Lesson: Learning at Ashworth
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Welcome!
Learning Objectives
Accessing the Student Portal
Ashworth College Student Handbook
The Ashworth Website
The Structure of Programs
Your Technology Choices
STUDY SKILLS
Introduction
The Importance of Time Management
A Place to Study
An Approach to Your Studies
All about Learning Styles
The Art of Taking Notes
EXAMINATIONS AND OTHER ASSESSMENTS
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Introduction
Saving Your Written Work
Types of Assessments
Prepare for Online Exams
Take Online Exams
Deal with Test-Taking Anxiety
Strategies for Multiple-Choice Exams
Strategies for Essay Questions
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TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SKILLS
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Introduction
Summary
CHECK YOUR LEARNING ANSWERS
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
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iii
INTRODUCTION
Welcome!
Welcome to Ashworth College!
And welcome to your very first Ashworth lesson: Learning at Ashworth. Why are
we starting you with this lesson? First—and most importantly—we want to make
sure you have the foundation you need to be successful with your studies. The
most basic foundation for success is knowledge of both what and how to study.
Most people think “studying” involves reading pages from a textbook or lesson.
That’s only partially true. The word study is a verb—that means it’s a process.
Studying does involve reading. However, successful studying involves much more
than that. It involves active engagement with the material. In this unit, we’ll share
techniques you can use to learn more easily—and remember more.
“Education is not filling a
pail, but lighting a fire.”
— William Butler Yeats
Second, your home base for your studies is the Ashworth College website. This
website is a learning management system. That’s just a fancy name for a central
online location where you’ll find the majority of your learning resources and
activities. The website is where you’ll go to find the information and tools—and
people!—you need to be successful with your studies. The website is jammed full
of material and tools for your use. But, to make full use of the website, you have
to know what’s available and how to find it.
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Think of this section of Learning at Ashworth as a roadmap. This map will lead
you to your program materials, tools, instructional advisors, peers, and so much
more. We’ll show you where to find your lessons. We’ll tell you about available
tools and how to use them to better manage your time and tasks. And—possibly
most importantly—we’ll show you how to connect with others. You’ll be able to
talk directly to Ashworth advisers as well as other students. It’s important for you
to recognize that learning by distance does not mean learning alone. Think of
the Ashworth website as your learning community. Here you’ll find like-minded
people who, like you, are looking to learn and grow and be better people. You’ll
have the opportunity to talk to and learn from them—and they can help and
learn from you, too.
FAST FACT!
According to an employer survey conducted by the Distance Education and
Training Council (DETC), a full 94 percent of job supervisors would encourage
their employees to enroll in a distance education program available via a DETCaccredited institution like Ashworth College.
Remember, we’re here to help you succeed. Our instructional staff wants you to
be successful as you pursue your studies or advance in your career. Think of the
instructional staff as your guides. All of your instructors are experienced experts
in their fields. They’re passionate about learning and sharing their knowledge
with others. They’ve worked with experts to design your classes in ways that
ensure that you’re exposed to everything you need to learn about the subject
at hand. They’ve set up the instruction in manageable chunks that you can
work with easily. They’ve maximized your ability to work on your schedule. And,
they’ve used easy-to-understand language to help you learn the important
terminology in your field. Where appropriate, they’ve included assignments that
will help you to demonstrate what you’ve learned so far.
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What Are Objectives?
One thing you’ll notice is that all of your program materials include
objectives. Think of objectives as goals. Each program starts with a
set of program objectives. These are your overall goals for a program—all of the things you’ll need to know and be able to do when
you’re done with the program. For example, if you’re working on a
career program, the program objectives outline the knowledge and
skills that you’ll need to get an entry-level job in that field.
Additionally, each lesson includes lesson objectives. These are
mini-goals. You’ll meet these goals as you complete the lesson.
Think of lesson objectives as building blocks—they build to the
program objectives and help to ensure that you know everything
you need to know to be a success. Your program materials tell you
the objectives for each section so that you understand just what it is
you’re supposed to know or be able to do every step of the way.
We recommend that you start your program by carefully reviewing your overall program objectives. Then, for each lesson, read the
lesson objectives carefully. Give some thought to what each objective means and how it helps you to reach the program objectives.
When you’ve finished each lesson, go back and review the lesson
objectives one more time. Check to make sure you actually know or
can do what the objectives say you’ll be able to know or do. That’s
one way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your program
material.
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Learning Objectives
When you complete this lesson, you’ll be able to
•
Describe the goals and values of Ashworth College
•
Explain why the Ashworth Student Handbook is important, and access and
use this valuable resource for assistance as you go through your studies
•
Describe the major components of the Ashworth College website and
navigate the site with ease
•
Explain how Ashworth programs are generally structured
•
Describe the importance of time management and create a realistic weekly
and monthly schedule for yourself
•
Locate an area, free of distractions, in which to do your schoolwork
•
Identify the learning style that best describes you, and use this information
to determine the most effective way to approach your studies; take better
study notes
•
Explain the nature and purpose of assessments and describe how to study
effectively to prepare for and take an online examination
•
Outline the best strategies for taking multiple-choice and essay-based
examinations
•
List the skill sets that are required for success in the twenty-first century
and describe how you can develop them
Accessing the Student Portal
You can access the Ashworth College Student Portal at the following URL:
https://students.ashworthcollege.edu
To log in, you will need the username and password that you received via email.
From the Student Portal page, enter your username and password. Then click
Login.
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LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
The Home or Dashboard page of the Student Portal displays.
To access your courses, click Courses in the upper right-hand banner.
Ashworth College Student Handbook
The Ashworth College Student Handbook will be one of your most important
resources as a student. It contains a wealth of information, from a course catalog
to an outline of school policies to a list of important contacts. Although the
handbook may seem like a very long document, it’s well worth printing out a
hard copy to have on hand as you work through your studies.
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Where Is the Ashworth College Student Handbook?
The Ashworth College Student Handbook is an important resource
for students. You can find this handbook on the Ashworth College
website.
1.
Log onto the Ashworth website using your username and
password.
2.
Locate the navigation banner at the top of the page. Click Portal to
access the Student Dashboard.
3.
Click Learning to access the Learning tab.
Continued
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Where Is the Ashworth College Student Handbook?
4. Click Documents. A variety of documents display, with the
Student Handbook among them.
5. Select Student Handbook to access this document.
Before we move to your first activity, let’s take a look at the mission statement
of Ashworth College. This statement defines who Ashworth is as an educational
institution and what we stand for as an organization. This statement will help you
to understand how we think of our students and what we’ll do to help you meet
your educational and professional goals. Here’s a copy of our mission statement:
We empower students to achieve
their aspirations through flexible,
convenient, affordable, and highly
relevant educational programs.
Let’s talk about what these words mean to us
and—more importantly—to you.
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We want to empower our students to take control of their own lives. If
you’re empowered, you’ll feel that you can take the necessary steps to
change and improve your circumstances.
•
We think of our students as proactive, goal-oriented individuals who wish
to develop their knowledge and skills with formal learning experiences.
•
We consider your aspirations to be your deepest and strongest desires for
yourself. Consider for a moment: Who are you now? When you look into your
future, what do you see? What are your goals?
•
Our flexible curriculum is designed with YOU, the student, in mind. Our
courses are set up so that you can study at any time, any place, using any
pace that works for you. Schedule your studies around your life.
•
By convenient, we mean easy to access and easy to use.
•
Affordable means a valuable, quality education at a relatively low price.
•
Highly relevant means content and subject matter that aligns with what
you need to know and do to be successful in the real world.
•
Our educational programs will teach you what you need to know about
your area of interest.
ACTIVITY 1: Ashworth’s Vision, Mission, Values, and Student Outcomes
Your first activity is a reading assignment. For this assignment, you’ll access the
Ashworth Student Handbook on the website and read about our mission, values,
and expectations for student outcomes. Then, you’ll spend some time thinking
about what these mean to you and how they’ll help you to be successful with
your educational program.
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•
Open your handbook online or open the copy you printed.
•
Read pages 11–12. (Alternately, you can read the text of these pages in this
book; look for Figure 1.)
•
As you read, stop and ask yourself: What does this mean? How does it apply
to me? If you’re reading a printed copy, use a pen to highlight or underline
keywords and phrases—those are things that seem important or speak to
you directly. Don’t be afraid to mark up the pages. This is one technique
you can use to remember what you’ve read. If you’re working with the
online copy, use your study notebook to record the words and phrases that
seem important to you.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
FIGURE 1—The Ashworth College Mission, Values, and Student Learning
Outcomes
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FIGURE 1—Continued
FAST FACT!
Nearly 130 million students have enrolled in distance-education programs
accredited by the DETC since its inception in 1890.
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The Ashworth Website
The first thing students need to do when they start a program at a new school is
to find their way around. If you were entering a traditional college campus, you’d
probably wonder: How do I get around? What buildings am I in? Where do I register
for classes? Where’s my class schedule? How do I find my books? Who can help me?
