Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our regular lecture on college study issues. This series of lectures is organised by the International Students Office. We want to help you, the students of this university, to cope well with the study and social life here.
This series of lectures is designed to help you discover the ways in which you learn most easily and most enjoyably, and help you define your own goals and preferences as you embark on your college career and look ahead to life and work in the future. It includes discussions, illustrations and easy-to-understand suggestions on ways to develop all the skills you will need to perform well in your classes and build confidence in your ability to learn.
Some lectures will contain many ideas for strengthening a particular skill but you can try out as many ideas as you like for studying. And also you can adapt the ideas in the lectures to suit your own needs and personal learning style.
Many students want to know how to be a confident student. It's a good question. Strategies for becoming a confident and successful student include making use of the four keys to success in college discussed in this lecture.
1. To assess your academic strengths and weaknesses.
2. To discover and use your learning style.
3. To sharpen your thinking and study skills.
4. To adapt to others' styles.
Let's talk about the first one. To assess your academic strengths and weaknesses means to be realistic about what you are able to do. This will help you select courses in which you can succeed. This is the most important key when you enter college. The second key is to discover and use your learning style. This is another important key to your success. Use your five senses to help you take in information accurately and remember what you learn. Let your body's reactions tell you when you are most alert, then try to plan your schedule accordingly. Know which learning environment you prefer, but be willing to adapt to others. Increase your level of motivation by developing an internal focus of control.
A third key to your success in college is your effort to develop critical thinking and study skills. Making decisions, solving problems, using creativity, processing information, and reasoning logically are critical thinking skills involved in studying. All the important study skills you will need to develop or improve - such as how to take notes, listen effectively, read with greater comprehension, and prepare for and take tests - are covered in the next lectures.
The fourth key is your willingness to adapt to your instructors' teaching styles. If you make an honest effort to learn, no matter how an instructor approaches a subject, then you will make efficient use of class time and develop good relations with your instructors.