High Quality Calibration
The connection between how the brain works and how we learn is amazing, but should not be surprising. The article on the biology of learning describes education as "brain training" and gives a lot of scientific information about how the brain works when challenged with learning exercises. The DVC Learning Styles site gives more specific personal information about how best each of us studies. The resources on the brain and on sleep add additional interesting information about both these subjects and how scientists work. Knowing more about all of these will help students do well in college.

The article on the biology of learning starts out with the observation that definitions are important and that learning is the process of turning information into knowledge. I never thought about the difference between information and knowledge before. That process of learning has two steps "understanding" and "remembering." It is certainly clear that biology has a lot of new vocabulary and that it is most important that we understand the definitions in order to understand the underlying biology. The basics of learning, "repetition" and "elaboration" seem to come directly from how the brain nerves or neurons interact and I now have a better understanding of short-term, working, and long-term memory. I have a lot of experience in learning something in a lecture or reading the book and then not remembering an hour later. Considering education as "brain training" helps me understand the value of learning information and ideas that may never be of practical value to me but helps in developing my abilities.

The learning article continues with how to convert information in short-term memory into long term memory by repetition and elaboration, "use it or lose it." I usually read the text first after the lecture, and then once again a couple of days before the exam. On the second reading I take some notes and compare them with the lecture notes. But I am definitely a "crammer" and study up to the last minute. I have noticed that I quickly forget a lot of what I learn for a test and that especially hurts when I have to re-study a lot for a final exam. I will try to read my text and take notes before the lectures and use time between classes instead of just in big chunks at night. This may save me time, be more efficient and help with understanding lectures. I have also noticed that it is easier to learn subjects I am interested in and unfortunately science is not on the list, at least not yet.

The DVC Learning Styles site was very interesting and helpful. There are four learning styles: Visual/Verbal, Visual/Nonverbal, Tactile/Kinesthetic, and Auditory/Verbal. I tested out as a Visual/Verbal style learner so they say I should write out the information I want to learn, use flash cards for memorization and explain diagrams and concepts in writing. I do some of this now but I plan to do this in a more organized and deliberate way and start with my first reading of the text. The article on learning also suggests that we verbilize and work with other students. I have not done this much before but I will try it this semester. I could be more efficient with my time and be more dedicated to education. I seem to be very busy, so I will have to re-think my approach to some things.

The web site on sleep is very interesting and I was surprised that rote memory is not affected by the lack of sleep. Maybe this is why my strategy of cramming sometimes works for me. The brain web site is also interesting but you have to know a lot before you actually can use the information there.

If a student knows their learning style, studies appropriately, and takes advantage of the available resources, then they can go into an exam and say "I've done my part; it's out of my hands now." Learning about the biology of learning has helped me to understand what I need to do to improve my study habits and succeed in college. It also makes me less resistant to learning material that seems not useful to me. There is no such thing as wasted learning as it all "trains my brain." I also believe that these skills will translate to success in the "real world" once I graduate. So, I'll use the techniques that worked well for me in the past and I'll try some other learning style methods to maybe improve my efficiency and accuracy so that I can adjust to a new climate of learning. My life's never been busier, but I can adjust my priorities and try to uncomplicate my life to ensure my success in school.

Mid Quality Calibration
Everyone knows that learning is "biological" since people do it. But learning is quite different between the K through 12 public education system and a tuition-based forum like college, it's important to make the most of your time and money. You can do this by studying extra-hard and being sure you stay on top of tasks. The resources for this assignment delve into the biological and common sense methods to learn.

The "Biology of Learning" article was long and preachy and really didn't give any new information that a person wouldn't already know from common sense. It is basically a long, detailed list of "Do's and Don'ts" for college success. In its 8 pages of its length, the article shows basically what we already know; that studying is something you have to do to pass. Elaboration and repetition is really what everyone does to study so there is nothing new there and that is what the rest of it is about The more you study, the better you are. College students just have to make studying a part of their daily routine.

There was new information in terms of brain cells and the actual biology of learning, which helped when trying to use the brain website. It seems a lot of time and money are spent on trying to explain the details of a concept that everyone already understands. Perhaps it is motivational to some students to understand how learning a new idea requires building neural networks. It could help some students to understand that analogies are helpful because they relate the new information to neural networks that are already established.

The learning skills inventory provided some new techniques that could be useful for me. The ways people learn are varied, and there were some new techniques that might make studying more efficient. By answering questions about personal preferences, the survey makes specific suggestions about ways of studying that are individualized. For my part, the text provides the tool for me to use as a learning aid. I learn best in a Visual/Verbal format. Since I am not an Auditory/Verbal learner, I sometimes lose my concentration during lectures, and I don't always get all the information. I will try reading the text in advance so I have some neurons ready to focus on the information. With a text, I can re-read the information if it doesn't make sense. I usually underline the text and take notes. My notes are organized for self-testing for definitions and factual things like that. The learning survey suggests post-it notes and flash cards that I may try. All these techniques seem to fit the repetition and elaboration process. The terminology section of the text in the back has always been helpful to me. There are too many words in biology and medicine, and so different ways to study these and practice them will be important.

It is one thing to tell a student to get a good night's sleep and quite another when the student has a huge test to study for. The sleep web site just reinforced my method of cramming because it says that lack of sleep doesn't affect rote memory. I can't help it; I study late before a test. The brain website seemed like a waste of time for this assignment and here again time was a factor.

In summary, there are some strategies a person can use to maximize their score in this course. Common sense will probably be enough, but that will serve better if you're well aware of other resources that you can use to practice the material. If you do everything right and cram a few last minute details, you will do well. Not everything in this assignment applies to me, but at least there were some things that I can use to succeed. I've got lots of work to do, and I've got a busy job. I'll try to read the text before class, come to class, and try to do all the assignments.

Low Quality Calibration
The assigned readings show that learning is a biologic process that involves changes in the brain. The article on the biology of learning describes some study methods that bring about this process. The DVC Learning Styles Survey tells you what kind of learner you are and follows with some study methods too.

Dr. Londe's article made me think about learning in a new way as well. It makes sense that understanding and remembering are organic, biological processes. It hadn't occurred to me that the structure of our brains changes as we think and learn but it's hard now to imagine that the brain would behave like a brick or a box, with information simply contained within it. The "use it or lose it" idea also makes sense because that's been true in my past experience as well.

The suggestions in this article all seem like extra work how I'll deal with the information out of class.

Because I find using a textbook rather difficult and boring when I'm trying to study, I found the information at the DVC Learning Styles Survey to be enlitening. I'm a Visual/Nonverbal learner, and so though I'll read the text, I'll use the figures more to clarify the main points. Since I've purchased my book, I can use the margins to make notes to myself with key words and create diagrams that help me with the more difficult passages. These diagrams I will try and copy onto flash cards of different colors (with the colors keyed to major topics) and use them for both organizing the information to learn it, and then later for reveiw.

The other "strategies" don't seem easy to find time for, and I'm certain I won't do them all. However, I can make a priority of my study and find the time to use those techniques that actually do work. It is also clear that as one thinks and learns "biologically," it will require work to establish the brain connections that I will use to succeed in Bio 3. I find that I learn best by writing a summary of important topics and then repeating them aloud. Sometimes I, use flash cards especially for new words. This will be especially helpful in Bio 3. Also, I sometimes write questions on flash cards with the answers on the back. Diagrams help me understand the ideas and flashcards help. That way I can see if I know the answers. - To "Know what I know and what I don't know" (what I need to learn).