: Part 3 of 5, Cognitive Principles for Optimizing Learning. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Samford University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/1xeHh5DnCIw\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/1xeHh5DnCIw<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><li>The Second Element of Effective Thinking: Make Mistakes. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: College of Natural Sciences Video. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Txq-bsbbhaY\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/Txq-bsbbhaY<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-1869-1\">Dweck, Carol (2009) <a class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/mindsetonline.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Mindestonline.com<\/a> Retrieved: May, 10, 2014.\u00a0 <a href=\"#return-footnote-1869-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-1869-2\">Ambrose, S.A, Lovett, M.C. (2014) Prior Knowledge is More Than Content: Skills and Beliefs Also Impact Learning, in Benassi, V. A., Overson, C. E., &amp; Hakala, C. M. (Editors). (2014). Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Available at the Teaching of Psychology website: <a class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php<\/a>. <a href=\"#return-footnote-1869-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-1869-3\">Clark, C.M., Bjork, R.A. (2014) When and Why Introducing Difficulties and Errors Can Enhance Instruction, in Benassi, V. A., Overson, C. E., &amp; Hakala, C. M. (Editors). (2014). Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum. Available at the Teaching of Psychology website: <a class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/teachpsych.org\/ebooks\/asle2014\/index.php<\/a>. <a href=\"#return-footnote-1869-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":19,"menu_order":8,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"College Success\",\"author\":\"Linda Bruce\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Myths About Learning\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"UBC Learning Commons\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/learningcommons.ubc.ca\/tutoring-studying\/myths-about-learning\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Learning and Memory\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"UBC LEAP\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/learningcommons.ubc.ca\/tutoring-studying\/learning-and-memory\/did-you-know\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"How to Get the Most Out of Studying: Part 1 of 5, Beliefs That Make You Fail... Or Succeed\",\"author\":\"Samford University\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/RH95h36NChI\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"The First Element of Effective Thinking: Understand Deeply\",\"author\":\"College of Natural Sciences Video\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ii0xJDVF8c8\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"Self-Testing\",\"author\":\"UTSchoolUGS\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/xIDkTZtOUq8\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"How to Get the Most Out of Studying: Part 4 of 5, Putting Principles for Learning into Practice\",\"author\":\"Samford University\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/E9GrOxhYZdQ\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"How to Get the Most Out of Studying: Part 3 of 5, Cognitive Principles for Optimizing Learning\",\"author\":\"Samford University\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/1xeHh5DnCIw\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"The Second Element of Effective Thinking: Make Mistakes\",\"author\":\"College of Natural Sciences Video\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Txq-bsbbhaY\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"arr\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"bde8f0a7-b81c-43cd-9489-907350bab0fb, 44faa878-7a5b-4490-9815-a13824e47535","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1869","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":2177,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1869\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2536,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1869\/revisions\/2536"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/2177"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1869\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1869"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1869"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-buffalo-wmopen-collegesuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}