Interesting article: What happened to studying?

[Janie]

What happened to studying?

[Nicole M]

I saw this article. It made me realize that teaching study skills is even more important than I'd thought. No one really taught me how to study, though I do have a very clear memory of a line drawing in one of my texts showing a boy at a desk in his very 1950s style bedroom, sitting upright at a desk, with instructions about good posture and lighting, etc. for studying.

 

I was especially struck by this part:

Course evaluations have created a sort of “nonaggression pact,” Sperber said, where professors — especially ones seeking tenure — go easy on the homework and students, in turn, give glowing course evaluations.

 

Last year I spoke with a professor who had worked on a project with her class that had to do with social marketing and encouraging consumers to use cloth bags for groceries. The class was influenced by one especially negative student, and in the end they just refused to buy into the project. Her evaluations were horrendous for the first time in her career, and nearly had a devastating effect. If it hadn't been for the fact that she already had tenure, she probably would have lost her job. Over cloth bags! It's staggering how much power students have. Yes, there are bad professors out there. This woman is not one of them.

 

After reading this, I also started wondering about how to foster motivation in my youngest, the last kid at home. No answers, just wondering.

 

What did you think, Janie?

Edited July 15, 2010 by Nicole M

[Mom0012]

I saw this article. It made me realize that teaching study skills is even more important than I'd thought.

 

I only read the first two pages of the article, but what I read actually left me feeling that studying will not become more important. Instead, the bar will simply be lowered.

 

Lisa

[Heather in AL]

Interesting article.

 

I never studied in high school. I didn't have to. I graduated in '87, and when I got to college, I found that what got me through high school with good grades wasn't enough. I was in trouble, as I didn't know HOW to study.

 

How do I teach my dc how to study if I don't know how to do it? I realize that's much of homsechooling (how many of us know all of our dc's subjects?!), but studying seems so vague. I have books, but they say the things I know. Could it be that I WAS studying all along? I don't know.

 

As for the part about teachers and profs not expecting as much from their students, I agree. I remember in the 9th grade, in World History, having a teacher who would listen to students complain about this or that, or beg for 'just one more point', etc. She would do it.

 

It wasn't until I had my own kids in ps that I realized how out of control things had become. My ds was in 3rd grade in '02, and his teacher sent home 'study sheets' of things that were to be on the tests. If something wasn't on the sheet (front page only), it wasn't on the test. No wonder the majority of the kids were on the Honor Roll! This continued through his 5th grade year (his last ps year). Only after we started homeschooling did he realize he was responsible for learning the material presented, and it didn't matter if I chose to test him on something or not.

 

In the last several years, I have read several articles about the same thing happening in colleges. It's an overall 'dumbing down' of America. It may have started out with teachers & profs bowing to the 'whining' of the students, but has turned into a horrid monster. Students don't *have* to study, as everything is handed to them, therefore studying is happening less and less. I think it's becoming a huge problem... one that will be extremely difficult to overcome. When cash registers are showing pictures of money rather a dollar amount (because the cashiers can't count!), it is a serious problem. This problem is bigger than grades and tenure. This is about what makes a successful society.

 

Thinking just isn't done anymore. We have a society where thinking is becoming obsolete. Students expect to be told what is on an exam, or to be told *exactly* what is required to get that "A" and will do nothing more than what is required. They will 'study' only what is on that handout. This troubles me, because when 'we' lose the ability to think and reason, the door is wide open for those in power (government) to enact laws that are not in our best interest.

[Michelle in MO]

I do think there is some truth to the following part of the article:

 

According to the skeptics of the findings, there is one other notable change: Today’s students are working with more efficient tools when they do finally sit down to study. They don’t have to bang out a term paper on a typewriter; nor do they need to wander the stacks at the library for hours, tracking down some dusty tome.

 

“A student doesn’t need to retype a paper three times before handing it in,” said Heather Rowan-Kenyon, an assistant professor of higher education at Boston College. “And a student today can sit on their bed and go to the library, instead of going to the library and going to the card catalog.”

 

 

But, as most of us here can recognize and appreciate, students should learn how to use a card catalog, how to use the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, how to spend time on a microfiche (if there even is such a thing any more) to do research. I know that the papers my daughter wrote for high school stipulated how many internet resources were allowed, and how many books were required. Still, it's not the same---it's a different world altogether. Ditto to the thoughts on a typewriter. Although I wouldn't want to go back, I have many memories of getting up in the wee hours of the night to type and re-type papers on a used Olivetti typewriter. (I also sometimes wonder if handy tools like Spell Check haven't led to a deterioration in spelling skills among some, or the sheer laziness that arises from not bothering to look words up in a dictionary--the book, not the online sources.)

 

I will say that my oldest has the best study skills of my three, followed by my middle daughter. My oldest easily spent 3-4 hours a night studying---often quite a bit more. I think she will be well-prepared for college.

 

When I was in college, I tried to schedule my classes with two hours in between each class, so that I could use that time in-between to study. I brought books to work so that I could study during my breaks, and studied on my days off.

 

Having good study skills can take an average or above-average student a long way in school.

 

ETA: One other thought I've had regarding studying which is done today and studying which was done years ago is the lack of note-taking. In the courses I've been taking, Power-Point presentations seem to be the rule, rather than the exception. Now, I really do believe Power-Point adds a lot to many classes, but I also think it's a good idea for students to know how to take good notes--in their own notebooks. Perhaps this is just me, but the old-fashioned method of having to listen to the teacher, think about what he/she is saying, analyze/synthesize the important points, and write them down into some sort of logical fashion into a notebook, greatly benefits the student. The physical process of copying down notes, often repeating/reading them aloud to myself, always helped me while studying for a test.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Michelle in MO
additional thoughts

[distancia]

I keep telling my daughter (17.5) what studying requires: the discipline to make a schedule for oneself, stick to it, and reward oneself for doing so. To be your own boss and to treat yourself like an employee at the same time.

 

When I was in college (at 25, on a scholarship as an "older", non-traditional student to a public Ivy) I treated my schoolwork like a job, which it was. I had to schedule in free time (which was my evenings) and believe me, I got really good at narrowing down what I wanted to spend my precious free hours doing with myself. Now I tell my daughter about how I would spend my Saturday mornings at the laundromat, doing laundry, with my textbooks on my lap and highlighter in hand.

 

It wasn't even that long ago, 20 years, and I can't believe the work I had then (one professor who never gave study sheets, every week was an exam based upon the chapter in the Art History book you were expected to MEMORIZE) vs. now what I see my daughter doing in her Comm Coll classes--teacher-prepared "study sheets" before the final (heck, just tell the students to re-read the textbook and look over their notes, that's what notes are for!). And another professor, dropping the 3 worst quiz grades (out of 8!).

 

Truly, the bar is being lowered. It got us into trouble with that No Child Left Behind mentality which is now carried over to the college level...everyone is entitled to a college education, even if totally unqualified, unprepared, and unmotivated.

Edited July 15, 2010 by distancia

[TravelingChris]

There was no way I could have gotten through college only doing six hours of work outside the classroom. My classes generally had at least 100 pages of reading a week; the classes with problem sets had textbooks so less reading but the problem sets made up for that. I know that my dh would be working very long hours on his physics and math problem sets. My econ ones weren't all that quick either. I think I was usually working on each a few hours and I had multiple ones in a week. Then comes the writing papers. Even with computers and printers which were starting to be used when I was in college in the early 80's., the writing and rewriting and thinking about what to write takes time. My dd's honors psychology at a CC took at least four hours a week apart from class. I don't know what these schools are requiring but I expect that for all those taking only 6 hours of work are either doing massive cheating or nothing is required. I am a fast reader and I was at a school with quarters. That meant I had 3 to 4 classes each 10 weeks.

 

But for more on this problem and to help me find schools where this is not the case, please refer to my post in the college section. DD does not want to attend a school where the kids are slackers.

[Cedarmom]

I keep telling my daughter (17.5) what studying requires: the discipline to make a schedule for oneself, stick to it, and reward oneself for doing so. To be your own boss and to treat yourself like an employee at the same time.

 

I have told my son the same thing. He didn't really have to schedule himsel that much at the cc . I hope he takes the does learn to schedule himself.

 

.

one professor who never gave study sheets, every week was an exam based upon the chapter in the Art History book you were expected to MEMORIZE) vs. now what I see my daughter doing in her Comm Coll classes--teacher-prepared "study sheets" before the final (heck, just tell the students to re-read the textbook and look over their notes, that's what notes are for!). And another professor, dropping the 3 worst quiz grades (out of 8!).

 

This is what we encountered at the cc. The harder classes enhanced my sons study skills, but ones like this developed laziness

QUOTE]

[Teachin'Mine]

That article is an eye opener. Honestly, I don't ever remember having a study sheet for any high school class, let alone college. We knew that the quizzes covered the material since the last quiz, and the final tests covered everything. Sometimes if we had to have a specific list of things memorized we were given a heads up about that, but it was the exception. In college, we were given what chapters to read and we knew that anything in there, as well as what was covered in class and in our own notes, could be on the test. That's why studying was hard. There was no short cut.

 

So our kids, who do study, will be competing with students who haven't a clue how to study, and have glided through their "honors" courses. Honestly, it's a bit discouraging.

[edithcrawley]

I've noticed this phenomenon. In my high school, we were not given study sheets for the most part. We were expected to be prepared to be tested on anything that was covered during the term. My college experience has been much different. I can't remember a class where we weren't given a study sheet of some sort. In one of my classes, the professor gave us a list of 200 multiple choice questions (with answers), and told us that 100 of them would be on the test. Had there not been an attendance policy for that class, I think I would have only gone to the final (all the study material was online). I finished that class a little over 2 months ago, and can't remember anything at all from it.

[Heather in AL]

I treated my schoolwork like a job, which it was. I had to schedule in free time (which was my evenings) and believe me, I got really good at narrowing down what I wanted to spend my precious free hours doing with myself. I agree. Maybe *this* is studying and I was doing it all along? My parents told me that school was my 'job', and I should do my best at it, so I did.

 

Truly, the bar is being lowered. It got us into trouble with that No Child Left Behind mentality which is now carried over to the college level...everyone is entitled to a college education, even if totally unqualified, unprepared, and unmotivated. I completely agree. Looking back, it seems that things started falling apart not long after I graduated high school. My brother's class ('89) did well, but subsequent years started to falter, and now things are a mess. (I still live in the area I graduated from, so I keep tabs on the system) And the push to have *everyone* to go college is laughable. Kids are graduating from high school unprepared and unqualified, but that can be remedied... the motivation is another thing. There seems to be less and less motivation and more and more entitlement. It's the attitude of "I want to go to college, so you better let me in, and now that I'm here and showing up, I deserve a degree' that seems to be more and more prevalent.

 

Sadly, for the future I see things getting worse, and not better. :glare:

[Pegasus]

I remember hearing about the rule of thumb to study 2 hours for every hour in class way back when I was in college. Considering that I took up to 18 hours of classes and worked 20-30 hours a week, there was no way I was able to squeeze 36 hours of studying into each week.

 

I still managed to finish the engineering program with a high overall GPA.

 

On the other hand, I knew engineering students who practically lived at their desk, studying all the time. I thought they were nuts. :lol:

 

Pegasus

[Rosie_0801]

When cash registers are showing pictures of money rather a dollar amount (because the cashiers can't count!), it is a serious problem.

 

 

Eh? <imagine bulging eyes and dropped jaw> Are you serious?

 

Rosie

[Tokyomarie]

ETA: One other thought I've had regarding studying which is done today and studying which was done years ago is the lack of note-taking. In the courses I've been taking, Power-Point presentations seem to be the rule, rather than the exception. Now, I really do believe Power-Point adds a lot to many classes, but I also think it's a good idea for students to know how to take good notes--in their own notebooks. Perhaps this is just me, but the old-fashioned method of having to listen to the teacher, think about what he/she is saying, analyze/synthesize the important points, and write them down into some sort of logical fashion into a notebook, greatly benefits the student. The physical process of copying down notes, often repeating/reading them aloud to myself, always helped me while studying for a test.

 

I totally agree with this as a general rule. OTOH, being in the trenches right now with my severely dysgraphic son, I know we will be grateful for PowerPoint & other such study aids when he gets to college. We wil surely have to work out what techniques will be best for him to truly grapple with information, but I know that he will likely never be able to take functional notes during a lecture.

[CatherineG]

Thanks for posting this! My friend is a fully-funded doctoral student in one of the social sciences at a very well-regarded university. She was the only one in a cohort of eight to pass in her Masters Thesis on time. She claims that her classmates rarely do the readings for discussion classes. Instead of discussing what was assigned, they talk amongst themselves about something related enough that the professor cannot or will not challenge them on it. Kind of horrifying at that level. (My friend, on the other hand, reads into the wee hours, because she's actually motivated to be equipped to do the clinical research she believes will help her population.)

[stephanier.1765]

I'm actually going to give my son a 0.5 credit for Study Skills this year. I figure if the state can offer it as a course, I can too. I'm going to use the TC's Superstar Student and the book What Smart Students Know. He's going to take notes on the videos and outline the book. I've gone through the two so I could match them topic to topic so one can help reinforce the other.

[Tullia]

I keep telling my daughter (17.5) what studying requires: the discipline to make a schedule for oneself, stick to it, and reward oneself for doing so. To be your own boss and to treat yourself like an employee at the same time.

 

 

Well put; thanks for posting this. I'm forwarding this discussion to my son. He's well into his third term at CC and seeing what CatherineG mentioned about class discussions. He's also managed to figure out (with some strong hints on my part) that many "A" students have to do more than the minimum number of homework problems for math and science courses...and that if he pursues a science degree he will probably be one of those students chained to his desk for a few years.

 

ITA about teaching study skills, and wish I'd started doing that in 7th-8th grades because the high school years were so busy.

[Michelle in MO]

I totally agree with this as a general rule. OTOH, being in the trenches right now with my severely dysgraphic son, I know we will be grateful for PowerPoint & other such study aids when he gets to college. We wil surely have to work out what techniques will be best for him to truly grapple with information, but I know that he will likely never be able to take functional notes during a lecture.

 

 

Yes, I completely understand your perspective on this and why you would take this route. One of my good friends from high school is dyslexic, but was diagnosed rather late in life. Had she been diagnosed earlier, it might have spared her years of unnecessary struggle through college. Once she was diagnosed, she also discovered books on CDs and tapes and her GPA soared, and she learned alternative study skills to conquer the same material that other students tackled through traditional note taking. I am happy to say that she now has a PhD in chemistry!

[emubird]

OTOH, on the topic of providing students with the test questions beforehand, I don't really see a problem with this if it's done right.

 

My husband routinely hands out study sheets. They contain a LOT of material. Some students complain he needs to trim it down to "know" what to study. Other students just study it all. Guess who gets the A?

 

He often also provides essay test questions beforehand. He gives a lot more than what will be on the test. His thinking is that any student that is willing to put in the time to figure out decent answers to every essay question that might possibly be on the test has basically studied as well as they should have. All he's doing is guiding them in the way HE would study if he were in the class: setting up all possible questions for himself and then answering them. Some students don't need this. For those who do, that's why they have a teacher, rather just self-studying.

 

In my daughter's college physics class last year, she encountered some of the same thing. The professors would choose a couple of the homework problems to be done on the test (although no one knew which they would be), assigned a couple derivations that were sure to be on the test, and had a couple more problems that no one had seen before.

 

Done right, it can be a useful teaching tool. However, even when it's done right and the students are learning, there will always be doomsayers who squawk that it's the end of the world as we know it.

 

And, frankly, there have always been students who just didn't try very hard. I remember them from my college days. I remember having them in my classes back when I was teaching college classes. They're still there.

[Heather in AL]

Eh? <imagine bulging eyes and dropped jaw> Are you serious?

 

Rosie

 

While I haven't seen them myself (I've not been behind a counter in 20 years, and one can't readily see the 'change' on most registers), I did read an article about two years ago that had photos of said machines. It was quite sad to see photos of dollars and change represented along with the numerical amount.

 

I will say that I have seen machines (in fast food/takeaway places) that have photos of items for the order taker to tap, rather than written words. I was flabbergasted at that!!

[Heather in AL]

OTOH, on the topic of providing students with the test questions beforehand, I don't really see a problem with this if it's done right.

I agree. What I shake my head at are the sheets that come home with everything that is on the test... meaning it's all on there, and it's not a lot. Basically, the student studies the answers, regurgitates them, then receives an "A".

 

He often also provides essay test questions beforehand. He gives a lot more than what will be on the test. His thinking is that any student that is willing to put in the time to figure out decent answers to every essay question that might possibly be on the test has basically studied as well as they should have. All he's doing is guiding them in the way HE would study if he were in the class: setting up all possible questions for himself and then answering them. Some students don't need this. For those who do, that's why they have a teacher, rather just self-studying.

My college World History prof did this and I LOVED it. I wrote essays for each question in preparation for the test. It was a wonderful way to reinforce what we learned in class. I despised history when I was in school, yet those were my favorite classes! (I was a business major)

 

In my daughter's college physics class last year, she encountered some of the same thing. The professors would choose a couple of the homework problems to be done on the test (although no one knew which they would be), assigned a couple derivations that were sure to be on the test, and had a couple more problems that no one had seen before.

