February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Personal Learning styles practiced in independent learning ................................................................ 2 Techniques to employ in independent learning.................................................................................. 2 Managing stress................................................................................................................................. 4 Reading- Key factor in independent learning...................................................................................... 5 Importance of making schedules for learning..................................................................................... 7 Obstacles in following a schedule: ..................................................................................................... 7 How to manage obstacles in following a schedule.............................................................................. 8 Closure .............................................................................................................................................. 9 References......................................................................................................................................... 9 Appendix A ...................................................................................................................................... 10

Introduction | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Introduction We are living in a revolutionary world. New innovations, concepts and approaches emerge with lot of consequences. To cope with the demands of the modern word we need to improve our knowledge. Learning is vitally important since through learning we are able to make choices and a better living. In modern education, new approaches are practiced to improve learning. Independent learning has become the major technique used in higher education institutes. Independent learning provides chances for learners to excel their learning by their own effort without relying on lectures or tutors. This assignment is based on what learners should implement on their learning to make it meaningful. Similarly techniques used to cope with daily routine and making the use of effective learning skills is discussed.

Introduction | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Personal Learning styles practiced in independent learning To achieve success in our life we need to be great learners. In every day of our life we get to learn new things by experiencing, seeing and hearing from others. Learning invokes values, strength and intelligence in human. We all know that different people have different abilities. What is best for one person may not be appropriate for another. Just like that we have different learning styles. According to Van Blerkom (2009) the term learning style refers to a preferred way by which you acquire process and retain information- the way you learn best. There are mainly three types of learning style, visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. Visual learners acquire knowledge by seeing things. Auditory learners learn best by hearing information. However kinaesthetic learners learn things by doing things. Auditory learners have characteristics like reading difficult text passages out loud. discussing the course material, mumbling information as you read and study, asking and answering questions out loud and listening to study notes on tapes are some strategies that you already use, if your preferred learning style is auditory (Van Blerkom, 2009). Kinaesthetic learners learn by exploring, experiencing and experimenting things. They are good at remembering things by the feel of how they create things. From the above learning styles my personal learning style is visual learning. Visual learners have characteristics like reading, highlighting the texts, using diagrams, flow charts and other visual representations. Van Blerkom (2009) stated that reading, looking at pictures, using diagrams and charts, watching films, videos and demonstrations are the ways that visual learners can learn new information. Note taking strategies such as outlining, mapping and charting work well for visual learners. One of the advantages for visual learners is that they are able to remember information by visualising events and imagining situations. Similarly visual learner can use visualisation strategies to remember information.

Techniques to employ in independent learning

Independent learning is a process where learners are responsible for their own learning. Independent learners acquire knowledge by their own efforts. Independent learning helps learners to think and act autonomously. It enhances critical thinking and the ability to do better researches. As independent learners we can employ many techniques to elaborate our learning.
2 Personal Learning styles practiced in independent learning | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Planning and managing the smart ways helps to improve our performance. When we think of studying we must have a schedule or good plan for studying. This will help us to manage time valuably. According to Kizlik (2012) the schedule you develop should guide you in how to allocate the available time in the most productive manner. Apart from making schedules we should have goals to attain. Goals are important in college because they help to motivate you to your work attend classes and study for exams... You can improve your academic performance by learning to set goals that motivate you to do well and increase your chance for success (Van Blerkom, 2009) The goal should be self chosen, relevant, congruent, challenging, realistic, specific, measurable, time bond and positive. It should be written and kept in a place where you can see. Another technique you can employ for learning is applying smart time management. Time management is the way you allocate time effectively. According to Van Blerkon (2009) the key to the successful time management is allowing sufficient time to complete the work while still finding time to complete other responsibilities. To successfully complete your work you need to develop new strategies for managing your time and managing your materials. Develop a plan, learn to set priorities set up a system and monitor your progress. The most important technique needed for independent learning is to motivate the self. Motivation is very important to pursue particular goals. According to Osman et. Al (2011) motivation is something that energises, direct and sustains behaviour towards particular goals. It affects how you do your work, when you do your work and how long you work on a task. We can apply the basic strategies to intense self motivation. Van Blerkom (2009) explained number of basic strategies which can help you to get more motivated. Some of those strategies are setting challenging and realistic goals, setting learning goals, seeing the value in the task, having positive attitude, using positive self talk, walking hard, using effective study strategies, breaking down the tasks and monitoring your learning. The major factors that influence your motivation are your goals, self efficacy and your level of effort. (Van Blerkom, 2009) In order to develop our learning strategies we should be aware of personal learning style.

