Tag Archives: Spotlight

Spotlight Blog #2

--Original published at Rachel's Blog

Many people experience stress, which can be defined as a response to a situation that threatens one’s sense of well being.  Stressors are something that triggers a stress response which can be something little like stressing over a test, or it can be something bigger like medical concerns.  Whether the stressor is small or long lasting, both can cause people large amounts of stress which can affect their everyday life.  Stress can target many different audiences such as college students, athletes, and parents, and for each specific group, there can be different coping mechanisms.

The first audience that this can relate to is college students.  This is because college students are under high levels of stress because there is much more work to be completed, and the professors expect more out of the students.  Especially freshman, they find that their first semester is very stressful, so it is important for these students and all students to develop new habits so that they can get used to things since it will be different than high school.  According to the University of Michigan, there are pros and cons to stress.  A pro is that it can help you avoid danger, and it can keep you motivated.  If stress builds up, this can affect different things such as sleeping, concentration, and school work.  They suggest a few ways to try to manage or reduce the amount of stress you are having.  The first way is to find a balance in your schedule, which means to find time for what must get done, like attending class and finishing homework, but then also find time to relax and give yourself a mental break.  This forces you to have a good sense of time management, which is an essential skill to everyday life.  A second suggestion is to start a journal.  This would be helpful because you could write down everything that is causing you to feel stressed.  When these thoughts are written down, if it is school related, you could then prioritize what is needed to be completed first, and then you can cross items off of the list, which will give you satisfaction.  A third way to manage stress is to have good sleeping habits.  Usually college students will stay up late at night trying to finish homework, but this can cause you to feel worse off because you will be sleep deprived, causing you to feel more stressed.  I think that these strategies provided will be successful because finding a balance and having good sleep habits are essential to life even after college.  These strategies are adaptive strategies because they are aiming to improve the situation without causing other problems.

The second audience this topic can relate to is athletes.  This is because athletes have a lot to focus on all at one time such as homework, practices, games, and training outside of practice to prepare.  This can cause them stress because there is so much to do in so little time.  The author Christie Morton, of the article, “Stress Management techniques for Sports,” says that there are three components to managing stress.  The first is cognitive restructuring, which “helps you think through a situation.”  The way to perform this is to write down what is making you feel stressed, write down your thoughts about it, and then write down how you plan to overcome the situation.  The message of this is to plan ahead and write down ways to improve yourself for the future.  The second part is all about visualization, which means that you see yourself achieving a goal that you set for yourself.  An example could be seeing yourself medal at a track meet, or scoring a goal during your soccer game.  This motivates you to keep going, and it will make you get through some of the hardest moments while training.  A third part is guided relaxation, which could be playing calming music so that you can relax your muscles.  By listening to calming music and doing deep breathing exercises, this will help relax your muscles because they will not be as tense as they are when stressed.  I also think that these strategies will be helpful because a part of overcoming tough situations is believing in yourself that you can do it.  This could go along with self- indulgence because it can be stressful to play a sport, but you can do something pleasant to deal with stress which could be having a pass with someone or shooting a basketball which deals with your sport, but does not cause you to feel more stressed.

The final audience that this can relate to is parents.  This is because they are worried about finances, work, and raising a family.  One way is to talk about problems or stress with your children.  If you notice that they are stressed it would be best to approach them and ask them to talk about what is on their mind.  If you are able to have this conversation with your children, then it might help them a little bit because they know that someone is willing to help them.  Also, this will lead to good communication which can help when it comes to problem solving.  This could be seen as emotion- focused coping because it will help parents to focus on feelings that their children have due to a stressor.  A second way is to create a healthy environment.  Different areas around you can contribute to stress, so trying to work in a different area could be beneficial.  Also, cleaning up messy areas can help because it will make you feel less stressed and it is something that you can control.  Finally, it is important to change one habit at a time.  If you try to change multiple things all at once, you will be overwhelmed, and it can cause you to feel stressed, which is what you are trying to avoid.  Also, changing one thing at a time can lead to success, which can then encourage you to accomplish more.  I think that these strategies provided will be successful because it is important to take things one step at a time, and to have good communication skills.  This could be considered as adaptive strategy because parents are trying to improve the situation without having other problems arise.

http://campusmindworks.org/students/self_care/managing_stress.asp

https://www.livestrong.com/article/371195-stress-management-techniques-for-sports/

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/managing-stress.aspx

 

Spotlight Blog Post #2

--Original published at Melissa's Blog

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program was established in 1983 to teach children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. After researching, I think the original DARE program was not successful, however, the program is changing its curriculum and message, and, thus, is improving. Initially, DARE was an anti-drug program whose main focus was abstinence. The program enforced this believe with the slogan “Just Say No” (Dual Diagnosis, 2018). In the early 1990s, researchers were skeptical of the DARE program because they found such little evidence supporting its benefits. They found DARE students and Non-DARE students to have very similar substance use rates. Therefore, the DARE program was not as effective as it was intended to be.

Throughout the middle and late 1990s, supplemental data supported the same claim against the DARE program. Christopher Ingraham, an author who discussed the history of DARE and its future plans, said it was inevitable for some students this age to “try drugs out of spite” (Ingraham, 2017). He argues young preteens and teens are known to rebel and do the opposite of what they are told, especially when authoritative police officers teach these classes. Dual Diagnosis, an informative network for substance abuse, supported Ingraham’s belief. The website argues police officers are not qualified to spread drug and alcohol awareness because they have insufficient training; a basic 80-hour training course. Dual Diagnosis says students would listen and respond better to a counselor or addiction expert/specialist rather than a police officer. One statistic states, “40 percent of student respondents claimed they weren’t influenced by the program at all, and almost 70 percent cited having neutral to negative feelings about the program leaders” (Dual Diagnosis, 2018). Additional studies conducted in the early 2000s showed mirroring results to the 1990s data; the DARE program was ineffective.

As a result, in the late 2000s, the DARE organization was forced to change its curriculum and message. The new curriculum, Keepin’ it REAL, was evidence-based and did not preach for abstinence. Instead, the goal of the new program was to teach young students to be “honest and safe and responsible” (Ingraham, 2017). DARE was no longer an anti-drug campaign; Keepin’ it REAL was realistic and representative of what students were experiencing. The new DARE organization wanted children to know how to face real-life events, while still being aware of how dangerous drugs are. Keepin’ it REAL did not spread the message “everyone is doing it,” as the old program did, because many young adolescents were not (Dual Diagnosis, 2018). Additionally, Keepin’ it REAL was taught to a much wider range of students. Dual Diagnosis predicts the updated DARE program to be successful because students are learning useful information, like how to deal with real struggles, make good choices, and be responsible. Also, Dual Diagnosis reporters think older students should be educated about mental health because it is so prevalent and often linked with drug use. To summarize, the sources suggest the original DARE program was unsuccessful and did not prevent children from using drugs and may have even sparked an interest. Contrary, the improved DARE program, Keepin’ it REAL, appears promising and more successful.

A similar argument is made about sexual education programs in schools. Comprehensive sexual education programs have been proven much more effective and accurate compared to abstinence-only programs. Comprehensive programs promote abstinence but also teach students about contraception, safety, consent, sexuality, and sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STI/Ds). According to Advocates for Youth, comprehensive sex education delays the start of sexual activity, decreases the number of sexual partners, thus decreasing STI/Ds, and increases contraception use, thus decreasing pregnancies. Many research studies have found abstinence-only programs to be inaccurate and unsuccessful. Some courses make up false data and statistics and lie to the students (Advocates for Youth, 2009). Studies show students in abstinence-only programs are equally likely to participate in sexual activities; “among youth participating in ‘virginity pledge’ programs 88 percent broke the pledge and had sex before marriage” (Advocates for Youth, 2009). Comprehensive sexual education programs are realistic and effective. They teach adolescents what they actually want to learn; how to safely face real-life events.

The take away message is the initial DARE program and all abstinence-only programs are unrealistic, inaccurate, and negatively effecting adolescents. It is impossible to stop curious teens from experimenting with drugs and sex. This realization needs to be accepted so all children can get the knowledge they need to protect themselves. Abstinence should be enforced, but teenage students should also be educated on how to make safe and responsible choices when they are experimenting and facing these inevitable events. Adolescence are curious, it is a fact of life, what we can do is teach them how to explore with caution. Teaching teens about drugs and sex, what they want to learn, and answering their questions, will decrease their willingness to experiment.

References

Advocates for Youth. (2009). Comprehensive sex education: Research and results. Publications. Retrieved from http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/component/content/article/450-effective-sex-education

Dual Diagnosis. (2018). Does the DARE program work? Drug Addition. Retrieved from      https://www.dualdiagnosis.org/drug-addiction/dare-program-work/

Ingraham, C. (2017, July 12). A brief history of DARE, the anti-drug program Jeff Sessions wants to revive. The Washington Post. Retrieved from  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/12/a-brief-history-of-d-a-r-e-the-anti-drug-program-jeff-sessions-wants-to-revive/?utm_term=.c5490bdf6a41

Spotlight Post #2

--Original published at Madison's Blog

Stress can come about in many different forms for different groups of people. Student stress varies from athlete stress, which is different than a parent’s stress. All of these groups of people can have different ways to reduce their feelings of stress. Not all methods work properly, which can be harmful to the individual since they can actually cause more stress.

Stress Management For Students:

Students seem to deal with the most amount of stress in their daily lives. Students in  higher level education tend to have the highest levels of stress, which can lead to emotional health problems if not resolved. Students can experience three main types of stress, which are daily life hassles, social, and academic. Methods commonly used to reduce stress are, time management skills, exercise, staying positive, organization, stopping procrastination, and spending time with friends. Some of these methods seem more beneficial than others in helping reduce stress. The suggestion to not procrastinate seems like a natural thought for a student. I do not think it is a effective method to reduce stress, since most of the time procrastination is intentional. The student knows he/she is doing it. I feel a better method in place of this is to prioritize assignments, so you cannot push off large assignments that are due.

On the flip side, I think that time management is key to college life. You need to be able to do all your work efficiently, so it can all get done on time. I also think that exercise is a great way to reduce stress. It allows good hormones to be released into the body, which in turn relaxes the body and mind. Organization can also be make or break for a student. I think being organized helps reduce stress for the simple reason that you do not have to think about what is next. Making a check list for the week of assignments to get done can help ease the mind. You have everything written down, so there is no need to think about what to do next, since it is there for you. Overall, I think some methods can be more beneficial to students than others.

https://psychcentral.com/blog/stress-management-tips-for-students/

 

Stress Management For Athletes:

Athletes have a lot on their plates when it comes to dealing with stress. They have to be able to combat life stress, school stress, and also their competitive training stress. Stress is very pivotal in an athletes life, since it can make or break them. A small amount of stress has been shown to enhance an athletes abilities, but too much is harmful. Balancing the daily life struggles of stress from different areas can cause damage to an athlete. Our bodies cannot tell the difference between life stress, school stress, and athletic stress, so too much has a direct effect on immune system and hormonal balance. Methods to help athletes stress less is to not train too hard too fast. Training should be an act of progression, to enable the body to repair itself. Many athletes train everyday, all day, and they think it is helping them get stronger. Actually is is hurting their bodies, and this causes stress. Progressively training can help lower that type of stress. Another method to reduce stress is to do yoga instead of a vigorous exercise class. Yoga can provide physical and mental benefits for all athletes. It also increases core strength, concentration, flexibility, and lung function.

