Study Skills Coordination Project

  • Purpose

    To provide direct instruction in study skills imbedded within the academic curriculum and reinforced through coordination between the five major academic departments at the Freshman campus.

    Rationale

    The PLAN test of 2008 and the Freshman Preparedness Surveys of 2009 and 2010 consistently indicated that 40% of students desired help with their study skills. In addition, most teachers have recognized a need for direct instruction with freshmen in this area. As such, we recognized that a new plan for delivery of study skills was needed. The old method, presenting a typed list of skills to students during English classes at the beginning of the year, seemed insufficient and contrary to the teaching and regular reinforcement needed at this academic and developmental stage.

    Goal

    In 2009, a summer grant committee met to design a cross-disciplinary study skills regimen for our academic departments. Each department will take responsibility for two core academic study skills, and a method for their delivery. The other departments will reinforce that same method in different contexts throughout the year.  In 2010, teachers in English, Mathematics, Modern and Classical Languages, Science and Social Studies, developed study skill lessons for their disciplines that could be adapted in other disciplines as well.

    These lessons will be taught in classes and reinforced throughout the year.  The lessons themselves are linked in the list above and are available for all faculty and staff to peruse, use or adapt as they wish.  If you have a question about a lesson or how to implement it, please call the Northfield Department Coordinator listed on the right-hand side of this page.

    The Lessons Cover The Following Key Areas: