How to be a Good Learner

 

Introduction

This unit is designed to help you become a better learner.
Studying at University can present you with situations in which you can become anxious and worried:

• how well are you doing?
• you don't understand
• other students seem better than you
• having to give a presentation to other students
• all sorts of other things.

You wouldn't be normal if you didn't have these worries but what you need to come to terms with is that learning is all about being unsure and uncertain; you wouldn't be here studying if you knew it all!
What you need to do is to start to think that being here is an opportunity for you in all sorts of ways - and that the staff at UWIC is here to help you.
Remember: If in doubt. Ask.

Learning Outcomes

After working through this unit you will be better able to:

• state the difficulties people have with learning
• realize being uncertain, making mistakes, and getting things wrong is part of learning
• ask questions
• clarify your understanding of something by re-stating it
• realise you will be expected to have different study habits as you progress through your course
  

Difficulties with learning

Learning is about coming to understand something we don't at present know. You have primarily come to university to learn about the subject/s you have chosen to study.
Often in a lecture, during a seminar, reading a book etc., you will realize you don't understand something. Recognizing you don't understand something is a key step in the learning process. So the fact you can say to yourself, a friend, a tutor, etc. "I didn't understand what she was saying" or "I don't understand this." is good and nothing to be ashamed of. People respond differently to being in this situation:

• some may just ask their lecturer or tutor to explain
• others may ask a friend
• many students find it hard to admit they don't understand something, especially if it seems everyone else understands it.

Remember: If you don't understand something the chances are many of your fellow students don't either, so speak up for them as well as yourself!!

Being uncertain, making mistakes, and getting it wrong

It is often difficult to comprehend everything you are studying straightaway. Understanding a topic often requires strenuous mental effort and it may take quite a time before 'the penny drops' and it becomes clear to you! During this time, it can be very frustrating and the source of worry.
You should be aware that in developing your understanding of a topic or subject you will often be in the position of not being sure how well or otherwise you actually understand it. You may get things wrong, you may say or write things which are not correct. This is all quite normal and you should see this, not as something to get worked up about or to be embarrassed about but very much as part of learning. Ask anyone and you will find they have found some aspect of a subject difficult to take in and fully understand.

Asking questions

"His young mind was always filled with a thousand questions to which he was earnestly seeking the answers. That was why it was so exciting to an old professor like me to be in his company."
Ursula Kardoff. Diary of a Nightmare.
One of the best ways of helping to understand something is to ask questions about it. Asking questions is a very important skill to acquire at university and the sooner you start the better. If no-one else is asking questions in a lecture or tutorial, don't automatically assume they all understand everything that is being said. They may not be used to asking questions. They may feel embarrassed to ask what may seem 'an obvious question'. But, by asking a question you will get an explanation to something you are not sure about, and by getting an answer you (and perhaps your fellow students) will be learning. Asking questions helps you clarify what you want to find out.
Remember: Your lecturers have learned how to ask questions. They are going to ask you plenty of questions throughout your course, so start asking them questions now and keep asking questions until everything is clear to you.

Activity If you aren't used to asking questions, start now by asking yourself a few questions related to something you are about to study. Then, if you are not confident in public, get together with a friend - you probably do this anyway - and ask them some questions; for example "did you understand that bit about . . .?". Remember: "What? Where? When? Why? How?" are good starting points for questions. Next write down a few questions you want to ask in the next tutorial or seminar and practise asking them beforehand. Remember: You have as much right to ask as anyone else in the group and the more you ask the more confident you will start to feel. Asking questions will then become much easier.

Clarifying and Re-stating

Asking questions is part of trying to clarify what is meant by something you're not quite clear about. After a lecture, it's a good idea to try and write down in your own words (re-state) what you think was said. Clarify what you have written is correct by asking questions.
The whole idea of assignments and exams is to give you an opportunity to state things in your own words and thereby show how well you've understood the subject.

How your studying will change from First Year to Final Year

The programme of study you follow at UWIC has been carefully designed to help you progress from your first year to your final year. What this means is that you will be expected to have different approaches to studying depending on which year you are in. After the first year, you will be working more and more on your own as you proceed towards your final exams. This is not to say that you will be left alone but that you will need to learn to become more and more responsible for your own learning.

Learn not to worry

It takes time and can be difficult adjusting to studying 'at university'. There will be a lot of new things going on for you to take in. There are two things you should remember.

1. Staff at UWIC are here to help you and this help is not just for your studies. There is help at hand from many sources - the Student's Union, Student Welfare - as well as your personal tutor and/or module leader.
2. Although easier said than done, don't worry. If you find yourself not quite sure about something, ask about it. Have a chat to other students, ask the lecturer or anyone, but whatever you do, don't bottle things up and start worrying. Simply, if you're not sure what you should be doing, ask and keep asking until you are happy with the answers.

Summary

If you have read through this unit you should now realize that it's quite normal to feel unsure about yourself when learning a new topic or subject. Asking questions helps you clarify your understanding and solve problems. Try not to worry.

What Should I Do Now?

Remember that you aren't the first student to have worries or to be anxious. The staff at UWIC know only too well the difficulties you can have. If you have any worries now go and talk to a friend or arrange to see your tutor or module leader. A problem shared is a problem halved and you'll come away from these chats wondering why on earth you had got so wound up.
Ask yourself if you are happy asking questions? Write down a few you want answered now about something.
Practise asking questions in lectures, tutorials and seminars.