Every school says it. Their number one job is to create life-long learners. However, it turns out that it can be as easy to forget how to be a good student as it is to do algebra.
To help, here are some memory refreshers, together with tips on how to learn faster and better in today’s new learning environments. With them, you’ll be ready to excel from day one.
To get this advice, we consulted three top learning experts. We talked about your challenge. In a world where everyone’s job is being transformed by technology and speed, your job is many times harder because you need to be best at such an enormous variety of skills from business planning to fertilizer management, and from accounting to machinery maintenance.
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At the same time, of course, you also have to balance family, an increasing demand for paperwork, and hopefully some sort of personal life. No wonder your learning program needs to be as efficient as you can make it!
If the demands are great, however, so are the potential rewards.
Shelley McPhail from Almonte, Ont. recently landed her dream job with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Associations’s Grow Your Farm Profits program, after completing her MBA. “Keep your eye on the ball. It takes organization, dedication, and determination to do it later in life,” McPhail says. “But it is one of the most personally satisfying challenges one can ever take on.”
1. SET GOALS. In fact, make goal-setting your very first job. “Know what your specific learning needs are and what you want to accomplish,” advises Kari Nicolas, manager of distributive learning at the University of Saskatchewan. Nothing saps the energy out of your learning plan faster than if you have doubts about whether the learning will actually be worth the effort. “Programs and courses are a time and money commitment,” Nicholas says. “Be sure you are taking the right courses at the right time.”
2. STUDY YOUR OPTIONS. “Don’t make a snap decision,” says McPhail, a former dairy farmer who started an MBA in agri-business through the University of Guelph’s distance education program at the age of 42. “Think it through. Take the time to explore your options.”
3. KNOW WHAT’S EXPECTED OF YOU. “Find out all you need to know before beginning,” says Nicolas. Talk to the educational institution about the program or class you are interested in. Find out if the course is a good fit for you and your learning needs. Understand your obligations and determine whether they fit into your schedule. Ask as many questions as you need.
4. GET ORGANIZED. The new demands on your time mean you’ll need to be more efficient than ever. Organize as much of your life as you can to accommodate this new project. If possible, make a study space to call your own within your house, even if it’s just a corner of a room, says McPhail.
“You don’t want to be wasting time digging out your books and supplies.”
5. GET THE SUPPORT OF YOUR FAMILY. “Getting an education later in life forces you to fit it in around everything else that you are responsible for, such as a spouse, children, grandchildren, aging parents, on or off-farm work and community involvement,” explains McPhail. “This is not like getting an education when you are younger and have very little responsibility.”
6. COMMIT TO THE COURSE. Consciously decide to make it a priority, says Patti Goodman, program manager at the University of Guelph, Kemptville Campus. “Otherwise life will get in the way.” Agrees McPhail, “When you make the decision to go back to school, commit yourself to see it through to the end.”
7. ESTABLISH A REGULAR LEARNING SCHEDULE. “Studying from a distance requires discipline, so be sure you can balance your studies with other life and family commitments,” says Nicolas. Goodman agrees, and suggests that blocking small chunks of time throughout the week may work better than blocking a whole day. “Prioritize your life,” adds McPhail. Learn that some things can wait, she says. “A few cobwebs never hurt anybody.”
8. KNOW YOUR LEARNING STYLE AND USE IT. Knowing your learning style will be key to your success, says Nicolas. Do you learn best by reading, or will you do better if you choose a course (or resources within a course) that are based on videos? Do you learn better by working in teams, or by working through examples on your own? Once you know the answers to such questions, use study practices that best fit your learning style.
9. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. Reach out to peers and professors. “If you don’t understand something, chances are you are not alone,” stresses McPhail. Asking for help shows maturity and dedication, she adds. “Get involved in discussions,” urges Goodman. “Discussing concepts with your classmates and instructor is critical to the learning process.”
10. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS. “Celebrate any and all successes you encounter. The smallest rewards can be great motivators,” says Nicolas. On the wall in your study area, keep a list of the assignments you need in order to complete your course and then highlight or place a check mark beside each one as you finish it, suggests McPhail “And if you have time off between courses, use it to recharge yourself,” she adds.
11. MAKE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL. “As an adult you bring a wealth of experience to the classroom,” says Goodman. “Look for ways to integrate the new material into what you already know, but keep an open mind so you can also challenge some of your long-held beliefs.”
12. ENJOY THE JOURNEY. Don’t stress about the marks; focus on your own learning objectives, says Goodman. “It’s not about themarks, it’saboutlearning.” CG
