Our thoughts about the future affect our current state. For example, if you’re going on a vacation next week you may feel excitement today. Or on your way to an event, you feel nervousness or eagerness. Now imagine how students feel heading into a “boring” lecture in a course they don’t want to take. How are they feeling? To be a successful college student you will have to manage your emotions and develop new perspectives in order to overcome the many challenges students face. One of the perspectives of the transformative workshop is approaching lectures using the scientific method. Teaching perspectives allow for students to discover what it means for them and how they can apply it. Let’s see how the scientific method is applied to the college lecture.
Scientific Method And The College Lecture
Step 1: Before the Lecture
The first step is to prepare before the lecture. Just like a scientist prepares before conducting an experiment, you need to prepare before attending a lecture. This includes reading the assigned chapters or articles, reviewing lecture notes from the previous class, and coming up with questions to ask during the lecture. Previewing the material allows you to create a framework for the information being presented. This makes it easier for you to follow along during the lecture, and you can ask better questions that will help you retain the material.
Step 2: During the Lecture
The second step is to be fully engaged during the lecture. This means that you are actively listening, taking notes, and asking questions. You should also try to connect the information presented during the lecture to the material you reviewed before class. By being an active participant in the lecture, you are more likely to retain the information. Just like how an experiment needs a researcher to monitor it, the lecture needs someone to be an active participant.
Step 3: After the Lecture
The third step is to review the material after the lecture. This is just like how a scientist analyzes the data gathered during an experiment. It’s important to go over your notes and review the material presented in class. This can be done by summarizing the lecture in your own words, creating flashcards, or teaching the material to someone else. By reviewing the material, you are reinforcing the information in your mind and increasing your chances of retaining the knowledge.
In conclusion, by applying the scientific method to the college lecture, you can increase your chances of retaining information. By preparing before the lecture, being an active participant during the lecture, and reviewing the material afterward, you can turn the lecture into an experiment and improve your learning outcomes. By following these three steps, you can turn any lecture into a successful experiment experience. You can easily retain information while also challenging yourself. Our transformative workshop teaches students to set a goal of how much information they will recite after the lecture. This awakens competitiveness during the lecture and is a very powerful perspective for student athletes.
Click here to start a free workshop module and learn more about how just this concept alone can change the way students experience lectures. Learn about reading strategies and analogies to inspire students to action by clicking the link in this sentence.