Techniques to employ in independent learning | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Managing stress
Stress is a feeling that is created when we react to the particular event. It is the bodys way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet tough situations which focus on the strength stamina and heightened alertness. Stress is part of our life. It is something essential. Some stress help to motivate our self to set challenging goals and solve problems. Positive stress allows performing at a higher level. Therefore managing stress is an important part of learning and a healthy living. Most common stressors are related to academic performance, life style changes, finance, health, social relationships, family and friends. As independent learners we have to cope with stress by finding the productive and positive strategies to deal with stress. There are many stress management strategies that we can utilize to reduce stress. First we need to organise our self by making a plan to allocate time for the different tasks. In order to become stress free it is important that you learn to prioritise and effectively manage your time (How to Develop Better Concentration, n.d Secondly we have to control the environment we are in by controlling who and what is in the surrounding. Next thing to do is always rewarding and giving feed back to the self. Always have a positive attitude towards the tasks. After completing the tasks successfully reward the self by doing any leisure activity for mind relaxing. (Osman, et al., 2011) You have to instruct your mind to relieve the stress. Take control of your mind so that you can be more constructive. (How to Develop Better Concentration, n.d Exercising plays a major role to reduce the stress. According to Stress Management, A Practical Guide (n.d) during exercise the body releases a hormone called adrenaline which is the same stimulating hormone that is released in the fight or flight response. During exercise adrenaline serves a purpose as it is need to get body moving and returns to normal when the exercise is over. Some great forms of exercising are walking jogging swimming cycling aerobics and yoga. Therefore exercising will help to relax and keep our mind out of things that causes stress. Another strategy use to manage stress is relaxing. Doing relaxation techniques help to release stress and put your mind at ease. Various relaxation strategies are breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, exercising, visualisation, meditation, music appreciation and ,spending time with loved ones. (Stress Management, A Practical Guide, n.d)
4 Managing stress | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Another very important strategy to manage stress is eating a balance diet and taking rest as regularly as possible. It is very important to have well balance diet to help control the stress level. Eating junk foods results in obesity. To avoid stress try to stick to a schedule where you can eat three basic meals and also try to get enough sleep as it is important in order to have enough to get through the next day. Apart from these strategies we should enjoy ourselves. Humour is very important in our life. Having laughter in life can increase energy level and take away all negative feelings.

Reading- Key factor in independent learning

Every human has intellectual abilities. This capability starts to develop from a very early stage of life. When a child is two to three years old they learn to communicate with others by imitating elders. As intellectual abilities develop in different phases of life, human learn different skills. Hence to be aware of the surrounding world, we need to develop and improve certain skills like reading. Reading is an essential skill in human life. People read with different purposes such as for pleasure, to gather specific information, to earn experience or to simply know what is happening around. Reading provides lot of benefits for the readers. Similarly there are different reading styles for different purposes. Reading is a primary mean by which we acquire knowledge. Through reading human are able to discover new ideas, concepts, places etc. Reading is a good habit with many benefits. For example reading develops comprehension skills and vocabulary. While reading the reader will come across many new words and phrases. The reader will be curious to know about the new words and will find the meaning of those hence increasing his vocabulary. (The Benefits of Reading, 2008). Moreover it improves our writing skills as well . Reading helps to improve your writing skills by grasping the words in sentence properly. (What are the beneifts of reading, 2004) Similarly it enables our minds to become more creative and improve our critical thinking. Isaac (2007) stated that by reading more books and exposing yourself to new and more complete information, you will be able to come up with more creative ideas. Since reading helps to develop mental skills and mind power, it results in academic excellence with more knowledge. Similarly reading improves personality. In fact it helps to develop self esteem and self discipline. According to Isaac (2007) by reading more books one can become better informed and more of an expert on the topics and this expertise translates into higher self esteem.
5 Reading- Key factor in independent learning | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Likewise it has health benefits as well. Reading is essential way of reducing stress. Reading helps to relax your body as well as your mind from any stresses and distractions in life. Over all reading is tremendous gift which relish ones life. Reading is becoming more and more important in our lives. In fact it is the most effective human activity for transferring information into knowledge. Therefore Learners should know how to use different reading techniques effectively. In academic settings reading is assumed to be the central means for learning new information and gaining access to alternative explanations. Reading also provides people with the foundation for synthesis and critical evaluation skill. In addition reading is the primary mean for independent learning. (Hein, 2010) Utilizing different reading strategies by the learners in learning process can be beneficial to improve their academic performance. According to a research done by Hein (2010) academic reading is not easy; therefore it is extremely difficult for academic students to achieve complex goals without reading strategies. Reading strategies are used to help learners facilitate the reading process and provide them with better understanding of what they are reading. Mainly fast reading and slow reading are the two basic styles used in academic reading. Fast reading consists of scanning and skimming. Similarly, analytical approach, critical approach and SQ4R are processes used in slow reading. In academic years all students have to manage time efficiently. In those circumstances spending a lot of time reading each and every material related to the subject can be difficult and overwhelming. Fast reading techniques help to avoid these situations by giving an overview of the topic and helping to find specific and relevant information without spending much time on it. Skimming refers to reading quickly to gain a general idea about a reading material. This strategy is extremely useful if the readers want to read a large amount of material in a short amount of time by two ways: identifying the main ideas and ignoring the details. ( Hien, 2010). Skimming helps in studying and developing average reading rate. In comparison to skimming, scanning is looking for specific details in a text. In most readings supporting details are given to elaborate the facts. In this technique you read a text only once, and look for specific information to answer a question to complete a task (Shepherd & Mitchell, 1997) Therefore skimming and scanning are useful skills which allow readers to become more proficient.

