Developing Effective Study Skills in Students

Procrastination happens to the best of us. Even those of us who teach productivity for a living sometimes find ourselves scrolling social media (like RIGHT NOW) instead of tackling the article I’m supposed to write, the tricky conversation I need to have, and the administrivia that I need to follow up on. I mean YOU. Did I say “I”? :) The key isn’t to eliminate procrastination entirely;,it’s to have the right tools to get yourself unstuck when it happens. Here are a few “procrastination pep talks” you (I) can give yourself (myself) when you (I) find yourself (myself) stuck: 1. “This feeling is information, not a verdict.” Your procrastination is trying to tell you something. Maybe you’re overwhelmed, uncertain where to start, or afraid of not meeting expectations. Instead of judging yourself, get curious about what’s underneath it. Once you identify the real issue, you can address it directly and move forward. 2. “You don’t have to feel ready to get started.” Readiness is overrated. You’ll rarely feel completely prepared or motivated to begin difficult work. The most productive people don’t wait for the perfect moment. They start anyway. Action creates momentum, and momentum creates motivation. Not the other way around. 3. “Progress over perfection.” That report doesn’t need to win a Pulitzer on the first draft. Your job right now isn’t to create something perfect; it’s to create something improvable. Give yourself permission to produce work that’s good enough to refine later. Version 1.0 beats version never. 4. “Break it down until it feels doable.” If the task feels overwhelming, it’s probably too big. Keep breaking it down until you find something manageable. Can’t write the whole proposal? Write the outline. Can’t do that? Open the document and write the first line. There’s always a smaller step you can take right now. 5. “You’ve done hard things before.” Remember when you thought you’d never figure out that challenging project? Yet here you are. You have a track record of working through challenges and getting things done. This task isn’t any different. 6. “Fifteen minutes is enough to start.” You don’t need three uninterrupted hours to make progress. Set a timer for 15 minutes and commit to working for just that long. Often, starting is the hardest part, and once you’re in motion, you’ll want to keep going. 7. “Your future self is counting on you.” Think about how you’ll feel tonight if you continue avoiding this task versus how you’ll feel if you make real progress. Your future self will either thank you for pushing through or wish you had started sooner. Be the person your future self can count on. Procrastination isn’t a character flaw. It’s an emotional avoidance habit. And like any habit, it can be changed with the right strategies and self-compassion. The next time you find yourself stuck, choose one of these pep talks and give it a try.

For years I enforced the classic rule: “No headphones during math.” Then I discovered the research and my own classroom data, that proved the right music actually improves focus, especially for students with ADHD. So every lesson I design now comes with an optional focus track baked in. Why it works * Mid‑tempo, lyric‑free beats (≈ 60–70 BPM) help students lock into a rhythm of practice. * Minimal melodic changes keep cognitive load on the problem, not the song. * Subtle dynamic shifts reset attention every few minutes, so their minds don’t drift. What I see in class * Students settle into “flow” faster. * Background chatter drops as earbuds tune out distractions. * Practice sessions last longer without the usual fatigue. Every Quantitown lesson ships with an optional focus‑friendly soundtrack. Students click play, pop in earbuds and solve math in rhythm. Silence isn’t always golden — sometimes a steady beat is the secret ingredient to a math‑ready mind.

Each of these assessment methods brings its own lens to understanding student learning, and they shine especially when used together. Here’s a breakdown that dives a bit deeper into their purpose and power: 🧠 Pre-Assessments • What it is: Tools used before instruction to gauge prior knowledge, skills, or misconceptions. • Educator insight: Helps identify starting points for differentiation and set realistic goals for growth. • Example: A quick math quiz before a new unit reveals which students need foundational skill reinforcement. 👀 Observational Assessments • What it is: Informal monitoring of student behavior, engagement, and collaboration. • Educator insight: Uncovers social-emotional strengths, learning styles, and peer dynamics. • Example: Watching how students approach a group project can highlight leadership, empathy, or avoidance patterns. 🧩 Performance Tasks • What it is: Authentic, real-world challenges that require applying skills and concepts. • Educator insight: Shows depth of understanding, creativity, and the ability to transfer knowledge. • Example: Students design a sustainable garden using math, science, and writing demonstrating interdisciplinary growth. 🌟 Student Self-Assessments • What it is: Opportunities for students to reflect on their own learning, mindset, and effort. • Educator insight: Builds metacognition, ownership, and emotional insight into learning barriers or motivators. • Example: A weekly check-in journal where students rate their effort and note areas they’d like help with. 🔄 Formative Assessments • What it is: Ongoing “check-ins” embedded in instruction to gauge progress and adjust teaching. • Educator insight: Provides real-time data to pivot strategies before misconceptions solidify. • Example: Exit tickets or digital polls that reveal comprehension right after a lesson. These aren’t just data points they’re tools for connection, curiosity, and building bridges between where a student is and where they’re capable of going. #EmpoweredLearningJourney