I think that yoga is a great way to reduce stress in any situation. Athletes can benefit from it, since it gives such great health bonuses. It can help with all types of stress related to athletes, so it can really help them. Yoga can ease the mind and body to help repair itself after a long day of exercise. I think that the method of training less aggressively can help the athlete see that training is not everything in a sport. A healthy mind also matters in life and in the game.

http://www.oksportsandfitness.com/StressedAthlete.php

 

Stress Management For Parents:

Parents tend to deal with stress in different ways than other groups of people. They have to hide it more, since they are the role models to their growing family. Parents destress more often, since they encounter more stressors during their days. Types of stress they encounter are, family stress, work stress, financial stress, and more. Methods for parents to reduce stress vary, since the stress also varies on a wide range. Typically, parents will use breathing exercises, wake up earlier to have alone time in the morning, write things down so you do not rely on memory, plan ahead of time, leave time for unexpected events, and be optimistic. These are just a few of the hundreds of ways parents can lower their stress levels. I think that parents have the most options to reduce stress. The options are endless, since they can use different smaller ways to destress more. I think that for parents, stress can hit harder, since their lives cannot stop for them.

I feel the methods can work well, since they do not require a lot of time. Small things can make a big difference in a life. I think the option to write things down can be tedious to a parent, since their might not be a list readily available. Maybe typing things in the notes feature of a cell phone would be more practical and handy. I like the idea of waking up earlier than the rest of the family to have alone time. Even a small amount of quiet time can be very beneficial to the mind, and it can help reduce stress levels. The parents can plan the day and have peace all in one time slot. I think that is a great idea for anyone who needs some alone time.

https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/family-living/stress/#.WtImt4jwY2w

Overall, I think that stress can effect anyone, but in different ways. Students face stress in a different way than athletes and parents. Different aspects of life adversely affect people of other groups, age, genders, and more. The coping skills discussed can work for any situation, and are not limited to the groups included. All methods of reducing stress can benefit different people facing different situations.

 

 

 

Spotlight Blog post 2

--Original published at Max'sPHY105blog

Many students have certain methods of studying that help them succeed in their schools. There are many tips and strategies offered on various websites about which studying methods work best. However, some information given in these sites are not reliable based on psychological facts relating to memory. Here are some examples.

The website, “Top 10 Effective Study Habits College Students,” on the EPCI University’s blog, gives some good strategies about how college students should study. One of the strategies it mentions, is to organize class materials into separate folders instead of one binder. It says that this help students find what they need for their exams, keep their homework together, and prevent an overwhelming clutter. This advice is accurate because students remember material better went they organize the material as they learn it. The website also mentions studying with a group or partner. It mentions that students can meet before tests to exchange notes and quiz each other. This is also good advice because quizzing each other will allow students to study in a situation that is similar to the test. This is one of the best ways to prepare for exams.

Although this blog post provides some excellent study strategies, there are some pieces of advice it gives that is not accurate according to psychological facts. For example, when the article talks about scheduling study time, it says students should treat studying like any other class or commitment and set a specific time to study instead of squeezing study time in between classes. Although this advice is aimed to prevent cramming, it sounds like it is suggesting that students should study in one long session, which is not helpful for memory. It is better to study in distributed time periods with spaced practice. While studying in between classes is not the only time students should study, it is not a bad study habit. The article also talks about rest. It mentions that a lack of sleep prevents students form learning and thinking critically. However, it also mentions that some all-nighters are inevitable and students should give themselves extra sleep if they do pull an all-nighter. This is not good advice because, learned material cannot be retained without sleep. Sleep consolidates our learning into long-term memory, so sleep is essential. The article is also incorrect in assuming getting extra sleep will help the body recover from an all-nighter. Doing this will induce jet lag. The body can only adjust to a one hour shift in time per day, so staying up all night one night and sleeping more the next night is not good for the body.

The website, “Top 10 Study Skills for High School Students,” on campusexplorer.com, provides some good study tips for high school students. On piece of advice it gives is to look for a better way to study. By this, It refers to studying in repeated short sessions and never cramming in all the studying six hours before an exam. This is good advice because studying a little bit over a long period of time is better for memory. Cramming material before the test will not help people retain the material for the exam. Studying in short sessions gives the brain time to encode the information in one session before encoding information in the next study session. The website also give accurate information about getting enough sleep before exams. It says not to stay up until 4 a.m. studying for a test. It will not work as sleep is scientifically documented to be a significant factor on students’ GPA’s. This is good advice because learning is only retained through a good night sleep, so sleep should not be sacrificed for studying. This website also suggests studying in groups. It says studying with other students helps clarify points that students might not understand and that teaching other helps students helps to better understand the information. This is good advice because it allows students to elaborate on the meaning of the material and make it more personally relevant. This is better for memory because, people remember things better when they are more relevant and meaningful.

Although this website provides some great study tips for high school students, there is one piece of advice it gives that is not accurate in a psychological sense of memory. It suggests that students study in multiple places to keep their boredom level low and perform better on tests. Many people find this helpful, but this might interfere with some retrieval cues. People remember things better where they first learned them and in the same state of mind they were in when they first learned them. This is why it better to study in a situation as similar to the exam as possible. Studying in multiple places is not necessarily the best thing for memory retrieval.

