Workshop 1

Study Skills
Dr. John ONeill

Think, Pair Share

What are the differences are between..

Being a student at school

and
Being a third level student?

 School

Higher education

A Good Student
Is self aware:Knows how they learn and
plays to their strengths

Towards a Self Directed Learner

Student

Lecturer

Examples

Stage 1

Dependent

Authority, Coach

Coaching with immediate

feedback. Drill.
Informational lecture.
Overcoming deficiencies
and resistance.

Stage 2

Interested

Motivator, guide

Inspiring lecture plus

guided discussion. Goalsetting and learning
strategies.

Stage 3

Involved

Facilitator

Discussion facilitated by
lecturer who participates
as equal. Seminar. Group
projects.

Stage 4

Self-directed

Consultant,
delegator

Internship, dissertation,
individual work or selfdirected study-group.

http://www.longleaf.net/ggrow/SSDL/Model.html#Figure1

How do you like to Study?

Where do you study?
Where do you sit?
Is it quiet/noisy; dark/bright; untidy/tidy; do
you eat/drink?
What do you do read, write notes, talk out
loud, draw mind-maps, make cards etc?

Think- Pair- Share

The Role of the Environment

Lighting - some prefer bright lights, while
others prefer dim lights
Some learners prefer to listen to music while
working, others like totally quiet surroundings
Seating arrangements - Some prefer to sit on
a sofa while reading or writing, while others
may be more comfortable sitting at a desk

Learning Techniques

SQ3R Method
Flashcards
MindMaps
Chunking and Repetition
Mnemonics

SQ3R Method

Scan
Question
Read
Remember

Review

Learning Techniques

SQ3R Method
Flashcards
MindMaps
Chunking and Repetition
Mnemonics

Flashcards
Summary of points
Key words
Flow diagrams

Learning Techniques

SQ3R Method
Flashcards
MindMaps
Chunking and Repetition
Mnemonics

Mind Maps

Learning Techniques

SQ3R Method
Flashcards
MindMaps
Chunking and Repetition
Mnemonics

Chunking and Repetition

Bite size chunks
Practice
Practice
More Practice

Learning Techniques

SQ3R Method
Flashcards
MindMaps
Chunking and Repetition
Mnemonics

Mnemonics
Rhymes and Catchphrases
E.g. I before E, except after C
Spelling Acronyms
E.g. BECAUSE
Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small
Elephants
List Order Acronyms
E.g. Order of colours in the rainbow, or visual
spectrum:
(Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet)
Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain
E.g. The order of planets in average distance from
the Sun:
(Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune, Pluto)
My Very Easy Method: Just Set Up Nine Planets

Communities of Practice
The five features of a community of practice are:

Targeted
Sustainable
Active
Manageable
Reflective

Devise a mnemonic to remember

these five features

Communities of Practice
The five features of a community of practice
are:-

Sustainable
Manageable
Active
Reflective
Targeted

Remember:
How am I going to use what I
learnt tonight to help with my
study

Questions?

How do you Learn?

Workshop
What is the purpose of todays
workshop:
think about how you learn
learn something about learning styles
apply some knowledge about learning
styles to enhancing how you learn

Resources
You can find this lecture online at
www.scribd.com/jjconeill
And you can find some more information here on
Learning Styles:
http://www.ucd.ie/adulted/tutors/tutorresourcema
terials/adultlearningstyles/#Learning_Styles
There is an online questionaire here:
http://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/?
p=questionnaire

Resources
You will need a
handout for this
workshop (it can
be downloaded
here:
https://www.scribd
.com/doc/213311
879/LearningStyleQuestionaire).

Become a self-directed learner

Student

Lecturer

Examples

Stage 1

Dependent

Authority,
Coach

Coaching with immediate feedback.

Drill. Informational lecture.
Overcoming deficiencies and
resistance.

Stage 2

Interested

Motivator,
Guide

Inspiring lecture plus guided

discussion. Goal-setting and learning
strategies.