Important new evidence on ChatGPT in education: Wang & Fan's (2025) meta-analysis of 51 studies shows we're at an inflection point. The technology demonstrably improves learning outcomes, but success depends entirely on implementation. The research reveals optimal conditions: sustained use (4-8 weeks), problem-based contexts, and structured support for critical thinking development. Effect sizes tell the story; large gains for learning performance (g=0.867), moderate for critical thinking (g=0.457). Quick fixes don't work. Thoughtful integration does. Particularly compelling: ChatGPT excels in skills development courses and STEM subjects when used as an intelligent tutor over time. The key? Providing scaffolds like Bloom's taxonomy for higher-order thinking tasks. As educators, we have emerging empirical guidance for AI adoption. Not whether to use these tools, but how to use them effectively - maintaining rigor while enhancing accessibility and engagement. The future of education isn't human or AI. It's human with AI, thoughtfully applied.

Law students, try this scheduling system if you want to walk through the doors of your final exam and confidently say, "There is absolutely nothing more I could have done this semester to succeed. I am so ready to get this over with. Let's do this!" 1. Grab or open your weekly calendar. 2. Include a block of time for the hours you must work/have mandatory obligations. 3. Include a block of time for each of your classes. 4. Review your syllabi and locate the assigned reading for each week.  5. Decide which day(s) you will complete each class's weekly assigned reading, briefing, and topic outlining (do these skills simultaneously to save time). Try scheduling the weekly assignment for one class on the same day or breaking up the weekly assignment of several classes into halves or thirds and completing the assignments for multiple classes on the same day every week. 6. Include the specific pages you're assigned in the classes you are scheduling to gauge how much reading, briefing, and outlining you’ll have each day. 7. Add a fifteen-minute block to review your topic outline before each class. 8. Add a fifteen-minute block to modify, add, or delete (if needed) information in your topic outline to reflect what you learned during class. 9. After completing the reading, briefing, and outlining of a topic and attending all the classes on that topic, add a block of time to transform the topic outlines into topic approaches (tip: review your syllabi now to see which weeks you will finish your main topics--schedule time to create the topic approaches throughout the semester instead of creating them a few days before the midterm/final). 10.  Add a block to practice writing hypotheticals, practice essays, and problems in your book, using your topic approach for each topic (tip: write 1-3 per main topic before the final). 11.  If you have multiple-choice questions on your midterm or final, add in a block to practice writing hypotheticals, practicing essays and problems in your book, and using your topic approach for each topic (tip: do 30 MCQs for every main topic before the final). 12.  Schedule office hours with your professor to review your practice exams and get feedback. Modify your approach if necessary. 13.  Add in time for exercise, personal time, and self-care. 14.  Add in time for family and friends. 15. Send your weekly or semester-long schedule to everyone you know so they can see what your life will look like during the semester and anticipate when they will see you! This scheduling system is comprehensive--and not every student needs to complete all of these tasks--so make it your own. Wake up every day with a solid action plan so studying becomes a habit! #lawstudent #lawstudents #lawschool