 

Done right, it can be a useful teaching tool. However, even when it's done right and the students are learning, there will always be doomsayers who squawk that it's the end of the world as we know it.

Again, I agree.

 

And, frankly, there have always been students who just didn't try very hard. I remember them from my college days. I remember having them in my classes back when I was teaching college classes. They're still there.

:iagree: Isn't that the truth!?

 

 

It's the 'spoonfeeding' that gets me riled up. When it's done right, it's a wonderful tool!

[Mary in GA]

Are they counting time spent on homework as studying? I don't know how much time ds spends on studying per se, but he spends huge amounts of time on homework and projects.

 

Mary

[klmama]

Here's a helpful book for those interested: How to Study in College by Walter Pauk. I read it in a course I took after college graduation, and I was amazed at all I learned, particularly about time management and note-taking skills. I remember wishing it had been required reading my freshman year! I plan to use it with my dc in high school so they are better prepared than I was.

[Janie]

Thanks for the book recommendation, How to Study in College.

 

For middle schoolers / logic stagers, a great book to use is Study is Hard Work (Armstrong, the man who wrote Sounder). Best to go through this book every year!

[emubird]

On thinking about this, I've been wondering if study sheets are professors' response to the fact that the text books are somewhat incomprehensible. I know that I don't like reading textbooks. I'd like to read them, to get something out of them, but I'm always left wondering what the author thought they were saying.

 

Also, the study that was cited in the article really only compares how many hours students thought they were studying (or wanted to report), not how many hours they actually studied. If there's been a trend toward not wanting to seem like a grind, lots of students now may believe they study less than they actually do -- and students back in the 60's may have tended to think the opposite.

 

I remember "studying" back in college consisted of a lot of hanging at the library. Even if you wanted to get anything done, there wasn't the quiet to do it. But I'm sure we all would have said we were studying all those hours if we'd been asked.

 

Also, those icons on cash registers have been around for years. It's usually cited as evidence that people working those jobs must be illiterate. I suspect, though, that it's just an efficiency device. Time is saved if there isn't the extra step of the cashier taking the order and then having to relay it back to the food preparers (I won't say cooks). But if you're going to put the order into a computer, it isn't very efficient to have to type in the words -- and the full words won't fit on the button unless they're so tiny they're hard to read. The employees don't have to be illiterate for there to be very good reasons to put pictures on the buttons. It's all about moving customers through as fast as possible (which is why the cash registers also figure the change due, because even for folks who are really good at making change, it will probably still save a second or so).

[ouzel]

I never thought about getting my son a book about studying, but it is a great idea. I'd love to hear some reviews of books anyone's children have actually used and how it has changed their study habits.

[TechWife]

I'm actually going to give my son a 0.5 credit for Study Skills this year. I figure if the state can offer it as a course, I can too. I'm going to use the TC's Superstar Student and the book What Smart Students Know. He's going to take notes on the videos and outline the book. I've gone through the two so I could match them topic to topic so one can help reinforce the other.

 

What Smart Students Know is an excellent book! I love it!

[TechWife]

The class was influenced by one especially negative student, and in the end they just refused to buy into the project

 

That's really sad. I wonder what these kids will do about the projects you have to complete at work? You don't have to buy in to something in order to work on it. I hope she graded them accordingly. Also, I wonder if she had any thoughts on how she might deal with this type of behavior in the future?

 

 

I keep telling my daughter (17.5) what studying requires: the discipline to make a schedule for oneself, stick to it, and reward oneself for doing so. To be your own boss and to treat yourself like an employee at the same time.

This is so true! Very good, concise description.

It wasn't even that long ago, 20 years, and I can't believe the work I had then (one professor who never gave study sheets, every week was an exam based upon the chapter in the Art History book you were expected to MEMORIZE) vs. now what I see my daughter doing in her Comm Coll classes--teacher-prepared "study sheets" before the final (heck, just tell the students to re-read the textbook and look over their notes, that's what notes are for!). And another professor, dropping the 3 worst quiz grades (out of 8!).

I had to make my own study sheets! Now, I sometimes had profs who would put old tests in the library for us, but they were also the ones that didn't re-use their tests, so the information had limited benefit.

...everyone is entitled to a college education, even if totally unqualified, unprepared, and unmotivated.

:iagree: This is the start of it, isn't it?

 

That article is an eye opener. Honestly' date=' I don't ever remember having a study sheet for any high school class, let alone college. We knew that the quizzes covered the material since the last quiz, and the final tests covered everything. [/quote']

This was my experience as well.

