Do people actually think that if they rattle down what a Prof/TA says verbatim they're actively learning?
Last year, I was teaching a course on Jane Austen. On the first couple of classes, I lectured about the history of the English novel leading up to Austen. I noticed as I was talking that students were furiously writing notes.
I said "Stop. Just listen. I'm telling you a story."
And I'll be damned if they didn't retain that information better than if they'd taken notes.
Writing notes is one thing, by attempting to scrawl the instructors teachings verbatim is useless. I'd go on to say that the fewer notes the better, but a pithy summary or diagram is definitely a good thing.
When I was an engineering student I chose not to take the more demanding, high-level humanities classes, and during these I rarely took notes. It seemed kind of pointless, since lectures in beginning and intermediate classes were often self-explanatory as long as I did a good job studying the material. I always had the feeling that almost no-one in those classes cared at all, and that they just feverishly recorded whatever was said in the class in order to be covered for the exam. Now, these busibodies all did great on the exams, and I usually didn't do as well, but it seems like I have retained more of it. Whether that's related to my less aggressive note-taking, more-aggressive independent study, or something else entirely is up for debate.
For engineering classes I took some notes, mostly to the tune of: "What the hell are all those fucking, Greek letters? Tonight, learn what these mean. . ."
All notes I took then, and all I take now are done on white printer paper, preferably on a clipboard. If I think the note is worth saving, I scan it. I absolutely hate paper unless it's bound to a spine. Incidentally, I scan everything: big receipts, financial docs, vehicle registration, etc.
Last year, I was teaching a course on Jane Austen. On the first couple of classes, I lectured about the history of the English novel leading up to Austen. I noticed as I was talking that students were furiously writing notes.
I said "Stop. Just listen. I'm telling you a story."
And I'll be damned if they didn't retain that information better than if they'd taken notes.
When the focus is on taking notes, there is less focus on what is actually going on. I remember friends in college coming out of classes saying, "Man, I took seven pages of notes today", patting themselves on the back for their hard work, then failing the exam.
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Another good way of studying is presenting. A student two years ago asked me how he could do better in history. We looked at his material (it was tough for me because it was all in kanji!) and then I asked him to present it to me the following Monday, a week before his test. I showed him how to make a simple 1 or 2 card presentations and then focus on describing what was on the cards. The next Monday I expected a presentation in Japanese (Japanese junior high, Japanese history, and he had only been studying English for a a little over a year), so I was very surprised when he came in with several cards for each topic, well-illustrated, all written in English, with a special print for me explaining several terms he thought I might not know regarding Japanese culture. He actually gave a better presentation than the history teacher who's test he was studying for! He continued making presentations to me once a week for the remainder of the school year, and ended up really enjoying history, and getting a lot of ice cream from his peers, who all photocopied his presentation cards to help them study.
Yes! I've taken to having my students give presentations about historical context or issues surrounding some topic we're discussing. I didn't do them this semester in my upper-division class because I thought the material would have been too esoteric?and my students who'd had me before were actually upset about it.
When I was an Undergrad, in general, I only took down notes when my prof wrote something on the board, continually emphasised a certain idea or topic and when s/he told us to make note of something. I always laughed at the folks who struggled to try and write every word uttered from a prof's mouth.
I'm kind of curious...I was an undergrad pre-powerpoint (the early 90s) and so when I wander the halls at work now and see people teaching with PP, I always wonder whether students just write down the bullet points.
I'm kind of curious...I was an undergrad pre-powerpoint (the early 90s) and so when I wander the halls at work now and see people teaching with PP, I always wonder whether students just write down the bullet points.
I've resisted it. I use it for professional presentations, where you don't usually have questions during the presentation. But in a class, even a large lecture hall, I want more flexibility than presentation software allows. I do have several mini-lectures on Keynote that I use in class - like 15 minutes. But not whole lectures. I seriously can't imagine it in your area.
No. It's nearly impossible, depending on what I was teaching. I have given, I think, two or three powerpoint presentations in my entire teaching career (10+ years now), and they were always just a bunch of information about how I wanted something done.
I am currently a grad student in the sciences, and I actually prefer the free form feel of overheads/whiteboard. Powerpoint presentations can be done well for professional talks, but good ones are an art form.
I'm kind of curious...I was an undergrad pre-powerpoint (the early 90s) and so when I wander the halls at work now and see people teaching with PP, I always wonder whether students just write down the bullet points.
I prefer the ultra-fine uni-ball red pens. Scratchy, but I like the line they draw.
And GRR! A spiral-bound notebook! I threaten to take them away from my students once a week.
I agree... they do not allow students to reoganize their notes, without re-writing.
Using a binder allows notes to be re-ordered, combined with similar items, homework and tests to be included in the notebook in a time-line fashion. For starters.
My last semester in college! I have always used a white binder from Office Depot with loose leaf paper; the whiter the better. I have always taken down notes with the same style pen all 4 years: a blue Papermate ball point pen. Never once thought of using my iBook.