An online school really isn’t all that different from a brick-and-mortar school. Of
course, you already know that you’ll be “getting around” using your mouse, touch
pad, or keyboard. However, just as in a physical school, it’s important for you to
have answers to all of your questions before you start your first class. That’s part
of what makes Learning at Ashworth important. For example, if you’re reading a
lesson for a biology class, you want to focus on biology, not on trying to figure
out where to find the reading assignment. When you’re ready to turn in a math
assignment, you want to spend your time focusing on doing the best work you
can rather than worrying about how you’ll go about uploading your assignment
for grading.
So, this section is meant to give you a good grasp of the “nuts and bolts” of the
Ashworth website. We’ll help you to become familiar with all the components
of the site. You’ll find pretty much everything you need within the website,
from your program materials and assignments to your student handbook to
public areas to talk to other students to an “office” that deals with financial and
administrative matters. The only areas you’ll miss are the gym and cafeteria!
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ACTIVITY 2: Navigating the Website
1.
Log into the Ashworth Student Portal (https://students.ashworthcollege.
edu) using your username and password.
2.
You are now in the Student Portal. To access My Workspace, click Courses
in the upper right-hand banner.
My Workspace displays.
3.
Take a few minutes to look around this part of the website. Here you’ll find
three key features of the website that you’ll use often:
Courses—Located across the very top of the page. This is where you’ll
select and access the lessons for your program.
Navigation Panel—Located down the left-hand side of the screen. Here
you’ll have quick access to many important tools. You can see school
announcements and news, modify preferences for how you access
content, and locate program supplements and other resources.
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My Workspace—When you make a selection in Courses or in the
Navigation panel, you’ll be able to view the content for your selection in
the My Workspace area of your screen.
4.
For now, we’re going to focus on getting you up to speed on the site
quickly. Click Orientation, which you’ll find in the left-hand Navigation
panel.
5.
The Orientation site launches. Click the arrow in the middle of the
screen to launch an orientation video.
This four-minute film will tell you about all of the features on Ashworth’s
site. Take the time to watch it from start to finish!
6.
As you watch, use the Pause button to stop the video so you can take
notes. Make sure you take notes on the following key features:
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Courses
•
Calendar
•
Announcements
•
Student Portal
•
Community
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7.
When you’re done watching the video, click Home to go back to My
Workspace.
8.
Carefully review each of the items listed in step #6. Make notes on where
to find each tool and what you can do with it.
FAST FACT!
Online learning can also help you to develop the technology skills that are so
essential in today’s work environment. All of the skills you use as you complete
your coursework can later be applied in your job hunt—and in the workplace.
The Structure of Programs
Now that you know your way around the overall site, it’s time to explore the
structure of your program. Each program you take with Ashworth will include
certain documents or resources designed specifically for that program. You’ll find
that a program closely resembles a course you’ve taken in the “real world.” You’ll
have you own teacher, textbook, lesson materials—and, of course—assignments
and exams. The only real difference is that you can work at your own pace and
according to your own schedule. You won’t have to physically get yourself to the
school or worry about being on time for class.
ACTIVITY 3: Get Oriented
1. C
licktowatchthefive-minutevideo,Exploring Your Online Courses.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voEcFDFvjBY&list=UUEfqbaIK51y7
q_9VsbSNVsw&index=38)
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2.
Make notes as you watch this video, using the Pause button as necessary.
3.
After you’ve watched the video, think about what you learned.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
Syllabus
Many of your programs may include a document called a syllabus. Are you
already familiar with this type of resource? If not, you’ll find that a syllabus is
an overview of a program. It provides an outline of everything that you’ll learn
during the program, in the order in which you’ll learn it. It provides specific
information about what the program requires and the type of assignments
you’ll complete. You’ll also find information about your instructor. For many of
your Ashworth programs, you’ll find your syllabus in the left-hand menu on the
homepage (Figure 2). We strongly recommend that you print this document and
keep it handy as you work through the program.
When you locate the syllabus link in the Navigation panel, you’ll see that
it’s divided into two parts, Syllabus: Course Information and Syllabus: Policy
Information.
FIGURE 2—The syllabus can be found on your homepage.
Some of what you’ll find on the Syllabus: Course Information includes the
following:
•
Program or course description
•
Program objectives
•
Program Outline
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Lesson descriptions
•
Textbook name and edition
•
Instructor name and school contact information
•
Program requirements and assessment schedule
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Syllabus: Policy Information is where you can read about school information
that applies to all students, such as academic honesty and cheating and the
communications and conduct policies related to your interactions with faculty,
staff, and other students.
Read through the syllabus carefully before you begin your program or course to
get a good sense of what’s ahead, what the workload looks like, what’s expected
of you as a student, and what you’ll learn and achieve.
FAST FACT!
Can you guess the #1 reason that students choose online learning, according to
the U.S. Department of Education? Flexibility! Students appreciate the ability to
control their own learning schedule.
Textbook
Most programs and courses will require a textbook. Sometimes textbooks will be
available as electronic documents, or ebooks, that are accessed on the course
website. If your course features an ebook, you’ll find a link in the navigation menu
on the left-hand side of the screen on your homepage. The link will be called
ebook. You can click this link to read your textbook.
Many of our programs use standard textbooks that you’ll receive in the mail.
Check your syllabus for information on your textbook. We often use hard-copy
textbooks so that you have access to the latest and greatest information in your
field. Review your syllabus for information on the type of textbook you’ll be using
and when you’ll receive it.
Lessons and Assignments
Each part of your program will include lessons and assignments. You’re
responsible for completing all of your lessons and assignments in full, in the order
in which they’re listed. Lessons and assignments may vary greatly, depending
on the nature of the material being studied. Common lessons and assignments
include the following:
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•
Reading sections of the textbook and answering questions about the
material
•
Reviewing lesson material provided by the instructor and summarizing the
content
•
Accessing outside resources, such as videos, articles, or other material, and
taking notes or answering questions about the subject matter
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
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Completing self-study questions or defining vocabulary words
•
Submitting special projects
You can find lessons on the homepage of each Lesson Group (Figure 3).
FIGURE 3—Lessons can be found in the left-hand Navigation panel after you
select a Lesson Group. For the Lesson Group shown, you can see lessons Learning
at Ashworth, and Allied Health Careers.
Lessons are listed in the left-hand menu. Click each lesson to access its content
and your assignments. Make sure you go in the correct order. It’s important to
complete early lessons before later ones!
Examinations
As you work through your program, it will be important to make sure you really
understand the concepts and material. For this reason, you’ll find examinations
after each important lesson block. The examinations are not designed to trick you
or trip you up. Instead, they’re meant to test you on the concepts covered in the
program and to ensure that you’re ready to move on in the material.
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You’ll complete and submit examinations online. Examinations are generally
open book, which means you can use your textbook and study material while
you complete them. You’ll get your score instantly. If you don’t pass your
examination on the first try, you’ll be able to take it up to three times.
Although your orientation material shows more detail about how to take
examinations, let’s take a quick look.
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1.
To access your examinations, navigate to your course content by selecting
the appropriate Lesson Group from the Courses menu at the top of the
screen.
2.
Once you access the lesson material, you can click Exams & Quizzes in
the left-hand menu to access the Exams page. The Exams & Quizzes page
launches.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
3.
On this page, you can see the list of exams available for completion.
Generally, the exam title you want will correspond to the title of the
lesson you just completed.
4.
Once you click on the relevant exam link, the Introduction page for the
exam launches.
5.
If you’re sure you’re ready to take the exam, click the Begin Assessment
button to start.
The exam questions will appear one at a time. For multiple-choice
questions such as this one, click in the radio button that corresponds with
your answer. For other types of questions, follow the instructions that
are provided onscreen. You’ll notice that you have the option to “Reset
Selection,” which clears your answer and allows you to change it easily.
You can also “Mark for Review.” This latter option is useful when you’re
not sure about an answer. You can select an answer and then come back
to the question for review before you submit the entire examination for
grading. Once you’re sure of your answer to a question, click Next.
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Your questions will appear one at a time. When you reach the last
question and feel comfortable with your responses, click Submit for
Grading. You’ll be prompted to make sure you’re really ready to submit
your answers. If you are, click Submit for Grading on the confirmation
screen.
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Once you’ve submitted your examination responses, you’ll receive a
confirmation number indicating that your submission was successful. If
you receive an error message, follow the instructions on the screen.
After you receive your confirmation number, you can click to see your
exam score. Later, you can review any exam score by clicking Exams &
Quizzes in the left-hand menu on your course homepage. The exam
scores will be listed at the bottom of the screen, along with any feedback
your instructor has provided.
ACTIVITY 4: Connect with Others
One of the most important aspects of an education involves being part of a
learning community. A school isn’t just a building or a website—it’s a collection
of human beings looking to learn something new or change something about
their lives. At Ashworth College, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to interact
with instructors, support staff, and other students. Don’t be afraid to introduce
yourself and to ask questions. Whether you have a question about your program,
fees, or graduation requirements, you can always get an answer by contacting
the right person.
1.
