College student teaching methods and approaches

¶ … students properly prepare for difficult examinations and long papers like theses and dissertations?

Students will encounter levels of difficulty in their studies that they may be not used to or unprepared for during their first several years of university. Therefore, it is important to properly prepare for the rigors of university academics. How the student prepares depends largely on his or her course load and the subject matter, as well as the student's comfort level with that subject matter. Preparing for exams and long-term papers requires the student to have a great deal of self-discipline and a good sense of timing. Avoiding procrastination is essential. The student needs to identify weak areas in his or her learning as soon as possible, and devote extra time to strengthening those areas. Maintaining a daily academic discipline, such as daily course readings or laboratory time, will help keep the student mentally prepared to meet the challenges that the exams and long papers present. Both "practice testing" and "studying evenly" have been recommended as important strategies (Grohol, n.d., p. 1).

2. Explain what time management means, and how students can learn time management?

Time management entails understanding how to schedule one's life according to priorities. Managing time involves discipline and avoiding behaviors that waste time. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems can impede time management and should be dealt with in a timely fashion so that the student can perform at his or her best. Time management means being strict about how long to spend on each activity, so that no one activity consumes the bulk of a person's time. This does not necessarily mean that the student must segment each day; rather, time management can be a long-range plan involving both short-term and long-term goals. If it helps, students can use time management software. Avoiding Facebook and other time-wasters during time scheduled for work is critical to the student's success. "Postpone unnecessary activities until the work is done!" ("Time Management," n.d.).

3. What is plagiarism, why is it wrong, and how can students avoid it?

By the time a student enters university, he or she should be well aware of what plagiarism is, and how to avoid it. Plagiarism is "the uncredited use (both intentional and unintentional) of somebody else's words or ideas," (Stolley, Brizee & Paiz, 2014). However, if students still struggle with their work to the extent that they are tempted to plagiarize, they may need to scale back their schedule even if that means extending their academic career. Students who plagiarize unintentionally should remind themselves of proper citation guidelines and the need to give credit any time a unique idea has been borrowed and incorporated into a student's work. The school library has resources related to plagiarism, and may offer anti-plagiarism courses or material that can be helpful. Obviously, quotations need to be cited properly. It is less important to worry about the details of citation systems than it is to simply remember to give credit where credit is due. I have found that the students who are most prone to plagiarizing are ones that are simply too lazy to do their own work. Many purchase their papers on the Internet and pass them off as their own. Therefore, avoiding plagiarism means growing up and accepting that academic excellence depends on hard work.

4. How can students balance a healthy social life with academic performance goals?

Of course, students need a healthy social life to maintain balance and mental health. Students who avoid socializing because they are working too hard are doing themselves a disservice in the short-term and long-term, and it may lead to serious issues such as depression, social anxiety, or poor leadership qualities. Socializing liberates the student's mind from worries, and can greatly help the student relax. Therefore, it is advised that students actively schedule social engagements. How often and what type of engagements depends on the individual student and his or her interests. Care must be taken to associate with peers who are supportive. Students will undoubtedly use recreational drugs and alcohol at times, and as long as such behaviors do not interfere with work or health, then the student need not worry. I do need to add that students who become socially engaged with groups and organizations, such as sports or political movements, stand a good chance of developing strong leadership potential. Participation in organized social activities can promote the student's long-range goals, as well as being a source of enjoyment.