8. How To Become A More Effective Student SERIES Part 3: Goal Setting, Classroom Learning and Study Skills

8. How To Become A More Effective Student Series (Part 3):  Goal Setting, Classroom Learning and Study Skills.

Friends, welcome to Intervention, an outreach of VISION BUILDERS designed to help undergraduates contact divine intervention for academic victories. Intervention brings you inspirational messages and Study Tips to enable you be your best academically! 

Through this message, we believe that God is set to bless you by removing every barrier against your academic success and fulfillment.

This message, Goal Setting, Classroom Learning and Study Skills is part 3 in our series, ‘How To Become A More Effective Student’. I am sure you already have testimonies from past Intervention messages. Please ensure you get every bit of this series. It promises to provide practical tips to help you develop better study habits and achieve academic success.

We’ll be discussing three important topics - Goal Setting, Classroom Learning and Study Skills. You will agree with me that these are key issues that determine the quality of your academic life. God has promised to do amazing things in your life.

Goal Setting

In order to successfully set goals, you must properly understand what goals are. So what is a goal?

The Wordweb nicely defines a goal as ‘The place designated as the end’. That means there is a beginning and there is an end. Setting goals is important for helping you get what you want.

The following are some important tips to consider when setting your goals:

- Set both short range and long range goals.

- Be specific. Set up clear objectives and measurable steps for accomplishing your goal.

- Make your goals realistic. Do not set a goal for yourself that you know will be impossible to achieve.

- Challenge yourself.

- Ask yourself what you are willing to give up for what you want.

- Have a friend or family member sign as a witness to your plan for reaching your goals.

- Reward yourself for reaching your goal(s).

- Remember goals are an ongoing process. If you do not succeed at first, keep at it – DO NOT GIVE UP!

Next…

Classroom Learning

The classroom is where all your instruction and study will take place throughout your undergraduate program. It makes sense to know how to get the best from your classroom time. Truth is, you can intentionally increase your classroom learning experience by making the best use of class time and by taking responsibility for your learning.

How? Make a note of the following tips, practice them and you will be able to maximize your classroom learning experience.

Arrive to class on time.

Come to class prepared and have your assignments completed.

Review your notes before class begins or right after class is over to keep the information fresh.

Do the reading ahead of class so that you will be prepared to participate.

Stay focused in class. Catch yourself when you are daydreaming and find ways to control it (e.g., engage yourself in the discussion or class notes).

Have questions you want answered prepared before class begins.

Make a "To Do" list to help stay on top of assignment deadlines for each class.

Find a seat in the classroom that will be most conducive to learning and staying on task.

Avoid sitting next to people who could interfere with your concentration.

Evaluate as you listen. Decide what is important to get into your notes.

Engage yourself by participating in class (e.g., ask questions, add to discussion). If you do not typically participate in class, challenge yourself to get more involved each class period.

Ask yourself if you could be doing more to get more out of the class.

Determine if the course is meeting your objectives. If not, talk to your instructor about your expectations.

Find someone in class who seems to have a good grasp on the coursework and agree to help each other out.

Show an interest in the class. Talk to your professors about what you like about the class and let him/her know you care about doing well.

Attend every class

Next I want us to look at Study Skills. Study is a feature you cannot avoid. The better your skills at it the better the results and grades you will get. It therefore makes sense to learn how to develop your study skills.

Study Skills

The following list of study skill tips are suggested by Jason Newman. And they will help you develop better study habits that will lead to you becoming a more successful student. They will help you identify a learning strategy that is most effective for you:

Identify your learning style (e.g., visual, auditory, tactile) and find ways to adapt what you are learning to fit your style.

Study short and often.

Set a specific goal for each study session. Prioritize assignments.

Start assignments as soon as they are given.

Study your most difficult subjects first.

Review your notes regularly (each day for approximately 10 minutes right after class is ideal).

Break up and vary your work (e.g., switch to another subject when you become tired of the one you’re working on).

Stay on top of your work – doing a little consistently is easier than doing a lot all at once.

Learn "actively". This means doing something that will help facilitate learning such as writing or typing notes, creating a study guide/flashcards, or reciting and repeating the information out loud. Active learning increases the likelihood of remembering the information later.

Use study guides/workbooks that are available with your textbooks as a method for quizzing yourself before a test.

Reduce interferences while you are studying. Find a quiet environment (leave your residence if there are distractions).

Attend all of your classes.

While in the university, I saw all kinds of characters who had interests in so many things other than academics. Really adulthood, especially on campus and way from parents and guardians bestows a measure of responsibility on you to stay focused on your purpose for being in the university. Truth is no university ever made anyone great. The university only provides you the opportunity to position yourself for future greatness. What will you do with your time?

Many years when you look back in time, will you smile that it was worth it or will you have regrets of wasting your youth and time? You only can answer that question. Today I offer you Jesus, the only one who can input stability in your life. Will you receive him? He said in John 10:10, “I have come in order that you might have life — life in all its fullness.”

Wouldn’t you rather have a life that has an assurance of stability? A life that will withstand life’s storms of trouble and instability? That life is available today in Jesus Christ. Receive him now inspite of, and despite whatever you friends may be saying to you right now. There’s listening to me right now and your clique of friends have made so much fun of your wanting to invite Jesus into your heart. Hey, you need to call their bluff today, in fact right now. Truth is, they will soon come back to you with questions when there start observing stability in your life. Don’t leave this all important decision till tomorrow. No one has promised you tomorrow. Pray with me right now:

Say: Lord Jesus I ask you into my heart today. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. Forgive all my sins today and make me your child. Fill me with your holy spirit right now and bring stability into my life. Thank you for coming. Amen.

Congratulations. If you prayed this prayer with me then know that God has come into your life and will begin working in your life. You are a child of God from this minute on and forever. Just stay with God. Problems may come, but you will overcome them all because God is in you.

Please write to me at buildyourvisions@gmail.com or send me an SMS to +234 817 2239 319 to let me know that you just invited God into your life. Remember to include your email address. I would like to continue praying for you.

Continue to expect the best from yourself and continue to maintain a great attitude regardless whatever happens.

I’ll be glad to hear from you. Kindly send your testimonies, questions and prayer requests as responses on this blog. If you’d like your friends, class mates and room-mates to be helped by Intervention messages and Study Tips, kindly share this message with them.

Thank you for joining me. I remain your host Tope Banjo and this is Intervention. God bless you mightily!

You will succeed. You will make it!

Contact:

Email: buildyourvisions@gmail.com 

Tel: +234 817 2239 319, Lagos-Nigeria.

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