Streaming video clips in this module are provided courtesy of Coast Learning Systems from the program "Mastering the College Experience".

For more information on these programs contact: www.coastlearning.org or phone: 1(800) 547-4748

   Motivation:

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Personal motivation, that inner drive which moves one to action to fulfill a specific need, is one of the key elements to success in the learning environment. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors are involved. Intrinsic or self-motivation comes from within. For example: you study because you enjoy it, or you visit with friends because you like companionship. Extrinsic or external motivation comes from without; for example, you go to work for the money only. The problem with exclusive dependence on extrinsic or external motivation is that interest is lost once the reward is withdrawn. However, we seldom do things only for enjoyment. As with work, we similarly need both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for success in learning. For a good balance of both intrinsic and external motivation, believe in your abilities, set clear and realistic goals (short and long term), never be afraid to ask questions, take an active stance to learning, and be prepared to assist others in the learning environment.

   Learning Styles:

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Be aware of different learning styles and identify those that work best for you. Typically, we use all styles to some degree, but learn more effectively in styles best suited to our individual intelligence. The linguistic style learners, those who think in words, enjoy reading, writing, telling stories and word games. Discussions, debates, books and dialogue assist this group in active learning. The logical-mathematical style learners, common in mathematics, science and engineering, like experimenting, questioning, logical puzzles and calculating. These learners enjoy processing information and science material. Spatial style learners, those who think in images and pictures, enjoy drawing, designing, and doodling. For active participation in the learning process they respond well to art, videos, movies, slides, illustrations, field trips, etc. The interpersonal style learners like to bounce ideas off others; to facilitate learning participation, group experiences (E-mail, Live Chat and Discussion Forums in Distance Learning), are important. The intrapersonal style learners, those who think within themselves primarily, enjoy goal setting, planning and being quiet, and best participate in the learning process by having time alone to reflect, self-paced projects and freedom of choice. By identifying your preferred learning style you can enhance it as necessary and also address your lack in other learning styles.

   Time Management

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Plan your time effectively, which often involves dropping worthless activities rather than adding new ones. Beginning with school time, schedule fixed blocks of time including sleep, essential daily activities and recreation. Recreation deserves a priority place and is not a "waste" of time. Set realistic goals, allowing for unexpected demands on your time. If possible, avoid marathon study sessions, preferring instead, for example, four two hour sessions rather than one eight hour session; shorter sessions are generally more productive to committing material to memory and to the learning process generally. As much as possible, set a clear starting and stopping time for your study sessions; it can decrease study time by forcing you to read faster without comprehension loss.

   Teamwork:

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As mentioned earlier, teamwork (group) is central to interpersonal style learners, but is also an effective strategy to learning generally that should not be ignored. Communication is key to teamwork, sending our messages accurately and actively listening to the messages of other group members, thus avoiding misinterpretations and misunderstandings, and effectively resolving conflicts. Diversity in your team or group presents challenges (misinterpretations of messages or actions) and opportunities (drawing on unique strengths). The combined motivation and strength of the group can help you reach your educational goal in a shorter time with improved results.

   Writing Skills:

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Facing the blank page or screen, beginning the writing process, can be a challenging experience. Many times during your college career you are faced with writing tasks, and if you are like many students it is your most difficult one. Writing is designed to accomplish many tasks, two of the most common being to convey information and to support a point of view. The narrative style, as found for example in the lead stories of newspapers, conveys information. The argumentative style, used in letters of recommendation, research papers, campaign literature, letters to the editor, also conveys information but has the added task of supporting a point of view with carefully crafted reasons. From the outset remember: the secret to good writing is rewriting. Even the best writers must rewrite their material several times in order to communicate their ideas clearly and concisely.
For valuable college level writing skills information, especially regarding the writing of a research paper, review the Coastline Virtual Library module at  http://library.ccc.cccd.edu/tutorialsandinstruction.htm

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