Sometimes if we had to have a specific list of things memorized we were given a heads up about that, but it was the exception. In college, we were given what chapters to read and we knew that anything in there, as well as what was covered in class and in our own notes, could be on the test. That's why studying was hard. There was no short cut.

I wonder if what we are seeing is part of the instant gratification mentality we see so much now?

 

 

Are they counting time spent on homework as studying? I don't know how much time ds spends on studying per se, but he spends huge amounts of time on homework and projects.

I didn't have homework in college. There were often reading lists with deadlines. In math courses, we moved along at the profs pace and were expected to work on the concepts on our own time. No one ever checked to see if we were doing this. If a prof had a lot of students come to him with difficulty on a particular concept, s/he would often review it in class, but if no one went to the prof, it was assumed we knew what was going on. We were also expected to make use of the math labs and grad students that worked in them (same for science - we could repeat our labs as many times as we wanted to).

 

Our upper level classes often involved projects, but class time was not used to discuss how to go about them, that was for the prof. office hours. We were expected to know how to manage a long term project and go to the prof for guidance regarding content if we needed help. In order to complete the project thoroughly and submit a quality product we had to master the material presented in the class - the projects were more about applying the information learned or about relating different aspects of a subject to each other. These projects were a significant part of our grade, often taking the place of a mid-term or final. I still remember working faithfully on them and pulling an all-nighters to get the final project done.

[Beth in SW WA]

I'm actually going to give my son a 0.5 credit for Study Skills this year. I figure if the state can offer it as a course, I can too. I'm going to use the TC's Superstar Student and the book What Smart Students Know. He's going to take notes on the videos and outline the book. I've gone through the two so I could match them topic to topic so one can help reinforce the other.

 

Brilliant idea. I love Superstar Student. Great lecturer.

 

I anticipate homeschooling my dd until CC/Running Start. This will be a nice addition to transcripts -- as an elective course.

 

I'll look into that book you mentioned. Thank you.

 

And thank you, OP, for sharing this article. Fascinating read.

[cathmom]

I don't think I ever made a schedule for studying as an undergrad. I just did it. But then I'm not really a scheduled kind of person. :001_smile:

[Nicole M]

Here's a helpful book for those interested: How to Study in College by Walter Pauk. I read it in a course I took after college graduation, and I was amazed at all I learned, particularly about time management and note-taking skills. I remember wishing it had been required reading my freshman year! I plan to use it with my dc in high school so they are better prepared than I was.

 

I just picked up a copy from my library today, the 1989 edition, and while some of the information is dated... WOW. Oh, how I wish I'd had something like this in college. And how I wish I had known about this before my son did his Running Start courses at the community college. He doesn't head off for university until the last week of August, so we still have time to read and discuss this, but I wish I'd found it earlier.

 

It would have saved myself a lot of grief if I'd had some of the very simple tools laid out in this book. I will be able to use much of the scheduling information to help me with my work / homeschool balance and time management. Thanks for this title. Now I'm off to find a more recent edition.

[memphispeg]

Re: study sheets...we learned to make our own in college and in grad school. You sat with the book and your reading and lecture notes and generated a study guide that synthesized all the information. This long-dormant skill has helped me do my curriculum planning. One thing that I am trying to do is guide my dd towards these skills in her daily work. So, that by the end of a chapter, etc. she has generated a nice synthesis of the material.

Re: research.... neither my college age dd or my high schooler have done ANY!!! This is certainly something to be taught by we home schoolers????? If we could teach them that research is hard but, very rewarding.????

[Nan in Mass]

My two college students are at a very focused, hands-on college where the academic skills of the incoming students are known not to be their strong point. The profs put their notes online for the students and my sons say they don't need to take notes. Learn the material, yes, but take notes, no. I was amazed, but also relieved because I don't think either of mine have good note-taking skills.

-Nan

[TravelingChris]

I taught government and economics last year to groups of high schoolers. I was surprised by how many did not study for the tests. In government in particular, I used a book that had specific pints at the end marked the least you should know. It wasn't the only thing I tested but I did mention a few times about this section in the book and they were all supposed to be reading the text. Well, some didn't. Others who did ended up doing very well. I didn't hand out study sheets but for the final, they had their midterms back along with their own answers. While the final covered about twice as much material, many students didn't get the questions right from the first half of the course. While I changed wordings and actual questions, they were still primarily on the material in the least you should know sections.