All lectures take place Thursdays in DC 1351 from 2:30-3:30 PM on the dates mentioned below.
Grades versus Learning: Thu Feb 1 (mp4 video)
With so many aspects of academia being based on grades, such as admittance and scholarships, it is easy to see why many students are grade focused. However, research indicates that some students become so grade focused that it actually negatively affects their grades. In this seminar, we will discuss the advantages of focusing on learning rather than on grades and strategies for doing so.
Advanced Learning Strategies: Thu Feb 15 (mp4 video)
In recent years, the University of Waterloo has put considerable effort into improving teaching. Methods designed to improve student learning such as 'flipped classrooms', 'cooperative learning', and 'active learning' are being employed by more and more instructors across campus. In this seminar, we will discuss what principles these methods are based on, how you can maximize their effectiveness, and, most importantly, how you can use these strategies even when your instructor is not employing them.
Illusions of Competence: Thu Mar 8 (mp4 video)
Many, if not most, students have had the experience of feeling prepared before writing a test only to discover, either when writing the test or when receiving the mark for the test, that they were not as prepared as they believed. Such illusions of competence are often caused by using study habits that do not match the conditions of the test, for example referencing notes or looking at solutions during practice. In this seminar, we will discuss learning strategies designed to help you avoid having an illusion of competence.
Getting Help: Thu Mar 22 (mp4 video)
The key to success in any field is getting help. Olympic athletes would not have achieved as much without the help of their trainers, physiotherapists, sports psychologists, and fellow athletes. Of course, it is also quite easy to get too much help, for example having someone just give you the solution to a problem. In this seminar, we will discuss how to find the balance between getting not enough and getting too much help, and how to maximize the benefit of TAs, tutors, and cooperative learning.
For information please contact: Dan Wolczuk, Mathematics Faculty, University of Waterloo.
Recommended viewing:
Learning how to learn by Barbara Oakley, Oakland University. TED talk, 2014, 17 minutes.
Learning how to learn by Barbara Oakley, Oakland University. Learning Technologies Symposium 2016 keynote lecture, Learning technology Symposium, McMaster University, 2016, 65 minutes.
Grit: the power of passion and perseverance by Angela Lee Duckworth, University of Pennsylvania. TED talk, 2013, 6 minutes.
How we learn with Robert Winston by Robert Winston.
Learning How to Learn Seminar Series (2017) by Dan Wolczuk, Mathematics Faculty, University of Waterloo.
Updated: Mon Jan 29 20:29:02 EST 2018