EduLinks – Subjective Digestion

Yet more gorgeous reading in preparation for a gorgeous weekend…

Making Change – Learning Styles: Worth Our Time?

In short, we don’t have particular learning styles.  Much better to take a wider view and stop obsessing over a single learning method.

Impact – From Year Three to Square One

CV and interview tips abound. Because the sparkly wonder of uni can’t hide the fact that the real world hasn’t gone away. Sad face.

Minimal Student – The Biggest Challenge

The biggest challenges always look so unassuming don’t they?  Jessica says, “You’ve got to overcome always wanting more“.

Simples?  Nuh-huh.

Ones To Watch – Guardian Student Media Awards: The Nominees (Pt 1)

Get the lowdown on who’s been nominated, with links to sites and samples of work from these shortlisted student journalists.

From Dangerously Irrelevant – The Death of Subjective Values:

Subjective assessment involves critique. It is in the areas of study that require personal and group critique in their assessment where the ability to think critically is developed. To critique a painting, a piece of music, a dance, or poem requires one to observe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate in ways that require higher order thinking. A math equation requires these steps too but only in an objective capacity. The type of knowledge our standardized tests measure in this capacity is rather shallow. It is only in the study of subjectively measured learning that this capacity can be deepened.

This critical capacity is not self-serving though, it carries through to the solving of problems in all areas of life. I am a better technology integration specialist because I have spent a lot of time in the creative arts. Because of my creative capacity I am able to see solutions to problems other “technologists” cannot. The reduction of the sorts of programs in schools that allowed me to develop this capacity means that fewer people will be given the same opportunity to develop this capacity in themselves for the future. Thus, we will end up with a deficit in critical capacity.

Lateral Action – Yes, the Internet Is Changing Your Brain

…But books were at it way before the Internet started.

Chronicle – What Are You Going To Do With That?

A post on…you know…nothing too intense.  Just conquering life and everything in it. Go win!

How to study a book before you have it

The wait for a crucial book to become available in the library is frustrating.  Even worse when the library doesn’t have the book at all.

Aside from inter-library loans, buying the book yourself, and other costly or time-heavy options, what other options do you have in the meantime?

photo by Newton Free Library

photo by Newton Free Library

To Do: Dissertation has some great tips on what to do while you wait for that book to become available.

But it got me thinking about others ways to the book that may work in your favour.  Here are a few ideas that might land you more access to a book than you think you have:

  • Check publisher’s website for excerpts and sample chapters – Some publishers are great at making PDF samples available to download.  You may get instant access to the Introduction, first chapter, possibly more.  Even a simple table of contents or index is a helpful head start on your research.
  • Check library online databases for books in electronic format – Don’t just check the library shelves.  An increasing number of books are now available online.  Services such as Cambridge Books Online provide a huge range of books at your fingertips.  Find out if your library has access.  If not, ask if they can get a trial.
  • Use Google Books – It’s not just Google Scholar that can help your research.  With Google Books, you can look through the pages of many books as a preview.  And the previews can be extensive.  Combine that with the ability to search for specific terms within each book and you may not even need to track down the physical copy of the book at all!
  • Use Amazon “Look Inside” – An alternative to Google Books, Amazon have their own preview function for a large number of books.  Again, you can search within the book and get busy with the research straight away.  However, it looks like Amazon may start charging for this feature soon.
  • Play Google and Amazon off with each other – Online previews are limited and don’t display all pages.  Rightly so.  You’re not meant to read entire books with the services.  However, when researching, you may find a specific page is excluded.  If both Google and Amazon have a preview available, that missing page on one resource may be there to view on the other.
  • YouTube talks – Why wait to read what the author wants to say when they may have said a lot of it in a talk or lecture?  By searching for the author (and maybe even book title) in YouTube, you may stumble upon directly relevant content for your research.  It’s another worthwhile reference to add to your bibliography too!
  • Read reviews – All sorts of texts get reviewed, not just bestsellers.  Reviews can give a breakdown of a book’s main ideas, flaws and coverage.  A Google search for book title and author and the word ‘review‘ should bring up newspaper reviews.  You can also check Times Higher Education.  It’s worth checking Google Scholar or journal databases for the title and author too, which should point you toward scholarly reviews and even related papers by the same authors.
  • Search for author details – Personal websites, university web pages, Google Scholar, JSTOR, etc…  All these can give further detail on the individual and their background, as well as other literature they have produced.  You may not have the book, but you may uncover key opinions and similar texts to chew on.

Don’t let the wait for a book stop you from getting on with your reading and research.  In the unlikely event that you find absolutely nothing after these searches, you can still go back to those helpful tips from To Do: Dissertation.

Review: Learn More, Study Less

Scott Young gave me a peek at “Learn More, Study Less“, his new ebook and companion video course that does exactly what it says on the tin.  Today I’m reviewing the product.  I’ve got a short review and a long review.

Here’s the short review:
Learn More, Study Less helps you learn more and study less.  You’d like to do that, wouldn’t you?  If so, buy the course and start seeing the bigger picture.

Here’s the long review:
The best way to explain Learn More, Study Less is by calling it a complete learning system.  Rote memorisation of facts is tired and cumbersome.  Through this course, Scott explains how your learning can become expansive.  Problems aren’t one-dimensional; you’ll often find many answers to the same question.