Log into the Ashworth Student Portal
(https://students.ashworthcollege.edu) with your username and
password.
You are now in the Student Portal.
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In the banner in the upper right-hand corner, click Community to access
the student community.
2.
•
Scroll down to see the currently active users and read their questions
and comments.
•
Click the links in the Frequently Asked Questions box to learn
more about how to use the Community resources and how to access
discussion areas specific to your course material.
Your Technology Choices
Before we get into important study skills, let’s take a minute to quickly review
some of the technology choices available to you. Technology is important to all
students, but it’s especially important to distance learners. That’s because the
technology you use to access program materials can greatly impact the ease and
convenience of your studies. You probably already have a computer at home, but
if you don’t and are considering a purchase, review this section before deciding
the best computer for your studies (Figure 4).
Many students continue to find the traditional desktop computer to be the
easiest and most affordable computing option. A desktop computer includes a
separate monitor and central processing unit (CPU). In general, desktops offer
the most storage space and the greatest versatility in computing options. Prices
on desktop computers have dropped significantly in recent years, while the
computing ability has soared. If you choose a desktop computer for your studies,
you can’t go wrong.
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FIGURE 4—Computing Choices
Another option for on-the-go learners is a laptop computer. Modern laptops
offer pretty much all of the functionality of a desktop computer in a portable
device. Laptops are designed to work similarly to a desktop but with the added
benefit of being mobile. You can take your laptop pretty much anywhere, which
is very convenient for students who are fitting their studies into a busy lifestyle.
With the advent of free Internet access in many public locations, laptops have
become a real option for most students.
Laptops do differ from desktops in three key ways:
•
The screen size is usually smaller. This may not be an issue for most learners,
but some people prefer the larger screen size of a desktop monitor.
•
Depending on the model, laptops don’t always have all the same
functionality as a desktop unit. If you decide to buy a laptop, make sure you
do your research!
•
Finally, laptops used in public settings often need to run on battery power.
The battery is rechargeable, so this shouldn’t be a problem. However, you
do have to be aware of the need to keep your laptop charged, or make sure
you’ll have access to a power outlet.
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“Many of life’s failures
are people who did not
realize how close they
were to success when
they gave up.”
—Thomas A. Edison
Other options for learners include the tablet computer and the smartphone.
Tablets, such as iPads and KindleFires, are small portable computers that use an
interactive touchscreen. They allow users to access the Internet and use a variety
of applications. They also provide storage for files. They’re smaller than laptops
but not as small as smartphones, at about seven inches in diameter. However,
they’re still small enough to be handheld and mobile. If you have a tablet, you
may find it convenient for accessing and reviewing your lesson materials, and
even for completing and submitting your assignments and examinations.
Finally, many people use a smartphone to access the Internet. Smartphones
are mobile phones that are well beyond a simple telephone. They’re more like
mini computers in that they allow users to access the Internet, send and receive
text messages, send and receive email, take pictures and video, play media, and
more. Although you can use a smartphone to access your course content, the
limitations surrounding the screen size don’t make them the best choice for
completing your studies.
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CHECK YOUR LEARNING 1
Complete the following questions to test your knowledge.
Do not send the answers to the school.
1.
Intheblankprovided,writethebestdefinitionfortheword“empower.”
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2.
Each Ashworth student is given ______ calendars on the Ashworth
site.
3. S tudentscanchecktheirregistrationandpaymentinformationby
checking ______.
4. D
escribewherestudentscanquicklylocatetheirlistofcurrent
classes.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
5.
True or False?Thebestdescriptionofasyllabusisabriefcourse
summarywithallassignmentandexamrequirements.
Check your answers with those found at the end of this learning guide.
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STUDY SKILLS
Introduction
For many people, the words “I have to study” don’t recall happy memories.
Instead, they bring up thoughts of last-minute cram sessions, noisy rooms
with too many distractions, an overdose of caffeine, and a general feeling of
hopelessness and exhaustion. However, studying doesn’t have to be that way. In
fact, each of those issues is a common problem faced by students. What’s more,
each of those issues can be resolved with the right plan and the right attitude.
The first step is to think of studying as a part of your lifestyle, rather than as a
last-minute activity. Second, create a schedule for yourself that will be a guide for
using your time wisely so that you can achieve your goals. The key is to make a
realistic schedule that works for both your lifestyle and learning style.
The Importance of Time Management
Students who attend brick-and-mortar schools are generally given a schedule in
which their days have been planned for them. They must be at school at certain
times and follow the clock closely to get to each class on time. Pretty much
everything, from classes to meals to study breaks, has been planned for them.
Life can seem a bit easier when other people make up the schedule for you!
Things are a little bit different for distance-learning students. You have to be
responsible for your own schedule. You have to figure out how many hours to
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devote to your lessons each week, when to study for tests, and how to keep your
studies moving forward while juggling other responsibilities, such as a job or
family. Plus, you’ll want to make sure that your schedule includes appropriate
downtime for yourself so that you don’t experience burnout—that awful feeling
of exhaustion, when you start to feel less and less interested in the important
things in your life.
The key is to learn how to manage your time. Experts use the term time
management to describe the conscious process of planning and controlling how
people spend their time. Time management is all about analyzing what you do
with your time and then using planning tools to figure out how to best manage
that time. Most experts agree that time management is essential for getting more
done with less effort—and less stress. Successful students recognize that their
first step toward educational success is to use time management techniques to
create a realistic schedule for themselves.
ACTIVITY 5: Analyze Your Time and Create a Schedule
To get started, follow these steps.
1.
Make a written list of everything you do each day. Sometimes it’s easiest
to do this over the course of a week. Use a notebook or journal to track
how you spend your time. Write down the activity and estimate how
much time you spend doing it. Your list should include all of your daily
activities, such as showering, sleeping, working out, preparing meals,
eating, spending time with family, working at your job, surfing the
Internet, watching television, and so on.
2.
Make a list of the activities you must accomplish each week or month.
For example, you might need to shop for groceries, pay the bills, attend
religious services, and so on. Estimate the amount of time you need for
these activities. If you perform the activity on a particular day, note that
too.
3.
List all of your other chores and responsibilities. This is mostly those nonregular activities, such as visit with friends, attend medical appointments,
get your car worked on, and so on. Try to estimate how frequently you
handle these tasks and how long they take.
4.
Finally, make a list of things you like to do but don’t get to do too often.
For example, you might enjoy sports, museums, parks, or meeting friends
for coffee or drinks. Estimate the frequency with which you engage in
these activities and try to figure out how long they take.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
27
5.
Analyze all of the information you’ve gathered about yourself. Look for
activities that are time-wasters or those that can be scaled back to make
room for more important things.
6.
Draft a weekly schedule for yourself that realistically takes into account all
of the things you must do each day (as well as those things you want to
do). Use a template like the one shown in Figure 5. Fill this in by starting
with your required daily tasks, required weekly tasks, and so on.
COURSE PLANNER
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Commute
Science
Commute
Science
Commute
8:00
9:00
History
History
Work
10:00
Study Block
Study Block
Study Block
11:00
Lunch/Review
Lunch/Review
12:00
Gym
Lunch/Review
Commute
Ethics
Work
Lunch/Review
1:00
Ethics
2:00
Study Block
Commute
3:00
Study/HW
Ethics
Commute
Commute
Gym
4:00
Study/HW
Commute
5:00
Gym
Work
6:00
Study/HW
7:00
B Ball
8:00
9:00
10:00
Exam
Exam
Exam
History - Dec. 10 - 7:00-10:00
Science - Dec. 12 - 12:30-3:30
Ethics
- Dec. 13 - 9:00-11:00
FIGURE 5—A Sample Schedule Template
28
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
7.
8.
Now, you’ll need to figure out when you can get your schoolwork done.
Looking at your draft schedule, how much time do you have available
each week for school activities? Are there activities you can scale back on
or take out altogether to spend time on schoolwork? Also, it’s important
not to simply plug study activities into blank time slots. Instead, figure
out a realistic number of hours you can devote to school, based on your
other responsibilities. You should give yourself about six hours per week
for study time. Based on your schedule, figure out the best hours for
studying. You want to make sure you choose times where you can be
focused. Here are some tips for choosing study times.
•
Study after you’ve completed some physical exercise. Whether your
exercise of choice is an intense hour of weightlifting or a simple
fifteen-minute walk, once it’s done, you’ll be more relaxed and less
physically stressed.
•
Wait at least one hour after you’ve eaten. You want to avoid that
feeling of tiredness that often occurs while food is digesting.
•
Find time slots when you won’t be interrupted. You may have to make
this time happen for yourself by making it clear to others that you’re
not going to be available. You may need to explain to friends and
family that you need some peaceful, quiet time so that you can focus
on your work.
•
Avoid scheduling your study times when you’d rather be doing
something else. For example, if you’re a devoted baseball fan, don’t
schedule your study hours during regular game times. You’ll be
thinking about what you’re missing, and too tempted to check the
score!
