Develop the 16 Habits of Mind for College Success!

The Habits of Mind are an identified set of 16 problem solving, life related skills, necessary to effectively operate in society and promote strategic reasoning, insightfulness, perseverance, creativity, and craftsmanship. The understanding and application of these 16 Habits of Mind serve to provide the individual with skills to work through real life situations that equip that person to respond using awareness (cues), thought, and intentional strategy in order to gain a positive outcome.  They are the ideal skills to develop while in college, if a student has not already done so.   The 16 Habits of Mind are:

1. Persisting: Sticking to task at hand; Follow through to completion; Can and do remain focused.

2. Managing Impulsivity: Take time to consider options; Think before speaking or acting; Remain calm when stressed or challenged; Thoughtful and considerate of others; Proceed carefully.

3. Listening with Understanding and Empathy: Pay attention to and do not dismiss another person’s thoughts, feeling and ideas; Seek to put myself in the other person’s shoes; Tell others when I can relate to what they are expressing; Hold thoughts at a distance in order to respect another person’s point of view and feelings.

4. Thinking Flexibly: Able to change perspective; Consider the input of others; Generate alternatives; Weigh options.

5. Thinking about Thinking (Metacognition): Being aware of own thoughts, feelings, intentions and actions; Knowing what I do and say affects others; willing to consider the impact of choices on myself and others.

6. Striving for Accuracy: Check for errors; Measure at least twice; Nurture a desire for exactness, fidelity, & craftsmanship.

7. Questioning and Posing Problems: Ask myself, “How do I know?”; develop a questioning attitude; Consider what information is needed, choose strategies to get that information; Consider the obstacles needed to resolve.

8. Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations: Use what is learned; Consider prior knowledge and experience; Apply knowledge beyond the situation in which it was learned.

9. Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision: Strive to be clear when speaking and writing; Strive be accurate to when speaking and writing; Avoid generalizations, distortions, minimizations, and deletions when speaking, and writing.

10. Gathering Data through All Senses: Stop to observe what I see; Listen to what I hear; Take note of what I smell; Taste what I am eating; Feel what I am touching.

11. Creating, Imagining, Innovating: Think about how something might be done differently from the “norm”; Propose new ideas; Strive for originality; Consider novel suggestions others might make.

12. Responding with Wonderment and Awe: Intrigued by the world’s beauty, nature’s power and vastness for the universe; Have regard for what is awe-inspiring and can touch my heart; Open to the little and big surprises in life I see others and myself.

13. Taking Responsible Risks: Willing to try something new and different; Consider doing things that are safe and sane even though new to me; Face fear of making mistakes or of coming up short and don’t let this stop me.

14. Finding Humor: Willing to laugh appropriately; Look for the whimsical, absurd, ironic and unexpected in life; Laugh at myself when I can.

15. Thinking Interdependently: Willing to work with others and welcome their input and perspective; Abide by decisions the work group makes even if I disagree somewhat; Willing to learn from others in reciprocal situations.

16. Remaining Open to Continuous Learning: Open to new experiences to learn from; Proud and humble enough to admit when don’t know; Welcome new information on all subjects.

Source: Costa, Arthur L. and Bena Kallick, Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind: 16 Essential Characteristics for Success. 2008.

Critical Thinking REQUIRED!

What does critical thinking mean?  To some students it can be an elusive term but it is one they encounter repeatedly in college and therefore, need to understand.  Critical Thinking is a process that requires you to sort out conflicting assertions, set free personal biases, evaluate available evidence, and develop reasonable/logical conclusions.  Many possible approaches to this process exist; however, it all boils down to asking and answering questions. Just like so many other activities that students work at while in college, it is an accrued skill…the more you use it, the better you get at it.  Critical Thinking is frankly, the most valuable skill you can gain, refine, and practice while in college.   

The American Philosophical Association Delphi Report concluded after two years of research that college level critical thinkers share several similar attitudes: inquisitiveness, open-mindedness, self-confidence, fair-mindedness, willingness to face one’s own biases, flexibility in considering alternatives and varied opinions, readiness to reconsider and revise views, and trust in the process of reason/logic.  These attitudes aid college students to cultivate certain cognitive skills, which are the key components that comprise what it means to be a critical thinker.  These cognitive skills are interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. 

