MODULE 5: PLANNING
Agenda
PART ONE
● Welcoming students to class
● Introducing module: “Planning”
● Mentioning the learning objectives that are stated
● Slide 3 and 4: students discuss all in twos (ask individual students to share)
● Slide 5: students discuss in twos and ask to share with class
● Slide 6: students compare schedules
PART TWO
● Slide 7: introduce POMODORO Technique
● Slide 8: use POMODORO technique to carry out exercise “THE URGENT PARALLEL PATH” in this slide (set a stopwatch); discuss and share outcomes
● Slide 9: hints on drawing up study plan
● Slide 10: “What if your plan doesn’t work?” (ask individual students to share)
Sebastian's Chairing Report Starts the guiding session for module 5
● He welcomes students to class and introduces module
● He mentions the learning objectives
● He asked the participants to talk about their main goals and their sub-targets for main goals and set strategies for it.
A and B objective
As it was part of the preparation to be brought to class, he asked the participants to discuss and share their main A and B objectives and to compare with each others in twos, sharing opinions and where their objectives lie in the A and B Objectives table on the slide.
· Discussion goes for about 10 minutes
Ø Amadou, Kamiel, Paula and Lara states that for now getting a bachelor's degree and investing more time on studying is the most important in order to achieve their goals.
Ø Aaron indicates degree important as he invested his time, money and basically everything in his to reach to be able to study and achieve his initial/main goal.
Ø Also, Sophie thinks finding a better study technique and being able to balance work and study is important. She wants to hire a private tutor to help her with studying.
Ø Sebastien suggests that Sophie first considers other study techniques like watching videos on YouTube on the subject (Economics) she needs tutoring in. Chidinma suggests that having a study buddy could help motivate better studying.
Ø Sophie says that for her, overall routine/schedule is important, but tutoring is necessary for her to improve her urge to study.
Conclusion: Degree is important in order to attain stability in career and finding s something that will help one and not just to earn money, but also enjoy the work life. In addition, motivation is key to study efficiency.
Schedule
Ø Sebastien asked the participants to take their prepared schedule out and asked them the time they would invest in education, recreation, family etc. Also, he asked them to find ideas to improve the current schedule after comparing it with their neighbor’s schedule.
Chidinma's Chairing Report
· She asked the class how they combine activities when they have a fixed timetable. For instance, if they have a fixed lesson today how do they combine sleep, recreation schedule, family time etc. with each other.
· The POMODORO Technique and Urgent Parallel Path is discussed Amadou points out that schedules don’t really work for him as he thinks its isn't really necessary to study a subject matter if it's not in his priority list. Maybe procrastinate for the time being and do it when the deadlines are near. Chidinma notes that this is what the “Urgent Parallel Path” is intended for, to help us make our schedules in accordance to priority and parallelism.
Schedule after classes on a school day
· She asked the class to make an urgent parallel path plan. What is more urgent for them? For instance, what they would do first after this class. If they have to study Economics what would they then schedule to do first? Maybe go get the book at the bookstore, then: go to the library and study it.
· She set a 5 minutes timer for this activity, to practice using the “POMODORO Technique” to keep to the timing of our schedules.
Ø Paula's Conclusion: School preparation is important, but it is necessary to give yourself a break before the start of a particular task.
Ø Aaron's Conclusion: The quality of life you have for yourself is directly or indirectly related to achieving your main aim/goal. Stressing out and giving yourself pressure would hinder you from achieving your goals.
Ø Lara's Conclusion: Class Preparation is important in order to have a peaceful state of mind and as for her, French class is important in order to achieve her objectives.
Ø Sophie's Conclusion: At least 2 hours of study. Relaxing and sleeping is generally important in order to have a healthy state of mind; so, it gives you energy to do further tasks.
Ø Kamile's Conclusion: Doing tasks regularly and studying is important to achieve goals.
Ø Amadou's conclusion: If the plan comes in paper, it gives a clear vision of what you're doing and how much time you are investing in what so that there is a balance.
· Chidinma asked the class what they would do if their schedules don't go as planned.
Ø To this, Amadou points out that discipline and determination is very important in order to train yourself to follow the plan you've made. Meanwhile, Sophie thinks that she would change the whole plan to make it more realistic. Paula says she'd be sad and stressed about it in the beginning but will eventually make amendments at the end of the day.
Conclusion from participants responses: Ensure plans are giving you good outcomes, identify the problems and try to make amendments on it. If you're responsible for the fault, then change it and if it can't be changed, accept it. So basically, change it and work it out.
· Chidinma talked about Planning equipment and asked the class to discuss what platform or applications they use or would prefer to use for their planning, whether they would prefer using digital gadgets or diaries/notes jotted down in paper.
· Some students said they prefer digital and or a combination of both digital and diary (paper), while some indicated to prefer using diary (paper) for their planning.
· Working in pairs, they learned from each other's planning method and some considered switching their planning equipment as that of some of their peers seemed more relevant. Quite a good number of them had normal note taking method of planning, they think that there isn’t any suitable digital equipment that they can use in their comfort zones. Lara says she also uses her CANVAS calendar.
Conclusion: Although having your own agenda written in paper is the most common way of planning as digital way easily distracts you with random notifications, combining both digital and note taking can be very sufficient/efficient.
· The study coach recommends the use of outlook for our planning, because the digital calendar helps to keep our agendas adequately saved and programmed to remind us of our scheduled activities, as in the business world; working in a digital environment is important to keep track of works and to avoid all the unnecessary mess that can be created with the use of paper notes.
Assessment of the Meeting (Study Coach):
· The chairing for today was ok but could be better.
· The PowerPoint presentation is not too interesting, not much details included in slides. Sebastien should ensure to check on everybody and let everyone speak.
· Chidinma did better than Sebastien in chairing the class, she checked on all the students and let everyone speak more often.
· It's good that participants worked in pairs, but it would have been more efficient if they worked in larger groups and everyone got to share more. Chidinma's ending session tried in achieving this to some extent.
Meeting Adjourned: 9:40 am
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