Becoming a Successful Student



Becoming a Successful Student


Learning Objectives



Vocabulary


critical thinking The constant practice of considering all aspects of a situation when deciding what to believe or what to do.


empathy (em′-puh-the) Sensitivity to the individual needs and reactions of patients.


learning style The way an individual perceives and processes information to learn new material.


perceiving (pur-sev′-ing) How an individual looks at information and sees it as real.


processing (pro′-ses-ing) How an individual internalizes new information and makes it his or her own.


professional behaviors Actions that identify the medical assistant as a member of a healthcare profession, including being dependable, providing respectful patient care, exercising initiative, demonstrating a positive attitude, and working as an effective team member.


reflection (re-flek′-shun) The process of considering new information and internalizing it to create new ways of examining information.


Scenario


Shawna Long is a newly admitted student in a medical assistant program at your school. Shawna is anxious about starting classes and very concerned that she may not be a successful student. She had trouble with some of her classes in high school and must continue to work part time while taking medical assistant (MA) classes. Based on what you discover about the learning process in this chapter, see whether you can help Shawna take steps toward success.


While studying this chapter, think about the following questions:



You have taken the first step toward becoming a successful student by choosing your profession and field of study. The medical assistant profession is both challenging and rewarding. Becoming a medical assistant opens the doors to a wide variety of opportunities in both administrative and clinical practice at ambulatory or institutional healthcare facilities. Medical assistants are important members of the healthcare team, and as a healthcare professional, you will be expected to practice certain professional behaviors (Figure 1-1). These professional behaviors include demonstrating dependability, respectful patient care, empathy, initiative, a positive attitude, and teamwork. To become a successful medical assistant, you first must become a successful student. This chapter helps you discover the way you learn best and provides multiple strategies to assist you in your journey toward success.




1-1


Critical Thinking Application


Consider your history as a student. What do you think helped you to succeed? What do you think needs improvement? Create a plan for improvement that includes two or three ways you can become a more successful student. Be prepared to share this plan with your classmates.


Who You are as a Learner: How Do You Learn Best?


Think about what you do when you are faced with something new to learn. How do you go about understanding and learning the new material? Over time you have developed a method for perceiving and processing information. This pattern of behavior is called your learning style. Learning styles can be examined in many different ways, but most professionals agree that a student’s success depends more on whether the person can “make sense” of the information than on whether the individual is “smart.” Determining your individual learning style and understanding how it applies to your ability to learn new material are the first steps toward becoming a successful student (Figure 1-2).



Learning Style Inventory


For you to learn new material, two things must happen. First, you must perceive the information. This is the method you have developed over time that helps you examine new information and recognize it as real. Once you have developed a method for learning about the new material, you must process the information. Processing the information is how you internalize it and make it your own. Researchers believe that each of us has a preferred method for learning new material. By investigating your learning style, you can figure out how to combine different approaches to perceiving and processing information that will lead to greater success as a student.


The first step in learning new material is determining how you perceive the information. When faced with a new learning experience, students decide how they will go about learning the new material; that is, either by watching and observing the new activity or by doing something active to learn about it. Individuals who learn by analysis, observation, and reflection are considered abstract perceivers. Abstract learners analyze new material as ideas that require thought to process. They study the information and build theories to help them understand it. Abstract perceivers prefer structured learning situations and use a step-by-step approach to problem solving.


Individuals who learn by “doing” are concrete perceivers, who learn information through direct experiences of acting, sensing, or feeling the new material. Concrete learners prefer to learn things that have a personal meaning or that they believe are relevant, and they rely on detailed information to learn new material.


The second step in learning new material is information processing, which is the way learners internalize the new information and make it their own. New material can be processed by two methods. Active processors prefer to jump in and start doing things immediately. They make sense of the new material by using it immediately. They look for practical ways to apply the new material and typically do not mind taking risks to get the desired results. They learn best with practice and hands-on activities. Reflective processors have to think about the information before they can internalize it. They prefer to observe and consider what is going on. The only way they can make sense of new material is to spend time thinking and learning a great deal about it before acting. Complete the activity in the Student Study Guide to help you determine your learning style preference.



Using Your Learning Profile to Be a Successful Student: Where Do I Go from Here?


No one falls completely into one or the other of the categories just discussed. However, by being aware of how we generally prefer first to perceive information and then to process it, we can be more sensitive to our learning style and can approach new learning situations with a plan for learning the material in a way that best suits our learning preferences.


Your preferred perceiving and processing learning profile will fall into one of the following four stages of the Learning Style Inventory, which was created by David Kolb of Case Western Reserve University.



• Stage 1 learners have a concrete reflective style. These students want to know the purpose of the information and have a personal connection to the content. They like to consider a situation from many points of view, observe others, and plan before taking action. They feel most comfortable watching rather than doing, and their strengths include sensitivity toward others, brainstorming, and recognizing and creatively solving problems. If you fall into this stage, you enjoy small-group activities and learn well in study groups.


• Stage 2 learners have an abstract reflective style. These students are eager to learn just for the sheer pleasure of learning, rather than because the material relates to their personal lives. They like to learn lots of facts and arrange new material in a clear, logical manner. Stage 2 learners plan studying and like to create ways of thinking about the material, but they do not always make the connection with its practical application. If you are a stage 2 learner, you prefer organized, logical presentations of material and therefore enjoy lectures and readings and generally dislike group work. You also need time to process and think about new material before applying it.