Reading- Key factor in independent learning | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

However slow reading allows student to concentrate at a higher level to gain and comprehend the information given in a material. According to Osman et. al, (2011) slow reading style is adopted when learners need to be very thorough with the content. Especially to analyse, evaluate, criticise and to remember the information slow reading is used. There are mainly two approaches in slow reading; critical approach and analytical approach. When student use critical reading they make questions related to the text and try to find answers. Van Blercom (2009) stated that critical reading involves, questioning, analysing and evaluating what you read. On the other hand analytical reading is more of active reading. Analytical reading techniques help students mentally organize information, make decisions about their reading and engage critically with what they read. (Analytical Reading, 2010). Apart from these two approaches the main method used in academic reading is called SQ4R. This method helps to understand the reading material in dept by linking up new information with what you already know. The initials SQ4R stands for survey, question, read, recite, record and review. These techniques can be used in independent learning for learners to improve their academic performance. Reading plays a vital role in human life. Without this skill humans would be ignorant. Undoubtedly reading is fundamental in the development of human brain and personality. Reading provides numerous benefits for those who try to improve their life. To heighten academic performance different reading styles and various approaches cab be practised by the learners. Obviously reading enhances our lives mentally, socially and spiritually.

Importance of making schedules for learning

Establishing a good time plan or schedule can be highly beneficial for a learner to manage time. The first step in better learning is to evaluate how the learner allocate and spend time for learning. Learning to manage time effectively depends on how much the learner can stick to a schedule. To make a schedule, determine the available study time and outline the task and hours needed to complete each task. Refer to appendix A.

Obstacles in following a schedule:

Making daily study schedule helps to make the best use of study time. Though we make schedule there are factors which prevent from following the schedule. For instance environmental distractions hinder effective studying. Therefore creating a proper studying environment is needed better learning. Another factor which distracts studies can be noise. If
7 Importance of making schedules for learning | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

you try to study in a noisy place you can be constantly distracted and interrupted. Apart from these external distractions there are internal distractions as well. Internal distractions are things that you think about or worry about. Most common internal distractions are anxiety about your studies, boredom, disinterest and worrying about personal problems. Anxiety in studying is a feeling of uneasiness such as worrying or fear about studies. Boredom and disinterest may result in poor concentration and less effort in studies. Due to particular reason one may feel bored and not interested in learning. For example if the content is already known or if it is too complicated to understand one may show less interest to read it repeatedly to get main idea of a text. Sometimes students loose appetite in studies due to the conflicts with tutor. These conflicts may be due to the differences in things like opinion, values, ideas, procedures etc. Frequent worrying disrupts effective learning by interfering with the individuals ability to concentrate appropriately on learning tasks. (Klinger,1999). Spending more time thinking about personal matters and preoccupied by negative thoughts is barrier for following a schedule. Personal worries are mostly related to financial problems relationships and physical environment.

