I have provided the links on these pages to help you not only in my courses but throughout your college career. If you don't see what you need, ask me. Chances are other students are looking for the same thing.
STUDY ROOM If you prefer studying with a partner / partners and need a place to meet, feel free to use the Study Room. Log in: first name, underscore, last initial (e.g., Amy_G). No password needed ... all discussions are public.
Go to http://academic.hhpublishing.com/thea/start/ and click the Register link. When prompted, use 38979 for the School Number and ucvfe for the School Key. Click the Search button. When prompted, type in your email address, your first name and your last name. Click the Submit button. On the next page, you will be given a password. Write it down. Whenever you visit the site, use your email address for your username and use the password given to you. Once registered, you'll find lots of useful tools on the site. You will be able to take sample tests, learn strategies for taking the THEA and learn ways to reduce test anxiety. I think you'll find it a very useful site.
Chances are you can find used copies of textbooks very cheaply through one of the online bookstores, especially if you have the ISBN number for each text. Many publishers sell texts directly to students, including special online versions at greatly reduced prices. To see if that applies to a specific text, visit the publisher's website. The following list is for your use at your own risk ... inclusion on the list is by no means an endorsement.
Get Textbooks (I recommend you always start with this site!)
Viewers - Perhaps you're not a regular computer user. Or perhaps you use a different brand of software than Office. Or maybe you have certain Office programs, like Word or PowerPoint, but not some of the others such as Visio or Excel. Whatever the problem, if there are things on this site that you can't access, there is a solution. You can install a program viewer so that you can look at the file in question. There are, however, some restrictions: You can view files in a viewer, but you can't edit them and you can't create new files. To download the viewer you need, click on the links below.
Word Viewer 2003 lets you open Word 2003 documents and documents created with all previous versions of Word for Windows and Word for Macintosh.
Excel Viewer 2003 allows you to open, view, and print Excel workbooks, even if you don't have Excel installed. You can also copy data from Excel Viewer 2003 to another program. However, you cannot edit data, save a workbook, or create a new workbook. This download is a replacement for Excel Viewer 97 and all previous Excel Viewer versions.
PowerPoint Viewer 2003 lets you view full-featured presentations created in PowerPoint 97 and later versions. This viewer also supports opening password-protected PowerPoint presentations.
Visio Viewer 2003 enables anyone to view Visio drawings and diagrams created with Visio 5, 2000, 2002, or 2003 inside their Internet Explorer 5.0 or later Web browser.
The Read Write Think Notetaker is an hierarchical outlining tool that allows students to organize up to five levels of information for reading and writing activities. During or after reading, the Notetaker can be used to compile and organize reading notes, research, and related ideas. During the writing process, students can use the tool to organize their information and plan texts in the prewriting stage and to review and structure their ideas during writing and revision. Students can choose the format that the outline will use (e.g., bullets, Roman numerals, letters) as well as enter up to five levels of information. The Notetaker includes a tutorial, which demonstrates how to use the tool, as well as a Notes area where students can track information that does not fit into the outline. The Notetaker creates an HTML file of students’ outlines, which can be printed or saved and edited later in any HTML editor.
Many college textbook publishers provide free online tutoring on their websites for students who have purchased one of their texts. Check your text or check with your professor to see if that applies to a specific textbook. All institutions of higher education are required to offer to distance students services that are comparable to those offered to on campus students. Check with your college/university.
"No matter who you are, making informed decisions about what you do with your money will help build a more stable financial future for you and your family." - Alan Greenspan
Beearly. Arrive at class, and find a seat from which you can see and be seen. Get your equipment (pens, pencils, notebook) out. Quickly review your notes from the last session, and be ready to ask questions if you have any.
Greetings. Smile at the instructor (it makes him/her feel wanted) and at your fellow students (you may need their brains).
DressandDemeanor. Research has demonstrated that neat attire and attitude go a long way.
Prepare. Read the material before the lecture. You will find you will need to take fewer notes and be able to listen more carefully (see next). If a tape recording would help, ask permission. Continue to take notes, and remember to listen to the recording as soon as possible after class; listen with your notes at hand. If there is work to be handed in, have it ready. Word processing allows you to have fewer errors. Name, class, assignment number or name, and date to go in the upper right-hand corner, with multiple pages numbered and stapled, unless instructed otherwise.
Read, Read, andRead. Bookstores and libraries are really lovely places. Find “quick guides,” and go through them within the first two weeks of a class. They will give you the context of the material (it all can’t be taught at once). Read purposely. Try and relate the material to both a personal and global context. Each field has its own dictionary and encyclopedia; find them, and refer to them throughout the course. Read a daily and weekly newspaper and magazine. Ask the instructor (nicely) for the names of other texts, journals, and reference books.
Write, Write, andWrite. Rewrite your notes so you know what they mean. If there are gaps, ask someone who knows (see next). Make flash cards, and create mnemonic devices for terms and concepts. Work on “hooks.” Draw relationship charts. Keep a journal.
StudywithSomeoneWhoCares. Find people in the class who are really interested in learning. Work with them before, after, and between classes.
Coffee, Etc. Many of us need a cup of coffee. Bring a covered mug that is less likely to spill. Be careful with your soda pop, and always remember to recycle. Eating, cleaning out your purse, doing your nails, and doing homework from this or other classes are real turnoffs.
Absences. Avoid them at all costs. If you have been absent, go to the instructor’s office to explain; do not make your explanation in or before class. If there is work or material you missed, try to get it from a classmate. If you cannot, explain that to the instructor.
AppearTeachable. It is amazing how much nicer a teacher can be when you look like and act the role of a student. This does not mean asking any and all questions to get attention. In fact, if you formulate the question and write it down, sometimes it will answer itself, or the teacher will get to it. If not, you can ask it at an appropriate time. You can and should write out the answer you receive.
If only for the fun of it, why don't you take a couple of online tests and find out what is your personal learning style? While learning style theory is not universally accepted - nor are the tests that "diagnose" an individual's learning style - you'll be surprised at how much you learn about yourself! If you take the tests and the analyses seriously, you can greatly improve your ability to succeed in your courses. Try any or all of the following links. (A couple of them charge a dollar or two but most are free. I put in the former since they are fun to take despite the aggravation of paying!)
Critical Thinking Tools Critical thinking skills are some of the most important skills you can develop during your college career. The links offered here connect you to tips on how to improve your critical thinking acumen with logic puzzles, online articles, flow charts and tutorials.
How to Best Use the Web The World Wide Web is growing at a tremendous pace. Navigating the Web and getting the most from your surfing can be a daunting task to say the least. Follow this link to a six step method to learning which sites are the best or worst for which tasks, what search engines do and which ones to use and how to interpret the vast array of Web pages available.
How to Learn in Class De Sellers, Southwest Texas State University, gives you some straightforward counsel on how to best utilize class time.
How to Manage Your Time Why should you learn to manage your time? And how can you do it? Here are some succinct answers.
How to Perform Better on Tests Tests - the bane of a student's life. Here is some good advice for making them, if not downright enjoyable, at least much less threatening.
How to Study Here, De Sellers answers one of the questions most frequently raised by freshmen: "What is the best way to go about studying?"
How to Write Term Papers John T. Rourke, University of Connecticut, provides tips on writing term papers that should meet most instructors' expectations.
Problem Solving Techniques Bill W. Tillery, Arizona State University, The activity we call "problem solving" is an attempt to find a solution to an uncertain or difficult situation.