Once you’ve figured out the best times to study, schedule that time on
your calendar. Do your best to stick to this plan. Of course, everything
looks easy on paper, and you’ll almost certainly find that it doesn’t work
out so well in practice. That’s why we think of this as a “trial period.” After
a few weeks, you’ll probably want to change your schedule—you might
discover that Tuesday nights aren’t as great a time as you thought. That’s
fine—rework your schedule as much as necessary to get to one that
works for you. But make an effort to stick to it! You’re the person who is
responsible for your educational success. Only you can make it happen for
yourself.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
29
A Place to Study
Just like people, places have “personalities” of their own (Figure 6). Even if it we
aren’t conscious of it, environments relay messages to us. A bedroom might
whisper, “Wouldn’t it be nice to put down your books and lie down for a while?”
The living room might say, “Why not turn on the TV while you study?” The kitchen
might murmur, “Aren’t you hungry?” And the local coffee shop might yell, “Look!
A cute stranger!”
FIGURE 6—Environments have their own personalities.
30
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
Amidst all of this noise, what’s a student to do? Where’s the best place to study?
The ideal, of course, is to have a room that is set aside for studying. However,
most people don’t have the space to create a dedicated room for schoolwork. But
what you can do is set aside part of one room. Yes, it might be part of the living
room or your bedroom—but you want to make it your special place for studying.
Start by placing your desk or table against the wall. You should be facing the
wall rather than looking at the bed or television set. Use that wall space for
information and motivation. Put up a bulletin board where you can post your
weekly schedule and school-related information (Figure 7). Add a small picture
or poster of something that reminds you of your ultimate goal—maybe it’s your
child, who will be proud to see you graduate. Maybe it’s the job you want to
get when your coursework is finished. Maybe it’s something you want to buy
or somewhere you want to go when you get that dream job. Whatever it is, it
should remind you, each time you look at it, that you’re doing this hard work for
something!
FIGURE 7—Bulletin boards can be helpful for motivation and organization.
Add some shelves or drawers to store your school materials—and use them for
nothing but your school materials. You’ll need space for books, notebooks, pens/
pencils, calculators, and whatever other school supplies you need, along with a
space for your computer equipment. It makes sense to invest in an inexpensive
plastic filing drawer with hanging files, in which you can create a hanging folder
for each of your classes. Then you can put all of the paperwork for that class in the
right folder.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
31
Here are some other tips for creating a good study space:
•
Try to keep anything distracting out of your line of sight. You don’t want to
be reminded that you need to do the laundry or pay that unopened bill.
•
Have some colorful items around—you want to feel that the environment
is comfortable without being distracting. You definitely don’t want a sterile
atmosphere.
An Approach to Your Studies
Everything you’ve read so far in this unit should have you convinced that
studying is an activity that’s critical to your success. When you study, knowledge
comes from reading the material of your lesson, investigating the concepts in full,
applying the concepts in a way that’s meaningful to you, and reflecting on what
you’ve learned. Doing this effectively in the time you have available will make the
difference in your ability to achieve success.
So far, we’ve talked about when you should study as well as where; now let’s talk
about the how. For every hour you spend as study time, think in terms of your
goal or goals for that hour. That is, consider what you can realistically achieve in
the time you have available.
Here are some tips that should help you to become better at studying.
32
•
Be realistic for the time allotted. Don’t try to fool yourself into thinking
that you can accomplish more than you really can in the time you’ve
given yourself. The first few times you sit down to study, you may
accomplish more (or less) than you thought you might. That’s okay; this
experimentation gives you a better idea of how much material you can
actually absorb and recall in one sitting.
•
Be concrete and specific. Instead of thinking, “I’m going to read as much
of the assignment as I can,” set a concrete goal for yourself. You’ll have to
experiment a little to determine how much lesson material you can get
through in an hour (and this might vary by subject matter!). Start out
with a specific goal. For example, “In the hour I have available, I’ll read one
assignment, define the vocabulary terms, and take the self-study quiz.”
•
Set your priorities. Use your syllabus and class calendar to recognize what
you need to achieve each week. If you’re taking more than one class, make
sure you prioritize the work by knowing what needs to be completed
first and/or what is going to require more (or less) of your attention. For
example, if you have an examination that you need to complete this week
and an essay in another course that’s not due until next week, use that
information to determine how to use your study time.
•
Be focused. This is the most important factor in the wise use of study time.
Very often, our mind jumps around. It chatters away, gets distracted easily,
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
and wants to do anything but focus on one thing for an extended period.
This doesn’t mean you’re a poor student; it just means you’re human. It’s
okay when you find your mind wandering. However, you have to learn how
to get yourself back on track. Try closing your eyes and breathing deeply a
few times. As you exhale, imagine that you’re “blowing away” those random
thoughts. If that doesn’t work, take a five-minute break. Get up, stretch, and
walk around. A short burst of physical activity can be energizing and help
you to refocus.
•
Train yourself to avoid digital/media distractions. Because you’ll be on
the Internet while you’re reviewing class material and resources, you may
find it very tempting to check your email, look at your social media account,
play games, or chat with friends. Remember, this is something that you
can control. It’s a choice to do these things and a choice not to do them.
To be successful with your study times, you must make a hard rule with
yourself that during your study time, you’ll look only at those websites that
apply to the lesson at hand. You might also try listening to soothing study
music (generally instrumental music that’s classified as “for studying” or “for
relaxation”). This helps you to avoid the temptations of media. If this seems
hard, just remember—it’s only for an hour. One hour for your study time.
When your study time is up, you can check your email or Facebook account
or you can chat with friends without feeling guilty. The activity will be more
enjoyable to you because you’ve put it off until your required tasks are
done.
•
Study actively! You’ll find lots of study techniques and tips in this study
guide. The most important is this: Don’t read casually, as if you were
catching up on the news. Instead, read actively and with purpose. Take
notes. Underline important keywords. Flag terms that are new and need to
be defined. Think about how the facts are related to each other, and how
they fit into the big picture.
All about Learning Styles
As you determine the best way to approach your studies, you’ll find it helpful to
determine your personal learning style. Learning style simply refers to the most
natural way that an individual acquires and processes new information. Learning
styles can be thought of as “patterns of learning.” Although most people respond
to all three patterns of learning, one pattern is usually more dominant than the
others. The three patterns of learning are
•
Visual learning, or learning by sight
•
Auditory learning, or learning by hearing
•
Kinesthetic learning, or learning by doing
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
33
To identify your dominant learning style, complete Activity 6: Determine Your
Learning Style. As you complete the self-assessment quiz, remember: there are no
right or wrong answers. Everyone’s answers will be different. The important thing
is to be honest. When you’ve finished, you’ll learn how to score yourself and see
which learning style suits you best.
ACTIVITY 6: Determine Your Learning Style
LEARNING STYLE SELF-ASSESSMENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
34
If I had to choose the class I prefer, it would be a(n)
A.
class where I can write stories.
B.
class that has a lot of class discussions.
C.
physical education class.
People can usually tell what kind of mood I’m in by
A.
the look on my face.
B.
the sound of my voice.
C.
what I do.
To solve a problem, I would
A.
write a note to someone about it.
B.
talk to someone about it.
C.
work it out by doing something physical, like running.
When I have free time, I prefer to
A.
write someone a note.
B.
find someone to talk to.
C.
volunteer to work on a project.
When I explain something that I’ve worked on, I feel most comfortable
when
A.
writing about the project.
B.
talking about the project.
C.
showing someone how to make the project.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
6.
7.
8.
9.
My favorite way of testing would be a(n)
A.
written test.
B.
test given orally.
C.
demonstration.
If I had to give someone directions, I would
A.
write them down.
B.
tell them.
C.
draw a map.
If I were an “expert” in a certain hobby, I would
A.
write a story about it.
B.
tell people about it.
C.
build a display.
If I could pick any career in the area of sports, I would
A.
write sports stories.
B.
be a sports announcer.
C.
compete as an athlete.
10. If I had information to share with the class, I would
A.
put the information on the board or a handout.
B.
present an oral report.
C.
put on a skit.
11. For extra credit, I would prefer to
A.
do a research paper.
B.
give an oral report.
C.
make a project.
12. If I’m working in a group, I would prefer doing
A.
the writing part of the project.
B.
the oral part of the project.
C.
the demonstration of the project.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
35
13. I prefer assignments that allow me to
A.
read a short story.
B.
give an oral report.
C.
make a project.
14. I would prefer to receive important information
A.
in a letter or email.
B.
over the phone.
C.
in a code that I have to translate.
15. My handwriting is normally
A.
very neat.
B.
quite light.
C.
sloppier toward the end of an assignment.
16. If I were to look at a notebook or binder I keep for schoolwork, I would
say that it’s
A.
neat.
B.
ok.
C.
messy.
17. If I were putting a model together, I would first
A.
read the directions carefully.
B.
discuss the directions with a partner or friend.
C.
start to put the model together and figure it out as I go.
18. I prefer to read stories with a lot of
A.
description.
B.
words.
C.
action.
19. If I could join a school activity, I would prefer to join the
36
A.
newspaper staff.
B.
speech or debate club.
