Note taking and reading
Session 1 of 3
Supporting materials
- Slides/materials: Slides
- Other materials used: Paper table cloths, Course textbook ‘Earth: portrait of a planet’ Stephen Marshak 6th edition, sharpies, pencils, Cornell notes
Practicalities
- Group: 100
- Length: 90 mins
- Room: Seminar room
- Discipline: Any
- Level: UG
Learning outcomes
After engaging with this support, you will be able to:
- Develop effective strategies for note-taking/making in different situations
- Awareness of effective note-taking practice for maintaining academic integrity
Suggested online resources
Session content
Introduction: The facilitator should introduce this workshop as the first in a series of 3 workshops that will introduce some specific skills that will enable the students to develop their approach to academic work at university. Note-taking is a good habit to pay attention to at this point in a students academic career as it can greatly enhance reading when reading complex texts in areas that could be new. Refer to the considerable research body that exists to further understand how our brains work to conduct the activity. (6 Mins)(Slide 2–3)
Direct instruction: Introduce that Allan Paivio’s dual coding theory shows the following
- Our brains will learn from both verbal and images simultaneously
- Connections can be made between verbal and images
- The abstract and complex can become more accessible
Explain how dual coding is a positive action that students can take to develop their academic practice. At the end of the explanation the facilitator should draw a dual coded note on the visualiser to model what they mean, explaining the connections between the text and the image. This should draw the students into the next activity which will use the programme textbook as a source.(8 mins)(slide 4)
Activity: The students should work in pairs to look at page 21 in the Marshak textbook. Working together the students should take notes on Figure 1.4 by transforming the information in the image into text by writing on the paper table cloth. (11 mins) (Slide 5)
The facilitator should explain that this technique is more powerful then re-reading material and can be used lectures/seminars/for revision/for recall. (9 mins)
Direct instruction: The facilitator should share the different ways that can be used to capture and code words into a picture to include the following. There is no need to create a work of art! (4 mins) (Slide 6)
- Diagram
- Timeline
- Mind map
- Sketchnote
- Infographic
Activity: Now in pairs the students should turn to page 21 and skim read ‘The nature of our solar system’. The facilitator should ask the students to analyse the text to transform it into a pictorial representation of the words. They should draw this on the table cloth adjacent to their previous notes. (11 mins)(Slide 7)
The facilitator should refer back to dual coding that was described at the start of the workshop. Capturing notes can facilitate the identification of links and connections so that is the next step.
Activity: On tables the students should take turns in pairs to explain what has been drawn and written about. Those listening should refer to their own notes and identify connections and links between the verbal and visual notes that they have made. (14 mins)(Slide 8)
Direct instruction: Explain that notes can should work hard for the students as they will be used for assessments and to capture new concepts through their academic career. These questions can help prompt a check.
- What links and connections can be identified between the images and the words that they have drawn?
- What questions are your notes prompting
- How will you find this information again? (slide 9)
This activity should be closed by reminding the students that when they have made notes it is important to refer back to the source to check that they have everything correct.
Direct instruction: The facilitator should share how useful it is to know how you will structure your notes so that you capture everything that you need. Cornell notes is one strategy that is efficient and allows for different elements to be captured in one space. The facilitator should explain each part of the 3 part system but all should be captured when taking notes. (Slide 10)
Activity: The final activity is for the students to practice using Cornell. The students should work on reflect upon on what they have learnt about taking notes today and capture this on their sheets. Using the details section to outline what they have learnt, the key points section to outline any questions or actions that they might have. Finally the students should work in pairs to summarise what they have learnt from the session today. They should write this in the summary section of the notes sheet. (Slide 11)
Wrap up: Wrap up the workshop by reminding the students of the help that is available to them through MLE and in particular the online resources in Blackboard. Highlight the drop-ins. Ask the SCONUL question. (Slide 12–15)
Internal ID: R19–0592, EART11130, Session 1 of 3
