1 Lifelong Learning

Keeping your professional skills current means becoming a lifelong active learner. This chapter introduces learning skills that you can use in school and throughout your career.

What is Active Learning?

Learning is most effective when learners are actively and constructively engaged in creating their knowledge.^[1] Active learning asks learners to explore, discover, process, apply, and evaluate; not just receive information passively.

How to Succeed at Active Learning

Click on each skill to see the details

Self-Reflection and Active Learning

Reflecting on and noting your responses as you learn is a great way to improve your learning.^[2] As you read, watch, listen and do, note your responses to the material. For example, make notes on:

• Whether the content was easy or difficult to understand
• What confused or annoyed you
• What was interesting or surprising
• Any lightbulb moments

As you go through this chapter, note your responses to the content. At the end of the chapter (and each subsequent chapter) you’ll be asked to describe your responses to what you learned, discuss what you learned, and practice what you learned.

Take Note!

Taking notes as you learn helps you remember and understand the content. If your course has tests and exams, you can also use those notes as study aids.

There are different ways to take notes; find a notetaking method that works for you.

 Activity 

1. Get a pencil and 2 pieces of paper
2. Watch How to draw to remember more (16:48) and participate in the drawing activities

Review and Studying

Reviewing your notes within 24 hours of the class is an excellent study strategy.^[3] Do 10 minutes of review for each hour of class. For example, if your class is two hours, review for 20 minutes (within 24 hours after class).

The Cue Card Method

The Cue Card method is a quick and easy way to review. This method uses inexpensive cue cards (also known as index cards). Write a question on one side, and the answer on the other, then use the cards to quiz yourself.

Cue cards are small enough to use on transit, while walking, or in line at the grocery store. You can use them later to study for tests and exams.

Tips:

• Test yourself, or ask a partner to test you.
• Go through the cards several times, removing cards that you can answer easily. This helps you focus on content you’re not yet familiar with.
• You can work in groups, and even make a game of it. Give points for the first correct answer, or to everyone who gets a correct answer.