USMLE: I Discovered Why Smart Students Fail Step 2 (And 7 Ways to Fix It) I’ve watched brilliant medical students burn out after grinding through thousands of practice questions… And their scores? Barely moved. The problem wasn’t effort. It was approach. 🎯 The Truth About Top Scorers Last year, I helped a student who was failing Step 2 score a 261 and match to her dream residency. Her secret? 👉 Not more questions. 👉 Just reading them differently. Most students miss questions on topics they already know. A simple shift changed everything. 1. 🔍 The CCS Method: Read Like an Examiner Every question contains hidden clues most students miss. Here’s how to spot them: 🧩 Context Don’t isolate symptoms. Chest pain + recent travel = P.E., not just angina. ⏳ Chronology Step questions are scrambled on purpose. Rebuild the timeline: OCPs → long flight → sudden dyspnea = clear story. 🚨 Severity It’s the key to management questions. Vital signs, location, descriptors = how aggressive you need to be. 2. 🧠 Create Your Own Answer First I tell every student: “Don’t look at the options yet.” Why? Because your brain gets hijacked by distractors. Instead, ask: 👉 “What would I pick without any choices?” This one habit kills confusion between similar-sounding answers. 3. 🧲 Mindset Shift: Rule IN Before Ruling OUT Our instincts betray us on exams. We try to eliminate options too quickly. Instead, ask: 👉 “When would this answer actually be correct?” Then—and only then—decide if it’s wrong. This flipped the game for 90% of my students. 4. 🧩 Break Problems Into Micro-Skills Pianists don’t replay whole songs when stuck. They isolate tough measures. Do the same: Pinpoint your weak spot (e.g., severity assessment) Create focused drills Master one skill before stacking more 5. 💯 The 90% Rule: Validate Before Scaling Want a 260+? Start small. Master just one topic (like CAD) first. If you can’t hit 90%+ in that micro-topic, scaling up won’t work. This predicts your final score with eerie accuracy. 6. 🔄 Reframe Obstacles as Progress Markers When my Step 2 student hit a timing wall, we didn’t panic. We celebrated. It meant her knowledge was finally strong enough that speed was the next level. 7. 📈 The Compound Effect of Consistency Just 1% better every day = 37× improvement in a year. Elite scorers don’t rely on brilliance. They master the boring basics—relentlessly. One question at a time. What specific challenge is holding back your board scores? 👇 Drop it in the comments—let’s solve it together. Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Manik Madaan, M.D. for more. #usmle #medschool #medicalstudent #medstudent #mbbs #neet

The most impactful change I’ve made in my classroom over the past few years is a simple exercise that came out of my work in #engineering education assessment.   At the start of each class period, I spend 1 minute discussing our #learning goals for class that day.   On our course website, I put these goals at the top of the page for each class to remind students what they should be able to do having followed the class, done the practice problems, and read the book.   When writing these goals, I keep the following in mind: 👩🏻🏫  What do my #students need to take with them from this class? 🌏  What fundamental knowledge should they learn, and how does this relate to the real-world? 👩🏻🔬 What is the “action” I want them to do? I try to state goals in a Bloom’s taxonomy framework where their knowledge gains are hierarchical in terms of their ability to do something.   How has doing this helped my students? 🙋🏻♀️ They ask more focused questions during class that show engagement with the goals and material. 👩🏻🎓 They know the goals of their studying and have a sense of mastery when it comes to exam time.   How has this helped me as an #instructor? 🙄 I don’t need to answer that “what’s on the test” question anymore. I point them to the learning goals. 🫶 When they’re stressed, I can better target what information is unclear by asking them “do you know how to do…?” and help them focus on that material. 🧐 It forces me to craft lectures and activities that align with our goals, rather than just what’s in a textbook, making my class more engaging and streamlining material presentation. If we're going to assess students' learning, we need to "write our own exam" by determining what they should know at the end of a course. Why not share this information with them? By letting students know the goals of the course - and thus what we're assessing them on - we empower them. This in no way tells them "how" to get an A. They still have to do the hard work of learning. But it helps them focus their studying efforts and benchmark their attainment.

What if the most advanced neuroscience lab… is your kid’s classroom? Not a joke. Not a metaphor. Because teachers aren’t just educators, they’re cognitive coaches. → They build focus. → Reduce stress. → Prime memory. All while taking attendance. 89% of students in “silent” classrooms report mental fatigue by 10 AM (EdTech Journal, 2024) Here’s what top-performing teachers are doing...and the science backs them up: 01- Soundscapes ⤷ Rainforest noise > dead silence. Less stress = sharper minds. 02- Brain Prime Time ⤷ Math after 9AM = 34% fewer focus issues (Sleep Research Society). 03- Fidget Zones ⤷ Resistance bands & movement = 76% boost in attention (Child Mind Institute). 04- Mini Challenges ⤷ 10-min drills > 1-hour homework for memory retention (Stanford University). 05- Targeted Praise ⤷ “That strategy was genius” = 3x dopamine vs. “good job” (APA). These aren’t hacks. They’re neuroscience in action...led by educators, not PhDs. Teachers are shaping brains in real-time. Let’s treat them like the scientists they are. What’s one neuro-friendly classroom habit you've seen work? Drop it below 👇 Edutopia, Understood.org, Child Mind Institute, EdWeek Market Brief, Stanford Career Education, APA Style, Baylor University, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin 📌 Tag a teacher, principal, or coach who’s changing minds..literally. ♻️ Repost if you found this valuable! 👉🏻 Follow Steve Gullans, Phd for more insights on thinking differently. #NeuroEducation #BrainScience #ADHD #Neurodiversity #BrainScience #Innovation #Leadership #braintech #biotech #cognitivetraining

