Goal setting is a fundamental strategy in education planning because it enhances focus and motivation, promoting success. Smart goals are examples of strategies to provide clarity and enable students to achieve academic excellence. Goals in education must be specific, measurable, achievable, and time-bound to maintain a framework for success (Evans 2). For instance, my smart goal in this course was to understand communication theories and get an A-plus after the final assessment. I consider this goal a smart one because it fits the characteristics listed. This essay highlights my experience, interventions applied, important stakeholders involved and lessons learned in this course.
Any learning objective must highlight three critical elements: the skill attained, level of competency, and performance evaluation. Before developing this plan, it is important to consider strengths and weaknesses to create a strategic framework that will boost areas of under-performance and polish areas of high competencies (Ellis 196). For example, I have always loved numbers since I joined kindergarten, which has enabled me to have fewer problems when solving mathematical issues. However, I have also experienced a challenge in mastering or retaining complex dictions. Therefore, my learning framework must be aligned to boost my understanding of complex principles and not further enhance my numerical skills because there is no challenge experienced in that area.
In higher education, encountering complex or hard-to-understand theories is inevitable since various applications or strategies were devised by scholars who delved deep into mastering their craft. Therefore, there are no simple concepts at this level because they require critical analysis to enhance retention (Yale 533). Retaining jargon has been a significant drawback that required a viable structure that could boost my comprehension during the course. The table below represents my course goal highlighting the learning objectives, description and criteria to measure performance.
Table 1. My Couse goal Description.
Strategies and Resources that support college-level learning
As earlier mentioned, information retention was the main challenge experienced during this course. However, based on my course goals, I devised various strategies that supported my learning and expanded my rationale about complex terms (Ellis 196). First, some of the learning resources I found helpful during this course included digital learning resources such as videos and animations, textbooks, class lectures and handouts. These learning materials provided diverse database research to gain more insights concerning the topic.
At the beginning of the course, I had a problem mastering and defining terms because of my perception that they were complex. I had to keep up the pace to avoid pilling revisions which may waste study time if not appropriately managed (Ellis 196). First, I researched online and discovered a book addressing “Human Learning.” The classical piece explains the structure of the mind and how complex it is to retain information. It provides better information retention strategies, including a Rote Learning system. This book became an essential guide in my study because I discovered long-term information retention strategies in learning which I have successfully implemented and seen progress.
First, I applied Rote Learning, a memorization strategy that ensures students rehearse a concept without attaching meaning. For instance, when learning communication theories, I encountered a problem understanding the attribution theory of communication (Ellis 196). I rehearsed and defined this theory many times through rote learning, and it was retained as initially anticipated.
Another learning strategy applied was precision teaching which applies the principles of the bloom taxonomy. This system provides a framework that enables a student to create a plan to deal with academic issues by discovering personal levels of intellectuality (Ellis 197). Through this strategy, I began learning the basic contents of the course to more complex topics. This strategy ensures that students learn the basics of a concept first and then progressively study the more complex contents. This strategy is crucial because it removes fear which clouds everything to look challenging, while the reality is that they are manageable.
There are strategic academic rules that enhance students’ performance. Some of these interventions include proper attendance to class sessions, discussion with group members, developing good study habits and having a school-life balance (Evans 2). First, missing classes is unacceptable unless in emergency cases. I have adhered to this rule the whole semester to connect concepts and principles and enhance understanding. Another rule is engaging in group discussions because it helps generate new ideas and a deeper understanding of a topic (Evans 2). Third, developing good study habits such as reviewing notes and revising concepts is a good strategy that promotes excellence. Lastly, having a school-life balance is integral because it ensures that one has peace of mind which is integral in academic performance.
Effective tutoring should always provide students with comprehensive support while encouraging them to take responsibility and develop as autonomous and independent learners. For instance, personal tutoring is an integral additional education provision that students’ can access to enhance their educational goals. Students with special needs have an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) that ensures they access special care such as personal tutoring in addition to regular classes to ensure they excel in academics (Ellis 54). I have applied this personal tutoring service strategy to ensure that I get unlimited help with academic guidance to enhance m performance. Furthermore, personal tutoring has been integral in enhancing academic independence and interdependence because it is relational. Therefore, students can share ideas with their tutor or professor, promoting personal research and academic independence (Yale 533). Furthermore, when these two parties brainstorm ideas together, it causes an interdependence necessary in autonomy in academic performance.
The family unit is another integral support system that can promote academic interdependence and independence. All my life, my family has been integral in my education because it is at how where I learn, discover and invent new things. My parents have encouraged me to develop personal goals and structures to support my academic objectives. Through such motivation, I have discovered the need to engage in intensive research and share my discoveries with my peers to gain new insights challenging what I have discovered (Yale 533). I have achieved academic independence through this process because I can study by myself and still excel. I do not also mind contradictions or challenges because they enhance my perspective on certain things.
Every student’s smart goal is to score the best grades that they can be proud of to support their career development. At the start of this course, I aimed to get an A-plus after the final examinations. I will achieve this target because of the various study routines I have adopted during this course, including precision teaching and personal tutoring. Above all, academic discipline is integral because it ensures that processes are adhered to, and better results are attained.
Work Cited
Evans, Amy L., Andrew J. Bulla, and Andrew R. Kieta. “The precision teaching system: A synthesized definition, concept Analysis, and process.” Behavior Analysis in Practice (2021): 1-18. Web.
Ellis, Jeanne. Human Learning. Pearson, 2019.
Yale, Annabel T. “The personal tutor-student relationship: student expectations and experiences of personal tutoring in higher education.” Journal of Further and Higher Education 43.4 (2019): 533-544. Web.