On November 2, the Center for Innovative Pedagogy (CIP) organized a book club to discuss Study like a champ, a novel by John Dunlosky and Regan AR Gurung. Prior to the event, CIP provided physical copies and an audio version of the book to students at Chalmers Library. “Read what you can and come discuss some of the ideas (that) might validate or modify your learning approaches!” » read an email sent by the CIP on October 25.
Using the empirical research presented in the authors’ report peer-reviewed articles on the subject, Dunlosky and Gurung’s book debunks some myths surrounding studying, while offering practical advice for teaching students how to study smarter, not harder. The book further provides a series of self-assessments to assess one’s progress. According to CIP Director Joseph Murphy, Dunlosky will not only provide guidance to students, but also advise faculty members on designing assignments that encourage students to use these practices.
As psychologists who have studied the science of study habits, Dunlosky and Gurung’s book contains chapters devoted to note-taking, retrieval practice, and the cognitions of successful students. Tips offered in the book include getting adequate sleep and nutrition to support optimal brain function, as well as developing “self-regulation” skills to manage time and work efficiency.
Murphy added that the CIP invited Dunlosky to speak after hearing him speak on higher education podcasts, and noted the relevance of Dunlosky’s novel on college campuses. “The subject of Study like a champ is an important question: What study practices, drawn from psychological science, do we know really work for lasting learning? » Murphy wrote in an email to College student. “Dr. Dunlosky has studied this issue and published a significant number of articles, and he is an award-winning teacher, so he knows how to put principles into practice.”
Dunlosky, professor emeritus of psychological sciences and director of the Center for Learning and Education Sciences at Kent State University, will visit campus Thursday to give a talk about the book at the Community Foundation Theater during Common Hour .