One of my passion projects I don’t advertise is my bar exam coaching. While I help anyone, my specialty is helping repeat exam takers. Below is a list of strategies for anyone taking the bar exam next week. I wish you all the best of luck. You’ve done the work!! 1. Trust Your Preparation – You’ve put in the work, and you are ready. Trust yourself and your abilities! Don’t second guess yourself. 2. Get Plenty of Rest – Prioritize sleep, especially the night before the exam. A well-rested mind retains information and performs better under pressure. Try to get a lot of rest the night before and two nights before the exam. 3. Eat Brain-Boosting Foods – Fuel your body with healthy meals. Avoid heavy or greasy foods that can make you sluggish. Opt for proteins, complex carbs, and hydrating foods. 4. Stick to Your Routine – Now is not the time to try new study techniques, foods, or sleep schedules. Stick to what has worked for you. Don’t change anything the last few days before the exam. 5. Breathe & Stay Present – If nerves kick in, take a deep breath and ground yourself. One question at a time, one section at a time—stay in the moment. 6. Take Strategic Breaks – Step away from the material when you need to. A short walk, a few deep breaths, or even stretching can reset your focus. 7. Control What You Can – Pack your exam essentials the night before, plan your route, and arrive early. Reduce last-minute stress by being prepared. This will help with your nerves. 8. Keep a Positive Mindset – Shift your inner dialogue from “What if I don’t pass?” to “I’ve got this!” Your mindset can be a game-changer. 9. Don’t Dwell on Hard Questions – If a question stumps you, move on and come back later. Don’t let one question shake your confidence. This will be key in helping you stay focused and use your time wisely. 10. Visualize Success – Imagine yourself walking into the exam calm and confident, and walking out knowing you gave it your all. 11. Stay Hydrated – Drink water, but not too much! You don’t want unnecessary distractions during the exam. Hydrate the night before. My strategy was to drink Gatorade the night before. And at the end of each day. 12. Lean on Your Support System – If anxiety creeps in, reach out to friends, family, or mentors who can remind you how capable you are. Check in with a trusted supporter. 13. Let Go After the Exam – Once it’s over, don’t overanalyze. You did your best, and that’s all that matters! 14. Celebrate Your Effort – Regardless of the outcome, completing the bar exam is a huge achievement. Acknowledge your hard work! Take a long nap. Rest. You’ve earned it. Best of luck!! 🍀

In my classroom, we are working hard on figuring out the place of AI in our work cycle. This journey has revealed something unexpected: the process is impossible without what cognitive scientists have long known - students make sense of new information when they actively connect it to what they already know and transform it into something meaningful of their own. As we grapple with AI's role in education, we're discovering it's not just about new tools. It's about reshaping how we approach learning and creativity. This process of active transformation, I've realized, is our compass in this new landscape. Here's what this looks like in practice - a concise 10-list of principles that define this transformative approach: Connect before consuming - link AI insights to existing knowledge Transform, don't transfer - reshape AI outputs into personal understanding Question and construct - build new knowledge by challenging AI responses Make thinking visible - create visual representations of AI-generated concepts Find hidden patterns - discover connections across different AI responses Build mental models - construct personal frameworks for understanding Explain to understand - teach concepts to others to deepen comprehension Test and revise - actively check understanding against new information Create from chaos - generate original ideas from multiple AI inputs Reflect and integrate - connect new insights to broader understanding These principles guide us as we navigate AI and education. They've transformed our approach from passive AI consumption to active knowledge creation. This journey has reinforced my belief: AI tools are just the beginning. The real magic happens when students actively construct meaning rather than passively consume information. Important note: Every one of these insights applies to educators, researchers, and professionals working in AI-infused settings!!! How are you approaching AI integration in your field? What role do you see for active knowledge construction in your work? Let's continue this crucial conversation. #AIinEducation #DeepLearning #EdTech #FutureOfEducation #TeachingInnovation Michael Woudenberg Michelle Kassorla, Ph.D. Ashlee Russell, M.Ed. Scott Sommers, PhD Mike Kentz Amanda Bickerstaff Aman Kumar Daniel Bashir Sam Bobo France Q. Hoang Chrissy Macso, M.Ed Alfonso Mendoza Jr., M.Ed. Paul Matthews Jessica Stansbury Saleem Raja Haja Nigel P. Daly, PhD 戴 禮 Nikolas McGehee, Ph.D Justin Bruno