NORMAL AND IDEAL STUDENT BEHAVIOR

VARIABLES

NORMAL STUDENT (CONCRETE LEARNER)

IDEAL STUDENT (TRANSFORMATIVE POTENTIAL)

·    Fear and Frustration

·    Paralyzed by fear and frustration;

·    Possible outcomes: Procrastination; dropping the course

·    Meaningful fear and frustration;

·    Possible outcomes: Student begins working on readings, exam questions, etc. IMMEDIATELY

·    Use of Class Time

·    Comes to class unprepared, not having read the materials, exam questions, and without meaningful questions

·    Comes to class prepared, having read the materials and thoughtfully engaged in the exam questions

·    Has re-read notes from previous session and prepared to ask questions regarding prior sessions

·    Asks meaningful questions relative to the exam questions and class materials

·    Use of Office Hours

·    Does not use office hours

·    Uses office hours regularly, and IMMEDIATELY

·    Comes prepared, having read the materials and exam questions with meaningful questions regarding the materials and exam questions

·    Seeks assistance in alternative forms of reading and note-taking

·    Use of AAC

·    Avoids the AAC; or

·    Comes unprepared, not having read the materials, expecting the tutor to answer the exam questions for them

·    Uses AAC regularly

·    Comes prepared, having read the materials and exam questions with meaningful questions regarding the materials and exam questions

·    Use of Study Groups / Other Students

·    Avoids study groups/dialogue with other students

·    Engages in focused study groups and dialogue with other students

·    Comes prepared, having read the materials and exam questions with meaningful questions regarding the materials and exam questions

·    Preparation: Readings

·    Procrastinates

·    Reads materials “word for word” rather than conceptually and analytically; or

·    Doesn’t read the materials

·    Begins reading the materials IMMEDIATELY

·    Reads materials critically, searching for and identifying for the most significant concepts, demonstrations, presentations, and applications relative to the exam questions

·    Techniques used: Global to local reading; writing in the book, handout, etc; actively questioning what has been read; using colored tabs (or another form of page marking) to flag important ideas/concepts

·    Re-reads materials

·    Preparation: Notes

·    Stenographer – tries to capture each and every word rather than the main concepts and demonstrations presented

·    Does not look at notes and/or re-write them after class; or

·    Does not take notes at all

·    Global to local note-taking: looks for the most significant concepts and demonstrations presented instead of focusing on “loose” details

·    Pen continuously moving during class

·    Use of short-hand/abbreviations; graphs; tables; questions

·    Re reads and re-writes notes after class

·    Preparation: Outlines

·    Procrastinates; writes outlines “the night before”

·    Begins IMMEDIATELY

·    Questions all parts of the exam questions

·    Outlines the various parts of the exam questions

·    Uses the required (and recommended and suggested) materials, class and office dialogue, and dialogue with other students to answer all parts of the questions

·    Uses the Criteria for Grading, as outlined by the Professors

·    Engages in continuous dialogue with Professors, and uses feedback to re-think and revise outlines

·    Preparation:  Exam

·    Procrastinates

·    Turns in first draft; does not re-write

·    Completes multiple drafts of the essay, continuously engaging in dialogue between the Professors, using the feedback to re-think and re-write the essay