BIOL 230 Course Information, Dr. G. E. Kaiser
Hints for Success
To be successful not only in BIOL 230 but also in any other college level course, you must be proactive. Earning the grade means you have to do the work! You may find the following study tips useful:
1. For those students taking the traditional lecture
a. Attend lecture regularly;
b. Concentrate on what is being said;
c. Try to understand what is being explained - much easier now than later. If you don't understand, ask questions right away; and
d. Participate in Think-Pair-Share Questions and Clicker Questions.
Use your lecture as your first study session. It will make preparing for exams much easier!
2. For those taking lecture via the Internet:
a. Establish a routine schedule for working on the course;
b. Keep up with the Softchalk lessons and the detailed learning objectives; and
c. Do all interactive activities provided.
d. The minute you have any questions or need help, E-mail me or see me in lab!
3. Your lecture E-text for this course has been created as a series interactive Softchalk lessons. Each Softchalk lesson is basically a digital resource that is used as an element to support learning experiences. In constructing each of my Softchalk lessons I've tried to include:
4. Follow the steps below for the best success in learning the lecture content for this course:
a. First carefully read the "Fundamental Statements for this Learning Object" for the Softchalk lesson you are going to study. This gives you a general description of what you are going to learn in that Learning Object. You will be tested on your knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge for those Fundamental Statements by your ability to answer the "Detailed Learning Objectives" located below the Fundamental Statements in the Softchalk lesson.
b. Write out these objectives on which you will be tested. Any objective could be tested for by way of multiple choice, matching, or true/false questions. Objectives indicated by (*) indicate content that is a common theme throughout the course; objectives indicated by (**) need to be known in greater depth and also represent a common theme throughout the course. These questions will not only test your knowledge of the topic but also your ability to understand processes and apply that knowledge.
c. Now carefully read the Softchalk lesson that you are studying and answer each Learning Objective you have just written down. Don't forget to look at all illustrations, animations, and photographs for that lesson, as well as do all activities. Make note of any visuals that are particularly useful in understanding and learning a particular objective. (Review the "Hints for Success" found under " Course Info".)
d. Study all of the Detailed Learning Objectives until you can answer them without looking at the Softchalk lessons or your notes.
e. Do all activities and take all self-quizzes associated with that Softchalk lesson. Click on "Check Answers" to see if you are correct. These are self-quizzes to help you measure your understanding of that lesson. The point values are not recorded or used in determining your grade.
f. Listen to the Zoom videos of your Softchalk lessons if you wish.
g. There are Concept Maps for most of the Softchalk lessons. These can be found by clicking on the Concept Map link found in the green boxes in each lesson. The Concept Maps provide a nice summary of the keypoints of that topic and include direct links to relevant illustrations, photographs, photomicrographs, and Flash animations in your E-text. You can also go to my faculty website at http://faculty.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/index.html and click on "Puzzles and Concept Maps" to find "Unfinished" Concept Maps and lists of "Keywords and Phrases" for that map that can be used as another form of self-quiz or to help learn key elements of the lesson.
The Lecture Schedule can be found under "Detailed Course Information" link, as well as on the "Course Calendar" link.
5. Do not cram!
a. The number one reason why students do not successfully complete this course is procrastination! The estimated amount of time you should spend is 8-12 hours per week outside of class.
b. It is your responsibility to read and study the E-text and Lab Manual each week, preferably before class, so that you are ready for each lab quiz or lecture exam on the date assigned in your syllabus.
c. Set up a regular weekly study schedule in a location free of distractions and stick to that study schedule. However, make the schedule reasonable.
d. Study the information in small, regular amounts, maybe one or two hours at a time, and then review the accumulated information weekly.
e. Before you take the exam, review all material a final time until you feel confident. Again, studies show that in doing this, you spend less total time studying and you retain the information longer.
6. To remember the information, be creative rather than using rote repetition.
a. Write and rewrite the answers to the objectives;
b. Say it aloud to yourself;
c. Explain it aloud to yourself - or a patient friend;
d. Devise clue words to remember important points;
e. Use word associations;
f. Create visual pictures or images in your mind of the topic and the clue words you are studying;
g. To view a website illustrating how to use mnemonics to learn medical terminology, see http://www.medicalmnemonics.com/.
h. To view a site to learn the correct pronunciation of medical terminology, see http://www.merck.com/mmhe/resources/pronunciations/index/a.html.
i. Create acronyms and abbreviations for lists of information, etc.
7. To help you understand and learn the material presented in the E-text/Softchalk lessons, an extensive series of illustrations, animations, photomicrographs, electron micrographs, crossword puzzles, and links to other Microbiology sites on the web has been included. Make use of these visual aids! When using the hard copy of your E-text and Lab Manual for studying, make sure you are use it in conjunction with the Softchalk lecture lessons and on-line version of your lab manual to take advantage of all the illustrations, animations, photomicrographs, electron micrographs, activities, and self-quizzes.
8. After you feel you understand the information, study with a friend or small study group - but only after you think you understand the material. Explaining the material to others helps you remember it better and catches any misinformation you may have learned.
9. If, after the first lab quiz or first lecture exam, you find that you are not doing well in the course, make an appointment with me as soon as possible so we can review your study skills and look for ways to improve your performance. It is your responsibility to be proactive in your learning.
10. Make sure that you follow the instructions and format provided in your hand out when writing yourcase study-based lab reports.
11. Not sure what kind of learner you are? Take the VARK test on-line. They even give you study tips appropriate to the type of learner that you are.
http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire
12. Other useful tips: