Need advice for studying

August 14, 2018 5:02 PM

Hello MeFites, I'm enrolled in a paralegal program, which puts me back in schools for the first time in over two decades. I'm getting excellent information on the latest brain science for learning, but I'm not sure how to manage two courses.

I know that assignments and tests will guide some of how I use my study time, but otherwise, I'm not sure what the best method is for reading the material for both courses. Should I alternate nights or do some reading for each class every night? If it helps, one class meets weekly for three hours and the other class is entirely online. Please that I'm not asking for specific tips how to learn, but how to maximize my time with two courses. Thank you.

posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat to Education (2 answers total)

Looks like that Coursera course will/does cover some of this, but my understanding is that doing a bit every day for both courses is likely more productive than alternating days between the two courses.

There's a bit in this TED talk about creating an effective study schedule (based on empirical research).
posted by eviemath at 5:31 PM on August 14, 2018

Science can tell you on average what works best, but my experiences with education suggest that really, the best thing you can do is not just try a single approach. You have, I'm assuming, probably 15 weeks of these two courses? Try one week with both daily and one week with alternate nights. See what your personal schedule is for how much time you have to block out for it and how you feel about spending longer stretches of time on a single course's work. I had some courses in school that I definitely found benefitted from longer stretches... and others that I really needed to revisit more frequently. Experiment and maybe keep a journal about what's working and what isn't so you can refine your approach as you go on.
posted by Sequence at 7:32 PM on August 14, 2018