critical thinking corner: lectopia

Critical Thinking CornerLectopia

What is Lectopia?

Lectopia is an online lecture recording facility developed at the University of Western Australia. It is a revision tool for students.

Lectopia does: Lectopia does not:

• Enable you to catch up on missed lectures• Help with exam revision• Capture audio and visual material (video, PowerPoint etc)• Provide a variety of streaming options

• Replace face-to-face lectures• Replace active learning• Capture activities / questions asked by students during lectures

1. Learning Styles for Lectopia

2. Critical Thinking with Lectopia

Overview

How do you learn best?

- Before accessing Lectopia

- While accessing Lectopia

- After accessing Lectopia

1.Learning Styles for Lectopia

1. Learning Styles: Visual or verbal?

Visual learners learn well when they can see or visualise things. They find visual aids such as pictures, diagrams, flow charts, timeline, films and demonstrations particularly useful.

Verbal learners learn well if something is presented to them in written or spoken form. They find being able to read about things and listen to information particularly useful.

Which style describes YOUR learning preference?

1. Visual learners …

STRENGTHS

DANGER ZONES

•Good at absorbing ideas presented as a picture or diagram•Able to learn from demonstrations

May find it hard to absorb written or spoken information without accompanying graphics or visual cues

1. Verbal learners …

STRENGTHS

DANGER ZONES

•Good understanding of written texts•Able to focus attention on ideas while someone is speaking

May find it challenging to understand pictures, diagrams or demonstrations without written or spoken explanations

1. Strategies for using Lectopia effectively

Visual Learners

1. Summarise ideas with a mind map or flow chart.

2. Use colour and symbol to identify important ideas.

3. Revise by summarising diagrams, graphs etc.

Verbal Learners

1. Write short summaries of your lecture notes.

2. Note questions for tutorial discussions.

3. Identify links between lectures and readings.

2. Critical Thinking with Lectopia

2. Critical Thinking - The basics

• Establish your purpose

• Take effective notes

• Prepare by doing the reading

• Put your pen down

• Prepare questions for tutorials and exams

• Press ‘pause’ a lot

• Rewrite the entire lecture as ‘notes’

• Listen without making notes

• Listen without a purpose

2. Tips: Before accessing Lectopia

1. Purpose

2. Prior knowledge

3. Prepare for note-making

which terms or ideas do you need clarified?

which assessments are due?

any questions from the last lecture? what do you expect will be discussed?

how might the readings relate to the lecture?

mind map? flow chart? ruled lecture pad?

1. Look for an overview

2. Listen for verbal signposts

3. Note the important points

4. Take the next step

2. Tips: While accessing Lectopia

- download PowerPoint - differentiate main points

from supporting detail

- verbal: ‘my point is…’ - volume: loud = important

- pauses: important point coming!

- include your response- don’t rewrite the lecture!

2. Tips: After accessing Lectopia

1. Summarise or mind-map your notes

2. Note questions for readings or tutorials

3. File notes and summaries for exam revision

4. Revise: Test your knowledge

SummaryYou can engage with Lectopia critically, but it takes a commitment to active learning.

ASK QUESTIONS!

REVISE!

SUMMARISE YOUR NOTES

ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS

NOTE YOUR OWN RESPONSE

LISTEN FOR VERBAL CUES