C.
drama team.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
20. It’s easier for me to remember
A.
faces.
B.
names I have heard.
C.
things I have done.
21. To study for a test, I first
A.
read my notes and textbook.
B.
have someone ask me questions.
C.
make up a sample test.
22. When I’m studying, I prefer to work at a(n)
A.
neat desk or table.
B.
area that’s absolutely quiet.
C.
area that’s comfortable.
23. When I’m in a new situation, such as the first day of school or a job, I
A.
look around but don’t say much.
B.
talk to another new person nearby.
C.
try to do something to learn more about the situation.
24. The type of teacher from whom I learn best
A.
writes information on the board.
B.
tells the class important information.
C.
directs the class to do work at our desks.
25. If I could create the ideal friend, I would
A.
imagine the personality and how the person would look.
B.
make up a story in my head and then describe the person to my
friends.
C.
draw a picture.
26. During my free time, I prefer to
A.
watch a movie.
B.
listen to music.
C.
engage in physical activity.
27. When I’m trying to learn how to spell a new word, I
A.
look at the word carefully.
B.
spell the word out loud a few times.
C.
write the word out several times.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
37
Scoring Your Quiz Results
Count the number of your responses to the quiz questions.
How many questions did you answer with option A?
_____
How many questions did you answer with option B?
_____
How many questions did you answer with option C?
_____
Use that information to determine your learning style.
•
If you had more answers with option A, then you’re predominately a visual
learner. You remember best by using your eyes.
•
If you had more answers with option B, then you’re predominately an
auditory learner. You remember best by using your ears.
•
If you had more answers with option C, then you’re predominately a
kinesthetic learner. You remember best by doing, by using movement or
physically working with materials.
What you’ll probably find of interest in your score is that you probably you rely
on all three learning styles to some degree. That’s perfectly normal! Most people
use all of their senses when learning new information. In fact, experts say that the
best way to learn new material is to include activities that appeal to each of the
learning styles, as that maximizes our ability to retain the information. However,
your predominant learning style can tell you a lot about how you should set up
your study time.
About Learning Style Activities and Tips
We’ve provided ideas and tips for activities that work for each of the
learning styles. You should try to apply as many of the activities associated with your dominant style as possible. However, you should
also review and try out methods associated with the other styles. No
person learns exclusively using one learning style. Plus, new material
is best learned when it’s integrated using all of the senses.
38
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
Visual Learners
As a visual learner, you tend to remember more when you take a visual approach
to material—when you use your eyes. Here’s what the experts say about visual
learners.
•
They tend to vividly remember pictures and make the most sense of
information when they see it in a visual form, such as a chart or diagram.
•
They use their minds to picture things being described to them.
•
They memorize how things “look,” such as spelling words or math
equations.
•
They comprehend material more fully when they read it themselves rather
than when they listen to someone else reading it out loud or lecturing
about it. When they must listen, these learners like to take notes, because
the notes create a visual memory of the material for later.
•
They like to write down assignments to help remember what to study.
•
They prefer to use directions (in words or pictures) to put information
together rather than just “figure things out” without assistance.
•
They’re organized, neat, and pay a lot of attention to detail.
•
They tend to have vivid imaginations.
•
They’re sensitive to design and the way things look.
If visual learning is your primary learning style, follow these tips to get the most
out of your study sessions.
•
Study away from bulletin boards, windows, or other visual distractions.
Don’t study in front of the television!
•
Use drawings, cartoons, symbols, and color coding in your notes.
•
Make charts, graphs, or other visual organization tools as you’re studying.
Learn how to create graphic organizers, such as Venn diagrams and
concept maps, so that you can render information in a visual form (see
Figure 8).
•
Use different colors (highlighters or ink pens) to emphasize important facts
and ideas. For example, you might highlight dates in orange, names in
yellow, and facts in blue.
•
Make flashcards out of colored index cards. Separate them into “know” and
“don’t know” piles as you study. Find creative ways to use them.
•
In your textbook and assignments, pay close attention to instructional
material such as illustrations, charts, and maps.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
39
Influence
Cause
Effect
Influence
Solution
ea
in
Ma
Id
Detail
Topic
Concept
Theme
Different
Same
Different
FIGURE 8—Different kinds of graphic organizers are useful for different kinds of
information. Use an online search engine such as Google to find other graphic
organizers that can help you to render information in a visual format.
40
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
•
As you study, write out your notes or draw representations of the
information in a notebook or on a dry-erase board.
•
Use things you can see whenever possible as you’re studying, such as
pictures, charts, timelines, note cards, or illustrations.
•
Use “visual exaggeration” to remember facts and details. That means speak
them out loud and exaggerate your facial expressions or accompanying
hand gestures. Consider studying in front of a mirror so you can see
yourself make those movements.
•
If listening to audio material or a lecture, always take notes on paper. Don’t
rely solely on your listening skills to remember information. Afterward,
revisit your notes and put them into an outline format, if you can do that.
Auditory Learners
As an auditory learner, you tend to remember more when you listen—when you
use your ears (Figure 9).
FIGURE 9—Auditory learners like to listen.
Here’s what the experts say about auditory learners.
•
They tend to be good talkers and good listeners.
•
They enjoy discussions and tend to remember what’s said by all parties to
the conversation.
•
They would rather listen to audio books than read print, and they tend to
remember more when they listen to audio books.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
41
•
They like to repeat information out loud when reading or studying.
•
They can be easily be distracted by background noise.
•
They usually have to hear directions or information only once in order to
remember.
•
They tend to find foreign languages easier to learn than other people.
•
They can verbally articulate their ideas quite clearly and easily.
•
They find it easier to remember steps in a sequenced pattern.
•
They sometimes find subjects such as math and writing a little more
difficult than other subjects.
If auditory learning is your primary learning style, follow these tips during your
study sessions:
42
•
Study in a quiet place without distractions from other people or from
technology devices.
•
Talk and read aloud to yourself as you go through the material.
•
Say the things you’re trying to learn out loud, over and over.
•
Discuss the materials and subject matter with others.
•
Teach the material you are learning to others.
•
Tape-record your study notes, math facts, vocabulary, or other information
you’re learning. Listen to the tapes while riding in the car, eating breakfast,
or falling asleep. When you think you know the material, recite it along with
the tape.
•
Use music as a learning assist. Match information to a tune—create your
own lyrics—or write a rhyme or poem to help remember.
•
Have someone quiz you orally.
•
Join a study group so you can verbally interact about the material while
studying it.
•
Use a pointer or bookmark while reading so that you won’t skip lines while
you read.
•
Use audio tapes such as commercial books on tape to aid in the recall of
information.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
Kinesthetic Learners
As a kinesthetic learner, you tend to remember by doing (Figure 10).
FIGURE 10—Kinesthetic learners learn by doing.
Here’s what the experts say about kinesthetic learners.
•
They enjoy movement and concentrate best when active.
•
They find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time.
•
They’re most successful when they can practice or do what they’re learning.
•
They like to work with the hands.
•
They enjoy doing projects rather than just talking about them.
•
They may find organization to be a challenge.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
43
•
They may do well as performers, athletes, or dancers—professions that
involve physical movement of the body.
•
They’re good at taking things apart and putting them back together.
•
They often touch things to get the “feel” of them.
•
They sometimes find it draining to work with abstract objects and ideas.
If kinesthetic learning is your primary learning style, follow these tips to get the
most out of your study time:
While studying, use hand gestures to emphasize points.
•
When you have to memorize something, write it several times on paper.
Then write it “in the air.”
•
Pace, walk around, or bounce a ball while you’re reading.
•
When trying to learn, act out the material; alternately, pretend you’re a
teacher and teach the material to someone else.
•
Use hands-on activities, such as experiments and games, whenever you
can.
•
Physically manipulate concrete objects (like coins, beans, or fingers) to help
understand more abstract concepts such as math.
•
Have someone talk through the information with you while you’re doing
something active, such as shooting baskets, jumping rope, or walking.
•
Copy over notes given to you by the teacher or other students.
•
Write and draw out concepts while you’re studying them, as doing so will
help you to absorb and retain the information. Use graphic organizers such
as those shown in Figure 8.
•
Study in frequent, short blocks of time.
•
Make colored strips of paper that represent different concepts and
physically link those strips together as you work.
“Every strike brings me
closer to the next home
run.”
•
—Babe Ruth
The Art of Taking Notes
No matter what your learning style, as a serious student, you’ll want to take notes
on materials that you read. This helps you to learn and remember the important
points in each lesson. Here are some general tips on note-taking.
•
44
Whenever possible, print out your reading material (lesson or lecture
notes). For materials available on the website, the “Print” button can be
found at the upper-right corner of the lesson window. Use that button
rather than the “Print” command on your browser, to get a more readable
copy.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
•
Begin by quickly reading the entire assignment. During this quick review,
don’t try to memorize anything. Your goal is to get a general idea of what
the lesson is all about.
•
Next, read the assignment a second time. For this review, read carefully and
thoughtfully. Use a highlighting marker or pen to highlight the main points
of the lesson as well as keywords and their definitions.