The website, “Homework and Study Habits: Tips for Kids and Teenagers,” on childdevelopmentinfo.com, provides information for parents of school students on how to help their kids study. One things it mentions is that a designated study time and place should be set for kids. Since most kids study in their rooms, it is important to ensure that they have a table big enough for all necessary supplies. This is good advice because this is best for memory retrieval. A designated study area with a big enough work space allows students to study in a situation closer to an exam. So it is good for parents to encourage their kids to do this. The article also mentions that regularity is a key factor in academic success. It suggests that parents should organize the household so that supper is served at a regular time each day and once family social time is over, it is time to crack the books. This is good advice because it would allow for studying over short time intervals. With a set household schedule, kids can set their own study habits based on the household schedule. This would increase chances of kids studying in shorter sessions over longer periods of time, as kids could study in between household events. This is better for memory.

This website provides good tips for parents to encourage their kids to study, but there is one thing it mentions that is not the best advice from a psychological perspective. It mentions that some kids seem to function alright with a radio turned to their favorite music station. There are many arguments that support and oppose this view, but from a psychological perspective, a radio turned to a favorite music station will likely draw kids attention to that station. So if they listen to that station while they are studying, they are more likely to forget what why studied due to an encoding failure. They will not remember what they studied for the exam because their mind was more focused on the radio station than what they studied and as a result, their mind never encoded the new information.

 

 

https://www.ecpi.edu/blog/top-10-effective-study-habits-college-students

https://www.campusexplorer.com/college-advice-tips/C6CA1844/Top-10-Study-Skills-for-High-School-Students/

https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/tips-for-helping-kids-and-teens-with-homework-and-study-habits/#.Ws5sXYjwbIU

 

 

Spotlight Blog #2

--Original published at Nadia's Blog

Stress never seems to be beneficial to humans however it is a natural response to a situation that threatens one’s sense of well-being. For each individual stress could be caused by something different, it could be something acute, that is time limited or something that is chronic and will extend over a large amount of time. Either way, stress can be handled in many different ways, and there are many techniques that individuals may use to cope with their stress.

In 2012, Womens Health wrote an article pertaining towards Women and how they can better handle their stress. They interviewed 435 people and asked them about their daily stressors and how they have been affecting their mood and if they had any obvious physical symptoms. The individuals with more stress, reported that they had more headaches, stomach problems, anxiety and decreased productivity. The article recommends to “break a sweat”, which allows an individual’s heart rate to increase and sends glucose to all parts of the body.  This advice correlates to a coping strategy we discussed in class, exercise.  It has been shown that there are physical and psychological benefits to exercising consistently. The article also mentions being solution-oriented will better allow an individual to accomplish a large task more easily. It is recommended to make a list with multiple steps and cross them off as you go. This is similar to problem focused learning which is more common for men to do. This allows them to aim their focus on the stressor itself and not let their emotions play a role. Similarly the article mentions getting a massage will activate the parasympathetic nervous system and your adrenal glands will cut back on releases stress hormones and boost production of feel-good neurotransmitters.  This method is similar to the mental vacation strategy, where you are able to picture yourself in a place where you feel calm and this allows you to not focus on being stressed in that moment.  The strategies recommended in this article are most likely beneficial to many individuals and directly correlate with the information we have discussed in class.

In an article published by Everyday Health, Dennis Thompson Jr. discusses different strategies to cope with stress for men. One of the most important methods discussed was solving the cause of your stressor. This way the stress can be relieved and not continue to build up. This idea is consistent with the problem focused coping strategy, where typically men focus on the stressor itself instead of focusing on their emotions. Another strategy was to meditate for around 15-20 minutes a day allowing yourself to clear your mind. This is similar to the MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction), which focuses on the observer self and allows an individual to become aware, accept themselves and stay in the present.  One interesting point the article makes is to reward yourself for accomplishing a goal. This almost acts as an incentive and motivates someone to continue working towards your goal, and will most likely benefit many individuals.

An article written for Best Colleges, focused on a student’s guide to handling stress. Primarily students not only have the daily stressors of homework and assignments, but the social pressures and work responsibilities as well.  The author recommends that students set realistic goals for themselves and to not spread themselves too thin. Often times students are not able to manage their time well, or have too many things going on at once, which can ultimately lead to constant stress. This method could act as an maladaptive strategy because it will be able to decrease the stress but could also restrict you from doing everything you would want to do. For instance you may not be able to play a sport, have time to hang out with your friends and do well in school.  However, this is a very useful strategy and will most definitely reduce the stress in most students lives. Another way to reduce stress is to eat healthier, because your body can better handle stress when you are as healthy as you can possibly be. This is a very effective method to handle stress because it will overall make you a healthier person and it is shown that individuals who eat healthier have more energy. This is similar to how self-indulgence can be problematic, a lot of times people will binge-eat and avoid doing something to compensate for stress, which can lead to other problems. However, if you are able to restrict yourself and maintain a healthy diet, this will combat the temptation to binge eat in stressful situations.

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/stress-managementhttps://www.everydayhealth.com/family-health/mens-health/combat-stress.aspxhttps://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/balancing-stress/

Studying Across the Ages

--Original published at The Core Techs

Studying is always a tricky event which everyone is going to face at some point in life. Whether you are in middle school, high school, college, or if you are an adult, studying will always provide many challenges. Depending on your level, however, study tips may fluctuate.