So how does one work at practicing these important cognitive skills to become a more effective critical thinker?  The best thing to do is focus on four basic questions as guides when progressing through the learning cycle:
1.  Why are you considering this issue or topic?  Critical thinking goes hand-in-hand with personal desires; so, it is vital to question why some issue or topic matters to you.  It may be as simple as “I need to know this to pass a test” or as complex as “I really have a passion for this subject matter and want to learn as much as I can about it.”
2.  What are the various points of view on this issue or topic?  Examining different points of view is an exercise in analysis and involves four steps:

o   Define terms – you need to not just use the same words but those words need to have the same mean for you to have a fair and effective argument.  What if I was talking about limiting health care benefits to members of a family and the parties involved did not define family in the same way that I did.  The argument would be futile because we wouldn’t be discussing the same thing.

o   Look for assertions or claims – you need to identify the claims that someone is making about a topic.  These claims will be sentences that answer key questions related to the topic.  By identifying the assertions/claims, you can comprehend what the other point of view believes.

o   Look for a variety of viewpoints – Do not be tempted to just settle for the first answer you come across.  It is always best to identify at least three other viewpoints on any given topic or issue.  We live in a complicated world and just one simple answer is not always adequate to deal with that complexity. 

o   Practice tolerance – we need to stop attaching ourselves to steadfastly to our viewpoints that we refuse to consider alternatives.  Remember that some viewpoints that seem outlandish today may become readily accepted in a year, decade, or century from now.  By practicing tolerance, we open ourselves up to new ideas that might just alter our lives. 

3.  How well is each point of view supported? To be a good critical thinker we have to be good detectives and look for the evidence.  We want to make sure the evidence is logical and credible; so, we need to examine if it truly supports the viewpoint, doesn’t utilize bias, is consistent, and presents all relevant facts.  We also want to consider the source of the evidence and be willing to take the time to understand all facts and opinions being presented before jumping in and criticizing.
4.  What if you could combine various viewpoints or create a new one?  As you develop your critical thinking skills you will find that one opinion or viewpoint does not cover the whole truth of any given topic or issue.  Be willing to accept that there may be multiple viewpoints that could be combined to create a new one.  Think of the issue/topic and your views of that issue/topic as dynamic not static.  Be open to creativity with your critical thinking because that will lead to innovative and refreshing viewpoints.

Remember Critical Thinking is a process and a skill.  Like all processes, it has multiple steps and takes time in order to have a good end product.  Likewise, like all skill development, practice makes perfect.  In the ever-changing career marketplace, having a vital global skill like critical thinking is imperative. So make cultivating critical thinking a goal while you are in college and beyond. 

Sources:

Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master Student, 12 ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print. 

Facione, Peter A. “Executive Summary: The Delphi Report.”  Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction. Millbrae, CA: California Academic Press, 1990. Pdf. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. 

Link to a variety of resources for College Note Taking

Check out these resources I compiled using Padlet:

College Note Taking

Attend Class!

Among the freedoms that college students soon recognize they possess, once they are away from home, is the choice not to attend classes. It is true that you do not have to attend every single class of every course to get a decent grade. However, thinking only in terms of grades and how much one can get away with is a dangerous attitude toward college education. The real issue is whether you are trying to get the most out of your education. 

Here are some reasons why it is important to attend every class:

• Miss a class and you will miss something, even if you never know it. Even if a friend gives you notes for the class, they cannot contain everything said or shown by the instructor or written on the board for emphasis or questioned or commented on by other students. What you miss might affect your grade or your enthusiasm for the course. Why go to college at all if you’re not going to go to college?
• While some students may say that you don’t have to go to every class to do well on a test, that is very often a myth. Do you want to take that risk?
• Your final grade often reflects how you think about course concepts, and you will think more often and more clearly when engaged in class discussions and hearing the comments of other students. You cannot get this by borrowing class notes from a friend.
• Research shows there is a correlation between absences from class and lower grades. It may be that missing classes causes lower grades or that students with lower grades miss more classes. Either way, missing classes and lower grades can be intertwined in a downward spiral of achievement.
• Your instructor will note your absences—even in a large class. In addition to making a poor impression, you reduce your opportunities for future interactions. You might not ask a question the next class because of the potential embarrassment of the instructor saying that was covered in the last class, which you apparently missed. Nothing is more insulting to an instructor than when you skip a class and then show up to ask, “Did I miss anything important?”
• You might be tempted to skip a class because the instructor is “boring,” but it’s more likely that you found the class boring because you weren’t very attentive or didn’t appreciate how the instructor was teaching. Remember boredom is a choice.  
• You paid a lot of money for your tuition. Get your money’s worth!
• Attending the first day of class is especially critical. There you’ll get the syllabus and other handouts, learn the instructor’s policies and preferences for how the class will function, and often take notes in an opening lecture.

