Student responses- Week 5 cog psych

**Please respond to each of theses students responses with no less than 150 words each. The materials they are referencing are attached below**

Discussion Prompt B

Prompt B: After reading the text (both chapters) and watching the videos answer the following questions:

What did you learn this week that revealed weaknesses in your own study habits and what might be some steps you could take (based on that research) to improve your ability to store and retrieve information for your classes?

Student #1

Prompt B

I was excited to write this week’s discussion because I have been thinking about this a lot recently. I returned to school later in life and have found that many things have changed. People now take notes on their laptops, whereas when I was in college, few did. I have been learning how best to take notes and use them to study and succeed on exams. As I read the chapters this week, I found that taking notes by hand is better than taking notes on a laptop. I agree that when I am on my computer, my mind can wander, and I am tempted to do other things on my computer. In contrast, when I take notes, there are fewer distractions, and my mind is more focused on what I am doing. I was surprised to find that rereading your notes is not helpful, as I often do when I am studying. I was taught to study that way, but I have noticed that often I feel like I am trying to jam information into my head that isn’t wanting to compute correctly. I found many habits that I want to incorporate into my study life as I read the chapters this week. Studying before you go to sleep thus allows the information to be stored more efficiently. I have never thought of this before, but it makes so much sense. Allowing your brain to rest and make sense of what it has just learned is brilliant. Also, I found that answering review questions, not just memorizing the answers but actively seeking the answers myself, engages my brain and allows my memory to remember the answer. Doing both of these new study habits will hopefully help me be able to retain the information. I am learning and becoming a better student and studying more efficiently.

Student #2

The readings on memory and learning this week have led me to understand that some of my methods for studying may not be as effective as I thought they were. The biggest area I have recognized as being ineffective has been my tendency towards passive review, reviewing notes, highlighting them, and simply looking over them again. The readings on encoding and retrieval have led me to understand that this type of review may make information seem familiar, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to deeper processing for long-term retention. I have also recognized that I tend to cram for exams, which overburdens working memory and doesn’t leave much room for information to be stored in long-term memory.

Another weakness is related to divided attention. I personally like to study with music, notifications, or background noise, thinking that I can multitask. The literature on attention, particularly related to the capacity of processing and the central executive, made me realize that multitasking leads to a decrease in the quality of encoding. Even small distractions can interfere with the joining of high-quality memory traces.

From what I have learned, I know that there are steps that I can take to better store and retrieve information. First, I will attempt to move from a passive review process to an active retrieval process. This includes methods such as self-testing, using flashcards, and summarizing the information in my own words. Spaced repetition is another strategy I plan to use, because spreading out study sessions allows memories to consolidate and reduces the forgetting curve.

I also need to limit cognitive load by reducing distractions. In addition, turning off the notifications, studying in a quieter area, and setting up a particular interval for studying will ensure that my working memory stays engaged with the information. Finally, I will utilize elaborative encoding, which entails associating the new information with examples, experiences, and past knowledge. Overall, this week helped me see that improving my study habits is less about working harder and more about working with the brains natural memory systems.