How to manage obstacles in following a schedule

After knowing the obstacles in learning one should find the solution to manage such situations. To overcome the environmental distractions and noise find a place where there is no distraction. Studying in one particular place which is comfortable, organise and pleasant for you helps to improve concentration. Creating a good study environment allows you to maximise your learning efficiency. ... A good study environment serve as a catalyst for productive effort (Creating a Good Study Environment, n.d) In order to develop a better concentration; identify the causes of boredom disinterest and personal worries. This happens when you are not clear and specific. This can also result due to lack of motivation, not planning ahead and not clear about what to do and due to over scheduling. To solve this problem focus on what you are doing. Likewise set realistic and attainable goals. If you set reasonable expectation for yourself you are more likely to accomplish your goals and less likely to have negative feelings about your capabilities (Van Blerkom, 2009). When personal concerns are interfering in learning it shows personal concerns are of higher priorities. Often this happens when time is not given to deal with these issues. To avoid this, set plans according to priorities.
8 How to manage obstacles in following a schedule | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

The main purpose of following a schedule is managing time effectively. Good time management shows how effectively study time is organised and spend. For effective time management, it is necessary to know how time is used and if the goals are achieving or not.

Closure

From the discussion in the preceding sections I came to know about how independent learning can be efficient with effective techniques and tools like setting goals, making schedules for learning, utilising time management strategies in learning. It also helped me in understanding the importance of different reading techniques and reading styles and acquainted me with the learning styles that suit to me best as an independent leaner.

References

Isaac, B. (2007, December 5). The 26 Major Advantages to Reading More Books and Why 3 in 4 People Are Being Shut Out of Success. Retrieved February 5, 2012, from Persistance Unlimited: http://www.persistenceunlimited.com/2007/12/the-26-major-advantages-to-reading-more-booksand-why-3-in-4-people-are-being-shut-out-of-success/ Kizlik, B. (2012, Janurary 4). Adprima, Education information for new and future teacher. Retrieved February 1, 2012, from Adprima: www.adprima.com/studyout.htm Osman, Z., Kaur, A., Bidin, S. H., Khalid, H. M., kaur, H., Ahmed, H., et al. (2011). Learning Skills For Open Distance Learners. Kula Lampur: Pearson Prentice Hall. Stress Management, A Practical Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2012, from Concorida University: www.health.concordia.ca/pdf/healthinfo/stress.pdf The Benefits of Reading. (2008). Retrieved February 1, 2012, from Impact Publishsing Online: http://www.impactpublishingonline.com/index.php/reading/ Van Blerkom, D. L. (2009). College Study Skills. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. What are the beneifts of reading. (2004). Retrieved February 2, 2012, from University of the District of the Columbia: www.dcadultliteracy.org/BeneiftsofReading.html

Closure | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Appendix A: A Weekly Time Schedule to Manage Learning Time

Day Sunday
6:00am 8:00am 8:30am 10:30 m 11:00am 12:00pm 12:00pm 2:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 4:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6;00pm 7;00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 9;00pm 9:00pm 10;00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:00pm 5:30 am

Learn general linguistic

Learn socio linguistic

Preparin g lunch

Monday

Read Odl book

Learn g. linguistic

Preparin g lunch

Finding info for assignm ent Do assignm ent Relaxing

Having lunch

Assign ment writing

Relaxin g

Getting ready for class Getting ready for class Relaxin g

Odl class

Read odl chapter s Group study

Watchi ng series

dinner

Searching info for Assignme nts Relaxing

sleeping

Having lunch

Relaxin g

Do assign ment

General linguist ic class Getting ready for class Written commu nication Odl class

Written communication

sleeping

Tuesday

Resting

Do assignme nt Practice Essay writing Practice Essay writing

Preparin g lunch

Having lunch

Do assign ment

Wednesda y

Learn socio linguistic Cocurricull um studies Sleeping

Preparin g lunch

Relaxing

Having lunch

Finding info for assign ment Practice Relaxin Essay g writing

General linguistic class

Relaxing

Thursday

Preparin g lunch

Friday

Relaxing

Preparin g lunch

Finding info for assignm ent Time with family

Having lunch

Relaxing

Getting ready for class Getting ready for class Relaxing

Group study

Sociolinguistic class

Finding info for assignme nt Relaxing

sleeping

sleeping

Socioli nguistic class

Socioling uistic class

Do assignme nt

sleeping

Having lunch

Do assign ment

Finding info for assign ment

Relaxing Do assignment

sleeping

10

< | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3

February 19, 2012 Saturday Co curriculum studies

[LEARNING SKILLS FOR OPEN DISTANCE LEARNERS]

Preparin g lunch Relaxing Having lunch Do assign ment Finding info for assign ment Relaxing Do assignment Relaxing sleeping

11

< | Fathmath Ali- BETESL Batch 3