Hopefully some of these reasons resonate with you and you recognize that “blowing off" classes is a bad habit that will lead you to college failure and laziness, will prevent you from learning, and will cost you money.  

There are times when it is all right to be absent:  a serious illness and a death in the family. All other times need to be carefully considered. 

Developing Motivation

Just the other day, I had a student come into my office in tears frustrated after she failed another Chemistry test this semester.  I asked the typical questions trying to expose how and what she studied to determine if she needed a tutor and to conclude what test taking tips and strategies I might be able to teach her.  At one point she states, “I hate Professor X and I hate Chemistry…it shouldn’t be this hard.”  I asked her why she thought college courses should not be that rigorous and she did not really have an answer, so then I questioned her about her motivation for taking Chemistry, beyond it is a required course for her major.  “I don’t have any motivation…I just have to take the course.”  I inquired whether she wants to learn something. She said, “of course.”  I told her that she had to find her own motivation for learning and that it was not going to come from her instructor or even an F grade on a test.  She had to determine what her motivation was in learning.  We continued to discuss learning goals and blooms taxonomy and she left with a list of personal learning objectives, ways to motivate herself in obtaining those objectives, and a plan of study to tackle the next test. 

One of the most important life skills that a student can develop is motivation.  Motivation in psychology is literally the desire to do things – to be able to start, direct, and maintain an activity.  Sometimes this process needs to be accomplished even when one does not have a strong preference for that activity.  Motivation originates in two forms: Intrinsic or Extrinsic.  A person driven by an interest in the activity and not relying on outside rewards has intrinsic motivation.  While a person driven by external factors to attain an outcome, possesses extrinsic motivation.  The reality is that humans utilize both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to plan and execute activities in their daily lives. These two forms of motivation could be seen more on a continuum than as two specific types. However, since most of us do not have extrinsic rewards waiting for us as we accomplish daily activities, we discover ways to internally motivate ourselves more and more.  Developing this intrinsic motivation is an extremely valuable tool for students.  Educational psychology has long recognized that students who learn to motivate themselves are far more successful than those who rely on extrinsic rewards. 

So how can a student develop intrinsic motivation?  To develop strong self-motivation, four factors are necessitated by a student:

First, a student must have both a high level of self-esteem and self-efficacy.  Self-esteem refers to your self-regard or overall evaluation of one’s own worth.  While self-efficacy is the belief you have in your own ability to follow through with and reach a goal. Both of these can be developed. They are not human characteristics that are set in stone.  In a future blog post, I will address developing these skills. 

Second, a student must develop a positive outlook.  Positive thinking helps you to envision an affirmative future that involves you obtaining your goals.  When you expect positive results, you will often make active choices and be less likely to leave things to chance.  As a student, you become a more active participant in your learning and achieving your academic goals. 

Third, a student must learn to establish effective goals and stay focused on those goals to develop their motivation.  Goal setting is another learned skill that students can get better at with more practice.  You learn to identify what you want to get out of an activity and learn how to identify the action steps to achieve that outcome.  Remember the SMART acronym for establishing your academic goals: S= specific, M= measurable, A=achievable, R=relevant, and T= time-based. 

Fourth, a student must learn to construct an environment that is conducive to motivation.  This means you need to surround yourself with positive people who are going to assist you in achieving your goals.  You need to identify your resources that can help you maintain your motivation.  This environment is not the only motivating factor, but it is something that can provide you with the extra support you may need to stay motivated. 

Developing motivation is not easy, but it is attainable through using effective strategies and through practice.  I challenge all students to cultivate their motivation skills.  It is one of those transferrable skills that will help you not just in your academics but in the “real world” someday. 

Sources:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/motivation

Pintrich, Paul. “A Conceptual Framework For Assessing Motivation And Self-Regulated Learning In College Students.” Educational Psychology Review 16.4 (2004): 385-407.Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.

Lizzio, Alf, and Keithia Wilson. “First-Year Students’ Perceptions Of Capability.” Studies In Higher Education 29.1 (2004): 109-128. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.

BARTHOLOMEW, BARBARA. “Why We Can’t Always Get What We Want.” Phi Delta Kappan 88.8 (2007): 593-598. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.

