Major problem identified with HBL:
There is a tendency to neglect elements of work due to the comfortable setting of a home environment, especially without going to school, you may not feel the ‘physical presence’ of the examinations. Due to the location of being at home, you feel a distinct separation from the academic rigour that you are used to, which used to push you to work harder. This can cause you to slow down and fall behind.
Common routine prior to HBL and Lockdown:
Leading up to exams, you start getting cues that you need to work harder, such as…
- Teacher reminders
- Peer reminders
- Lack of such reminders gives you the absence of competitions and motivation. As others are moving forward, you may not be keeping up with the class.
The changes with the current situation:
As we are constantly at home, we can be disconnected from some of the resources that are out there to help us. As a result, we may not be able to cope with the work that is given to us and feel a sense of loss and confusion. Here are some alternative sites that can serve to help out and bring you back on track! (Of course, in addition to these, there is always our best friend Google, who can easily source out specific information that you are looking for.)
- School/public library
According to research, school libraries are critical to students’ development as learners, providing them the skills they need to follow their curiosity, access information, and use what they learn in their academic and personal life. The books are right there for you! 🙂
- Suggested reading list
A reading list is ‘a list of sources (recommended by a teacher or university lecturer) which provide additional background information on a subject being studied’. It is critical to emphasize the importance of reading lists as a resource. They do, in fact, help students save time during various research activities, particularly in the library. Students can easily find books that are filtered by category, title, and author by using these virtual lists. Organisational skills? Check. ✅
- Reference sources for all your presentation slides
Referencing and citations are not uncommon to the polytechnic crowd. Every essay, every presentation, we face this. But why do we need it? You can recognise and acknowledge the contributions of other writers and scholars in your work by referencing them. By reading these references, you are also gaining knowledge that you may not have known in school.
Lessons are now conducted virtually, and lesson recordings are often uploaded online for future reference. Though comfortable and flexible, this also becomes an issue for students as the readily available lesson recordings serve as a “safety net” which we often use as an excuse to pay less attention during online classes. (I.e: I missed this information, but it’s alright, I’ll just review the recording later.). This snowballs on and on, leaving us with an impossible pile of recordings waiting to be reviewed right before the exam.
With relying on the recordings, we lack the opportunity to clarify any doubts with the teacher by asking questions. This may potentially lead to consultation booking out of class that may be difficult to book and is privy to the availability of all the parties involved. So… now what?
Some tips to deal with the issue [study tips]
- Create and adhere to a revision workflow. Make it a habit!
The revision workflow should describe in detail a sequential list of steps for your revision process. (E.g: Draft notes during lesson → Review lesson recording Clarify uncertainties → Finalize notes). Once your personal workflow is crafted, repeat it again and again after each lesson until it becomes a habit. It would not be easy at first, but with determination, diligence and a little bit of coffee (or tea..), you can get there!
- Incorporate elements of testing yourself [Active Recall]
Active recall entails recalling information from memory by putting yourself to the test at each stage of the revision process. The act of obtaining information and data from our brains not only enhances our ability to remember information but also strengthens connections between concepts in our brains. Essentially, it is about finding ways to simulate the school environment where we need to be on top of our game by testing ourselves. Here are some ways that you can do so:
- Complete your tutorials – no one is left to monitor if you did it
- Try to ask yourself questions (find a group of friends to do it together)
- Try to complete past papers if there are any
The idea is to simulate exam conditions so that you would be prepared and used to answering questions about the material you are studying.
- Space out your revision [Spaced repetition]
Based on ebbinghaus forgetting curve, we need to constantly revisit information in order to retain it. Flashcards are used to practice spaced repetition, which is an evidence-based learning strategy. To take advantage of the psychological spacing effect, newer and more challenging flashcards are presented more frequently, while older and less difficult flashcards are shown less frequently.
- We need to carve out fixed intervals where we review the content so that we won’t forget it. The typical frequency would be (day after, week later, month later).
Always remember that you can reach out to your lecturers and peers if you are having problems keeping up. You are not alone in this race, and should not be afraid to reach out for help! All the best, and we hope this short article has helped!