• Stage 3 learners have an abstract active style. Learners with this combination learning style want to experiment and test the information they are learning. If you are a stage 3 learner, you want to know how techniques or ideas work, and you also want to practice what you are learning. Your strengths are in problem solving and decision making, but you may lack focus and may be hasty in making decisions. You learn best with hands-on practice by doing experiments, projects, and laboratory activities. You enjoy working alone or in small groups (Figure 1-3).


• Stage 4 learners are concrete active learners. These students are concerned about how they can use what they learn to make a difference in their lives. If you fall into this stage, you like to relate new material to other areas of your life. You have leadership capabilities, can create on your feet, and usually are vocal in a group, but you may have difficulty completing your work on time. Stage 4 learners enjoy teaching others and working in groups and learn best when they can apply new information to real-world problems.



To get the most out of knowing your learning profile, you need to apply this knowledge to how you approach learning. Each of the learning stages has pluses and minuses. When faced with a learning situation that does not match your learning preference, see how you can adapt your individual learning profile to make the best of the information. For example, if you are bored by lectures, look for an opportunity to apply the information being presented to a real problem you are facing in the classroom or at home. If you are an abstract perceiver, take time outside of class to think about new information so that you are ready to process it into your learning system. If you benefit from learning in a group, make the effort to organize review sessions and study groups. If you learn best by teaching others, offer to assist your peers with their learning. By taking the time now to investigate your preferred method of learning, you will perceive and process information more effectively throughout your school career.



1-3


Critical Thinking Application


Take a few minutes to reflect on a time when you really enjoyed learning about something new. How was the material presented, and what did you do to “make it your own”? What do you need to do to become a more effective learner?


Time Management: Putting Time on Your Side


One of the most complicated tasks for a professional medical assistant is to manage time effectively. No other workplace can compete with the distractions and demands of a busy healthcare practice. Do you think you practice effective time management skills? Do you believe that you are in control of your time, or do you think that other people or situations control it? How frequently do you say that you just do not have enough time to do what you are supposed to do, let alone those things you would like to do? Time management gives you the opportunity to spend time in the way you choose. Effective time management is also crucial to your success as a student and as a future healthcare professional (Figure 1-4).



How to Put Time on Your Side


The following time management skills are designed to help you deal effectively with the demands on your time. Highlight the ones that you think will be most useful in helping you deal with your situation.



1. Determine your purpose. What do you want to accomplish this semester, in this course, or in this unit of study? What do you want to achieve as a student? What is one thing you can do to help achieve your goals?


2. Identify your main concern. Besides school, what other demands do you have on your time? Based on the learning goals you have established, what do you need to do to accomplish your goals?


• Plan time: Schedule projects in advance, and make notes to yourself on deadlines.


• Use down time: Take your work with you everywhere you go. Do small bits at every opportunity.


• Guard time: Avoid distractions (e.g., television, music) that interfere with your concentration. Notice how others abuse your time. Learn to say no to outside demands on your time.


• Discover time: Steal time from other activities in your schedule.


• Assign time: Ask for help when you need it from friends and family.


3. Be organized. What materials (e.g., books, research, supplies) do you need to have an effective study session? What preparation is needed to make the most of your time?


• Record time: Use a day planner or calendar, either paper or electronic, to note the due dates for assignments and tests. If a paper or project is due on a specific date, put a reminder in your day planner to start the project on a specific date so that you are sure to have it done when it is due.


• Optimal time: Take advantage of the time of day when you study and learn the best. Schedule study time during your peak performance time. If you are an early riser, make time for homework first thing in the day; if you are a night owl, do your homework at night. Plan on dedicating at least some of your optimal time to your school work.


4. Stop procrastinating. If you avoid working on your goals, you may not achieve them. Examine the following suggestions as ways to break the procrastination cycle.


• Make the work meaningful: What is important about the work you are putting off and what are the benefits of getting it done? Reflect on your long-range goals. Is it important to do a good job on the work so you can earn an acceptable grade, do well in the course, complete the medical assisting program, and ultimately find employment?


• Plan work deadlines: Break assignments into achievable sections that can be completed in the time slots available. Schedule those work sections in your day planner so that you do not forget deadlines for assignments.


• Ask for help: Let your support system know you have work to get done. Ask them for encouragement to stay on track. If you have school-age children, you can set an excellent example by planning “family” homework sessions. You can get some of your work done while acting as a role model for learning behaviors for your children. Let your partner know when due dates are looming or tests are scheduled. Ask for help in meeting day-to-day demands so that you can study or prepare for school.


• Prioritize: If you keep avoiding a certain task, re-evaluate its priority. If it is really worth worrying about, get started now, not later. Don’t waste time worrying about how you are going to get things done. Spend that time actually working on the projects that worry you the most.


• Reward yourself: Create a reward that is meaningful and something for which you will work. If you want to spend time with your family or friends on the weekend, develop a plan and stick to it so that you can share that special time as a reward.


5. Remember you. It is very easy to become overwhelmed with responsibilities both in school and at home. Part of successful time management includes setting aside time to do things you enjoy. You have chosen a profession that can be very demanding. Now is the time to remember that you have to take care of yourself in addition to meeting your professional and personal responsibilities.  

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Apr 6, 2017 | Posted by in MEDICAL ASSISSTANT | Comments Off on Becoming a Successful Student

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