Crone, Ian, and Kathy MacKay. “Motivating Today’s College Students.” AAC& U: peerReview, Winter 2007: 18-21. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. https://www.aacu.org/peerreview/pr-wi07/documents/PRWI07_Crone.pdf

Developing a Growth-Mindset That Will Foster Grit

One of the current buzzwords in Education is grit, in particular, how to teach students the non-cognitive personality trait that allows them to persevere and be resilient so they do not give up on long-term goals.  Paul Tough, author ofHow Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, defines grit as “a passionate commitment to a single mission and an unswerving dedication to achieve that mission.” According to University of Pennsylvania psychologist, Angela Lee Duckworth, who received a large MacArthur genius grant to pursue her grit research, “grit is passion and perseverance for very long term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in and day out…and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it is a marathon, not a sprint.”

The problem with emphasizing grit is that we have an educational system that focuses on grades and standardized tests and in that system failure is bad, very bad.  Whereas in a system that would account for grit, failure would be a learning experience, not the end of the world.  Another problem with grit is that without some sort of contextualized feedback, persevering can feel like you are just banging your head against the wall and not getting anywhere.  Try, try, try…however, no forward movement, if the things you keep working hard at are not productive and do not include some metacognition and outside feedback.  A final problem with grit is that we do not know how to teach it in a systematized or structured manner in the classroom. 

Perhaps instead we should focus on mindset.  This is something that psychologists do know more about and do know how it can be fostered.  Carol Dwerk, a Stanford University psychologist, wrote Mindset: The New Psychology of Success and what she found through her research is that people with a growth- mindset have more motivation to learn and are more successful than those with a fixed-mindset. 

To achieve a growth-mindset, Dwerk identifies four steps on her website, mindsetonline.com:

Step1. Learn to hear your fixed mindset “voice.”

As you approach a challenge, that voice might say to you “Are you sure you can do it? Maybe you don’t have the talent.” “What if you fail—you’ll be a failure” “People will laugh at you for thinking you had talent.” “If you don’t try, you can protect yourself and keep your dignity.”

As you hit a setback, the voice might say, “This would have been a snap if you really had talent.” “You see, I told you it was a risk. Now you’ve gone and shown the world how limited you are.” “ It’s not too late to back out, make excuses, and try to regain your dignity.”

As you face criticism, you might hear yourself say, “It’s not my fault. It was something or someone else’s fault.” You might feel yourself getting angry at the person who is giving you feedback. “Who do they think they are? I’ll put them in their place.” The other person might be giving you specific, constructive feedback, but you might be hearing them say “I’m really disappointed in you. I thought you were capable but now I see you’re not.”

Step 2. Recognize that you have a choice.

How you interpret challenges, setbacks, and criticism is your choice. You can interpret them in a fixed mindset as signs that your fixed talents or abilities are lacking. Or you can interpret them in a growth mindset as signs that you need to ramp up your strategies and effort, stretch yourself, and expand your abilities. It’s up to you.

So as you face challenges, setbacks, and criticism, listen to the fixed mindset voice and…

Step 3. Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.

As you approach a challenge:

THE FIXED-MINDSET says “Are you sure you can do it? Maybe you don’t have the talent.”

THE GROWTH-MINDSET answers, “I’m not sure I can do it now, but I think I can learn to with time and effort.”

FIXED MINDSET: “What if you fail—you’ll be a failure”

GROWTH MINDSET: “Most successful people had failures along the way.”

FIXED MINDSET: “If you don’t try, you can protect yourself and keep your dignity.”

GROWTH MINDSET: “If I don’t try, I automatically fail. Where’s the dignity in that?”

As you hit a setback:

FIXED MINDSET: “This would have been a snap if you really had talent.”

GROWTH MINDSET: “That is so wrong. Basketball wasn’t easy for Michael Jordan and science wasn’t easy for Thomas Edison. They had a passion and put in tons of effort.

As you face criticism:

FIXED MINDSET: “It’s not my fault. It was something or someone else’s fault.”

GROWTH MINDSET: “If I don’t take responsibility, I can’t fix it. Let me listen—however painful it is– and learn whatever I can.”

Then…

Step 4. Take the growth mindset action.

Over time, which voice you heed becomes pretty much your choice. Whether you

• take on the challenge wholeheartedly,
• learn from your setbacks and try again
• hear the criticism and act on it is now in your hands.

