Managing Your Time and Planning Your Study Effectively

1. Managing Your Time and Planning Your Study Effectively Hsiao-li Wu The Department of Foreign Language Instructions Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages 17th November, 2009

2. What is/are your reason/s for study? Very true? True? Not relevant? Untrue? Definitely untrue? I want to have the qualification. It will help me to get a good job. I want to prove something to myself. I want to show to my family/friends that I can do it. I want to experience university life. I always want the opportunity to study. I enjoy learning new things. I am bored and need a challenge. Reasons of your own:___________________________

3. As a university student, what qualities are you expected to have? Independence Self-motivation Openness to working with others Ability to work things out for yourself Ability to organize your time Ability to work out when, how, and where you learn best

4. Introduction Reason for time management and effective study Guidelines for effective time management Guidelines for effective study Recommended resources Questions and answers

5. Why do we need to manage our time and plan our study? It is a challenge to manage a number of tasks within specific time frames. We need to: * utilize effective task management strategies that can help use our time purposefully and give control of our study. * learn effective study strategies that will help build a strong knowledge base and engage with our course tasks.

6. Talk about these questions and share your answers with your neighbors. Do you usually plan your time and study? How do you spend your time and manage your study? What do you usually do to manage your time and study? What problems do you have when managing your time and study?

7. Guidelines for Effective Time Management A. Select management strategies and adapt them to your personality, context, and lifestyle, B. Plan your distribution of time, C. Break tasks up into specific steps, D. Allocate time for projects, E. Organize notes and materials, and F. Make sure the surroundings are conductive to studying.

8. A. Select management strategies and adapt them to our personality, context, and lifestyle: Identify the times you are most mentally alert and productive. Schedule the tasks that demand intense concentration for that time. For example, * making sure if you are a �morning person� or a �night person� * using your power times to study. * studying difficult subjects first when you are fresh.

9. A. Select management strategies and adapt them to our personality, context, and lifestyle: Fit less intense tasks around your daily routines. For example, * listening to some materials while doing domestic chores. * using the down times for routines such as laundry and errands.

10. B. Plan your distribution of time Daily-- Review your time on a nightly basis and modify your plans for the next day. Weekly-- Allocate time for all the time commitments for the coming week. Long term�Keep a semester planner to give you an overview of the tasks that need to be completed.

11. When allocating time for the next week, you should include all the non-study commitment, identify time wasters you may want to reduce, (e.g. excessive online surfing) leave some blank spaces for down time and make room for fun and relaxation to give yourself flexibility, make sure you have time to sleep and eat properly,

12. When allocating time for the next week, you should save time thinking, work on one subject per day or spend shorter time on each subject. (a) Immersing yourself in one subject or task for longer periods can be easier and productive. Or (b) Studying in shorter time blocks with short breaks between can keep you from getting fatigued and �wasting time�, and make studying more efficient.

13. Evaluation of Time Use Summary

14. Where does the time go?

15. Where do your time go?How do you want to use your time?

16. Weekly Plan- keep events and activities each week Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

17. Semester Planner Example 1:

18. Semester Planner Example 2

19. C. Break tasks up into specific steps Set specific, realistic, and achievable time frame for managing tasks. Focus on one step at a time.

20. For example: Break a writing process into specific steps in your planner. Here are four steps you will need to take in organizing information for an assignment: divide the work into topics (main points); rearrange your notes; write an outline plan organize information into paragraphs.

21. For example: Work back from the due date to see whether you have allowed enough time for each stage. Make specific notes in your planner. Which one is more specific? (a) �Read textbook.� (b) �Read textbook pp.1-25 � note key ideas.�

22. D. Allocate time for projects Identify regular, longer time slots for working on bigger projects. Identify ways of using shorter time periods productively. Remember when working for longer periods of time, you need to take a number of very short breaks to sustain concentration.

23. D. Allocate time for projects That is: (a) Looking for extended periods of time each week when you don�t have any classes and set aside one regular time at weekends to work on bigger tasks: such as, bringing your study notes together. (b) Finding ways to maximize short intervals of time to do things like check out available resources, review and considerate lectures, or work with a peer.

24. E. Organize notes and materials Maximize study time by keeping notes and materials in a systematic way, so they are readily available when writing assignments and prior to any exams or tests.

25. You should summarize lecture notes as soon as possible after the class. use visual diagrams or any other format to capture the main ideas. keep lecture summaries and reading notes for each theme or section of a course in separate sections of a file. record notes for an assignment under separate sections or headings. make sure you include all reference details as you make your notes.

26. F. Make sure the surroundings are conductive to studying It can allow you to reduce distractions which can �waste time�. use that period of (distraction) time for mindless tasks.

27. Trouble Shooting Checklist Answer the following questions to help identify your strengths and areas of improvement: Are there any activities in your weekly timetable that you may need to temporarily give up or limit? Are you able to delegate tasks in your life that you can�t manage yourself? Have you explained your study commitments to friends and family members?

28. Answer the following questions to help identify your strengths and areas of improvement: Have you included time to regularly review and consolidate lecture notes? Do you make use of past examination questions when consolidating your lecture and reading materials? Do you have arrangements with other students for discussing ideas, sharing materials or dividing up the workload?

29. Answer the following questions to help identify your strengths and areas of improvement: Have you established a regular weekly slot for planning the week ahead? Do you have a daily time slot for reviewing your time management and tasks? Do you have a list of activities that you can do in short breaks of time? Do you have good systems for organizing and storing notes and materials?

30. Guideline for Effective Study A. Integrate study into your life, B. Set specific and achievable goals, C. Identify and use your learning strengths, D. Develop your ability to concentrate, E. Organize your course material efficiently, F. Test your understanding.

31. A. Integrate study into your life Set your study schedule around your current routine and commitments. Allow a reasonable length of time and distribution of study periods. Include time to warm up and rest periods. Vary study time according to the difficulty of the material and type of task.

32. Integrate study into your life Itemize tasks and list daily priorities that you can tick off when completed. Use short periods of time for tasks. (e.g. skimming reading of an article, pre-reading before a lecture or consolidating lecture notes)

33. B. Set specific and achievable goals Divide tasks into small clearly defined tasks to help you set realistic goals for your study sessions. For instance: Divide essay tasks into the main stages of the process. Read in stages. Impose time limits or reward yourself to keep on task. Concentrate on the most important and useful work to be done in a session. Review your progress at the end of a study session.

34. C. Identify and use your learning strengths Identify the conditions or methods of studying that are the most efficient for you: Do you prefer to take in information and learn it? Do you like learning with others? Develop notes into formats that help review or study more effectively: How?

35. Develop notes into formats that help review or study more effectively: Visuals such as mind maps for organizing essays, and Summaries of your notes, tape recordings and flashcards. Match your strengths with the types of tasks you are asked to do: (a) Study difficult subjects in the morning if that is when you are most alert. (b) Complete physical tasks when you are mentally at low efficiency.

37. D. Develop your ability to concentrate Concentration problems can occur at various stages of your study time. Here are some strategies to help you to concentrate: Begin a study period with a subject you enjoy. (Interest will motivate.) Create a sense of expectation by questioning the material you are studying. (e.g. What were the main points of the lecture? What is this reading about?)

38. D. Develop your ability to concentrate If you find your concentration lapsing: Encourage and reward yourself to read one more paragraph. Stretch and walk around. Review your work and think of where to start from next time. Switch to another subject. When fatigue takes over you need to relax. With experience you will know when to use techniques to keep you going and when it is time to rest.

39. E. Organize your course material efficiently Save time and enhance your recall with a system that works for you. For instance: Gather all your materials together for an essay or project in one folder, Use a color coded organizer systems for different sections of your work, and Group related information together and choose a key word or other memory device to act as a recall trigger. Information mapping,

41. F. Test your understanding Practice writing the points you learn in your own words. When reading, take notes from recall rather than copying. Relate new information you learn to other things you know. Think of examples from your own experience.

42. F. Test your understanding Make up questions to test yourself or use those at the end of book chapters. Develop definitions and the answers to questions aloud to yourself. Pay attention to markers� comments about your assignments or tests, and use their suggestions to improve work. Seek help if there are problem areas or gaps that you cannot rectify.

43. Troubleshooting checklist The following questions may help you identify your own strengths and areas that you would like to improve. Do you have strategies to help keep up your concentration? Have you developed ways of self testing your understanding of material? Are you able to keep to the goals you set up for study sessions? Have you set up regular times for reviewing lecture notes as soon as possible after the lectures? Have you found an effective way of organizing materials? Do you feel comfortable about seeking support and know where to seek it?

44. Recommended Resources Best, L & W. (2001). Steps to study success. New York: Continuum. Drew, D & Bingham, R. (1998). The Student skills Guide. England: Gower Buzan, T. (1993). The Mind map book. London: BBC Books. Cottrell, S. (2003). The study skills handbook. (2nd ed.). New York: Palgrave, MacMillan. Online sites: 1. Comell and Purdue University Learning Centers. 2. Student Learning Support, the University of Waikato.

45. Questions and Answers

46. Thank You See you again Next Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., 24th November �Effective Oral Presentation