3 The Learning Cycle

Understanding how you learn can help make learning and studying easier. Skills like planning your learning and thinking about your learning strategies can help you evaluate whether your learning is progressing and if it is effective. Understanding the learning process is connected to success.

The Learning Cycle^[1]

Understanding how you learn is achieved by planning, monitoring, and evaluating your learning.

Planning involves 3 key tasks:

1. deciding what you need to learn,
2. deciding how you’re going to learn it,
3. and deciding when you’re going to study.

Monitoring is when you ask yourself “how well am I learning?”. In monitoring, you’re tracking and thinking about:

• what you’ve learned,
• what you don’t know yet,
• and whether your study strategies are helping you to learn effectively.

Evaluation involves reflecting on how well you met your learning objectives after completing and receiving feedback on an assignment or quiz.

Remember: if you have questions about your learning, assignment or quizzes, contact your instructor.

Key Questions to Improve Your Learning^[2]

At each stage of the learning  cycle, there are key questions you should ask yourself. The chart below lists key questions to think about.