Practice hearing both voices, and practice acting on the growth mindset. See how you can make it work for you. 

Obviously, these steps will not be easy; however, they will be worth it in the end.  You will cultivate a belief that intelligence is developed and this will lead to a desire to learn and improve.  You will embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort and hard work as a path to mastery, learn from criticism, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others. All of which will improve your learning and ensure your academic success.

Sources:

Dwerk, C.S. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House, 2006. Print.

Dwerk, Carol. Mindset. Carol Dwerk, 2006-2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

Duckworth, Angela Lee. “The key to success? Grit.” TED Talks Education, April 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

Smith, Tovia. “Can Focus on ‘Grit’ Work in School Cultures that Reward Grades?”  Mind/Shift. KQED Inc.17 Mar. 2014. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

Tough, Paul. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character.  New York: Mariner Books, 2013. Print

Restructuring Your Attitude for Academic Success

I know it is the week before spring break; however, the negative attitude among students is excessively pervasive.  This negativity has infected classrooms, dorm rooms, student lounges, and library common spaces…in other words, the entire campus.  Perhaps it is this very long, cold, snowy winter and spring fever has set in or perhaps it is just the natural cycle of a school year.  Whatever the reason, these negative attitudes need to change and I am hoping a break will be just the opportunity for students to hit reset and come back ready to finish the semester with a more positive frame of mind.  To encourage students to alter their negative attitudes, today’s topic is about changing your attitude through affirmations and visualizations. However, let’s focus on three facts about attitudes everyone needs to acknowledge before they can be effectively changed.

The first fact about attitudes that you need to accept is that your attitudes are not genetically determined like your height or eye color; they can be changedwith a lot of conscious thought and practice. You should never just accept your attitude when it is negative or self-defeating.  You have the power to change it!

The second fact to understand is that attitudes are POWERFUL.  They essentially create behavior.  If you decide a class bores you, then your behaviors in class will demonstrate you are bored.  You will have a disaffected look on your face, you may doze off, and you will not be taking notes or making eye contact with the professor.  However, if you are interested by a class’ topic or decide you are going to be interested about learning, then your behaviors will demonstrate this as well. Your facial expressions will show you are paying attention, your body language will show you are alert, and you will be taking notes, adding to class discussion and making eye contact with your professor. 

The third piece of information to acknowledge is that success in school starts with your attitudes – your attitudes about your abilities and potential as a student, your attitudes about the subjects you will be learning, your attitudes about your professors and peers at your college, and your overall attitude about the institution in which you are enrolled as well as your overall attitude about learning in general. 

As stated above, attitudes can be changed; but, it takes regular practice. Two effective techniques for changing your attitude are affirmations and visualizations. 

• An affirmation is a statement that you believe something exists or is true.  The most effective affirmations are positive, use the present tense (now not yesterday or tomorrow), and are personal (meant for you not for anyone else). 
  • You first should identify what you want, making sure it is a positive idea/statement.
  • Write it down using a present tense verb
  • Once you write it down, repeat it over and over
  • Say it aloud with conviction (you need to really believe what you are saying)a few times regularly each day…like when you wake up or right before you go to bed at night –it is like your personal mantra.
  • You may create multiple affirmations to fit different situations you might encounter each day, throughout a week, or during a semester. 
  • Check out the ten affirmations to help you study at this website. 
• A visualization is a technique where you “see” yourself being successful.  You create a “movie” in your mind that shows you completing a task successfully. 
  • You should begin by deciding what you want to improve and write it down
  • When you write it down, try to be as detailed as possible…what would it look like, sound like, and feel like to complete the task (an effective visualization must involve other senses besides just sight)
  • Once you have an idea of what this visualization will be like, practice it in your imagination.
  • Play this “movie” in your imagination as often as possible.  By seeing yourself in your mind do this task with a positive outcome, you can make it happen in reality because you will have a positive attitude and you will have identified a way to make it happen. 

Affirmations and Visualizations are essentially cognitive restructuring, the process of learning to identify and dispute irrational or negative thoughts that we might be carrying around in our brains.  By practicing these two techniques, you can restructure your attitude for the better and that in turn changes your behaviors.  Just remember the key word is practice…practice makes perfect.  

Sources:

Powell, Candice, Cynthia Demetriou, & Annice Fisher. “Micro-affirmations in Academic Advising: Small Acts, Big Impact.”  The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal, 30 Oct. 2013. Web. 6 Mar. 2014.  