Stage 3

Involved

Facilitator

Discussion facilitated by lecturer who

participates as equal. Seminar.
Group projects.

Stage 4

Self-directed

Consultant,
Delegator

Internship, dissertation, individual

work or self-directed study-group.

http://www.longleaf.net/ggrow/SSDL/Model.html#Figure1

Whats My Style
Answer each question in the handout as
honestly as possible
When you have answered all the questions,
circle the number corresponding to your
answer on the list at the back of the handout
Add up each column
NB: THERE ARE NO WRONG ANSWERS!

Learning Styles
People think about learning styles in a number
of different ways based on:
left and right brain
auditory, visual and kinaesthetic
activists, reflectors, theorists and pragmatists

Learning Styles
Were going to focus on one today:
Visual
Auditory/Verbal
Kinaesthetic/Tactile

The Visual Learner - Some Characteristics

Remember what was read or seen
May think in words or pictures
Information may not exist for them unless it is seen or
written down
Like written reports better than verbal ones
Vivid imaginations
Use colour
Remember faces but not names
Sensitive to the way things look
Make lists about everything
http://www.trcc.commnet.edu/ed_resources/tasc/Training/Visual_Learning.htm

The Auditory /Verbal Learner - Some

Characteristics

Remember what they hear

Talk while they write
May be a good speaker
Information written down will have little meaning
unless it is heard
Distracted by noise
Pictures are distracting
Remember names but not faces
Write lightly and not always legibly
http://www.trcc.commnet.edu/ed_resources/tasc/Training/Visual_Learning.htm

The Kinaesthetic Learner - Some Characteristics

Remember what was done not what was talked
about
Dont hear things well
Learn by imitation and practice
Touches things to get a sense of them
Likes to talk about feelings
Love games (often athletic)
Impulsive
May appear slow if information is not presented in
their style
http://www.trcc.commnet.edu/ed_resources/tasc/Training/Visual_Learning.htm

The Visual Learner

Advantages

Disadvantages

Good at visualising events and

imagining situations

Need more time to complete

tasks

Use visual strategies for

remembering information

More interested in the

appearance of something than
its actual value - which may be
a disadvantage in some
situations, though not in all

May not spend enough time

on, or give enough attention to
specific details

Get considerable pleasure from

learning involving visual and
creative skills
See the whole picture when
discussing or working on a
problem or task.

http://www.open2.net/survey/learningstyles/learning_styles.rtf

The Auditory Learner

Advantages

Disadvantages

Benefit from talks and lectures

Able to absorb a lot of

information from radio
programmes

Unable to multitask, having to

complete one job before
embarking on another

Focus on small bits of

information and do not obtain a
holistic and broad picture of
something you are working on

Prefer to work on your own

rather than work in groups

Skilled in sequencing and

organising information with a
methodical approach
Often considered a reliable and
independent worker

http://www.open2.net/survey/learningstyles/learning_styles.rtf

The Kinaesthetic Learner

Advantages

Disadvantages

This active learning style is

useful for assembling and
making products

Miss some instructions or

information if it is presented
orally

May find it easy to

demonstrate how to do
something

May find it difficult to

concentrate on a lengthy
written task while seated.

Likely to be able to enjoy the

actual experience of learning

Might find it hard to pay

attention to detail - especially if
it is in written form.

http://www.open2.net/survey/learningstyles/learning_styles.rtf

What is the average spread

of Learning Styles?

Visual
65%
Auditory
30%
Kinaesthetic 5%
http://www.ucd.ie/adulted/tutors/tutorresourcematerials/adultlearningstyles/#Learning_Styles

Average spread of Learning

Styles (2014)?

Visual
29%
Auditory
34%
Kinaesthetic 37%

How do you like to Study?

Everyone uses all three types of learning,
but most people show a preference for one
over the other two.
If you know how you prefer to learn you
can choose to learn in the ways you prefer.