•
Finally, organize the information for yourself. There are different ways to
accomplish this. For example, you can create an outline (Figure 11). An
outline is meant to use words to show the relationship from the main idea
to the supporting ideas to facts about the supporting ideas. You might also
create a concept map (see Figure 8). For this type of map, place the main
idea in the center and then connect the supporting ideas to it by drawing
lines.
Example Outline
Essay Topic
I.
Main Point 1
a. Supporting Fact 1
b. Supporting Fact 2
II. Main Point 2
a. Supporting Fact 1
b. Supporting Fact 2
III. Main Point 3
a. Supporting Fact 1
b. Supporting Fact 2
IV. Main Point 4
V.
a. Supporting Fact 1
b. Supporting Fact 2
Main Point 5
a. Supporting Fact 1
b. Supporting Fact 2
FIGURE 11—An outline breaks down the main ideas
and supporting facts in a text.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
45
ACTIVITY 7: Staying on Track
For this activity, figure out how to motivate yourself to do well in your studies by
watching a motivational video called TED Talk: Richard St. John’s Eight Secrets to
Success. (http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_st_john_success_is_a_continuous_
journey.html) As you watch the video, use what you’ve learned so far to create
an outline or a visual concept map of the points made by the speaker. This is an
opportunity for you to figure out what kind of organizer seems most helpful for
you.
Here’s a summary of some important points from the video:
46
•
Believe in yourself. Your brain is a complex piece of work and has genius
capacity. It takes time and effort, but if you believe in yourself, you’ll reach
your true and full potential.
•
Discipline yourself. Self-control and discipline are the cornerstones to
success. Self-discipline keeps you going when the going gets tough and
helps you make study techniques second nature. When you rely on selfdiscipline to maintain your study skills, your true abilities will soar.
•
Be persistent. Keep on keeping on! Persistence is more important than
intelligence, luck, and talent.
•
Divide and conquer. To conquer a goal, analyze the task at hand and
divide it into smaller, more manageable tasks. Then prioritize those tasks.
Start with the first small task, complete it, cross it off the list, and move on
to the next one.
•
Don’t fear mistakes. Don’t be afraid to try something new just because
you’re afraid you may get it wrong the first time. Remember, if you make a
mistake, review the results, identify what went wrong, and decide how to
do it better the next time. Then do it again—only this time, apply what you
learned the first time.
•
Always be active. Learning comes down to one thing. You need to use
what you’re learning. That means you must do something with it. Think
about the information, evaluate it, write it down.
•
Preparation is key. Quality preparation is the difference between
mediocre and excellent performance. Prepare your study environment,
your attitude, and your focus—you’ll be amazed at the difference in your
results.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
CHECK YOUR LEARNING 2
Complete the following questions to test your knowledge.
Do not send the answers to the school.
1. Identifythelearningstylebestsuitedtoeachofthefollowing
students.
______a. T hisstudentpreferstolistentolectureseitherliveor
on tape.
______b. T hisstudentpreferstousegraphicorganizersto
organizematerial.
______c. Thisstudentpreferstocompletehands-onprojects.
2. D
escribehowstudentsshouldusehighlightingtogetthemostout
ofthisstudyactivity.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
3. D
escribethethreemainlearningstylesandincludeanexampleofa
studyactivitythatwouldbehelpfulforindividualswhorelyoneach
learningstyle.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Continued
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
47
CHECK YOUR LEARNING 2
4. D
escribehowstudentsshouldprioritizetheirstudies.Includean
exampleofhowastudentmightdothis.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
5. Let’ssayyou’vescheduledastudysessionforthisevening.Write
outaconcretegoalforyourselfforthissession,basedonyourcurrentlessonassignment.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Check your answers with those found at the end of this learning guide.
48
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
EXAMINATIONS AND OTHER ASSESSMENTS
Introduction
Few students enjoy examinations and other forms of assessment. Some even
believe that the purpose of these tests is to point out what they don’t know, what
they don’t understand—in other words, their mistakes and failures.
But there’s another way look at it—the Ashworth way. Think of assessments as
opportunities to show what you do know and what you have learned. Consider
them a tool that prevents you
from moving to more complex
material than you’re ready to
deal with. If you perform
poorly on a quiz or exam, that’s
a sign that you should go back
and review the material before
moving ahead. In other words,
instead of looking at
assessments as a tool for others
to judge you, look at them as a
learning tool for yourself.
Saving Your Written
Work
Some of your Ashworth
program or courses will require
you to submit reports, essays,
or other types of written work.
You’ll be instructed to enter
the report or essay directly
into a designated place on
the website or to upload it
as a separate document. No
matter how the work is to be entered, it’s critically important that you create these
documents in another program and save them. Then you can copy and paste the
information into the field or upload the document. Working this way ensures that
you have a copy of your work if something goes wrong with the technology.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
49
Use this as an opportunity to get organized! Create a folder on your computer for
each course you’re taking. Save a copy of your written work there. Use a logical
file-naming system so you can easily find your work after the fact. We suggest
naming by lesson number/name, assignment type, and date, for example:
English_Lesson 2_Essay (2-12-14).
Saving Your Work
This is a point that bears repeating. As you write your essays and reports, make sure you write them in a standard word processor, such
as Microsoft Word. Save your work to the computer in a folder that
you’ve designated for the course. Then you can copy and paste the
text or upload the document directly to the Ashworth site. Technical
difficulties are rare, but they do occasionally occur. Better safe than
sorry! You don’t want to have to totally recreate an assignment if
your information is lost when you try to submit it.
Types of Assessments
Your program may include both self-assessments and examinations. Selfassessments are nongraded quizzes that help you to determine whether you’re
ready for the lesson examination. If you haven’t done well on a quiz, that’s a sign
you should go back and study the material again before moving forward.
Examinations generally appear at the end of each lesson. Some programs have
only a few lessons and a few examinations, while others have many. Examinations
can be set up with multiple-choice questions, short or long essays, or project
assignments. The type of examination is based on the nature of the content.
Don’t be afraid of examinations. They’re simply assessment tools used to measure
your academic performance. To “assess” means to examine and judge. Of course
no one likes to feel judged, but assessment is an important element of learning.
Assessments such as quizzes and examinations aren’t judgments on you as a
person. Instead, they’re a way to assess whether you have enough knowledge of
the subject to move to the next step.
50
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
Your academic performance is
assessed in many ways.
Homework assignments,
research papers, case studies,
and projects are all forms of
assessments. They help your
instructor to evaluate how
you’re doing. They show what
you’ve learned and how well
you’ve learned it.
How important is it to get good
grades on these assessments?
You already know the answer
to this question! Good grades
are important for many
reasons. First, they show your
instructor that you’re ready
for more complex material.
Second, if you’re competing
for a job without much
work experience, potential
employers may want to look at
your grades to see how likely
it is that you’ll perform well on
the job. They might use your grades as a measure of your intelligence. Finally, if
you intend to continue your education once you’ve completed the course, good
grades will be necessary for acceptance into most programs.
Examinations are a common form of assessment and an excellent motivator for
learning. Knowing you’ll be tested on the material should motivate you to make
sure you truly grasp what you’re learning. Remember, it doesn’t matter if you’ve
spent hours reading a textbook if you didn’t understand anything that you read.
FAST FACT!
Some people think that online learning is easier than classroom learning.
That’s a myth! Distance learning is still learning; it just uses a different delivery
method. In fact, studies show that online learning requires just as much time
and dedication as the traditional classroom experience. The most successful
online learners are students who are independent, motivated, and disciplined.
They’re the people who want to get ahead and are willing to put in the work to
get there—like you!
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
51
Prepare for Online Exams
There’s a difference between online tests and tests that take place in a traditional
classroom. For one thing, in the online environment, a professor isn’t in the room
with you. You don’t have immediate access to this person if you have a question
or need clarification on the exam. (Of course, you can always find help on the
Ashworth site!) It’s best if you’re prepared and have everything you need on hand
before you attempt a test in the online learning environment.
The most effective way to excel on online exams is to study strategically.
52
1.
Know the subjects, chapters, and concepts that will be covered in the
exam. This means paying attention to the lessons and assignments
covered by the exam in question. Read the lesson objectives for each
assignment; your exam should test you on what you were supposed to
learn, which is outlined for you in the objectives. In general, the more you
know about what to expect, the more prepared you’ll be.
2.
Ask your instructor if you have any questions about the material or the
testing process. It’s best to contact your instructor before you start the
test, especially if you’re unsure how to proceed or find the directions
unclear.
3.
Take good notes while working through the material, as this will reduce
the amount of time you must spend organizing and studying, and will
also help you to retain the most relevant information.
4.
Give yourself plenty of time to study. Don’t try to cram at the last minute.
5.
Be sure to study all sources of information available to you, such as
lecture notes, book chapters, assigned reading material, instructor notes,
summary notes, previous tests, and discussion board questions. Don’t
forget about any audio or video files made available to you, too. Anything
that was included as part of an assignment can come up in an exam! The
more material you cover, the more confident you’ll be.