Harrell, Keith. “Why Your Attitude is Everything and How to Turn it Into Action.”Success, 2013.  Web. 6 Mar. 2014.

Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master Student, 12 ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print

Keeping Your Brain Fit on Your Break

As students prepare for Spring Break next week, I wanted to remind them to be careful, limit risky behavior, and keep their brains fit.  Being able to learn and remember new material is crucial to success in life, let alone college success; so, remember to protect your brain because it is your most valuable resource.  Just like any other organ in your body, your brain needs regular care.  Higher education gives you plenty of chances to exercise that organ. However, do not let the benefits fade while on break from school.  Adopt habits that keep your brain lean and fit for life. 

These research-based suggestions for brain fitness are from the Alzheimer’s Association:

• Challenge your brain with new experiences.  New experiences give your brain a workout, much like sit-ups condition your abs.  Research and plan a trip even if you can’t take travel in the near future, take a dance class if you sit most of the day, or seek out museums, theaters, concerts, and cultural events to expand your horizons.  The key is just to do something different so you can see things from a new perspective and experience innovative learning.
• Exercise. Physical activity promotes blood flow to the brain and reduces the risk of diseases, like diabetes, that can impair brain function. 
• Eat Well. A diet rich in dark skinned fruits and vegetables boosts your supply of antioxidants, natural chemicals which nourish your brain.  Raisins, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, kale, spinach, brussel sprouts, and broccoli are great brain food.  You should avoid foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol (like most junk and fast food). 
• Nourish your social life. By having a network of supportive friends and family, you can dramatically reduce your stress levels.  In turn, stress management helps to maintain connections between brain cells.  Stay socially active by working, volunteering, and joining clubs.
• Protect your heart. Generally, what is good for your heart is also good for your brain.  Both organs benefit from a healthy diet, exercise, adequate sleep, and avoidance of tobacco and abuse of alcohol or drugs. All of these habits reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions that interfere with blood flow to the brain.
• Drink alcohol moderately, if at all.  Heavy drinking or drug use affects your memory. In fact, long-term alcoholics tend to develop conditions that impair memory.  A recent study demonstrated that teenagers who regularly used marijuana reduced their IQ by eight points compared to other teens who did not use drugs.

By following all of these suggestions, you can protect your most valuable resource, your brain.  Do not be stupid while enjoying the revelry of Spring Break, be vigilant about shielding your brain from any harm and make smart choices. 

Sources:

“Brain Health.” Alz.org.  Alzheimer’s Association, 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2014.

Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master Student, 12 ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print. 

Neighmond, Patti. “Marijuana May Hurt The Developing Teen Brain.” Health News from NPR. National Public Radio, 3 Mar. 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2014.

Mistakes = Learning Opportunities

Since students just finished midterm exams last week and midterm grades will be released on Wednesday, I thought I would reflect on the importance of celebrating mistakes.  Now many students may be pleased with their midterm academic performance; however, others may feel they have some definite room for improvement.  For those who feel they may have made some mistakes and desire to see their grade improve before finals, this is just a reminder about what we can learn from our mistakes and how mistakes should be celebrated not feared or ignored…it is in no way arguing for you to MAKE mistakes on purpose. 

The first thing to keep in mind is that celebration allows us to shine a light on mistakes.  By noticing the mistakes, we can examine them and fix them.  Mistakes that are not recognized or ignored cannot be corrected. 

Second, remember mistakes are valuable feedback.  Mistakes are part of the learning process and can show us where our weaknesses lie and show us where we have room for improvement.  They helps us see the gaps in our knowledge and aid us in identifying what study skills we lack. 

Third, by celebrating mistakes, we are reminded that it is OK to make them.  No one is perfect. We all make mistakes – that is just part of being human.  Mistakes are not an end in themselves. Rather, their value lies in what we learn from them.  When we make a mistake, we can admit it and correct it.  

Fourth, admitting and celebrating mistakes promotes accountability. Organizations work only when people are willing to be held accountable. Imagine a college where there is no concern for quality and effectiveness. Professors come to class late and unprepared. Residence Halls are never cleaned.  Financial Aid checks are always late.These kinds of mistakes only happen when no one is holding each other accountable and they lead to a failed institution.  Mistakes only become apparent when people are committed to improving the quality of an institution.  So we need to become committed to improving our individual quality as and hold ourselves accountable for our mistakes. 

