Engege in your learning process

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Engage in Your Learning Process 1 Most people have mastered “the look”—with which you stare blankly at someone while trying to act interested. In reality, your mind is wandering more than listening or learning. It could be that the person speaking is not very interesting or that you are just tired or unmotivated that day. 2 No matter the situation, it is your responsibility to understand what the person is saying.In a learning situation, the key is to engage with the speaker. To engage means to get either mentally or physically involved and to participate actively. Active participation (1) increases concentration, (2) improves listening, (3) seems to make the time go quicker, and (4) positively affects overall learning. 3 How can you actively take part in a learning situation? Five key ways to engage in the learning process are discussed in the following sections. 4 BE THERE AND DO IT.One obvious way to increase your potential for learning is to be physically and mentally present. Whether you are learning in a classroom or lab or searching the Internet, learning sessions are a very important part of the learning process. Since learning is an individual activity, there is no substitute for being there. In every learning situation, you have the choice of acting like a sponge or a rock. Learners who act like sponges soak up the information through active participation, demonstrate a positive learning attitude, and possess an eagerness to learn. On the other hand, learners who act like rocks generally have a negative learning attitude and are, in effect, just occupying space. It should be no surprise that sponges learn more than rocks. 5 SIT CLOSE TO THE ACTION.This is an easy way to ensure your participation in the learning process. Sitting up front limits distractions from others and gives you a clear view of the instructor and the instructor a clear view of you. Learners in front usually sit up taller than those in the back and thus appear more eager and ready to learn. Though you may feel a little uncomfortable at first, try sitting in front in your next class. You just might find yourself concentrating better and learning more. 6 FEARLESSLY ASK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.To ask an intelligent question and to respond intelligently, you have to be listening and concentrating. Too many learners feel that asking questions makes them look stupid. Actually, learners who don’t ask questions don’t learn nearly as much or as easily as those who do. 7 Remember that you aren’t expected to know it all; that’s why you are studying—to learn.Your job as a student is to ask questions so you can learn more. Though you may feel a little uncomfortable asking questions in front of others, many times, they are happy the question was asked, as they themselves had the same question in mind but were afraid to ask. In the workplace, active questioning is essential for clarifying work tasks and communicating efficiently with others. 8 Questions can be asked during instruction, after class, during office hours, or in a scheduled appointment. As long as the question is answered, it doesn’t matter where or when it is asked. Remember to keep an ongoing list of the questions you have so you don’t forget them. 9 Not all questions need to be asked aloud. When you are curious about a topic, write down your questions. Decide which ones someone else can answer and which ones you can research yourself. Asking questions and working to find the answers will help you learn even more. 10 Questions are easy to ask when you use the 5W’s and H:who, what, when, where, why, and how. For example, if you are taking a computer course and the day’s topic is “Font Styles and When to Use Them,” you might think about the following questions: 1. Who uses the fonts? 2. What are the font styles? 3. When should the font be changed? 4. Where do I get fonts? 5. Why should fonts be used? 6. How many fonts are available? Think of yourself as a young child, a curious student of the entire world. By learning to ask questions, you will understand the world better while learning more in less time. 11 TAKE NOTES.Taking effective notes is like taking a picture for later reference of anything you see, hear, or read. Learners who take notes are more focused, have information to study from, and—most importantly—daydream less. Even if you are not required to take notes, creating your own notes will help you learn more. Knowing how to take good notes will transform the act of reading—which for many is a passive activity—into an active process. Note taking while reading forces you to concentrate because you are actively seeking out important information. More concentration means less mind wandering. Less mind wandering means more learning in less time. 12 GET HELP.Even the most active learners need some help sometime. Assistance can come from your instructor, boss, or fellow learners. The time to ask for help is not the day of or the day before an exam or a project deadline. Starting to prepare at least a week ahead will ensure that the help you need is available when you want it. Classroom instructors generally do not have a lot of sympathy for students who wait until the last minute to ask for help. Bosses have even less tolerance for employees who wait to ask for help. —Beale, Success Skills: Strategies for Study and Lifelong Learning,3rd edition