Learning How To Learn Better: Cognitive Style

MEMO TO: Students disappointed with their test grades FROM: Richard M. Felder, North Carolina State University Dear Students, Many of you have told your instructor that you understood the course material much better than your last test grade showed, and some of you asked what you should do to keep the same thing from happening on the next test. Let me ask you some questions about how you prepared for the test. Answer them as honestly as you can. If you answer "No" to many of them, your disappointing test grade should not be too surprising. If there are still a lot of "No’s” after the next test, your disappointing grade on that test should be even less surprising.

If your answer to most of these questions is "Yes" and you still got a poor grade, something else must be going on. It might be a good idea for you to meet with your instructor or a counselor to see if you can figure out what it is. You'll notice that several of the questions presume that you're working with classmates on the homework--either comparing solutions you first obtained individually or actually getting together to work out the solutions. Either approach is fine. If you've been working entirely by yourself and your test grades are unsatisfactory, I would strongly encourage you to find one or two homework and study partners to work with before the next test. (Be careful about the second approach, however; if what you're doing is mainly watching others work out solutions you're probably doing yourself more harm than good.) The question "How should I prepare for the test" becomes easy once you've filled out the checklist. The answer is... Do whatever it takes to be able to answer `Yes' to most of the questions. Good luck, Richard Felder

The question "How should I prepare for the test" becomes easy once you've filled out the checklist. The answer is... Do whatever it takes to be able to answer `Yes' to most of the questions. Good luck, Richard Felder

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #1 Did you make a serious effort to understand the material? (Just hunting for relevant worked-out examples doesn't count.)

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #2 Did you work with classmates (or a tutor) on homework, or at least check your answers with others?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #3 Did you think about how to get an answer yourself before you worked with your classmates?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #4 Did you participate actively in group/paired discussions (contributing ideas, asking questions, giving responses)?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #5 Did you consult with the instructor or teaching assistants when you were having trouble with something?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #6 Did you understand ALL of your answers (how you got them, why they were right, etc.) before you turned an assignment in?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #7 Did you ask in class for explanations of answers that weren't clear to you?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #8 If you had a study guide or review, did you carefully go through it before the test and prove to yourself that you could do everything on it?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #9 Did you spend time actually using formulas, definitions, and vocabulary to arrive at answers instead of cramming or simply memorizing responses?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #10 Did you go over the study guide and problems with classmates and quiz one another?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #11 If there was a review session before the test, did you attend it and ask questions about anything you weren't sure about?

Test Preparation Checklist Answer "Yes" only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never). #12 Did you get a reasonable night's sleep before the test? (If your answer is no, your answers to 1-11 may not matter.)

Test Preparation Checklist The more "Yes" responses you recorded, the better your preparation for the test. If you recorded two or more "No" responses, think seriously about making some changes in how you prepare for the next test.

How Do I Prepare Better? Step 1:Know how you best learn. Step 2:Evaluate what you’re doing. Step 3: “Play” to your strengths. Step 4:Develop a plan of action Step 5:Carry out that plan Step 6:Decide what worked (or didn’t) Step 7:Adjust and begin at step 2 again.

How do I change things? Learn what energizes and drains you. Identify strengths and predictable pitfalls. Make constructive use of differences. Gain greater flexibility and perspective.

Step 1: Know how you best learn.

Cognitive Style Inventory Each of the four questions of the CSI inventory has two parts. The first part is a general description of the preference choices. The second part is a list of paired statements. Use both parts to form your opinion on your more dominant preference.

Cognitive Style Inventory Copy these down and mark your choices. 1. ___E ___ I 2.___S ___ N 3.___T ___ F 4.___J ___ P

Q1. Which is your most natural energy orientation? Every person has two faces. One is directed towards the OUTER world of activities, excitements, people, and things. The other is directed inward to the INNER world of thoughts, interests, ideas, and imagination. While these are two different but complementary sides of our nature, most people have an preference towards energy from either the OUTER or the INNER world. Thus one of their faces, either the Extraverted (E) or Introverted (I), takes the lead in their personality development and plays a more dominant role in their behavior.

Q1. Which is your most natural energy orientation? Extraverted Characteristics Act first, think/reflect later Feel deprived when cutoff from interaction with the outside world Usually open to and motivated by outside world of people and things Enjoy wide variety and change in people relationships Introverted Characteristics Think/reflect first, then Act Regularly require an amount of "private time" to recharge batteries Motivated internally, mind is sometimes so active it is "closed" to outside world Prefer one-to-one communication and relationships

Q2. Which way of understanding is most "automatic" or natural? The Sensing (S) side of our brain notices the sights, sounds, smells and all the sensory details of the PRESENT. It categorizes, organizes, records and stores the specifics from the here and now. It is REALITY based, dealing with "what is." It also provides the specific details of memory & recollections from PAST events. The Intuitive (N) side of our brain seeks to understand, interpret and form OVERALL patterns of all the information that is collected and records these patterns and relationships. It speculates on POSSIBILITIES, including looking into and forecasting the FUTURE. It is imaginative and conceptual.

Q2. Which way of understanding is most "automatic" or natural? Sensing Characteristics Mentally live in the Now, attending to present opportunities Using common sense and creating practical solutions is automatic-instinctual Memory recall is rich in detail of facts and past events Draw better from past experience Like clear and concrete information; dislike guessing when facts are "fuzzy" Intuitive Characteristics Mentally live in the Future, attending to future possibilities Using imagination and creating/inventing new possibilities is automatic- instinctual Memory recall emphasizes patterns, contexts, and connections Draw better from theoretical understanding Comfortable with ambiguous, fuzzy data and with guessing its meaning.

Q3. Which way of forming judgments and making choices is most natural? The Thinking (T) side of our brain analyzes information in a DETACHED, objective fashion. It operates from factual principles, deduces and forms conclusions systematically. It is our logical nature. The Feeling (F) side of our brain forms conclusions in an ATTACHED and somewhat global manner, based on likes/dislikes, impact on others, and human and aesthetic values. It is our subjective nature.

Q3. Which way of forming judgments and making choices is most natural? Thinking Characteristics Instinctively search for facts and logic in a decision situation. Naturally notices tasks and work to be accomplished. Easily able to provide an objective and critical analysis. Accept conflict as a natural, normal part of relationships with people. Feeling Characteristics Instinctively employ personal feelings and impact on people in decision situations Naturally sensitive to people needs and reactions. Naturally seek consensus and popular opinions. Unsettled by conflict; have almost a toxic reaction to disharmony.

Q4. What is your "action orientation" towards the outside world? All people use both judging (thinking and feeling) and perceiving (sensing and intuition) processes to store information, organize our thoughts, make decisions, take actions and manage our lives. Yet one of these processes (Judging or Perceiving) tends to take the lead in our relationship with the outside world... while the other governs our inner world.

Q4. What is your "action orientation" towards the outside world? A Judging (J) style approaches the outside world WITH A PLAN and is oriented towards organizing one's surroundings, being prepared, making decisions and reaching closure and completion. A Perceiving (P) style takes the outside world AS IT COMES and is adopting and adapting, flexible, open- ended and receptive to new opportunities and changing game plans.

Q4. What is your "action orientation" towards the outside world? Judging Characteristics Plan many of the details in advance before moving into action. Focus on task-related action; complete meaningful segments before moving on. Work best and avoid stress when able to keep ahead of deadlines. Naturally use targets, dates and standard routines to manage life. Perceiving Characteristics Comfortable moving into action without a plan; plan on-the-go. Like to multi-task, have variety, mix work and play. Naturally tolerant of time pressure; work best close to the deadlines. Instinctively avoid commitments which interfere with flexibility, freedom and variety

What are your 4 Personality Type Letters? Q1Q2Q3Q4 Where you focus your attention The way you take in infor- mation The way you make decisions How you deal with the outer world

4 Personality Type Letters Where you focus your attention Extroverted Draw energy from the outside world of people, activities, and things Introverted Draw energy from one’s inner world of ideas, emotions, and impressions The way you take in information Sensing Take in information through the five senses and notice what is actual Intuition Take in information through a “sixth aa sense” and notice what might be The way you make decisions Thinking Organize and structure information to decide things in a logical, objective way Feeling Organize and structure information to a decide things in a personal, value- based way How you deal with the outer world Judging Prefer living a planned and aaaa organized life Perceiving Prefer living a spontaneous and aaaaaa flexible a life

Think about how I teach this class and about the other things you know about me. Discuss in your group what type I am most likely to be. Be prepared to justify your answers/conclusions. Group Discussion

4 Personality Type Letters Where you focus your attention Extroverted Draw energy from the outside world of people, activities, and things Introverted Draw energy from one’s inner world of ideas, emotions, and impressions The way you take in information Sensing Take in information through the five senses and notice what is actual Intuition Take in information through a “sixth aa sense” and notice what might be The way you make decisions Thinking Organize and structure information to decide things in a logical, objective way Feeling Organize and structure information to a decide things in a personal, value- based way How you deal with the outer world Judging Prefer living a planned and aaaa organized life Perceiving Prefer living a spontaneous and aaaaaa flexible a life

The Sixteen Types at a Glance By Charles Martin, Ph.D. 1 ISTJ 2 ISFJ 3 INFJ 4 INTJ 5 ISTP 6 ISFP 7 INFP 8 INTP 9 ESTP 10 ESFP 11 ENFP 12 ENTP 13 ESTJ 14 ESFJ 15 ENFJ 16 ENTJ

Read Charles Martin’s description of your type. Jot down some notes to the “Questions for Type Alike Groups” (handout). We will discuss your responses. Questions for Type Alike Groups

1.How well does this description actually fit you? 2.Pick three specific traits/characteristics and tell about a situation in the last month where the description fits perfectly. 3.Brainstorm a list of strengths of your type. 4.Brainstorm a list of weaknesses of your type. 5.Think of a time in the last month when you had to work with someone you found irritating. How can your type help explain why you did not enjoy the situation? 6.What kind of work/tasks/jobs do you find most interesting and satisfying? 7.What causes you a lot of stress? How does your type help explain this? 8.What words or ideas do others use to describe your type that are inaccurate? Questions for Type Alike Groups adapted from

Think about the classes you’ve had in the past. Choose some that you’ve enjoyed and/or done well in. Choose some you struggled with. Then, think about the teacher. What was his/her type? How might this have impacted your experience? Homework