Finally, by celebrating mistakes, we cut the problem down to size.  Often when we make a mistake, we deposit a layer of regret, worry, and anxieity on top of it.  We not only have a problem with the consequences of our mistake; we also have a problem with ourselves for making the mistake in the first place.  When we celebrate mistakes, we eliminate that layer of concern and face the problem.  This allows us to tackle the problem realisitically, recognize there is a solution, and get down to the business of correcting the mistake.  

Hopefully, these points make you realize that there is an entirely different attitude to take towards our academic mistakes.  Rather than fearing them, ignoring them, and making them the end of the world, we can marvel at our mistakes and realize that failure is not fatal.  Midterms are the perfect time to recognize these mistakes and take action.  

Source:

Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master Student, 12 ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print

Cultivating Intellectual Curiosity

Students need to think of their education not just in terms of gaining a specific skill set or acquiring content knowledge related to a major or field of study; but rather, also as an opportunity to learn transferrable skills and knowledge since the job market is constantly changing.  To be marketable in this ever-uncertain economic environment, students must recognize they are life-long learners.  As Alvin Toffler stated, “The illiterate of the 21^st Century will be those who cannot learn, unlearn, and re-learn.”   The only way to maintain this cycle of learning is to cultivate intellectual curiosity within one’s self.  As an adult, it is not someone else’s responsibility to keep you learning…you must develop that catalyst on our own and that catalyst is intellectual curiosity. 

What is intellectual curiosity?   It is a term used to describe a person’s desire to devote time and energy into learning more about a topic.  Strong intellectual curiosity serves you well because it stimulates your brain, exercises your research skills, allows you to become smarter and a more interesting person, and helps you find meaning in your life.  Intellectually curious individuals tend to be:

• Open-minded, objective, and optimistic;
• Persistent and resilient (less stressed);
• Interested in people, ask genuine questions, listen sincerely, and develop strong relationships;
• Inquisitive, engaged, and adept at questioning;
• Excellent learners who are more likely to exercise critical and even creative thinking skills.

In fact, Todd Kashdan, PhD, in his book, Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life, argues that the central ingredient to leading a more fulfilling life is not to focus on being happy, but to focus on harnessing curiosity.  He explains that you should reacquaint yourself with curiosity. As an adult, you tend to neglect curiosity and in some ways our society robs you of that natural curiosity you had as a child.  Thus Kashdan states, you have to “renew the relationship with the curios explorer” within yourself. 

So, how can you cultivate your intellectual curiosity? 

First, keep an open mind.  Be open to learn new information or be willing to relearn familiar topics, be open to explore new place, and be ready to let new ideas take you to new ways of thinking and seeing the world.  We often make the mistake “when things become familiar and predictable that we become mindless drones. We tune out.” We close our minds to new possibilities and get stuck looking at familiar ideas in the same way.  Practice open-mindedness to cultivate your curiosity.

Second, do not label anything as boring.  Boredom is a choice and by labeling something as boring, you are making the choice to close the door on the possibility of learning something new.  You live in a great big and vast world of which you have probably only seen and learned of a very tiny percent.  Do not close off something just because you do not have an interest now; keep the door open by not labeling it one way or another as boring.

Third, do not take things for granted.  Try to look at each day and each task with new eyes.  Dig dipper beneath the surface of what is around you and what you think you know.  Practice mindfulness so that you become fully aware and live in the present moment.  Being mindful forces you to pay attention to the world around you.  When you pay attention, you develop new interests and you become curious.

Fourth, constantly and relentlessly ask questions.  Remember the journalist’s questions: who, what, why where, when, and how.  A journalist’s job is to get behind a story to learn as much as possible so that the reader/viewer/listener has all the facts.  So be like an investigative reporter, ask questions, and learn more. 

Fifth, see learning as fun.  If you choose to see learning as a burden, as painful, as not worth the investment, then you will never be able to develop your thinking skills, expand your knowledge, or cultivate curiosity. It is not someone’s job to entertain you in the learning process, especially now that you are an adult.  Look for the fun and excitement in the learning process so that you develop a joy in learning and relearning. 

Finally, read, read, read, read!  Read diverse kinds of things.  Pick a book or magazine on a new subject and let it feed your mind with new and exciting ideas.  Choose a book from a different genre and read both fiction and nonfiction.  Subscribe to blogs, newsfeeds, and other online material that will cultivate new interests.  By reading so many different texts, you will introduce yourself to other worlds that may then spark your interests in other directions. 

