Teaching students to write effectiverevision notes.

Sources:

My own bias

Experience of colleagues

Experience of students

Memory evidence

Rationale:

Our students do not know what makes revision more effective.

There is an overreliance on revision guides as the revision ‘solution’.

Teaching students to write effectiverevision notes.

Foundation:

Brains and memory have been evolving for millions of year.

Written language has only been around for 4,000-6,000 years.

Evolution of the brain has prioritised what is needed to survive

- Location (food, water, home, shelter…)

- Images (friend/foe, recognising food…)

- Communication (spoken, non-verbal)

Teaching students to write effectiverevision notes.

Foundation:

Brains and memory have been evolving for millions of year.

Written language has only been around for 4,000-6,000 years.

Evolution of the brain has prioritised what is needed to survive

- Location (food, water, home, shelter…)

- Images (friend/foe, tools…)

- Communication (spoken, non-verbal)

Even so our brains are incredibly good at learning and retaining information.

They are just rubbish at locating it again!

http://jacobslab.biomed.drexel.edu/pubs/JacoEtal12.pdf

Teaching students to write effectiverevision notes.

Teaching students to write effective revision notes.

Point to consider/include Rationale

• Minimise number of words Brain not evolved to remember wordsChallenge memory / cognition / not an explanationIf don’t understand use revision guide.

• Substitute words with symbols (= ->) Less to read – more efficient – more revision cycles

• Clear titles (number) Roadmap to information (location as well as retention).Number – testing tool

• Chunks The magic number 7 +/- 2Definitions – flashcardsDifferent ‘sections’ on different pages/cards

• Include Pneumonics Roadmap to remembering information

• Include simple diagrams/flowcharts Logical sequence – roadmap to remembering information

• Relevant Pictures Brain evolved to remember them

Own ideas here:

Teaching students to write effective revision notes.

Own ideas here:

Teaching students to use revision notes effectively.

Point to consider/include Rationale

Invest – card / colour / neatness Gives resources longevity and valueBinder– keep in logical order

Read / cover / say / (write) / check / repeat Don’t just read notesSaying varies activity – helps concentration and retention.Once not enough.

Look for your own best experience Me – one day good one day badIan.B – revise in evenings for retentionWill siblings be noisier during day/evening?Outside or inside? Remove distractions–phone OFF / TV / PS4

Vary approaches Revise / answer questions / ask questions

Spellings Highlight similar but distinct keywords – Fission / Fusion

Own ideas here: