I devised this three-step approach to learning for my students last year during exam revision.<\/p>\n
This approach helps me articulate to my students the process of learning, which also helps me discuss their progress during assigned revision times.\u00a0The language of this post is how I would talk to my students.<\/p>\n
I like this approach because it’s simple, yet effective. It also has the potential to stay with students for a long time.<\/p>\n
Using the language of “building blocks” and “relationship chains” during the revision process also made this a little easier for some students to comprehend.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nStep One: Find<\/em> <\/span>what you need to know<\/strong><\/h2>\n
It’s my job as your teacher to tell you exactly <\/em>what you need to know, understand and be able to do. After all, how are you supposed to be learn if you don’t know what you’re supposed to learn?<\/p>\n
What you need to learn for IB Psychology comes from the guide. I also like to break this down and re-write it a little more clearly, which I put in student workbooks for each unit (including revision materials).<\/p>\n
If you don’t know what you need to know, then you need to ask and find out!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Note for teachers:<\/strong> I put all my guiding questions and learning outcomes for each unit at the beginning of my workbooks; the more I can have everything in one place for ease of student reference the better. The guiding questions<\/a>\u00a0in the textbook for each lesson are the outcomes basically (just re-word with the word “explain” at the beginning).<\/p>\n
\nStep Two: Find<\/em> <\/span>your knowledge gaps<\/strong><\/h2>\n
It’s my job as your teacher to teach you everything you need to know. However, by the end of a unit it’s likely that you missed some things and need a bit of clarification on others. This is absolutely OK, but finding your knowledge gaps during revision is mostly\u00a0your job.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>I can’t read your mind and it’s more efficient if you tell me what you don’t know than having me try to guess.<\/p>\n
A knowledge gap<\/strong> is a gap in your knowledge – it’s where you’ve found something you need to know, but you don’t know it yet.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
The most effective way to learn is to be finding and filling your knowledge gaps throughout every lesson – don’t wait til’ the very end to do it all.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A good place to start finding knowledge gaps is to look at the key terms<\/strong> for the unit. Go through these and make sure you know what these terms mean. You’ll also need to\u00a0understand\u00a0<\/em>the relevance of the key terms and how to apply them properly, which is where another place to look for knowledge gaps is to study the guiding questions from each lesson.<\/p>\n