6.
Make sure the area where you’ll take your test is free of distractions such
as loud noises or other people. Let your family and friends know that you
need privacy at this time.
7.
Do a thorough review of your notes as exam time approaches. Have them
handy and review them often as you get ready for your test.
8.
Get enough sleep the night before. Eat well and let go of feelings of stress
and anxiety. It may help you to breathe in and out for a few minutes
before you begin. Center yourself and tap into your ability to concentrate.
9.
Be sure to take quizzes seriously. If you get many questions incorrect on a
quiz—for example, if you answered less than four questions correctly out
of every five—you should go back and review the material again before
taking the exam.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
Take Online Exams
Students who are testing in the online environment need to be aware of issues
that can arise while testing.
1.
Make sure your computer is on the correct settings to avoid any surprises.
You can find information on computer settings on the Ashworth website.
2.
Close all other windows besides your exam page. This helps to avoid
confusion, clutter, and frustration.
3.
Many online examinations are timed. The timer starts when you press a
Start button. The timer should be visible to you, but make it a point to be
aware of your start time.
4.
Wait until the test is fully loaded before you begin answering questions.
5.
Save often, if there’s a Save feature.
6.
When more than one question appears on a page, click the Submit button
only after you’ve answered all of them.
7.
Don’t forget to click Submit when you’re done. You’ll get confirmation that
the test submitted successfully and was received by the school.
Deal with Test-Taking Anxiety
Examinations can be a major source of stress for students. Anxiety is a normal
reaction to worries about performing well or passing the exam. You know the
feeling—just before you sit down to take a test, your heart starts to hammer.
Your breathing becomes shallow. Your mind goes blank. You lose focus. You then
perform poorly because you can’t think straight. If you suffer from this type of
anxiety, it’s important to learn how to deal with it effectively.
Use anxiety as a motivator to study more effectively. Recognize that the best
solution to anxiety is to be prepared. Being prepared means more than just
memorizing definitions and formulas. It means using writing and research skills
and learning how to analyze related concepts in a program.
Here are some tips for overcoming test-taking anxiety.
•
Don’t panic! Breathe deeply and tell yourself that you can do this. Take slow,
deep breaths. Don’t focus on the fear—that only makes it worse. Instead,
think about what you have to do. Break it into small steps and stay on task.
•
Carefully read the directions.
•
Be aware of how much time you have for the test. Figure out about how
much time you’ll have for each question and budget your time accordingly.
•
Make sure you’re in a relaxed position. Change positions if you need to.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
53
•
If your mind begins to go blank, skip the question. Go to the next one.
Come back to the skipped question after answering other questions; just
make sure you don’t forget to enter an answer.
•
If you’re writing an essay, pick a question and begin writing on scrap paper.
Use free association and write whatever comes to mind regarding the
subject. Try to draft an outline for the main idea and supporting ideas that
should go into the essay.
•
Most importantly, expect some anxiety with tests. Just make sure you deal
with it productively. Anxiety is just a reminder that the test is important and
requires your attention.
•
Realize that excessive anxiety can be a habit—you should practice dealing
with it so that it doesn’t impede your ability to do well on tests.
FAST FACT!
According to the DETC, distance education is a popular way to learn in just
about every career field and subject—from accounting to zoology and
everything in between!
Strategies for Multiple-Choice Exams
Multiple-choice examinations present a question and several answer options
(usually four answer options). Only one answer is correct. The other answer
options, called distracters, should make you think deeply about how to answer
the question correctly.
When taking multiple-choice examinations, keep the following strategies in
mind.
54
•
Read quickly and answer the easy questions first.
•
Make note of keywords in questions. They often provide a clue to the best
answer.
•
Check to see if the grammar fits; the correct answer should grammatically
fit with the question.
•
Leave complicated questions to answer later, if you can do that.
•
Watch for modifiers such as always, every, and never in answer options.
These usually indicate that an answer is wrong.
•
Read all options before choosing your answer.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
•
Don’t leave any question unanswered, if you have time. Make educated
guesses if necessary.
•
Use the content of other questions as a clue. Sometimes you’ll find the
answer to one question within the content of another question.
Strategies for Essay Questions
Essay questions require you to respond to a writing prompt. To do well on this
type of question, you need good writing skills and the ability to organize your
thoughts. Remember, typically there’s no one right answer to an essay question,
but there are degrees of correctness. Instructors usually look for answers that
address the main points being asked in the writing prompt.
When answering essay questions, keep the following strategies in mind.
1.
Longer answers aren’t always better. Don’t continue rambling on, making
the same points over and over. Meet the minimum length requirement for
the response, but be concise and thorough.
2.
Focus on what’s being asked. Look for action words and respond
accordingly. This is very important! Misunderstanding the directive words
will render even a well-written answer wrong. Some examples of action
words include the following:
•
Explain means to make something plain or understandable. For
example: Explain the difference between the two species.
•
Compare means to examine the characteristics or qualities of two
things, in order to discover how they’re the same or different. For
example: Compare the saline content of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
•
Contrast means to examine two or more things with respect to
differences. For example: Contrast the religious beliefs of Puritans and
Quakers.
•
Describe means to represent or give an account in words. For example:
Describe the feelings the artist was trying to convey in the painting.
•
Define means to discover and describe the meaning. For example:
Define each vocabulary term listed below.
•
Relate means to show or establish logical or causal connection
between two things. For example: Relate crime statistics to the poverty
levels of a population.
•
Analyze means to study or determine the nature and relationship of
the parts or the whole in comparison to its components parts. For
example: Analyze what the discovery of America meant to European
powers.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
55
56
•
Summarize means to cover the main points in a concise manner. For
example: Summarize the facts presented in the scenario.
•
Name or list means to identify by name. For example: Name three
factors that contribute to escalating crime rates.
•
Specify means to state explicitly, with detail. For example: Specify the
cause of the argument between the two main characters.
•
Illustrate or demonstrate means to clarify by giving or by serving as
an example or instance. For example: Use examples from real life to
illustrate how your experience is similar to or different from the author’s
experience.
•
Justify means to prove or show that something is right or reasonable.
For example: Justify your opinion by describing how the character was
being unfairly pressured.
•
Identify means to establish an identity. For example: Identify three
reasons for problems with the study.
•
Discuss means to reason or argue. For example: Discuss why childcare
can be a difficult issue for single mothers.
•
State means to express the particulars, in words. For example: State the
facts of the case.
•
Critique, criticize, or evaluate means to consider the positives and
negatives of something and judge accordingly. For example: Critique
the value of the scientist’s work in light of the awards he received.
3.
Organize your thoughts before you begin to write. If you can create an
outline of the main idea and supporting facts on scrap paper, do so before
you begin writing.
4.
Take care to avoid irrelevant or redundant ideas and sentences.
5.
Be sure to answer all parts of the question. Some questions will have more
than one part.
6.
Always restate ideas in your own words, rather than copying someone
else’s opinion, unless you’re using someone else’s words as a direct
quotation.
7.
Cite your information source if it’s something other than the assigned
textbook.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
8.
Use supporting details and facts, such as date, time, place, and proper
names, where appropriate.
9.
Proofread your work carefully! Your grammar, spelling, and punctuation
should be correct. Your sentences should be complete.
FAST FACT!
A survey of students enrolled in DETC-accredited institutions such as Ashworth
College showed that a full 97% of students found that distance education
matched or exceeded their expectations!
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
57
CHECK YOUR LEARNING 3
Complete the following questions to test your knowledge.
Do not send the answers to the school.
1. D
escribetheprocesstobefollowedtoaccessandcompletean
examination.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2.
True or False?Whilewritinganessayabouttheincreasedproblem
ofdomesticviolenceinaparticularcity,astudentdevotesseveral
sentencestoexplainingexactlywhathemeansby“domesticviolence.”Thisisanexampleofanalyzing.
3. W
hichoftheseisn’ttakenintoaccountwhenyourfinalgradefora
courseisdetermined?
a. Writtenassignments
b. Multiple-choiceexams
c. Submittedessays
d. Multiple-choicequizzes
4.
True or False?Inheressay,astudentwroteabouttheconnection
betweenearlychildhoodeducationandlatersuccessinschool.The
questionprobablyaskedhertocompareandcontrast.
5. Ifastudentisaskedtosummarizewhatshelearnedinareadingassignment,sheshould
a. providelivelyexamplesfromherownexperience.
b. usereasoningandargumenttomakeapoint.
c. coverallthemainpointsthatshereadintheassignment.
d. takeoneortwokeypointsandelaborateonthem.
Check your answers with those found at the end of this learning guide.
58
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SKILLS
Introduction
Whether you already have a degree and are looking to advance your career
or you’re just starting out in a vocational or college program, it’s important to
recognize the skill sets that employers require in the twenty-first century.
Nearly every aspect of the global economy continues to change at a rapid pace.
