Are note-cards really an effective way to study?

Are note-cards really an effective way to study?

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“Many times studying is a very passive activity, meaning that we often don’t get our brains, and our bodies in the process. This makes it harder to learn and retain information.? Think about how most students are taught to study.? After teaching for over ten years I can tell that note-cards are the most popular method I’ve seen.? While this method can work, it’s effectiveness can be greatly enhanced if we take it to the next level and make it an active process.? The result is that you can learn more information in less time.? Wouldn’t even a 10 percent increase in learning and memory be huge advantage??? How much time would this save over the course of semester, a year, or a lifetime?

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How can you accomplish this?

The next time you or your child have information to memorize and learn, instead of just writing the word or concept on one side of a note-card and the answer on the other side, draw a quick picture next to the definition.??

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Use colored markers, crayons, or pens to make it stand out. Make the drawing very outrageous and silly.? Make items extra large, or very small.? The goal is not to create great artwork; the purpose of this activity is to activate different areas of the brain as you are thinking of what to draw.? Don’t let your child tell you they can’t draw!? This is not an acceptable answer for this method, because the learning comes when they are thinking of what to draw.??

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Research shows that when people draw, different regions of the brain are activated causing more pathways to be formed in the brain.? This, in turn, creates a larger impression which leads to greater retention of information.? In addition, you are also moving your hands while you draw the picture. This helps make using note-cards more of an active process, creating even more pathways for the information to nestle iself in the student’s brain!

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Your Education Coach,

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Scott Straub

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p.s.? Be sure to check out www.ScottStraub.com for our latest products.

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