Melbourne, Australia
Student life is an enjoyable experience; however, a gold tip would be to enjoy it responsibly! From ensuring to look our best and getting new friends to hanging out at night, we often forget to prioritize our health. Many students even lose track of their studies only to wake up towards the examination period.
With the start of the new year, this now becomes a perfect time to reshuffle our daily routines, check out a textbook that a lecturer recommended a few months ago, and re-organize our minds. I guess we can relate! If you’re a student looking for the most effective learning tips during the examination period, you’re surely in the right place.
In this article, we’ll explore the best learning tips that can help you optimize your productivity, retention, and academic performance. Let’s begin.
6 Most Effective Learning Tips for Students During Their Exams
Set Goals
One of the best approaches to reaching targets during examinations is to set goals. Goal setting is a roadmap to what you should do, read, or accomplish during the examination period. More so, it helps assess the amount of time and tasks you have. SMART Goals is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Generally, the term represents the characteristics of an actual goal. The goal must be clear and realistic. You should also be able to attain such a goal by implementing given strategies and techniques. Lastly, it must be achieved within a given period.
With that, begin by setting goals to help you work smarter and focus on what matters during the examination.
Break Tasks Into Smaller Bites
The examination period often brings up panic in students, which is due to the anxiety that develops and the tension that rises. During this time, a single unit may seem like an entire textbook, and the whole syllabus may be impossible to complete in a given time frame.
With that, it’s best to cut the big tasks into small chunks. For example, if you have to read an entire unit, try to divide it into small portions according to the available time. However, ensure to set aside time to rest.
Also, you can leverage the Pomodoro technique to improve focus and increase productivity. This technique generally requires an individual to make a to-do list and divide the tasks into portions of 25 minutes. It also requires a person to take a 5-minute rest (break) after each task and a 15-minute longer break after four parts of the task.
The portions or sessions are referred to as Pomodoros. The Pomodoro technique is popular worldwide and is ideal when it comes to time management and productivity. This way, you will reduce the impact of distractions and achieve your targets.
Try Group Studies
Study groups are also one of the most effective learning approaches students can utilize to get through examination stress. However, one should follow it in case it drives the best results. In a study group, some students can handle more than when they are alone.
Mainly, these groups are characterized by discussions and revisiting topics which eliminates doubt. Students can also learn and retain material better. The best way to benefit from a study group is to set targets and plan what to cover and within which time range to render the sessions productive.
Use Technology for Immersive Learning
Technology has made learning more innovative and more immersive than ever before. Today, there’s a range of technologies that students can utilize to study better and retain information optimally. Rather than depending on class notes, try out a few educational apps for better learning experiences and clarity.
Many of these apps cater to personalized learning experiences so that you can study at your pace. They provide meaningful recommendations that may be vital for your course.
Besides apps, audio, and video resources are also ideal mediums for learning. Generally, they help you stay focused and understand faster. Learning apps also eliminate boredom, as many of them gamify learning experiences.
Prepare for Possible Questions
It may not be easy to read the entire textbook before an exam. More so, relying on the notes solely may hinder a student from exploring how questions are asked in examinations. To optimize learning outcomes, try to read notes alongside the possible questions that can appear in the test.
Revisiting past questions on quizzes or understanding the possible questions that can appear in an exam can help you understand exam patterns and styles. It can also help you know how much time you may require to answer a question. Also, it allows students to become familiar with the frequently asked questions and how to attempt them. Question papers are an excellent learning strategy since they are summative.
Leveraging question papers can help reduce the anxiety that examinations trigger in students, and exposure to model answers also reduces confusion and examination panic. With that, determine what you’re supposed to read and find questionnaires to optimize learning outcomes.
Find a Conducive Environment
Learning environments play a crucial role in learning and retaining information. Generally, a reliable learning environment promotes active learning and offers a favorable atmosphere that helps a student become mentally, physically, and psychologically prepared to learn.
Keynote, find yourself the best learning environment to focus and enjoy your study time. Ensure to have all the study material you need at your desk and the related stationery. Choose a place where you’re comfortable with little or no distractions.
Towards the examinations, some students may find studying in a remote area quite effective, whereas, for others, that may be a source of boredom. Depending on your preferences, try to get a conducive learning environment that can help you maximize your study time.
Final Thoughts
There are different effective learning strategies that students can leverage during their examinations. From planning a study timetable to altering the learning environment, all these can serve as practical learning tips for students. However, effective learning highly depends on individual goals and preferences. Follow a few tips given here and try out new strategies to optimize your study time during exams.