Acing Courses and Law School Exams: Metacognition is the Key!

1. Acing Courses and Law School Exams:  Metacognition is the Key! Saundra Yancy McGuire, Ph.D. Assistant Vice Chancellor Professor, Department of Chemistry Past Director, Center for Academic Success Louisiana State University

2. Suffolk’s Mission Statement Suffolk University Law School… is dedicated to welcoming students from all backgrounds and circumstances and educating them to become highly skilled and ethical lawyers who are well-prepared to serve in their local communities, across the nation, and around the world.…the Law School seeks to develop in its students the skills necessary to serve the profession's changing needs in an increasingly diverse, global and technologically-dependent society. … Suffolk meets that challenge by providing students …excellent training by a diverse and accessible faculty engaged in scholarship and service to their profession and communities. Suffolk's goal is to provide its students with access to an excellent legal education, inspire a commitment to justice, and provide its graduates the opportunity to achieve their career aspirations.

3. The Suffolk Faculty WANT You to Succeed!YOU CAN DO IT!

4. Notes from Students “After taking in all your information, I have applied it all and have received, as you expected, amazing results.  No shock there.  The system works. FACT! I am very excited for myself.  School is more enjoyable and I have more free time.  With my original goal as a 4.0 gpa this semester, I am still running to catch it and will not stop.” “I went home after meeting with you and tried out the study tips you explained and, sure enough, I understand twice as much as I did before! I did some concept mapping and it helped so much! I am much more excited to study now.” “This approach has helped me actually remember and learn what I have studied instead of just memorizing it.”

5. What we will cover today • Why law school students may be inefficient learners • Metacognitive learning strategies that work, and why they work • Barriers to using these strategies and how to overcome them • Strategies for acing the law school courses and the bar exam

6. The Story of Two Students • Travis, a psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86 B in course • Robert, a chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 A in course

7. Travis, psychology student 47, 52, 82, 86 Problem: Reading Comprehension Solution: Preview text before reading Develop questions Read one paragraph at a time and paraphrase information

8. Robert, chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 Problem: Using examples to do homework problems Solution: Study information before trying homework problem Use example to test skill Do homework problems as if doing a test or quiz (no looking at solution manual or examples!)

9. How’d They Do It? They became expert, strategic learners by using metacognition! They studied to LEARN, not just to make the grade!

10. Reflection Questions • What’s the difference, if any, between studying and learning? Which, if either, is more fun? • For which task would you work harder? A. Do well on a on a test B. Teach the material to the class

11. To Ace Law School AND the Bar Exam… • Stay in learn mode, not study mode • Study as if you have to teach the material, not just make an A on the test

12. Use Metacognition to Become an Expert Learner

13. Metacognition The ability to: • think about thinking • be consciously aware of oneself as a problem solver • to monitor and control one’s mental processing • to be aware of the type of learning that you are doing • know your learning style (www.cas.lsu.edu)

14. Learning Strategies Should be Based on Learning Style

15. Learning Styles • Influence how we take in information from the outside world • Influence how we process information • Influence how we interact with others • Influence our motivation for learning different subjects • Influence our frustration level with learning tasks

16. Learning Style Diagnostics www.cas.lsu.edu • Brain Dominance • Personality • Sensory Preference

17. Sensory Preference • Visual: prefers pictures, symbols, charts, graphs, concept maps, etc. • Aural or auditory: prefers hearing lectures, reading notes out loud, etc. • Read/write: prefers flashcards, notes, lists, outlines, etc. • Kinesthetic: prefers direct experience, mapping, charting, experiments, visualizing action, etc.

18. Strategies, NOT intelligence or ability, will determine your success in law school and beyond!

19. Counting Vowels in 45 seconds How accurate are you? Count all the vowels in the words on the next slide.

20. Dollar Bill Dice Tricycle Four-leaf Clover Hand Six-Pack Seven-Up Octopus Cat Lives Bowling Pins Football Team Dozen Eggs Unlucky Friday Valentine’s Day Quarter Hour

21. How many words or phrases do you remember?

22. Let’s look at the words again… What are they arranged according to?

23. Dollar Bill Dice Tricycle Four-leaf Clover Hand Six-Pack Seven-Up Octopus Cat Lives Bowling Pins Football Team Dozen Eggs Unlucky Friday Valentine’s Day Quarter Hour What are the words arranged according to?

