Study Sensei Flashcards
Learn Rule 1
Use your study design
- Find key content/knowledge
- Make notes on topics/bullet points
- Cross-reference notes against SD
- Use traffic light system
- Download today – vcaa.vic.edu.au
Learn Rule 2
** Take notes during term**
- Phase 1: Finish notes
- Phase 2: Memorise notes
- Phase 3: Practice questions
Learn Rule 3
Use Cornell Notes
- Focus on trigger words
- Most people need to reduce the number of words in their notes by 80%
- Use colour coding
PSBI 1 - Study Design
P: Students do not understand the value of the study
design. They don’t understand its use and therefore
do not use it. This leads to gaps in notes which become gaps in
knowledge, leading them to lose marks in assessments.
S: Use the Study Design
B: Students have full knowledge of everything they could be tested on. No topic in their assessment surprises them. They identify gaps in their knowledge before they head into the assessment and save time by focusing on the info that is examinable. Traffic light system gives students a guide for what content to prioritise in the lead up to their test.
I: Download and print out (or save on desktop) study design for ALL subjects that day. It is then used as a checklist before assessments and taken a step further with the traffic light system.
PSBI 2 - Take Notes During Term
P: Students leave writing their notes until too late/too close to their assessment. This leaves them no time to do practice papers which are a higher value task
S: Take notes during the term - use the three-week timeline.
B: Students are able to spend time on practice papers and improve their test/exam preparation by doing so. They have time to get the high-yield work done.
I: Take notes throughout the term and then use the three-week timeline to structure time when an assessment comes up and ensure that practice papers get done.
PSBI 4 - Trigger Words
P: Too many words on notes page limits how much information can be memorised. Students often copy down information verbatim, leading to low understanding of the content and limiting their ability to memorise it further
S: Use trigger words that capture the content and their understanding
B: Saves time as student reduce the words on their page and increases memory through use of trigger words. More space on page for drawings/diagrams to increase understanding
I: Use the split-page of Cornell notes format
PSBI 5 - Colour
P: Notes in the same colour makes information hard to differentiate. Recalling specific information is there difficult to do
S: Use colour by colour coding related information in notes
B: Colour coded notes make information stand out and help students visually recall information
I: Use coloured pens/highlighters to colour code notes. Symbols or shapes can be used if colour is not appropriate/possible
PSBI 6 - System of Review
P: Students leave memorising information until it’s too late. Without a regular process in place to keep the information fresh and accessible – they experience ‘tip of the tongue’ moments. They forget key facts because the information isn’t structured to be recalled. Valuable time is wasted before a test/exam, as they re-learn and re-memorise information from scratch and have minimal (or no) time to do high-value work. This can also heighten students’ stress levels as they are overwhelmed with how much they have to memorise in a short space of time.
S: Use a System of Review.
B: Information is structured to be recalled, no more tip of the tongue moments. Students are less stressed and they have time freed up to move on to more high-value tasks because the info is memorised well before the test/exam (and get a good night sleep before tests/exams!).
I: Review immediately, 24 hours later and monthly. Set reminders, build revision into your daily routine.
PSBI 7 - Mind Maps and Cornell Notes
P: Students don’t have effective systems to recall and plan out large amounts of information, especially in assessment settings. Students get tunnel vision and forget relevant information, ultimately losing marks. Students fail to plan out answers and mistakenly include irrelevant information for fear of forgetting it,
resulting in the feedback: “You didn’t answer the question”.
S: Use mind-maps. Convert split page/Cornell format notes into mind-map, revise and draw in test.
B: Cheat sheet hack for tests/exams. Students avoid tunnel vision, plan out their answer, and can lessen anxiety as their triggers are in front of them. They stop losing marks because relevant information is included.
I: Use mind-maps for appropriate subjects.
PSBI 8 - Practice Papers
P: Students think that practice papers are hard and that in order to attempt them they have to have everything memorised and
spend a lot of time doing them. This is intimidating and stressful, so they put it off, which means they don’t know how to apply information in the test, losing marks as a result.
S: Do practice papers using a gradual approach
B: Practice papers are less daunting so students do more of them which means they spend more time on the work that gets them marks!
I: Start off by doing practice papers open book and open time and then wean themselves off notes and into more restricted time so in the final week before the assessment, they are doing them under test conditions. The traffic light system from Learn Rule 1 can help them pick which questions will be highest value (red and amber light content).
PSBI 9 - Create
P: Students think that if they do all the work they get given in class and do it well, that is what will get them top marks. The problem is, these students have the exact same information as everyone else, write the same answers out and as a result, get average marks because they are lost in the sea of similar student answers.
S: Create! Do some extra reading/find extra knowledge (podcasts, practice papers, talking to alternative teachers/experts) to make themselves stand out.
B: Extra information leads to a greater breadth and depth of knowledge which allows students to show their deeper
understanding and stand out from the rest of the cohort. When they stand out, they push themselves past the large middle band and in doing so, boost their marks.
I: As soon as students cover topics in the term, they should have a few notes of extra information on their Course Content (using
Syllabus/Study Design/Subject Outline as a guide). They look for: more in-depth facts, counter arguments and different quotes (will vary depending on the subject).
Master Rule 1
Use Visual Tools
* Quiz yourself
* Review regularly
* Becomes notes and plans in exams
* Algor education (mind map)
Master Rule 2
Do practice papers
* Do in sections
* Start open book and open time
* Do the final papers under exam conditions
* Get them marked
Creating is crucial in order to ________
Stand out
Create Rule 1
Independent Work
1. Cover core content as you go
2. Check your study design
3. Check past tests
4. Look for:
* More in depth facts
* Counter arguments or ideas
* Quotes and evidence
5. Put it in a different colour
