R24–1155 MATS exam revision
Strategies for learning and revising
Assessment Support package added to Blackboard
Sync
Slides 1–3
Introduce the session and how to get involved. The session will look at 6 well-researched strategies for learning effectively and how they might be used when revising.
We’ll ask you to share your own tips and advice before highlighting the support available to you in the run-up and during the exam period.
Slides 4–5
The best way to make the most of your revision time is to be critical — think about what you are being assessed on, and how that will be assessed. What does your module handbook or assessment guidance in Blackboard say?
Use your exam timetable to guide your revision plan. When are the pressure points? Be honest with yourself about the topics you feel confident with and those you don’t, building this into your plan.
Use a range of materials you have been given or created throughout the semester’s teaching.
Doing all of this can help you to choose an appropriate strategy based on the type of assessment and how well you already know the topic.
Slide 6
We’ll cover six strategies for learning and revising that can be divided into two categories:
- Strategies to help you plan your revision — spacing; interleaving; and retrieval practice.
- Strategies to help you to engage with the thing you are revising — concrete examples; dual coding; and elaboration.
Slide 7
Spacing or spaced practice is taking your total allocation of the time you’ll spend revising a particular topic, and recognising that this can be more effective when spaced out — five hours spread into blocks across a two week period will be more effective than one five hour block the night before!
Slide 8
Interleaving involves weaving different topics into your revision plan, rather than doing big blocks of single topics. This should both help you to space your revision and help you make new connections when revising across your course curriculum.
Slide 9
Retrieval practice is particularly useful for exams where you have to recall facts, figures or examples, such as multiple choice exams and those with short question answers. This can be great for people who use flashcards.
Slide 10
Thinking of specific examples can help you to better understand a concept. You will likely have come across specific case studies when learning about particular topics or theories. You can take a concept and try to come up with some concrete examples — or you could try explaining a concept in relation to a particular example.
Slide 11
Dual coding is simply taking information presented in one way and transforming it into another mode of presenting that information. If you have ever drawn diagrams, charts, time-lines or mind-maps, you have practised dual-coding! You can do it the other way too — take a diagram and explain what is happening in each of its features, either in writing or talking out loud!
Slide 12
Elaboration involves taking a topic that you already understand quite well and pushing your knowledge and understanding of it by asking questions or providing further details. You might even explain how this idea connects to other things that you know about. It can help you to grow your understanding and show you what you need to find out more about — through asking questions you don’t know the answer to!
Slide 13
Some of these strategies can be used on their own, for specific activities. However the strategies are best used together, such as planning your revision timetable using spacing and interleaving, then building in retrieval practice with quizzes.
You might also think of some specific revision activities, such as identifying concrete examples in the form of case studies, and then elaborating on these examples by asking questions and looking for the answers.
Slide 14
Give participants a minute to pick something to revise and one of the ‘engaging’ strategies to use. Set 7 minutes on the Pomodoro timer.
Slide 15
Stress the importance of allotting time at the start and end of an essay-type exam for planning and proofreading.
Highlighting or underlining instructional words can help you to remain focused on the task you are being asked to perform.
An exam answer should — like any other essay — have an introduction and conclusion.
Allowing time at the end for proofreading will help you to spot any minor errors that could cost you marks.
Slide 16
Outline the essay structure that should be used in this type of exam answer.
Slide 17
You can find the Library’s assessment support offer in your Blackboard space and on the library website.
Slide 18
Share your tips on the Padlet.
Slide 19–20
Further support available.
