Academic Survival
Adopting Lifelong Learning
Presentation based on:
Downing, Skip. On Course: Strategies for Creating
Success in College and Life, 3rd Ed.
Lifelong Learning
Successful Students
Struggling Students
 Discover their preferred
learning style, applying the
effective and joyful
process they used as
young children to learn
valuable new information
and skills.
Often experience
frustration, boredom,
or resistance when
given the opportunity
to learn new
information or skills.
Lifelong Learning
Successful Students
Struggling Students
Learn to make course
corrections, giving
them the flexibility to
revise outdated
behaviors or beliefs
that limit their
effectiveness.
Hang on to ineffective
behaviors or beliefs
even when these get
them off course.
Lifelong Learning
Successful Students
Struggling Students
Develop wisdom from
the University of Life,
using problems,
obstacles, mistakes,
failures, and even
catastrophes as valuable
learning experiences.
Grapple with one adversity
after another without
discovering the valuable
life lessons they have to
teach.
Preferred Learning Styles
The natural learning process
Step One: Ask motivating questions.
Quest for knowledge!
Step Two: Gather relevant information.
Step Three: Discover meaningful answers.
Self-Assessment:
How I prefer to learn?
Do you prefer to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Think
Do
Feel
Innovate
Thinker Learners
Motivating Questions: What?
Preferred Ways of Gathering Information: Ponder facts
and theories.
Preferred Ways of Discovering Meaning: Logical
argument and facts.
Thinker Learners
Thinkers can enhance learning by:
1. Constructing important “what” questions and searching for
answers.
2. Construct other types of questions – how? who? why? what if?
3. Read all textbook assignments carefully.
4. Organize lectures & reading notes in logical fashion, using
outlines and study charts.
5. Study with classmates who have different preferred ways of
learning
6. Ask the instructor important “what” questions.
7. Ask professors to list important points on the blackboard.
8. Ask professors to suggest additional readings in the subject.
Doing Learners
Motivating Questions: How?
Preferred Ways of Gathering Information: Action, hands-on.
Preferred Ways of Discovering Meaning: Objective tests, logical
progressions, confirming facts.
Doing Learners
Doers learn best by:
1. Constructing “how” questions and searching for answers.
2. Constructing other types of questions – what, who, why, what if?
3. Practice using course information or skill outside the classroom.
4. Organize lectures & reading notes in step-by-step fashion,
outlines, study charts.
5. Study with students who have different preferred learning modes.
6. Ask instructor to answer “how” questions.
7. Ask instructor for practical applications of course materials.
8. Ask instructor to list important steps.
9. Ask the instructor to demonstrate skill in step-by-step fashion.
10. Ask instructor to observe you in step-by-step procedure and give
feedback.
Feeling Learners
Motivating Questions: Why or who?
Preferred Ways of Gathering Information: Personal connection
and emotionally supportive environment.
Preferred Ways of Discovering Meaning: Seeking answers
that are personally meaningful.
Feeling Learners
Feeling learners enhance learning by:
• Construct important “who” or “why” questions.
• Construct other types of questions.
• Discover the value of the subject for you personally.
• Organize notes and study materials using concept maps.
• Practice using course information or skills with people in your
life.
• Make friends in class.
• Tape-record lectures.
• Study with classmates who have different preferred learning
modes.
• Ask the instructor who and why questions.
Feeler Learners
10. Ask the instructor to answer important who or why questions.
11. Ask the instructor to explain who you might make a personal
application of the course information.
12. Ask the instructor to meet with you outside of class so you
can get to know him/her better.
13. Ask the instructor to allow group work.
Innovating Learners
Motivating Questions: What if? Or What else?
Preferred Ways of Gathering Information: Exploring new
possibilities, new solutions.
Preferred Ways of Discovering Meaning: Using personal
imagination and intuition.
Innovating Learners
Innovating learners can enhance learning by:
1. Constructing “what if” and “what else” questions.
2. Constructing other types of questions.
3. Organize notes and study materials using concepts maps
4. Study with classmates with different learning modes.
5. Ask the instructor to answer your “what if” and “what else”
questions.
6. Ask if you can design some of your own assignments.
7. Ask the instructor to use visual aids.
8. Ask the instructor to recommend a book for you to read by
the most innovative person in the field.
9. Ask the instructor to evaluate you with essay questions or
independent projects.
Learning to Make Course
Connections
As individuals we often limit our ability to solve problems
or face challenges because we refuse to look beyond what
we think we already know to be the truth!
•Test your present answers –no one can escape being tested
or challenged, so simply try to learn all you can from each
tests.
•Heed feedback – Creators look for feedback in the results they have
created in their lives.
•Revise your answers – Creators are flexible and willing to revise selfdefeating patterns and limiting beliefs.
Developing Wisdom
•Learn from the curriculum of life – every single thing we
live through teaches us something. Ask “how do I think?”,
“how do I feel?”, “what can I do?”
•Avoid learned helplessness - see obstacles and adversity as
temporary, specific, and impersonal rather than permanent,
pervasive, and personal.
•Lessons from adversity – allow each obstacle, setback, or
failure to be a life lesson – not a dream killer.
Developing Self-Respect
Before anyone else can love and respect you, you have to love
and respect yourself.
•Live with integrity
•Keep commitments