Study Question

[burbuja0512]

Hi,

First of all some good news, my DH and I went to take Here's to Your Health last night, which was his very first test. He was very nervous (though he wouldn't admit it lol) and he passed with a 445!! Yeah!

So, my question is related to study habits. I know how to study on my own but he is now studying for all the same tests that I'll be taking and wants to study together. We did the Here's to Your Health studying together and I found it much more difficult than studying on my own. I thought that the test was very easy, but as we study for more difficult exams, I am concerned that I won't do as well as I did on my own.

I don't have ANY experience with study partners or groups either in B&M college or High School. (OK... maybe I did in High School, but I graduated in 1993 so I don't remember. Any group studying I did back then was probably more gossip than study)

Has anyone here studied a lot with someone else? Do you have any hints? It seems like having someone to study with should be a good thing, rather than a distraction and I'm also so happy that my husband wants to do this. I just need to make it a little bit more effective.

Thanks!

[creative]

That is great news that your husband passed his first test !! Good for him!

I agree with you--- I find it easier and more productive to study by myself. I need to be in a room by myself away from all distractions However, here are two things I have found effective that includes someone else .... After I have studied for a few weeks and I am almost ready to take the test... I have someone sit down and I pretend I am the "teacher" and verbally give a summary of what I have learned. It helps me to verbalize what I have learned because any weak spots will show up right away---- if you can't "explain" something to someone else then you probably don't really "know" it. The other thing I would find helpful is to have someone to quiz each other back and forth. I think it's great that you can share this journey with your husband--you can keep each other motivated to keep going

[irnbru]

Studying with other people is useful but only in certain situations.

Initially, when a person is learning something new for the first time, they need to put their full concentration on to the task. If you and your DH are studying together, that means it's probably best that you both sit there quietly and let each other get on with it! At first, just having the other person there will be a distraction, but hopefully that will pass as you get used to it.

As you move into the material, what is useful though, is if one of you is trying to understand a particular concept and no matter how many times you read it, think about it or look at other explanations that it just doesn't seem to make sense. Then you can ask the other person what they think. This is probably the best part about having a study partner - someone to ask about that thing which makes absolutely no sense at all!

Finally, once you both have a basic level of knowledge and understanding, you can start asking each other questions, or quiz each other. This is the stage where having a study partner is probably most useful if you want to interact. Most of the time, you'll be happily sitting and reading/note taking/flash-card-making-away independently but together

Hope this makes some sense!

[burbuja0512]

Thanks for the thoughts.. I really need to figure this out so we both do well. He doesn't yet like to study by himself at all so it's hard on me. I think some of that may have to do with his fear of failing a test. Hopefully as we go down this path together, he'll be ok with a little bit of alone time... or at least quiet study while we sit next to each other

[P00057870]

Everyone has given some great suggestions and insight but i would like to add a little bit different view point to this discussion.


There are 3 learning styles: Visual, auditory and kinisthetic.

Some people need to see (read or watch videos), some people need to hear (whether read to them or while watching a video), some learn best by touching and doing (making things, hands on).

Most of us need a mix of all 3 in varying degrees.

Bring a little fun into this journey and both of you will learn a little more about each other, too. Go to http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.a...stionnaire and take the learning style questionairre.


I suspect your husband is an auditory learning, as well as someone who may need some moral support as he begins.

If the test shows that he is an auditory learner (and he agrees), you both can make this work for you. If so, perhaps you can voice record some of the study material for him to review. This can be done on your computer and then downloaded to an MP3 player (I-pod type of device) or to a disk and play it while in your car commuting or working around the house.

On the other hand, he may need the socialization portion of it that specific times have been set aside and then you both must work during that time. That, too, has been shown to work for a variety of reasons for some people. Think of Weight Watchers. Those regularly scheduled meetings are often what keeps people on track. That and knowing that someone else is watching. hilarious