24. NOW, how many words or phrases do you remember?

25. What were two major differencesbetween the 1stand 2nd attempts?

26. 1. We knew what the task was 2. We knew how the information was organized

27. Turning Yourself into an Efficient, Expert Learner • Focus on learning and on teaching the information • Do “think aloud” exercises • Constantly ask yourself “why” and “what if” questions • Always test your understanding by verbalizing or writing about concepts; practice retrieval of information • Move your activities higher on the Bloom’s taxonomy scale by comparing and contrasting, thinking of analogies, thinking of new pathways, etc.

28. This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above. Bloom’s Taxonomy Evaluation Graduate School Making decisions and supporting views; requires understanding of values. Combining information to form a unique product; requires creativity and originality. Synthesis Identifying components; determining arrangement, logic, and semantics. Analysis Undergraduate Using information to solve problems; transferring abstract or theoretical ideas to practical situations. Identifying connections and relationships and how they apply. Application Restating in your own words; paraphrasing, summarizing, translating. Comprehension High School Memorizing verbatim information. Being able to remember, but not necessarily fully understanding the material. Knowledge Louisiana State University  Center for Academic Success  B-31 Coates Hall  225-578-2872  www.cas.lsu.edu

29. At what level of Bloom’s did you have to operate to make A’s or B’s in college? • Knowledge • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

30. At what level of Bloom’s do you think you’ll have to operate to make A’s in law school? • Knowledge • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

31. How do you move yourself higheron Bloom’s Taxonomy?Use the Study Cycle!

32. The Study Cycle • 4Reflect • Preview beforeclass– Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you. Preview Attendclass – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes. Attend Review after class– As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions. Review • Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’. • Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day • Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make connections Study • Assess your Learning– Periodically perform reality checks • Am I using study methods that are effective? • Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others? Assess *Intense Study Sessions Center for Academic Success B-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu

33. A visual manipulative approach to learning • Excellent tool for content/concept analysis • Organize and manipulate concepts, ideas, theories and other material in a visual format. • Can be used for learning, teaching, organizing, problem-solving, decision-making and brainstorming. • Offers simplicity and clarity to complex, multifaceted material. Concept Mapping

34. Create a Chapter/Research Paper Map Chapter/Title of Paper Primary Headings Subheadings Secondary Subheadings

35. Compare and Contrast Concept#1 Concept #2 How are they similar? How are they different?

36. Persuasive Writing or Critical Analysis Thesis Viewpoint Viewpoint Details Details Reasons, Facts, Examples Reasons, Facts, Examples Conclusion

37. TimeManagement is Life Management

38. Tools for organizing your life: • Fixed Schedules • “Semester-at-a-Peek” • “Week-at-a-Peek” • Planners • To Do Lists • Today • This Week • Sticky Notes

39. The Semester Schedule

40. The “Week at a Peek” Schedule

41. Week of Monday ____________________________ to Sunday ____________________________ Weekly Master To Do List Other: Class: Class: Class: Class: Download this form in the Time Management Online workshop at www.lsu.edu/learn

42. Tips to remember... • Use daylight hours wisely! 1 day light hour = about 1 1/2 evening hours.

43. Learning tips from recent law school graduates • 1Use the reading strategy – it works! • Get an upper-class student to show you how s/he learned the material • Concentrate on the big picture, knowing how the details fit into it • DON’T GET BEHIND! • Use the resources – don’t be ashamed! • The BEST resource is on the next slide!

44. SUFFOLK ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAM

45. Tips for Acing Law School Exams* • 1Work Early, Work Often2Learn to Issue-Spot • 3Outline, Outline, Outline • 4 Go Solo (or small, focused study group) • 5 Study Your Profs (read their writing) • 6 Chill Out Before the Test (You’re ready!) • 7Slow down (Analyze the entire test first) • 8 Kill the post mortems *www.lawcrossing.com/article/36/Acing-Law-School-Exams-Grade-A-Advice/#

46. Tips for Acing the Bar Exam • 1Use the Learning Strategies We’ve Discussed and Ace Suffolk University Law School! • Use The Ultimate Bar Exam Preparation Guide at www.barexammind.com/wp- content/uploads/The%20Ultimate%2 0Bar%20Exam%20Preparation%20 Resource%20Guide.pdf • Visit www.passingthebar.org • Be confident - Suffolk has prepared you!

47. ABC’s of Excellence • Adopt the right ATTITUDE • Begin appropriate BEHAVIOR • Consistently make a COMMITMENT

48. Attitude “It’s your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude.” Zig Ziglar

49. Behavior It’s the difference between knowing and doing that determines success. Anonymous Don’t let other folks hijack your future!

50. Commitment It’s not over ‘til it’s over, and YOU determine when it’s over! Change strategies when necessary, but never give up your goals. If you can dream it, you can achieve it!