GETTING READY TO LEARN

BY PROF DR. MADYA HALIL BIN PAINO

Making the transition

As we know that, Uitm is not our old school but Uitm is the place to begin our journey. Moreover, the environment of study also different. The student need to independent in university life.

We also need to explore new things and try to make a lot of new friends. There is also important for us to make necessary lifestyle adjustments to feel at home in the new surroundings .

So, try to arrange our schedule nicely and enjoy it! Don’t procrastinate your schedule ok?

Characteristics of successful students

• ATTEND ALL CLASSES

        One of the best ways to be successful in college is to attend all classes . Although you will be tested on material from the course text , most of the test questions will come from the lectures .

• BECOME AN ACTIVE LEARNER

Unlike high school , in college , you can’t learn all of the material just reading over it a couple of times . You need to write and recite the information to get into long - term memory .

• PARTICIPATE IN CLASS

If you feel a bit uncomfortable participating in class , set a goal to either ask or answer one question during each class . Once you begin participating , you will feel more a part of the class and will become more actively involved in the learning process .

• GET TO KNOW YOUR LECTURES

Take a few minutes and stop to talk with your lecturer before or after class or during office hours . Ask a question about the material or check on your progress in the course . If you get to know your instructors , you may feel more comfortable asking for help when you need it .

• FORM STUDY GROUPS WITH FRIENDS

Study groups of about 3 – 4 people are known to be very effective . However , make sure that you include friends who are serious about doing well in their studies because only then they will be contribute .

• STAY UP TO DATE WITH YOUR WORK

Many new college students have difficulty keeping up with all of the reading that’s assigned in class . If you get behind in your reading , you may never have time to catch up . The workload in college just increase as the semester progresses . Never procrastinate !

• BE RECEPTIVE TO CHANGE

If the strategies that you used in high school aren’t working , ask your lecturer or tutor for suggestions for different ways to learn . Even though the strategies that they suggest may not seem like they’ll work , you must be willing to give them a chance . If you don’t make changes in the way you take notes read  , your texts or prepare for exams . For examples , you won’t see changes in your performance .

• WORK HARD THIS SEMESTER

Forget about doing all your assignments in the evening . If you’re taking fifteen credits this semester , You’ll need a minimum of thirty hours ( two outside of class for every hour in class ) to do your work . If you want high grades , if you work slowly or if you’re taking difficult courses , you will need more time to do your work well .