STUDY SKILLS

Study Skills

Study Skills

Introduction

Study skills are the processes individuals use to digest and learn information. Although the term is typically used to characterize student learning in school, study skills are used by individuals across the life span who may be engaged in study activities ranging from the acquisition of a driver's license to completing a continuing education class associated with a job or career. (Ormrod 1990, 19-38)

In a basic way, study skills are critical for maximizing learning. Just as an automobile mechanic must possess specific tools to tune an automobile engine, so study skills are the tools of learning (Pilcher & Miller 2000, 60-68). Unfortunately, from elementary school through college, many students do not know or possess a solid knowledge of effective study skills and strategies. Poor study skills can lead to an array of negative consequences. Students that drop out of school, for example, produce enormous costs for society and many will never realize their potential.

Effective Studying

There is no doubt that effective study skills can transform learning. Still, what are the most effective study habits? What is the most efficient way to study? Psychologists interested in the learning process—school psychologists, cognitive psychologists, and educational psychologists—have defined how people learn and how to get the most from their study time. Hettich (1995) suggests that time management skills, memory techniques, and note-taking strategies are critical for maximal learning. Sedita (1995) notes that, while not a panacea for all academic difficulties, study skills (and the learning of study skills) can improve educational experiences for both students and educators.

The fundamental task of primary school is to teach children to read. Subsequently, from elementary school forward, people read to learn. After learning to read, people need to learn effective study skills. The first step to doing this is for an individual to identify his or her most effective learning style. Petch (1991) indicates that while there is not a right or wrong way to learn, students who learn best use tools that complement their particular learning styles. For example, auditory learners should use tape recorders, reading aloud, discussions, and debates to increase their knowledge. Visual learners should focus on note taking, charts, note cards, and visual activities; and kinesthetic learners need to employ tactile approaches such as typing, calculators, writing, and other such activities.

How do people determine their preferred learning method? Skillful, observant, teachers can often help students identify and learn to accommodate to their most natural and strongest learning modality. Another source of information is a psychoeducational evaluation, which is often part of an evaluative process completed by a school psychologist and which may involve a battery of psychological assessment tools. When used by a skilled and appropriately trained examiner, cognitive assessment instruments, achievement tests, and processing instruments can help identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses, and provide remarkable insights into individual learning preferences. Educators can request that the school psychologist collaborate with their instructional curriculum through the administration of learning style indicators to entire classes of students, thus larger numbers of students learn their ...