Becoming a Master Student-by Dave Ellis, Term Paper Example

When pursuing higher education goals it is important to have a clear understanding of what one wants to do with this education. It is also vital that the subject of studies relatesto the students interests and overall achievement of goals in life. If the subject is of interest and related to what the individual really wants to do it in life it increases their chances of succeeding in higher education. On the other hand if the student is not passionate or interested in the subject it is more likely that they will be unsuccessful in the subject.

The memory jungle visualization is an effective way to explain short term memory and long term memory. The visualization uses the meadow as short term memory, animals as data and the jungle as long term memory. Each animal that enters the jungle does so through the meadowi.e the short term memory and leaves a trace when it ventures into the jungle that is the long term memory. These traces can be used to retrieve the information from the long term memory. These visualization skills are a very effective way of helping the student understand what happens to the new information when it enters their brain and how they can retrieve it faster using memory strategies.

Three memory techniques that I can use in my academic life include

• Creating mental associations. I usually use a word to create mental associations for All I have to do is to remember the word and all information associated with the word becomes accessible. For example the word Covey in my mind is related to all the information I learnt in the 7 effective habits of seven effective people. This is a very effective form of association and works  well in tests and exams. It helps to accurately recall lengthy and detailed information
• Using pictures and diagrams. Sometimes I use mental pictures to store information. For exampleI will create a mental diagram with symbols representing different categories and sub categories. To retrieve detailed information I might draw a rough sketch of the diagram and then proceed to explain each concept in detail. This is a highly effective technique especially in subjects involving science and mathematical skills
• Writing it down: Writing down concepts in bullet format helps me to remember them even if I never see what I have written again. I use the visualization of the written points to remember the information. This is a very effective technique especially if there is a lot of information to remember.

Successful Master students exhibit certain traits. These traits include the following:

• The ability to effectively conduct research: Master Students  can carry out research both from primary and secondary sources. They provide  the ability to segraegate date needed for the research and then collate it in a meaningful manner.
• The ability to apply Knowledge: Master students apply what they learn in practical settings and situations to prepare them for real world career environments.
• The ability to think analytically: A Master student will process information and use analytical thought to apply it in the right context. This r reliant on building memory skills.
• Reading: A Master student must able to speed read through lengthy text while assimilating information and gathering answers to hypothetical questions.

Each student learns differently and exhibits four varied learning styles which  can be listed as follows:

• Mode 1: concrete and Reflective
• Mode 2: abstract and reflective
• Mode 3: Abstract and active
• Mode 4: Concrete and Active

Knowing one’s learning style can help them to choose learning strategies which cater to this style and help them succeed in their chosen fields. It also  enablesthem to choose their careers in accordance with their skills. Forexample a Mode 1 learner is a good communicator as well as listener and would do well in social work and counseling fields. While studying, these learners should ask a lot of questions focusing on “why learn this” aspect. Since their learning style focuses on this aspect these questions are critical to their success and should be built in to their learning strategies. Concrete and Active learners classified as Mode 4 need to build lots of practical applications in their learning strategies to succeed . They need examples and will perform best in beyond classroom projects. They should opt for courses which involve a lot of project work, labs and  practical activities.

A higher education greatly enhances your chances of getting a high paying job. It also increases your knowledge base and empowers you with the information to succeed in your chosen field. Higher education pursued in a college environment gives you the opportunity to build lasting relationships with peers and teachers. It also gives you the opportunity to network with people who may already be in the field and may prove useful in helping you obtain a job in the future.

Three time management strategies that I will use in my academic life include

• The anti procrastination plan. This plan will involve identifying a series of activities that I have been putting off for a long time. The second phase will involve breaking the activities down into scheduled tasks and the third phase would be to allot a time frame to complete each task .this strategy is very effective in tackling tasks that may seem difficult or time consuming. Breaking up the tasks makes them achievable and worth doing.
• The ABC daily to do list: This plan involves making a simple to do list and then allocating what time and date each task will be accomplished on. This is highly effective in ensuring that all various tasks get done and are not forgotten. It will give the student a sense of satisfaction when all the tasks are complete and the entire list ticked off.
• Time Monitor/Plan. This involves monitoring and recording my use of time on a daily basis for a week. I will record how long I take to do a certain activity in a diary. After a week I will analyse the time I take to do certain activities and compare it to how much time should have ideally been devoted to them. For the next week I will keep the modifications in mind and record the time taken once again and then compare it to see if I managed to achieve my time reduction goals. This is highly effective in reducing the time taken to complete daily routine tasks and also alerting the person that they are indeed wasting time. This plan helps the student to make more effective use of time.

The Muscle Reading process  can accurately be described by using the acoustic “ Pry out Questions, Root up answers, recite review and review again.

• The Pry out Questions phrase in the acoustic refers to the first phase of the muscle reading process which involves formulating questions based on the assignment before you read the text.
• The phrase root out answers refers to the second phase which involves underlining and identifying answers to the questions
• The phrase Recite review and review refers to the third phase which involves reciting and the answers and reviewing them to see if they accurately fit what is being questioned.

