This is the blog for the Learning Made Easier podcast entries.
Now that learning is all online, how do you keep your focus on a lecture instead of surfing Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or other sites while in class? How do you study effectively when you’re in Zoom? Join Dinur and Adam as we talk about some ways to do just that! Show Notes Getting the Most […]
When is too much, too much? When does a student know what is the right number of classes and clubs to take? Now that learning is all online, should students take advantage of this and take more courses or clubs now that they don’t have to do it in-person and commute to get to class? Join […]
Many students put off sleep to do other things that seem more important. And we’ve all had that late-night cramming session at least once! But what actually happens to your ability to learn and retain information when you’re not getting enough sleep compared to when you actually do get your full eight hours of shut-eye? […]
Your final draft needs to be three things: clear, concise, and complete. If you’re missing any of these, your draft isn’t final yet. But what does it mean to be clear, concise, and complete? Join Adam and Dinur as we talk about how to go from your first to your final draft. Show Notes Commonly […]
You’ve identified the shared ideas in your sources by finding examples and creating categories. You’ve written literature review paragraphs to tie together those shared ideas and how they’ll help your audience. And now what? Now it’s time to write your first draft and edit it, so it makes sense. Show Notes No Show Notes This […]
You’ve developed your topic, your signposts, your argument and your audience. You’ve found your sources. But now what? Now it’s time to organize those sources, dig into why you’re using them, and come up with their shared ideas so you can write a paper. Join Adam and Dinur as we talk about how to do […]
Many students are told to write papers. Often, the directions are limited to formatting: double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, a certain number of pages or words. But in college, you often don’t get much more than that for directions. Your professor might choose a topic, or tell you which topics you can choose from, […]
College presents special issues for first-generation students. Unlike their peers, they don’t have people in their family who know how college works, and they are often unaware of the many resources available to them on campus. Join Adam and Dinur as we talk about the four main hurdles first-gen students face. Show Notes GreatSchools.org, “Struggles […]
We’ve talked about curveballs in the classroom. But what about when life’s throwing you a curveball like a death in the family, a divorce or breakup, or illness, accident, or injury? Join Adam and Dinur as we discuss what to do when you’re going to college and you’re hit with a devastating event. Show Notes […]
College isn’t something for everyone, and it’s not something for everyone right out of high school, and that’s okay. For many students, more school after high school seems irrelevant and even unappealing. Why go to school when you really want to be an electrician, a mechanic, a plumber, or some other hands-on profession? In this […]
It’s frustrating when a student resists doing work, gets disruptive in a classroom, or doesn’t handle change very well. Most of us probably assume the student is doing these things deliberately, and we try to address it using the usual behavioral standards: consequences for bad behavior, and rewards for good – the old carrot-and-stick measures. But […]
One of the skills students need to develop is the ability to write a résumé, and learn how to sell themselves to potential employers. In this episode, Dinur and Adam go over some basic ideas to include in a résumé and ways of framing yourself – either based on experience, or based on the skills […]
Many students – and many teachers – believe that learning styles (visual, auditory, or kinesthetic) are real. But research shows that learning styles are neuromyths – beliefs about how the brain works that, when studied, don’t stand up to scrutiny. Join Adam and Dinur as we dig into the learning-styles myth! Show Notes The Atlantic, […]
Keeping track of student participation is necessary, but often difficult – especially now that we’re in an international pandemic. In this episode, Adam and Dinur discuss different ways to track and give credit for student participation. Show Notes No show notes this episode
What happens when you have trouble, as many of us do, with keeping yourself faithful to the goal you’ve set and following through? In this episode, Dinur and Adam talk about Jen Sincero’s method of setting consequences so you’ll do what you say you’ll do – and how this method might work better than rewards. […]
High school prepares you for a lot of things, but college isn’t one of them! In this episode, Adam and Dinur talk about five main ways college is different from high school. We suggest how high schoolers can prepare, how high school teachers can help their seniors to be more college-ready, and how college teachers […]
You’ve decided on going to graduate school, law school, or medical school. You’ve gotten your letters of recommendation, taken the test(s), and applied. And congrats! You’ve been accepted! What happens now? Join Dinur and Adam as we talk about that! Show Notes No show notes this episode
In this episode, Dinur and Adam interview Professor Tanya Nieri of UC Riverside, about what it’s like teaching at the most diverse campus in the University of California system, and some of her best tools for working with diverse populations. Show Notes No show notes this episode
Academic dishonesty takes many forms these days – so many, in fact, that it’s hard for students to know what’s dishonest and what’s not. It’s also getting harder for teachers to teach students what’s cheating and what’s not, and there are multiple reasons for this. In this episode, Adam and Dinur go over the main […]
Standards-based grading addresses the issues of meaningful grading, student stress and student motivation. But many teachers don’t know where to start. Join Dinur and Adam as we go over the basics of standards-based grading. Show Notes Dan Pink, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us Linda Nilson, Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty […]