I am in the midst of my classes and finding that I am learning a bit differently…in my first round with school I was accustomed to rote memorization and not questioning what was being presented. Now I find that I am trying to connect info, dig deeper etc and I am behind everyone else when I attempt to make meaning of what I am learning and the rote memorizers are flying past me.
Any thoughts or suggestions? One prof told me that I would take a bit longer but that the info would have more meaning…sigh…
Thanks
E Lynne
Your prof is right.
As a high school science teacher, we are constantly reminded to engage students into Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). What you are doing by digging deeper and connecting info, etc., is the HOTS (synthesis, analysis, evaluation).
OTOH, Those rote memorizers are engaging in the LOTS (lower order thinking skills- knowlegde, understanding, application). Be patient. You will find that everything will just click.
Hi there,
Gotta disagree with your professor. I don’t take any more time to process information today that I did thirty years ago. The only changes that I notice today is that I am more adaptable which comes with experience. The “longer time to process” arguement (read too old and too slow) has been a good one to use in keeping older students out of professional and graduate schools in the past. It just doesn’t hold up unless you have suffered brain damage.
Natalie 
Lynne,
Can you be more specific about a particular class and particular concepts where you’re doing big picture and the class is memorizing? I need those details. I think it takes longer to process when you learn in a style that’s not efficient for a particular subject, but you can probably choose more than one way to attack a subject.
Maybe you can make a minor change and then get back on track.
What I’m learning in med school is that the methods I used to get by in college DO NOT work for me here. Who said that medical school is like drinking out of a fire hose? It’s true. Details, details, and more details!!! AAAGGGHHH!!!
I went to Student Services and learned about a study method called concept mapping. Basically, you draw bubble maps of ideas and link them together with lines. This gives me something to hang all the details on. I can close my eyes during a test and imagine my map. It seems to be working for me so far.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that as your education becomes more intense and detail-oriented, your study style may need to change. What worked in high school or college when you were younger may not work for you now.
Your brain still works. You just have to figure out how!
I know just what you mean. 15 years ago I didn’t dig nearly as deep, and while a decent student, didn’t even stop to think about what I was studying. Now, I’m constantly notice more connections between all of my classes. And I too am slower than my fellow class mates, but that’s OK. I’m kicking most of their little butt’s academically, and even though I’m always the last one to finish a lab, I always have the best results.
So don’t worry about it. If you’re still making the grade, take however much time you need. When they’re staying up all hours of the night in med school relearning stuff, you can enjoy some well deserved sleep.
Quote:
Hi there,
Gotta disagree with your professor. I don’t take any more time to process information today that I did thirty years ago. The only changes that I notice today is that I am more adaptable which comes with experience. The “longer time to process” arguement (read too old and too slow) has been a good one to use in keeping older students out of professional and graduate schools in the past. It just doesn’t hold up unless you have suffered brain damage.
Natalie
I completely agree with this. Actually my learning speed has gotten faster since becoming a non-trad student. I just took an analytical chemistry test this morning, and with my MCAT prep so recently behind me, boy was I zooming through those questions. But here’s the joke–I am way too busy to be taking this class and I haven’t studied at all. (I’m taking it mainly to please my research advisor). I have a ten year out of date edition of the textbook and I’ve missed nearly half the classes. The first time I saw some of the concepts was on the bus this morning! (Folks, I’m only aiming for a C here.) Ok, but if you take enough chemistry, you start to see how, by using UNITS properly and knowing your math, you can answer any question under the sun.
Now it wasn’t the world’s hardest test, I’m taking the class pass-fail, it is like my millionth chem class and consists mainly of review, and I KNOW I won’t get the top score, but all I’m saying is you can be efficient about school at any age. Sometimes it doesn’t even hurt to be overly confident!
I doubt that my current method would be any use at all in med school however. But people do NOT slow down with age.
If your prof meant it would take longer to learn conceptually, he/she is correct. The memorizers will fly past you. But then they will forget again, and you will retain. You are doing the right thing. This technique will be very useful in med school if you can master it. I know everyone says they memorize, but it doesn’t work at all for me.