A successful Master student is required to do a lot of reading. It is essential therefore they build speed reading skills. However when it comes to important concepts, the student must learn toread  slower and with greater understanding to assimilate the information better. Thus it is important to speed read through unimportant facts but read slower when it comes to important concepts  and details. It is also important to highlight important concepts and make notes in margins summarizing their importance.

Three methods for improving note taking skills include:

• Take notes in a bulleted format so that they are easy to read and organize
• Make sure to write down the relevant chapter numbers and pages alongside your notes so that  you know where to find the information later for detailed reading
• Write down all the important points and major concepts discussed in class so that you know what to read in greater detail later on.

Here is a list of three things that can be done when the instructor talks  fast

• Make bulleted points of all the important concepts
• Ask if you can make a audio recording of the lecture and then later make comprehensive notes of the lecture
• Ask the instructor if they can provide copies of the class lecture notes for you to use and access later on

Three ways of letting go of test anxiety include:

• Breathing deeply before the test will have a calming effect on your nerves and help you combat anxiety.
• Think positively, praise yourself and tell yourself you can do this
• Aerobic exercise before the test can help you combat test related anxiety

A persons Culture governs their attitudes thoughts and beliefs. Cultural diversity increases our knowledge of different cultures and enhances our ability to interact effectively with people of various races, ethnicities, sexual orientation and abilities. Learning about people of different culturalbackgrounds changes our perspective. It increases our ability to empathize and also tolerate differences.  It helps people to interact, come together and exchange ideas for mutual benefit despite their cultural differences.

The three strategies that I will apply in my academic life to accommodate cultural diversity include

• Looking for common ground. I will try to look for things that we have in common in my interactions with a student from a different culture and not focus on what we don’t have in common or how we differ. This strategy will help me build a sense of empathy which is important in all cross cultural interactions not only in college but also in the work environment in the future. It is a highly effective way of changing perspectives combating stereotypes and also establishing long term relationships with peers of different cultures
• Reaching Out: Instead of shunning a student from a different cultural background I will make it a point of reaching out and accepting them in my inner circle, introducing them to my friends and other peers. I will also express interest in their culture and tell them about my own culture. The impact of this strategy will increase my knowledge about different cultures, help me develop networking skills and increase my circle of friends. This is a highly effective strategy which helps to build socialization skills as well as promote tolerance.
• Speak and listen with cultural sensitivity: there are many things which are common place in one culture but might be highly offending in the other culture. Before interacting with students of a particular culture I will make it a point of researching cultural sensitivities and avoiding common mistakes that could sabotage my attempts at cross cultural interaction. The impact of this strategy would increase my chances of successful interaction with students of cross cultural backgrounds. It is a highly effective strategy which builds cultural acceptance.

Four  common types  of financial aid available offered by most schools include

• Private scholarships offered by institutions and wealthy individuals
• State sponsored scholar ships and grants offered by the government
• Merit based Financial aid options provided by the institution itself

Three strategies that I would use in my personal life include

• State sponsored scholar ships and grants offered by the government. I know that there are a few grants that I qualify for and can use to gain higher education. It would help me to study further at discounted rates without worrying about paying student loans in the future.
• Merit based Financial aid options provided by the institution itself . These would help me to reduce the cost of tuition on the basis of scoring higher grades. This strategy would help to keep me motivated to perform at a higher academic level because the better I perform the lower my tuition
• Financial aid in the form of on campus jobs to help pay tuition. These jobs would give me practical experience in the workplace and also help me network with a lot more people, which in turn can help my job seeking endeavors in the future.

Three methods of keeping your body’s machine finely tuned can be described as follows:

• Eating healthy and getting at least six hours of sleep on a daily basis. Lack of sleep and unhealthy eating habits will interfere with your ability to think and perform in an academic setting
• Exercising regularly. Exercise releases pent up energy and also helps combat stress and anxiety associated with higher studies
• Staying away from alcoholcigarettes and drugs. All these substances impact on your faculty to think clearly and rationally in an academic environment.

The term health is commonly used to describe the mental and physical state of one’s body. A healthy body is necessary to sustain a healthy mind which is essential in achieving academic success. Therefore a student who maintains good physical health is more likely to succeed at studies than a student with poor health. Mental health includes the ability to manage and stress and anxiety which can be combated with physical exercise. Therefore mental and physical health is closely linked and it is easy to achieve the second if the first is achieved.

Two major features of addiction include

• Loss of control: The addict loses control over the consumption of the substance and abuses the number of times that they use it .
• Withdrawal: The addict experiences a high level of discomfort when they stop using the substance and have constantly fight the craving to use it again

For me school is an institution where I go to learn concepts theories and ideas which will help me to negotiate my way in my future life. It is also a place where I can interact with people, exchange ideas, form new relationships and explore new and varied opportunities.

Works cited

Ellis Dave  “Becoming a Master Student” Edition 13  Wadsworth 2011