Gyrus*

Learning Skills Index

Introduction: The five strands of Learning Skills are listed below in the following order: Critical Thinking, Study Skills, Reading, Writing, and Math. New webpages are being created for the Learning Skills, so the remainder will be added below as time permits. I am happy to respond to your questions and hear your comments via e-mail: Gerry Lewin.

Directions: The Learning Skills below are to be applied with course content as a pathway to follow that will break the task down into doable steps. Please adapt as needed for your assignment.

Gina Robledo, 2005 Commencement Speaker & DSPS Student of the Year

Critical Thinking

Elements of Reasoning Worksheet:
The purpose is to guide your reasoning by providing a worksheet with a framework to use when you are developing a line of thought in relation to an issue, a question, or a problem.

Problem Solving:
This worksheet can be used to organize your thoughts when solving a problem. It has a science orientation in that it uses the term "hypothesis", but can be applied to general problem solving as well.

Study Skills

Notetaking:
The purpose is to assist in learning how to take effective notes in the style that best suits how you learn. You will store information in long term memory more effectively when you are actively engaged in the notetaking process as a study method. This also includes instruction is the use of cue words, abbreviations and concept maps, as well as organization.

Test Preparation:
You are becoming a more active learner as soon as you read or listen and take notes. The Cornell notetaking method has been suggested as a good method to use because it sets you up for studying effectively. Starting with your notes, you identify essentials, and consolidate what is really important to know on summary sheets.

Calmness and Concentration During Tests:
Most students say they'd like to increase their abilities to stay calm and concentrated during tests. The webpage allows you to pinpoint possible causes for anxiety or error, and offers a set of solutions to maintain healthy mental balance on an ongoing basis. These suggestions can be used to sculpt your own daily discipline of reflection, if you so choose.

 

Reading

Paraphrasing:
This lays out the basic steps in paraphrasing, one of the most fundamental reading acts. If you can put the text in your own words, you know you are comprehending well. Paraphrasing properly prevents an appearance of plagiarism.

Question Analysis, by Michele Peterson, English Skills:
A guide to understand what teachers are asking for in their assignments.

 

Reading Journals, by Mark Ferrer, Faculty Resource Center:
What are reading journals, and how can one get the most out of using them?

 

Writing

TOWER, Writing Strategy
This connects to a much shorter version of a step-by-step writing procedure. I will add the original diagrams for different types of rhetorical styles as time allows. Under the Writing strand is a step-by-step method for essay writing. The organizing stage involves outlining or diagramming. Since diagrams are visual, here is the text-based version describing the diagrams for those who are using screen readers. (The diagrams not under the "O" of TOWER will be posted in the future.)

MLA System for Citing Sources:
This links to a webpage to help you properly cite your sources. The MLA and other styles are represented. Often an excellent paper falls short simply due to improper citations. Ask your professors which style guide they recommend.

Math

Six Types of Math Errors with Chart
Some students often think of all their errors as either "stupid" or "careless." If you think more carefully about the cause for making errors, you might identify recurring patterns, modify your study habits accordingly and improve your exam-taking strategy. Provides a printable chart on which you might record types of error for self-evaluation and planning of strategies.

*Background and credits:
Gyrus was a FIPSE grant project producing a pedagogically-based online course builder in which Dr. Stan Nicholson, Dr. Shirley Ronkowski, and Dr. George Michaels, from the UCSB Office of Instructional Consultation, collaborated with SBCC's Mark Ferrer, Faculty Resource Center, Dr. Jerry Pike, Cartwright Learning Resource Center, and Gerry Lewin, DSPS Learning Disabilities Specialist; also involved were Doug Hechter, Mercury Rising Design, and Lee Anne Kryder, UCSB. The portion posted here is from the Learning Skills area, which was my responsibility. If someone else's work was used, it will be cited within the page. G. Lewin

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