As a college student, much of the information you will need to read is challenging and difficult to understand. That is because it is new to you! Texts, research articles and lectures present new and advanced material that is important to understand to be a successful student. You will need to make extra effort to understand the new concepts, vocabulary and express what you comprehend to others. This is a process many students are not ready for, because the education system leading to college has focused on simplifying the material so students can understand. Now, it is your responsibility to break up the elements so you can understand the concepts.
The following website describes a useful strategy to reading challenging material, especially for college-level learning.
Take Notes
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Example: Lyons & Evans (2013). Blended Learning to Increase Student Satisfaction. Internet Reference Services Quarterly 18:1, 43-53. Students appreciated “the practical application of the facilitators’ replies, especially the chance for one-on-one time with the librarian.” p47 “Students were able to continue their research during the week, at their convenience, without having to wait until the next in-person meeting” p48 “Participation in both semesters was at a highest when students were asked about their search strategies and the librarian assisted with selecting library databases and subject headings for their search terms” p48 “Students felt distant from the activity when there was a lack of immediate responses to posts” p48 Students “were surprised by how passionate people became about their projects” p48 Unexpected benefit: the level “students learned from each other in this venue, including finding motivation, focus, insight, and understanding from their peers’ feedback”” p49-50 |