Middle school is where a student may first start to understand the concept of studying. Although this is true, “real” studying does not typically occur until high school. Do high school students need to study as much as college students? How much time should they be spending studying? Every level of school is going to have a different amount of studying to it. One website to assist high school students in their studying is actually a blog called Prepscholar. This blog recommends that students make up a set schedule for studying. Always stick to this schedule, even if you are not necessarily “feelin’ it.” Students should be taking time every day to look over their notes. It is also essential not to cram. Spread out the time you study for into smaller increments. Sticking to a schedule allows the brain to recall more information later. It also recommends sticking to the same study places because it allows your brain to more easily transition into “study mode.” In middle school and high school, many of us are going through puberty, and because of this, it can sometimes be difficult to maintain good hygiene. This is, however, a crucial detail. Maintaining a good hygiene allows the environment, your brain, and your body to stay more alert and focused. Remove temptations such as the phone, stay off of your bed (that’s for sleeping!), and stay hydrated and fed. Along with more about the environment, one research study states, “Having positive feelings about education, a sense of belonging to the school environment, a positive relationship with faculty and other students, attending school, participating in extracurricular activities, spending extra time on schoolwork, subscribing to the decisions taken in class and school, determining one’s own learning objectives, and being able to voice one’s views in class constitute school engagement” (Bilge, Tusgol Dost, & Cetin, 2014). Rewriting, rephrasing, or teaching information to a classmate can also help to keep the brain refreshed. Another research study mentions that students who tackled homework, read faster but more effectively, and used the SQ3R (scan, question, read, recall, review) were more academically successful the other students who did not do these things (Jegede, & Ugodulunwa, 1997). Middle and high school are not nearly as intense as college, but studying habits are still 100% necessary.

If you are a college student, there are many specific things you can do to maintain good study habits. For example, you can stay organized, focus on taking good notes, staying focused on not looking at your phone, and more. Campusexplorer.com is a great website to assist college students with evaluating their study habits. This website also mentions not to cram last minute or overstudy. Breaks are crucial when studying. After a lot of hard work, you deserve some rest, so try not to give your brain some downtime. The information on this website is pretty accurate. Although this is true, I believe that they should have mentioned studying in sections by switching back and forth between topics. Despite this, this post mainly covered all the important aspects of studying for college students. One of the most important things it mentioned is how every person is different, so everyone’s studying habits should differ a little. Some people might like studying in a coffee shop while others need absolute silence. One article about college students and study habits talked about the relationship between study time and study habits by saying, “When considering the relationship between study time and performance, it is not only how much time a student spends studying but also how effectively this time is spent that influences academic performance” (Nonis & Hudson, 2010). A student could study for hours on end and not learn anything. Then, their classmate, who studied for only two hours before the mini quiz in class the next day, received a much higher grade than the student who studied for six straight hours. Why is this? It all has to do with how much information the student is actually able to learn and recall. Reading notes and memorizing them word for word is not going to help you come exam time. An article that summarizes a research study says, “the good notes work only if students are spending their study time efficiently. Or maybe, the good notes work because they are clear, well organized, and make sense, so students don’t need to spend time trying to figure out what they mean” (Weimer, 2010). Note-taking is just one of the many crucial parts of learning how to study correctly as a college student. Staying organized and at the moment when you are learning is extremely important.

Lastly, adults who need to study, whether it is because they went back to school or they have something they need to prepare for in their work field, need to learn to utilize study habits just like any age below them. Most of the study tips for adults are things that college students should utilize as well but are not as popular. The website associated with American InterContinental University provides plenty of helpful study tips and suggestions for older students. For example, it says to consult many different sources instead of just textbooks and class notes. Using other methods to obtain valuable information will help you learn more and match concepts more effectively. It also mentions that time management is essential. As we grow up, it can be hard to manage time when our days are crazy as all heck. Despite this, using time effectively instead of not knowing how to use it makes life a whole lot easier. Taking notes, being prepared, not procrastinating, and connecting with others are huge tips for success. Sometimes, adults who go back to school may feel that they are out of place, and because of this, they choose not to reach out. Reaching out to other students and professors, however, is bound to help clarify any questions or make you understand concepts more clearly. Along with this, a university website provides the tip of getting other student’s contact information in the class in case you miss anything, listening actively, and taking smart notes during and outside of class (“Study skills for,” n.d.). Studying as an adult versus a college student is not all that different. Most of it is a review for all of us. Studying branches from the same tree, but each technique is specific to each age, gender, and/person.

Overall, studying varies depending on the age and type of schooling. Studying manages to make huge differences academically for students, allowing them to succeed at a much higher rate. Each level requires different habits that are best suited for each individual. These are general tips for every age, but keep in mind that everyone is different, and just because some of these tips worked well for your friends does not mean that they are the best fit for you. Everyone is unique and the best study habits will always be discovered by you personally.

Are you in school, Core Techs? What are your study habits?

-B

Links to websites:

Mid/High School: https://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-study-better-in-high-school

College: https://www.campusexplorer.com/college-advice-tips/2DF9E34D/7-Best-Study-Tips-for-College-Students/

Adult: https://www.aiuniv.edu/blog/2015/march/study-tips-for-adult-learners

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Burning Out – 2016 Portfolio

References

Bilge, F., Tusgol Dost, M., & Çetin, B. (2014). Factors affecting burnout and school engagement among high school students: Study habits, self-efficacy beliefs, and academic success. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 14(5), 1721-1727. doi:10.12738/estp.2014.5.1727

Jegede, J. O., & Ugodulunwa, C. A. (1997). Effects of achievement motivation and study habits on.. Journal Of Psychology, 131(5), 523.

