How to Actively Learn During Lectures
Try to sit in the front seats and with a person who has a good reputation in preparing notes., Listen., Write accurate notes., Highlight as you write., Write questions as you listen., Be a proactive listener., Take care with recording devices.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Try to sit in the front seats and with a person who has a good reputation in preparing notes.
Sit in the position where the lecturer can easily see your preparation of notes.
This will propel you to prepare better notes, note more points and will make you able to create a better reputation in the class.
If you sit in the front, you will have fewer distractions and will be able to focus on the lecture. -
Step 2: Listen.
This means staying alert and not wandering off into a daydream, mentally creating a to-do list or even outlining what you will write your next research paper on.
Forget everything except what you are listening to and watching
- devote all of your senses to the lecture.
Being genuinely interested in the lecture subject will help you maintain the focus. , It is important to write down key points from the lecture.
This does not mean writing everything, word for word.
It means that you need to follow the art of distillation, namely drawing out the points that matter and the points that sum up the gist of each section of the lecture. , In the margin of your notes, write keywords or use signs that will draw you to the points quickly when you are re-reading the lecture notes.
This does two things
- it immediately creates a quick connection in your mind to the point and it makes it very easy to find the key points when you revise or write using the notes. , If you can formulate questions aimed at the subject-matter as you are listening, this will help to solidify the information in your mind.
Whether or not you get to ask these questions of the lecturer, you are learning a key skill that will be useful for the rest of your life.
Asking questions enables you to explore the information further and forces you to examine the information you are receiving in a more active manner. , If the lecturer makes points that you disagree with or find are worth further consideration, place an asterisk or exclamation marks next to the point and single-words such as "nonsense"
"unverified"
"explore further".
This creates a connection in your mind with the possible further research avenues for you after the lecture. , If you are allowed to record a lecture, be careful about relying on this as your sole source of remembering what was said.
Do you really want to have to sit through the entire lecture again just to find the key points? It isn't really a time-saving device at all and you are much better off writing notes. -
Step 3: Write accurate notes.
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Step 4: Highlight as you write.
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Step 5: Write questions as you listen.
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Step 6: Be a proactive listener.
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Step 7: Take care with recording devices.
Detailed Guide
Sit in the position where the lecturer can easily see your preparation of notes.
This will propel you to prepare better notes, note more points and will make you able to create a better reputation in the class.
If you sit in the front, you will have fewer distractions and will be able to focus on the lecture.
This means staying alert and not wandering off into a daydream, mentally creating a to-do list or even outlining what you will write your next research paper on.
Forget everything except what you are listening to and watching
- devote all of your senses to the lecture.
Being genuinely interested in the lecture subject will help you maintain the focus. , It is important to write down key points from the lecture.
This does not mean writing everything, word for word.
It means that you need to follow the art of distillation, namely drawing out the points that matter and the points that sum up the gist of each section of the lecture. , In the margin of your notes, write keywords or use signs that will draw you to the points quickly when you are re-reading the lecture notes.
This does two things
- it immediately creates a quick connection in your mind to the point and it makes it very easy to find the key points when you revise or write using the notes. , If you can formulate questions aimed at the subject-matter as you are listening, this will help to solidify the information in your mind.
Whether or not you get to ask these questions of the lecturer, you are learning a key skill that will be useful for the rest of your life.
Asking questions enables you to explore the information further and forces you to examine the information you are receiving in a more active manner. , If the lecturer makes points that you disagree with or find are worth further consideration, place an asterisk or exclamation marks next to the point and single-words such as "nonsense"
"unverified"
"explore further".
This creates a connection in your mind with the possible further research avenues for you after the lecture. , If you are allowed to record a lecture, be careful about relying on this as your sole source of remembering what was said.
Do you really want to have to sit through the entire lecture again just to find the key points? It isn't really a time-saving device at all and you are much better off writing notes.
About the Author
Angela Harvey
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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