Like developing any study skill or habit, cultivating curiosity will take practice and discipline. As Kashdan stated, “by being curious, we explore. By exploring, we discover. When this is satisfying, we are more likely to repeat it. By repeating it, we develop competence and mastery. By developing competence and mastery, our knowledge and skills grow.”

Sources:

Kashdan, Todd, Phd. Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life. Harper: New York, 2009. Print.

Research & Evaluation Team, Office of Information Technology.  “Is Intellectual Curiosity a Strong Predictor for Academic Performance?”  Office of Information Technology. University of Minnesota. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. Pdf.

Phillips, Richard. “Space for Curiosity.” Progress in Human Geography, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.  

Self-Efficacy: What and How

The two pillars of one’s concept of SELF are self-esteem and self-efficacy.  Self-esteem is the regard or respect that a person has for him or herself.  While self-efficacy is the belief in one’s ability to complete some specific goal or task.  Both a person’s self-esteem and self-efficacy vary in relation to different areas of his or her life. A student may have high self-esteem and self-efficacy while in high school but attend college and see their self-efficacy significantly decrease.  One of the reasons many students do not do well in college is because they become discouraged and no longer believe in their academic abilities in a new setting.   Developing high self-efficacy is a vital component of any student’s success in college.

Self-efficacy in academics means a student has confidence in his or her ability to learn course material. The student is self-assured that he or she knows the right strategies to understand course material, take notes, study for tests, complete reading and/or writing assignments, and manage his or her time effectively both in and out of class. 

A student with high self-efficacy in regards to his or her academic abilities is able to evaluate accurately his or her performance so that he or she can experience self-improvement.  The student is not too critical or overly optimistic about his or her abilities.  Instead, the student is realistic in how examine his or herself and use the knowledge he or she gains from that self-examination to adjust and improve his or her study strategies. 

When a student is willing to take risks by trying new study strategies and techniques, he or she is exhibiting high academic self-efficacy.  By recognizing that more effective methods to study for a test, take notes, read college textbooks, or organize and prioritize tasks may exist, a student shows they are not fearful trying new avenues of study and they are not afraid of failure or mistakes; but rather, he or she is willing to grow as a learner.

Finally, a student with high self-efficacy feels a sense of accomplishment since he or she is willing to take risks and be self-reflective they take pride in their successes AND failures.  The student sees mistakes as opportunities for improvement. 

According to Monica Frank in her article, “The Pillars of Self-Concept: Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy,” a student can start to develop high self-efficacy by adhering to the following four suggestions:

1. Self-efficacy is improved when a student takes the effort to advance his or her study skill set.  Do not be convinced that there is only one way of studying or that past study methods are the only ones available.  Improve your belief in your ability to succeed in the classroom by being open to and trying new study techniques and strategies. 
2. Self-efficacy is cultivated through modeling.  A student who observes other students who are successful and is willing to model his or her behavior after those successful students will experience success.  So find an academic mentor to model. 
3. Self-efficacy improves for a student when he or she learns to focus on specifics.  Ask for honest specific feedback from peers and instructors.  Do not just accept a vague or generic comment, instead work to get a more detailed response and to get as much explicit information so you can improve your study habits.
4. Self-efficacy is a habit or skill that gets better with reinforcement.  The more you practice behaviors that will improve your self-efficacy, the better you get at it.  The better you get, be sure to give yourself praise to boost your self-confidence. 

Please remember, as a college student, one’s belief in one’s academic abilities will be tested.  However, by following the suggestions above and by cultivating habits of self-efficacy a students can set him or herself up for college success.  

Sources:

Bandura, Albert. “Perceived Self-Efficacy in Cognitive Development and Functioning.” Educational Psychologist, 28 (2): 117-148. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. 

Baxter Magolda, and Marcia B. “Building Learning Partnerships.”Change 44.1 (2012): 32-38. Education Research Complete. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

Hsieh, Peggy (Pei-Hsuan), Jeremy R. Sullivan, and Norma S. Guerra. “A Closer Look At College Students: Self-Efficacy And Goal Orientation.” Journal Of Advanced Academics 18.3 (2007): 454-476. Education Research Complete. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

Frank, Monica, PhD. “The Pillars of the Self-Concept: Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy.” Excel at Life, 2011 Web. 26 Feb. 2014.http://www.excelatlife.com/articles/selfesteem.htm