One of my professors gave a PowerPoint presentation once. Of course he borrowed it.
Forgive me for the off-topic reply, but I would just like to ask if any of those partaking in this thread have some reading or studying techniques to share in this new thread I have started.
Comments
Originally posted by Xool
Do people actually think that if they rattle down what a Prof/TA says verbatim they're actively learning?
Last year, I was teaching a course on Jane Austen. On the first couple of classes, I lectured about the history of the English novel leading up to Austen. I noticed as I was talking that students were furiously writing notes.
I said "Stop. Just listen. I'm telling you a story."
And I'll be damned if they didn't retain that information better than if they'd taken notes.
For engineering classes I took some notes, mostly to the tune of: "What the hell are all those fucking, Greek letters? Tonight, learn what these mean. . ."
All notes I took then, and all I take now are done on white printer paper, preferably on a clipboard. If I think the note is worth saving, I scan it. I absolutely hate paper unless it's bound to a spine. Incidentally, I scan everything: big receipts, financial docs, vehicle registration, etc.
Originally posted by midwinter
Last year, I was teaching a course on Jane Austen. On the first couple of classes, I lectured about the history of the English novel leading up to Austen. I noticed as I was talking that students were furiously writing notes.
I said "Stop. Just listen. I'm telling you a story."
And I'll be damned if they didn't retain that information better than if they'd taken notes.
When the focus is on taking notes, there is less focus on what is actually going on. I remember friends in college coming out of classes saying, "Man, I took seven pages of notes today", patting themselves on the back for their hard work, then failing the exam.
---
Another good way of studying is presenting. A student two years ago asked me how he could do better in history. We looked at his material (it was tough for me because it was all in kanji!) and then I asked him to present it to me the following Monday, a week before his test. I showed him how to make a simple 1 or 2 card presentations and then focus on describing what was on the cards. The next Monday I expected a presentation in Japanese (Japanese junior high, Japanese history, and he had only been studying English for a a little over a year), so I was very surprised when he came in with several cards for each topic, well-illustrated, all written in English, with a special print for me explaining several terms he thought I might not know regarding Japanese culture. He actually gave a better presentation than the history teacher who's test he was studying for! He continued making presentations to me once a week for the remainder of the school year, and ended up really enjoying history, and getting a lot of ice cream from his peers, who all photocopied his presentation cards to help them study.
Originally posted by Bergermeister
Another good way of studying is presenting.
Yes! I've taken to having my students give presentations about historical context or issues surrounding some topic we're discussing. I didn't do them this semester in my upper-division class because I thought the material would have been too esoteric?and my students who'd had me before were actually upset about it.
Originally posted by midwinter
I'm kind of curious...I was an undergrad pre-powerpoint (the early 90s) and so when I wander the halls at work now and see people teaching with PP, I always wonder whether students just write down the bullet points.
I've resisted it. I use it for professional presentations, where you don't usually have questions during the presentation. But in a class, even a large lecture hall, I want more flexibility than presentation software allows. I do have several mini-lectures on Keynote that I use in class - like 15 minutes. But not whole lectures. I seriously can't imagine it in your area.
Originally posted by BRussell
I seriously can't imagine it in your area.
No. It's nearly impossible, depending on what I was teaching. I have given, I think, two or three powerpoint presentations in my entire teaching career (10+ years now), and they were always just a bunch of information about how I wanted something done.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
All notes I took then, and all I take now are done on white printer paper
ditto for english literature. i just have to remember not to lose all those sheets. although i just have a few weeks of college left so eh.
Originally posted by midwinter
I'm kind of curious...I was an undergrad pre-powerpoint (the early 90s) and so when I wander the halls at work now and see people teaching with PP, I always wonder whether students just write down the bullet points.
Powerpoint is satan.
Originally posted by soulcrusher
square paper and a red and a black pen.
yes, but what KIND of paper and what kinds of red and black pens?
Originally posted by midwinter
yes, but what KIND of paper and what kinds of red and black pens?
black cross pen, red Papermate el cheapo pen and Duke-branded square paper spiral notebooks (that one sold at the University store).
And GRR! A spiral-bound notebook! I threaten to take them away from my students once a week.
Originally posted by midwinter
And GRR! A spiral-bound notebook! I threaten to take them away from my students once a week.
Why is that?
Originally posted by midwinter
I prefer the ultra-fine uni-ball red pens. Scratchy, but I like the line they draw.
And GRR! A spiral-bound notebook! I threaten to take them away from my students once a week.
I agree... they do not allow students to reoganize their notes, without re-writing.
Using a binder allows notes to be re-ordered, combined with similar items, homework and tests to be included in the notebook in a time-line fashion. For starters.
One of my professors gave a PowerPoint presentation once. Of course he borrowed it.
How To Read Books
Thanks in advance! Carry on!