Chapter 10, Communication and Relationships, Oct. 31-Nov. 6

The chapter on communication provided some ideas for improving communication. Are any of these ideas helpful to you? For the blog this week, make 1 post of 200 words or 2 of 100 words each. You can also comment or expand on another student's posting.

You can describe how you plan to apply some of the ideas in this chapter to improving communication with your children, boss, friends or parents or anyone who is important in your life.

Comment on this video, Lessons from Auschwitz, The Power of Our Words.  The central message is that our words are powerful and we never know when our words are the last ones a person will hear from us.

What is your personality type and how does it affect your personal communication style?

You can also read the scenarios below and use your knowledge of personality type to suggest ways to improve the communication. For a quick review of personality type, click on Do What You Are on the front page of your portfolio on College and Career Success Online. You can comment on one or more of the scenarios.  Remember to think about personality type and how it influences communication as you write your comments. 

Scenario 1 (E and I):

Mary and Carol are roommates and are discussing paying bills for the apartment that they share. Mary is upset because Carol paid the phone bill late. The more that Mary talks, the quieter Carol becomes. This causes Mary to become even more upset. Mary starts talking in a loud voice and Carol leaves the room. How can they improve communication?

Scenario 2 (S and N):

A sensing type and an intuitive type are on a first date. What is each likely to talk about?

Scenario 3 (T and F):

Rachel and Jim have been married about a year. Rachel complains to Jim that he never says, "I love you" anymore. Jim replies that he would not have married Rachel if he didn't love her. How can they improve communication?

Scenario 4 (J and P):

Students in a business class are assigned as a group project to design a business plan. This is an evening class and has mostly adults who have busy schedules with work, family and school. Mike is a highly motivated student who wants to get the group organized and complete the project quickly. Mike is getting irritated at John because he cannot decide on a topic and get going. John keeps coming up with different creative ideas for the business plan. John is getting irritated at Mike because he thinks that Mike is trying to control the group. How can this group work together to complete a successful project?

Chapter 9, Test Taking, October 24-30

1. Students often say, “I am not a good test taker.” What ideas in this chapter would be helpful to this student?

2. Look at this YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S9YsqERT34), “Test Stress Reduction the Navy Seals Way,”  This 3 minute video shows some ways to be successful “when the world is on fire.”  Share your comments on the video.  Can the Navy Seals techniques be used in college and in life in general? 

3.  If you have difficulties with text anxiety, take a look at this video and summarize the key points: Test Anxiety Solutions 

4. How do you study for a math test?

5. What is the ideal way to review for a test?

6. What are some disadvantages of cramming for a test and how can you avoid cramming?

7. What is your best idea for studying for exams?

8. Comment on another student's post. 

Chapter 8, Note Taking, Writing, and Speaking, Oct. 17-23

This week read the chapter on taking notes, writing and speaking and then make two comments on any of these topics: 


Challenge yourself to explain this quote by William James in 25 words or less: “The essence of genius is knowing what to overlook.”

How can you take steps toward being a genius by being selective at school, at work or in your personal life? 

You are assigned a term paper and have writer's block and just can't get started. I recommend that you begin by doing some Internet research on the topic and then get started with free writing.  View this short cartoon, Freewriting, and answer this question: "How can you deal with writer's block?"

Write some intention statements about what you will do to become a better writer or note taker.  

View this 4 minute video and share the key Ideas: The Science of Stage Fright and How to Overcome it.  

Ask a question or discuss any aspect of college success that is relevant to your college experience at this point.     

Make a comment on another student's post. 

Chapter 7, Using Brain Science to Improve Study Skills, October 10-16

One of the key concepts in this chapter is that we use all the senses to learn, a process called multi-sensory integration.  Of all the senses, visualization is the most powerful. 

Think about how you can use multiple senses (visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, gustatory, olfactory) to be successful in challenging material in your present courses or think about one of the scenarios below and apply this concept to being successful in one of these situations.

For your second post, read what other students are saying and reply to their post.  Your reply to another student can be shorter than your posting on using multiple senses to learn.   

1.            You just read the assigned chapter in economics and cannot remember what you read.  It went in one ear and out the other. 

2.            In your anatomy and physiology class, you are required to remember the scientific name for 100 different muscles in the body.

3.            You signed up for a philosophy class because it meets general education requirements. You are not interested in the class at all.

4.            You have a mid-term in your literature class and have to read 400 pages in one month.

5.            You must take American history to graduate from SDSU. You think that history is boring.

6.            You have been introduced to an important business contact and would like to remember his/her name.

7.            You are enrolled in an algebra class. You continually remind yourself that you have never been good at math. You don’t think that you will pass this class.

8.            You are taking a math course that you need for graduation and don’t understand some of the math problems.  You are worried that you may not pass this course.  

Chapter 6, Using Brain Science to Improve Memory, Oct. 3-9

For this chapter, watch one of these videos and write a 100 word comment including what you like, dislike, or find useful.

 

For the second posting, read another student’s comment and add you own thoughts, goals for the future, or ideas for using the information to improve your memory and study skills.

 

Here are the links to the video choices:

The Nine Best Scientific Study Skills

Sleep to Remember, Remember to Sleep

These three videos are from the younger perspective:

 

How to Study Effectively with 15 Study Tips: Better Grades, Better Results

How to Get Straight A’s Study Tips

Study Hacks!  Get Better Grades 2015