Scott offers the course as either:
– A 228-page ebook, case studies & worksheets for $39 (about £25);
– A complete video course (around 6 hours) and a set of interviews in addition to the ebook, case studies & worksheets for $67 (about £42)

The book starts by helping you to remove those blinkers and take a good look around.  From this new viewpoint, all the links and connections between subjects become apparent.

Sound overwhelming?  It’s not.  The natural approaches explained in the book are a boon, not a pain.

Scott asks if there are certain subjects you just “get”.  The way you handle these subjects is likely different to those you have a block on, or those you find more difficult to learn from.  The book highlights what elements of learning are in play with the subjects you “get”, giving you scope to use them on other subjects.

In Part 1, a six-step approach is outlined in detail: Acquire, Understand, Explore, Debug, Apply & Test.  In addition, Scott describes the many types of information out there and how to process each type.

Part 2 describes important techniques for bringing the holistic learning strategy to life.  With speed reading, idea linking, mental and emotional images, practical uses to aid learning, and so on, there’s a wealth of goodies you’ll want to play with and master here.

The book gives no quick fixes.  What the book does so well is provide you with detailed explanations of how your everyday learning can become a permanent fix in itself. My own experience has helped me realise that putting in the initial work is far better than slapping on a quick fix at the end.  That’s why I hate cramming before tests and why I can’t stand writing coursework at the last minute.

Learn More, Study Less goes beyond passing tests.  And rightly so. A focus on testing only weakens ability to concentrate on the bigger picture.  The book calls on you to question why you *want* to learn anything.  When you can question the usefulness of what you’re learning, you’re better equipped to learn it.

Part 3 looks past holistic learning and looks at being a productive student and how to educate yourself by using what you’ve learned.  Part 4 contains a helpful summary and recap.

Scott throws in some real case studies and helpful worksheets as part of the package.  These allow you to focus even further on what’s required.  Like I said at the beginning of the review, this really is set up to be a complete and flexible learning system.

Positive Points:

  • I have used most of the techniques within this book at different stages in my life and I know how well they have served me.  This alone is enough for me to heartily recommend the product.
  • The book is easy to read and the writing clear and concise.  Complicated methods are described as simply as possible so you’re free to develop your technique effectively.
  • Scott’s video classes (in the $67 package) are great value for money and complement the book well.  The videos really help bring some of the points to life.
  • You’re not left scared and confused.  At no point are you made to feel out of your depth.  You do have to put the work in to make holistic learning work, but that’s a matter of choice, not a matter of ability.

Negative Points:

  • No references list.  A lot of the methods documented here have been known to work for many years.  Perhaps I’m being greedy, but I’d have liked to see where some of Scott’s ideas had originated from.
  • Price could put off some students. Costing the same as some academic textbooks, it may put you off. Yet seen as a complete course, it does represent good value for money.  Scott also provides a 60-day guarantee if you’re not happy.
  • You must be self-determined.  I’ve already said that the book isn’t about quick fixes.  Commitment is required.  Sadly, not everyone is looking for that.  Simply reading the book will not do.

In Closing:
At the back of Learn More, Study Less, Scott rightly says that “No technique, method or trick can replace motivation”.  This is key to learning well.  Anything less only works as a temporary mask.  And it won’t fool anybody.

Forget masks.  This course gives you the tools you need to up your game for good.

“Find your reason for learning.  Even if the reason is as simple as curiosity, find a reason to want to know.” – Scott Young

[Note: I am happy to be an affiliate for Scott’s course.  I only recommend products if I feel they provide good quality. This product certainly does that.]

How much do you want it? 10 questions you need to ask

When you thought about applying to university, what was the first thing you did?

Did you look at a prospectus or three?  Did you think about your grade prospects?  Did you check online forums for advice?

Or did you join the air force?

That’s what my brother-in-law did.

When considering the future, my brother-in-law developed a big plan in his head.  He mapped out all the things he wanted and all the different options available to him.

He didn’t stop there.

After working out what he wanted, he asked another question:

“How much do I want this?”

The question stems from the confusion caused about debt at university.  He told me, “I couldn’t get round my head why so many people were happy to work up so much debt at university without having bigger plans for the future. Uni is a massive decision. You can’t take it lightly.”

photo by Tony2

photo by Tony2

My brother-in-law had been considering the benefits of joining the US Air Force for many months. One of the biggest clinchers being the generous amount of educational sponsorship granted to people after they have served their time in the force (in his case, 4 years).

“I never wanted a massive debt hanging over me for years,” he said. “This way, uni is still an option, but I get everything paid for in the process. No debt, no worries.”

I’m not suggesting that you need to find such an extreme way to pay for your study. What’s important is understanding how much you want something. Whatever your circumstances, you have to want it enough to make the most headway.

It’s not enough to know something is important.  It’s not enough to feel interest if you don’t know how sustained your enthusiasm will be.  To be in with a chance of giving your best, you have to find out how much you really want it.

Get yourself into the mindset with these 10 questions:

  1. What will I get from this?
  2. What are the positive and negative aspects?
  3. Do I have a plan? Do I want to make a plan?
  4. Who else will this affect? [in both good and bad ways]
  5. How much time is this going to take out of my schedule?
  6. Am I happy to spend extra time on this if required? Am I happy to get more involved if necessary?
  7. Am I truly committed to making this work?
  8. What could get in the way?
  9. Can anyone else help me achieve this?
  10. Is the right information available?

Whether or not you can answer all these to your satisfaction, these questions force you to consider beyond a minor interest.  Whatever is on your mind, these questions provide a healthy start toward finding the direction you want to take.