Nonis, S. A., & Hudson, G. I. (2010). Performance of college students: Impact of study time and study habits. Journal Of Education For Business, 85(4), 229-238. doi:10.1080/08832320903449550

Study skills for adult students. (n.d.). Barry University. Retrieved April 13, 2018, from https://www.barry.edu/pace/current-students/resource-guide/study-skills.html

Weimer, M. (2010, September 23). Study time and study habits. Faculty Focus. Retrieved April 13, 2018, from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/study-time-and-study habits/

Spotlight Blog #2

--Original published at marybraun99

I am choosing to do the controversy behind the DARE program, because this was something most others my age were exposed to this program, whereas the officer who was teaching the program at my school resigned at the end of the grade before mine, meaning I never got the program. Strictly from my experience, my grade, and the grades following mine have had higher drug usage rates than those grades who had the DARE program. My grade growing up was the highest grade that used drugs, whether it was just marijuana or things bigger such as heroin and cocaine.

Among other schools, however, they are reinventing the DARE program across the nation to make it a more positive perspective. According to the DARE website, they even state that many scientists have shown that it did not work. Even though it was the most popular substance abuse program, it did not stop anyone from refusing the drugs.

Most argue against DARE because they learned so much about the drugs, and were taught so much by the police officers that as they got older it ultimately made them more curious as to what that drug would be like, since they heard so much about it from actual cops. Any website that you visit, will most likely tell you that DARE was completely ineffective, because they were exposing children (especially at a very early age) about a ton of different drugs and the effects that they had, and while they might have been scared when they were learning, as they got older, they tended to be more curious.

DARE, while it was in place, taught over 75% of schools in the US, including all 50 states, and 48 countries. It was a huge program taught all over, and studies show that of those people, they had a 5% higher rate of drug use, compared to those who were never exposed to this program. Students involved in this program said that many times a problem with it was that they tried to overstate their message. They drilled it into your head, and made you repeat it so many times throughout school that it basically lost all significance in many peoples minds. The DARE program was also reported to take $1 billion annually to keep in tact.

Although there are many downfalls of the program, there are some things that can be looked at as positive. One website, for example states that the program enhanced the relationship between children and police officers, and helps them realize they are not “the bad guys.” This website also states that those exposed to the program had a 6% higher decision making status compared to those never exposed to the program, but the question remains, is 6% significant enough?

Personally, I believe especially after researching this information that the DARE program was completely useless. Since I never personally had it, I can’t say how effective it was, however, I am aware that since my grade, and below mine did not have DARE they definitely knew about drugs still, but just didn’t care. This program tended to just inform those who were young enough to have an impact on that there was so many types of drugs, making them more curious in the future.

I believe that there should be some type of sexual education class once you get into middle school (7th or 8th grade) since that it when most children are starting to learn about sex. You wouldn’t want to do it at an age that it too young, and not in a manner that was like DARE that would just make children MORE curious about sex. I think it would be more practical just to stress the importance of safe sex, and the consequences that it can have, rather than teaching them not to have sex at all. Many children, especially in this generation are sexualized from the time they are very young, and learn about things that they shouldn’t know about, so by teaching them the importance of safe sex I believe it would be more effective.

This would be the same with any other type of abstinence based program, if you are going to keep it, be sure not to oversell it, and teach them real life scenarios, and the importance of being safe, since most teenagers are going to experiment either way, at least they will know how to be safe while doing it, and know the consequences that can come about from doing anything.

Websites used:

https://dare.org/the-new-dare-program-this-one-works/

http://textcontex.web.unc.edu/2015/11/20/the-d-a-r-e-program-helping-or-hurting-our-students/

https://www.livescience.com/33795-effective.html

Spotlight Post #2

--Original published at Site Title

Stress is an inevitable factor that plays a role in everyone’s life in some way or another. Although having some minimal amounts of stress is actually a healthy part of our lives, having too much stress can severely affect our overall physical and mental health in many negative ways. Often times when people live a busier lifestyle, they are more prone to struggle with high stress levels. This is simply because they have more people to deal with, more commitments, less time, etc. Three groups of people in particular that live extremely busy lives include college students, athletes, and parents. While there are many stress managing tactics that can be used to alleviate stress in general, no matter where it originates, more often than not it can greatly help to have stress relieving tactics that are directed specifically at your lifestyle. In order to identify and compare some of these tactics for college students, athletes, and parents, I found three different articles that are directed at these specific groups of people.

As we all know, being a college student is extremely stressful. The workload is seemingly never ending, most all of us are away from our families, we fall short on getting enough sleep, it seems like there is never enough time in the day, and the list goes on. I found an article from the University of Michigan that provided some tips that are specifically directed towards college students for managing their stress levels. These tips include having good time management skills, creating a goal-setting worksheet, avoiding procrastination, getting regular exercise, maintaining healthy sleeping habits, taking part in mindful meditation, limiting / eliminating the use of stimulants such as caffeine, pacing yourself by taking breaks, keeping a journal to jot down your feelings and emotions, holding realistic expectations for yourself, planning leisure activities to break up your schedule, recognizing your role in controlling your own thoughts (try to be positive and optimistic), attempt to find humor in things within your life, and try to set a specific goal for yourself (The University of Michigan, 2016). I believe that all of these are very helpful and effective tips. Not only have I found these to be true from my own personal experience, but also because most of these things align with exactly what our textbook says along with what we discussed in class. http://campusmindworks.org/students/self_care/managing_stress.asp

Athletes are another group of individuals that often have to face a lot of stress, as many of us can relate to. When you’re on an athletic team, your performance directly affects your team, therefore you are likely under a lot of pressure. I found an article that provides a few tips that can help athletes reduce their stress levels as much as possible. The first tip is to get an adequate amount of rest. This is especially important for athletes considering they expend more energy than people who do not participate in any organized sports or leisure physical activity. The next tip is to engage in activities that temporarily distract you from the pressures of your sport, followed by both managing your time and checking your attitude. The final tip that this article gives is to use the support systems that you have (Labs, Nova. 2017). These tips are all similar to, if not the same as the tips that were given in the first article. Therefore, I believe that they are all effective tips because they are the exact same stress relieving tactics that are mentioned in our book / what we have discussed in class. https://nova3labs.com/five-stress-management-tips-athletes/

While most of us, if not all of us, probably can’t directly relate to this during this time of our lives, I’m sure we can all imagine how stressful it is to be a parent. The third article I looked at provides tips for stress management that are directed towards parents. Being a parent means that you not only have to worry about your own life, but now someone else’s life is in your hands as well. The list of tips that were given in this article include simplifying your life as much as you possibly can (don’t sweat the small stuff), get enough sleep, don’t take things personally (sometimes kids say things they don’t really mean / understand), exercise, aim for imperfection, remember breathe in and breathe out (relax), get support (spouse, family, babysitter, etc.), leave time for things that you enjoy doing, and do one thing at a time (Stiffelman, Susan. 2012). Once again, the all of these tips are the same stress relieving tips that have been given to us by our book. Therefore, I know that they are accurate and reliable tips that can help with alleviating stress levels.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/nine-steps-to-stress-free-parenting_n_1403209.html

 

References

Labs, Nova. (2017). Five Stress Management Tips for Athletes. Retrieved from:

https://nova3labs.com/five-stress-management-tips-athletes/.

Myers, D. G., & DeWall, C. N. (2016). Exploring psychology (10th ed.). New York, US: Worth

Publishers.

Stiffelman, Susan. (2012). 9 Steps to Stress-Free Parenting. Retrieved from:   

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/nine-steps-to-stress-free-parenting_n_14032

09.html.

The University of Michigan. (2016). Managing Stress During College. Retrieved from:

http://campusmindworks.org/students/self_care/managing_stress.asp.

 

Spotlight Post #2 – Study Skills Analysis

--Original published at Anneka's Blog

Studying is a daily activity in my life, as many of you can relate. We are in school for the large majority of the beginning of our life. Accompanying every class comes the copiousness amount of notes, tests, and papers, and in preparation for the multiple tests or “knowledge celebration day” as my psychology teacher calls it, we have our personal study habits. Everyone is different in how they study and what works best for them, but some methods are more beneficial for memory than others. The internet provides an abundance of advice from a variety of websites for those looking to improve their study habits for all ages. Today, I’ll be evaluating the memory study tips to see if what recommended is accurate.

For high schoolers, Beth Werrell of Connections Academy, offers four steps for efficient studying. She first recommends creating a schedule which is an effective method as it creates distributed practice. By spreading out material, you can focus on new material versus cramming all studying at the last minute. By using the spacing effect, it creates long-term recall and is one of the more reliable study methods. For note-taking, she describes creating you own system, using abbreviations, and using alternate organization diagrams such as mind maps. By organizing information through chunking or hierarchies (concepts and sub-concepts), it makes it more manageable and create better associations. By making concept maps or reorganizing all information, it can highlight connections between material. The more connections information has, the less likely it is to be forgotten. I agree in avoiding multitasking and distractions as our brains can only focus on one thing at a time. Our sensory takes in stimuli from our environment, but what gets processed into our working memory (or short-term memory: current consciousness) depends on our attention. Multitasking splits our attention and some of the information gets lost and our work diminishes. Studying prior to bed actually is not that bad for you. Studying an hour before bed, as discovered by John Jenkins and Karl Dallenbach, is more retentive. Studying with friends, with flashcards, or in an environment similar to your classroom is also beneficial. Studying in groups, when all are focused, can allow compare of answers, time to ask questions, or create practice tests. It should not be the first time you go through material. Studying in ways similar to the exam-environment or material-can help with recall. With flashcards, you want to be sure to mix flashcards around by shuffling or flipping sides to not become overconfident and memorize based on order. Last, Werrell promotes staying healthy by eating healthy and getting enough sleep. She states the statistic that only 15% of teenagers get 8.5-10 hours of sleep. Actually, contrary to popular belief, eight hours is inaccurate. People sleep in sleep cycles of around 90 minutes, and getting full sleep cycles is most beneficial (6, 7.7, or 9 hr.) versus waking up mid cycle which makes you groggier. Sleep helps with memory storage as our brain replays recent knowledge, strengthenss connections, and storages information.

Lynchburg College’s Top Ten Study Skills are similar to Werrell’s tips, but separates them into Time Management, Note-Taking, Reading, and Test Preparation categories. Similar tips include scheduling study hours, study groups, reviewing consistently, and flashcards. Other helpful hints were rereading information and teaching others information or speaking it aloud. Not cramming, despite its commonality, is an important tip. By waiting to the last minute, you are relearning the information and there’s not enough time to fully retain it. Lack of pathways to memories makes it more difficult to recall. As stated previously, spacing your studying creates better recall. You also want to be wary of simply rereading your notes, especially last minute, and it is one of the biggest mistakes students make. You become over assured, there is no processing the information. You want to be able to recall the information-one of the more stronger types of recognition. Instead of just simply rereading information, use the testing effect. Self-test yourself on the information to see what you really know and where weaknesses are. You want to be able to expand the information and apply it. Furthermore, over highlighting can also be less effective. If you are to do this, do so sparingly. Visual guides can help, but a full page of color is overwhelming. Finally, teaching the information reveals the information you understand through recall. Elaboration and creating your own examples while teaching adds to the meaning.

The last article is from Great Schools and is directed towards parents of middle schoolers. Middle school is the transition point where students are starting to be given more homework and more independence, and applying good study skills at this time helps in the future. Staying organized is a method most encouraged though planners, organization systems, and scheduling. As previously stated, organizing information helps with remembering. Thoughts stay in working memory for around 90 seconds and if you don’t effectually encode it (work to remember it) you may lose the thought. Planners and organization systems can help with remembering information especially dates. The article also brings the light to use questions to help lead children to solutions. By asking questions, or turning information into questions students practice recall of information and verbalizing it. It also applies the testing effect. A different tip suggested is the use of acronyms. Mnemonics such as acronyms, peg words, or jingles chunks the information into familiar concepts. Chunking, in addition, helps expand working memory. Creating your own examples establishes more personal meaning to information and can improve recall.

Memory is a key concept in studying. Every person has preferences in processing types, and it may take some time to find what works best for you. Best of luck studying!

References

GreatSchool Staff. (2016, 22 February). Study skills for middle school and beyond. Retrieved from Great Schools website: https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/study-skills-for-middle-school-and-beyond/

LC Tutors & PASS Leaders. (n.d.). Top 10 study skills. Retrieved from Lynchburg College website: https://www.lynchburg.edu/academics/tutoring-academic-support/top-10-study-skills/

Macfarlane, I. (2017, October 28). General psychology mini-lecture 4: memory and studying. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU2QNlGPYxQ&feature=youtu.be

Myers, D. G., & DeWall, C. N. (2016). Exploring psychology (10th ed.). New York, US: Worth Publishers.

Werrell B. (2016, January 28). 4 steps to forming effective study skills in high school [blog post]. Retrieved from http://blog.connectionsacademy.com/4-steps-to-forming-effective-study-skills-in-high-school/

Spotlight Blog #2

--Original published at Sidney's college blogs

The D.A.R.E. program stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. This program is taught to thousands of schools throughout America, including a numerous amount of other countries. It includes education in the topics of bullying, internet safety, over-the-counter prescription drugs, and opiates. The D.A.R.E. program has curriculum for those in elementary, middle, and high school, and is a “highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence.” Because the program is taught by local police officers, it is thought to develop that relationship between the student community and the police officers. All law enforcement agencies are committed to the D.A.R.E. program and wish to reduce the supply of drugs in the community. This program has connections and oversight from professions in various fields, such as education, scientific, and law enforcement. Because many other preventative curriculums like the D.A.R.E. program are often directed to one specific group, they decided to design this program to cover a large ground of topics instead of just focusing on one. This ensure that the program will reach in more ways than just one. Instead of focusing on never using drugs, the program focuses on social-emotional principles. This encourages the decision-making process to choose not to do drugs. If they are already doing drugs, it may encourage them to stop or decrease their usage. These are the claims that the D.A.R.E. website makes, but are they correct?

The phrase “Just Say No” was used by the D.A.R.E. program for a substantial amount of time that the program was around. The reality of the children actually using those words were unlikely and did not seem realistic. Because of this, a lot of school districts began to pull the program from those schools. If it was not going to be effective, there was no sense in paying for the program. This resulted in a great financial deficit for the D.A.R.E. program, so they changed their focus from drugs, to building character. One focus of the program up until the 4th grade is personal safety. A few others are anger management and coping techniques that do not involve the use of drugs or medications. There is no evidence yet to show the increase within this new strategy of program. An abundance of studies have been in place to test the effectiveness of the program. The results are that more than 30 of the studies have noted that the D.A.R.E. program did not deter students from using drugs. Although the studies did not find a decrease in drug use, they did find a decrease in the likelihood of the students using the program in the future and over time. In one study, 7 percent of 8th graders, 18 percent of 10th graders, and 22.7 percent of seniors reported that they smoke marijuana. However, 5 years pervious to these percentages, only 5.8 percent of 8th graders, 13.8 percent of 10th graders, and 19.4 percent of seniors reported smoking marijuana. Another study was when a survey was filled out by participants when they were 10 years old. They filled out the same survey when they turned 20 years old. Those who were in the D.A.R.E. program and completed it were not less likely to smoke marijuana or tobacco, drink alcohol, use illicit drugs, or fall into peer pressure than those who did not complete the D.A.R.E. program.

In attempts to revise the program again, a new model of the D.A.R.E. program that was introduced was Keepin’ it REAL in 2009. Instead of police officers giving the education, they jut used trained classroom instructors and this model was aimed for 12 to 14-year-old students. It then evolved to 5th and 6th grade by 2013. The education within the new model was brought by prevention experts. This helped the program out, leaving an actual decrease in those who used drugs. The new program is educating them on real life experiences and the effects of drug use rather than pushing “Just say No” to the students.

From the many studies conducted, it is clear that the D.A.R.E. program struggled a lot for a long period of time. I can remember the various activities and assemblies I attended throughout school involving this program. It was just seen as an opportunity to not attend class and do something fun. It never stuck with me throughout my life, and I know that my small school district was one of the many to pull the program. I think that programs educating students on the effects of drugs, or as used in the prompt, sexual education, is important. Even here at Elizabethtown there are signs and flyers everywhere giving the facts about sexual relationships and the diseases you can contract. There are also many flyers and signs giving the facts about drinking safely and what to do if something should happen. There is importance in knowing the facts and risks that you face in making decisions. However, I do know that in middle school and high school, these programs were annoying and repetitive. When you hear the same thing over and over again, it becomes less effective. I do not think that actual programs are beneficial to have within school districts, but I do think that setting a couple days aside throughout the year to educate the students on the risks of their decisions, could be more beneficial.

Resources:

https://dare.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5LbWBRDCARIsALAbcOc69-Tqa7OjZMF9IaFRfU0pQu4UJAdcCHJ0y93voj-2r6XL1JgrZCcaApZxEALw_wcB

https://www.dualdiagnosis.org/drug-addiction/dare-program-work/