Thanks to low-cost computing and other technological innovations, the twentyfirst century already looks very different from the late twentieth. For example,
in 1990, we didn’t have an “Internet.” In 2000, there were no such things as
“smartphones.” Even as you read this, someone somewhere is working on an
innovation that will revolutionize the way we live and work once again.
Technology continues to change, and so does the world of work. Not that long
ago, the key skills for success were being able to take orders, keeping opinions
to yourself, working independently, avoid fixing things that aren’t broken,
and doing things the old-fashioned way. However, that’s no longer the case.
Today’s employers—from pizza shop owners to the CEOs of the world’s largest
companies—are looking for a new kind of employee.
Employers still expect employees to be masters of the “three Rs”—that is,
Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic. And they still expect employees to know the
basics of core subject areas, such as the following:
•
Arts
•
Economics
•
English—reading and language arts
•
Geography
•
History—government and civics
•
Mathematics
•
Science
•
World languages
However, they’re also looking for employees to have other skill sets, such as the
following:
1.
Collaboration
2.
Communication
3.
Creativity and innovation
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
59
4.
Information literacy
5.
Problem solving
6.
Responsible citizenship
These are considered the twenty-first century skill sets. How do you go about
gaining these important skills?
The first thing you can do to gain a better understanding of these six areas is to
read an important paper that was produced by a group called The Partnership
for 21st Century Skills. Their document, The Framework for 21st Century Learning
(http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf), is
a detailed review of these skill sets and why they’re necessary for success. You’ll
find the information within this document to be incredibly useful. (However,
the document is long! You’ll probably want to break up your review over several
sessions.)
As you read, put your outlining and note-taking skills to work. Record the
important points made in the paper. Then, create a self-assessment for yourself,
as follows:
60
•
Take several sheets of paper and divide each of them into three columns.
•
Label the far left column SKILL. In that column, list each skill discussed in
the paper.
•
In the middle column, write STRENGTH. In the far right column, write
WEAKNESS. In the STRENGTH column, write the things you do or the steps
you take to meet the skill in question. In the WEAKNESS column, write how
you think you’re failing to meet this skill, or the things you do that might be
impeding your progress.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
A sample sheet is shown in Figure 12. Yours will probably run over several
pages. Try to assess yourself as honestly as possible. The idea is to see not only
what you’re already doing to sharpen your skills, but what you can do to keep
improving.
SKILL
STRENGTH
WEAKNESS
Media Literacy
I read the local newspaper
each day.
I don’t always look for
opposing viewpoints to
what I’m reading.
If I’m unsure about something, I research online for
more information.
Information,
Communication, and
Technology Literacy
I don’t read many other
news sources, so my perspective may be narrow
and local.
I’m proficient using the
Internet, email, social
media, and music
applications.
I mostly use digital
technology for
entertainment—gaming,
chatting with friends.
I download and use many
apps on my smartphone.
I could spend more time
using technology tools that
will help me get ahead in
education or work, such as
PowerPoint.
FIGURE 12—Sample Template for Self-Assessment of Twenty-First Century Skill
Sets
Consider how you can improve your skill sets by making the information
applicable and meaningful to your daily life. For example, if you have a doctor’s
appointment, think about your health literacy. Do you have a list of questions
ready to ask the doctor during your visit? If your doctor recommends you take a
certain medication, do you do as you’re told, or do you question why this is the
right course of action for you?
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
61
When paying your bills each month, reflect on your financial literacy. For
example, do you know how to balance a checkbook? Do you know how much
debt you have, and what interest rates you’re paying? Do you know where your
bank is investing the money you deposit?
Consider this approach for each of the categories of information covered in the
paper. To find other ways to develop these skills or to sharpen those you already
have, consider investigating the following resources.
•
Khan Academy offers hundreds of short, often entertaining videos that
explore an ever-growing number of subjects. (https://www.khanacademy.
org/)
•
TED Talks is a collection of lectures delivered by some of the brightest and
most creative minds on the planet over the past years. (http://www.ted.
com/talks)
•
Ontario Public TV has a wide range of programs on subjects relevant to
twenty-first century skills. (http://ww3.tvo.org/)
•
LearnThat is great collection of resources for those entering the workforce
or embarking on a new career. (http://learnthat.com/)
Summary
Now you’re ready to take your first examination. Learning at Ashworth was
designed to help you to become a better student. The examination is meant
to give you practice taking an Ashworth test and to help you feel confident
about what you learn in this learning guide. Look back over all of the material
that’s been covered and think about what you’ve learned. Do you see how the
techniques and strategies you’ve learned can help you to be more successful in
your studies?
After you complete your first exam, you’ll be ready to move on to the heart
of your coursework. However, don’t just put this guide away. Instead, use the
material as you go forward. You’ll find the information can be quite helpful when
you’re starting a new course or assignment. Revisit this guide frequently as a
refresher, paying special attention to the strategies and tactics designed to help
you study more effectively, and those related to taking examinations.
Along with this guide, you should make the Ashworth Student Handbook a
constant companion. The handbook is worth printing out a copy so that you
can readily access it when you have a question or need help. The handbook will
provide answers to many common questions and will also show you where to go
if you have other questions or need help or clarification.
62
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
Congratulations on making such a wonderful start! Apply what you’ve learned
to your coursework and be ready to find success in your studies! Naturally,
learning new information won’t always be easy—and sometimes it will be quite
challenging. But if you face each new challenge with the right tools and attitude,
you’ll find that these challenges have a way of helping you grow as both a
student and a person. Soon you’ll realize that you’ve developed all of the skills
you need to overcome any obstacles in your path.
Good luck!
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
63
CHECK YOUR LEARNING 4
Complete the following questions to test your knowledge.
Do not send the answers to the school.
1.
L isttheeightcoresubjectareasthatemployersexpectall
employeestoknow.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. Listthetwenty-firstcenturyskillsets.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
3. G
iveanexampleofoneofthetwenty-firstcenturyliteracyareas
anddescribehowyoucanbecomemoreknowledgeableaboutthat
areainyoureverydaylife.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Check your answers with those found at the end of this learning guide.
64
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
ACHIEVEMENT EXAM
Now that you’ve completed this part of your program, it’s time to take the
Achievement Exam.
First, log on to the student portal. Once you log on,
•
Click Courses
•
Click on More Sites and select this course
•
Select Exams and Quizzes from the left navigation bar
•
Select the following exam from the list shown:
â
Learning at Ashworth
Good luck with your exam!
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
65
NOTES
66
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
CHECK YOUR LEARNING ANSWERS
Check Your Learning 1
1.
“Empower” is best described as taking control over your life and decisions.
2.
An indefinite number. Ashworth provides as many calendars as a student
needs: one for school-wide events and then an additional calendar for
each course the student takes.
3.
Accounts
4.
On the Ashworth site, go to My Worksplace. On the top of the page is a
section called Quicklinks. All current courses are listed in Quicklinks.
5.
True
Check Your Learning 2
1.
a. Auditory
b. Visual
c. Kinesthetic
2.
When highlighting, look for the highlights of the material, such as main
subjects, examples of these subjects, and important words and their
definitions. Avoid highlighting entire sentences or sections, as that misses
the point of the exercise.
3.
Although your study examples may vary, a kinesthetic learner is one who
enjoys using his or her hands to learn new material. An auditory learner
prefers to listen to or record study material out loud. A visual learner
prefers to read material or organize it visually to maximize information
retention.
4.
Students should learn to prioritize tasks by due date. If one assignment
is due before another assignment, complete the first assignment before
moving on to the second one. Prioritization also means making sure you
look down the road at your calendar so that you’re not stuck scrambling
at the last minute if you have multiple assignments due around the same
time.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH
67
5.
Answers will vary, but should include specific tasks to be completed.
For example, “I plan to review all of my notes from the last two reading
assignments” or “I plan to study the vocabulary words from assignments 1
and 2” are both concrete and achievable. “I plan to read the whole book”
or “I plan to study for a while” aren’t concrete or achievable in a single
study session.
Check Your Learning 3
1.
From the course page, click Exams & Quizzes in the left-hand menu to
access the Exams page. On the Exams & Quizzes page, click the exam
you want to submit. On the Introduction page, click Begin Assessment.
Answer each question, clicking Next to get to the next question. At the
end of the exam, click Submit for Grading. Click Submit for Grading a
second time to indicate you’re sure you want to submit the examination
to your instructor.
2.
False
3.
d
4.
True
5.
c
Check Your Learning 4
68
1.
The eight core subject areas include the arts, economics, English
(reading and language arts), geography, history (government and civics),
mathematics, science, and world languages.
2.
The twenty-first century skill sets include collaboration, communication,
creativity and innovation, information literacy, problem solving, and
responsible citizenship.
3.
Answers will vary. An example follows: Financial literacy involves
knowledge of personal finances as well as how finances work in the world.
Some of the ways I can increase my financial literacy is to learn how to
balance my checkbook, pay attention to and understand how much debt
I have and what interest rates I pay, and learn as much as I can about the
operations of my banking institution. I can read newspapers such as The
Wall Street Journal to get a better understanding of financial issues in the
wider world.
LEARNING AT ASHWORTH