ASAP Welcome 2017

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Dr. Armando A. Rodriguez, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Southwest Institute for ENG Transference Excellence (SWIETE) AZ-Wide ENG Transference Excellence Academy Motivated Engineering Transfer Student (METS)

Professor of Electrical Engineering School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering

Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering

Arizona State University Tempe, AZ

ASAP FSE394 MEETING # 1: August 17, 18, 2017

(ASAP – ACADEMIC SUCCESS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)

Acknowledgements

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• NSF S-STEM 1565177 - $5M, 10 Institutions, 5 Years (2017-2022) Lead Institution: ASU Fulton Schools of ENG

• Co-PI: Dr. Mary Anderson-Rowland

• 9 Wonderful Partners Across AZ (co-PIs and Liaisons/Mentors):

Local Partnering CCs (Robert Bill – Assoc. Dir., Maricopa Grants Dev & Management))

• Estrella Mountain Community College (Rebecca Baranowsky) • Glendale Community College (Tim Frank) • Mesa Community College (Bruce Carlton) • Phoenix Community College (Eddie Ong, Ernest Villicana)

Non-Local Partnering CCs

• Central Arizona Community College (Clark Vanguilder) • Cochise Community College (Celia Jenkins) • Eastern Arizona College (Phil McBride, Tom Palmer) • Mohave Community College (Russell Cox) • Yavapai Community College (Elizabeth Peters)

• AZ-Wide Community of SCHOLARS, Learners and Mentors

• Assistants: Pragyan Pradhan, Nirangkush Das; Karan Puttannaiah

Outline

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• Why We Exist?

• My Background

• Overview of Program

• Research-Based Academic Success and Learning Tips

NOTE: See ASAP Scholar/Class Agreement !

Why We Exist?

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• There’s an Ongoing Technological Revolution

• The Nation Needs More ENGs! (incl. CSs!)

460 gal!

Do you disagree?….

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The Nation Needs You! Why?

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After WWII, US had little competition; with 2 oceans for protection

NO longer the case…due to increasingly global economy

To remain competitive, US - can no longer afford to rely on imported talent - must find & nurture talent from within - cheap labor around the world is an issue…US must rely on continued technical innovation and creativity

THAT’s YOU!

- Financial opportunities; Especially for MS and PhD! $$$ Nation needs you to be significant participants ! MANY opportunities to take advantage of !!

(…just need to prepare…)

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MY BACKGROUND

My Background

Mother died of cancer: I was 13 years old, 2 brothers (ages 5, 6)

1990: PhD from MIT, Joined ASU Electrical Engineering

Married with 2 kids…wife is amazing!!!…MSEE, papers, patents, 9th of 10 kids, worked in fields, made documentary: “The Harvest,” spoken at UN, congress, etc…

Work/Consulting Experience: IBM, Bell Labs, Eglin AFB, NASA, Intel, Honeywell, etc.

Research: control systems, hypersonic vehicle design, sustainability, low power electronics, portfolio management, intelligent systems

CAREER HAS BEEN WONDERFUL !!! YOURS CAN BE MUCH MORE AMAZING!!!

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OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM: OUR SECRET JUICES

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Secret Juices for Academic Success

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FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

• Critical Thinking

o thinking about thinking o dealing with our irrational egocentric-sociocentric minds o applying intellectual standards to our logic to continuously

improve the quality of our thinking!

• Research-Based Academic Success and Learning Tips

• Dr. Donna O. Johnsons’s Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System !

Secret Juices for Academic Success

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FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT • RESUME: 1 page resume; see resume checklist at

http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/lapdp_prep_career_fair/RESUME-CHECKLIST.pdf Will need resume for Career Fair! :o)

• CAREER PLAN: Comprehensive Career Plan (at least 5 pages)

o to set longer-term career goals and shorter-tem objectives, competencies and targets to stay on track. Want you to

PLAN YOUR WORK and WORK YOUR PLAN!

Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, then your planning to fail.”

See career plan outline at http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/lapdp_exciting_eng/AAR_COMPREHENSIVE-CAREER-PLAN.pdf

Secret Juices for Professional Development

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FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• CAREER-STEERING/SHAPING INTEREST-PLAN PAPER: Professional Development Career Exploration and Planning Assignment – one cornerstone for professional development plan;

describes technical interest area, associated problem, why problem is important, what others have done, how you’ll address problem & your plan to turn it into a substantive project - a “resume & career fair selling point” (min 5 pages, min 10-15 cited references);

See All Mighty & Powerful Interest Paper outline: http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/lapdp_choosing_technical_area/AAR-INTEREST-PAPER.pdf

(just answer the questions…start soon…)

See Primer on Writing a Proposal (a Project Plan): http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/lapdp_choosing_technical_area/AAR-RESEARCH-PROPOSAL-GUIDELINES.pdf

(just answer the questions…start soon…)

• foundation for planning & executing career-steering/shaping project; • interest paper (includes project plan/proposal) – a substantive report; put on resume!

Secret Juices for Professional Development

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FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• subsequent report that results from project - another report for resume ! these are ENTIRELY under your control ! •will help you organize your thoughts for your career fair plea; • let it help you target companies you wish to consider for employment •Please incorporate relevant coursework (math & science) - commensurate with academic level) •DON’T FREAK OUT! It’s a learning experience. Just get started NOW!

IT IS ALL MIGHTY & POWERFUL! (if you just let it help you!)

1st semester transfer (New Sun Devils): interest paper (including project plan/proposal) Others (not 1st semester transfers):

if 1st semester in ASU ASAP program - same as above; if 2nd semester in ASU ASAP program or more - same as above with NEW interest or project execution with report (technical paper) See Primer on Writing a Technical Paper outline: http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/lapdp_choosing_technical_area/AAR-Writing-a-Technical-Paper.pdf

Secret Juices for Professional Development

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FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT • CAREER-STEERING/SHAPING PROJECT: must show significant progress on career-

steering/shaping project each semester with end-of-semester project report (technical paper);

(incorporating relevant coursework - math & science - commensurate with academic level);

more technical content expected from senior than junior, etc.

NOTE: Intended to be a learning and professional growth experience! Want all scholars to

discover, nurture and develop your technical passions;

See Primer on Writing a Technical Paper outline: http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/lapdp_choosing_technical_area/AAR-Writing-a-Technical-Paper.pdf

Secret Juices for Professional Development

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FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• CAREER FAIR PLEA OR PITCH OR INFOMERCIAL: must update your 3 minute (company-dependent) career fair plea each semester; must attend career fair each semester; interest paper should help you organize some of your thoughts for this; See Career Fair Plea outline at:

http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/lapdp_prep_career_fair/CAREER-FAIR-PLEA.pdf

• STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:1 page statement of purpose describing why you wish to go to graduate school, what you wish to study (a problem) and the associated goal, why you wish to study it, why the area is important, what you have done to prepare (academically and project wise), and what you plan to do to move toward the stated goal. See Writing a Statement of Purpose document at:

http://aar.faculty.asu.edu/AAR_WRITING-A-STATEMENT-OF-PURPOSE-10_14_11.pdf • PORTFOLIO: must update ENG portfolio each semester; will consist of: resume, plan, interest paper(s), project report(s), career fair plea, statement of purpose and additional documentation on career-steering/shaping projects that you develop over time as a result of your interest paper(s)

Secret Juices for Professional Development

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FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT • MENTORS: must find or continue working with faculty-student-industry mentors toward a

career-steering/shaping project based on your interest paper; we will assist with finding mentors – help us!

• 1st semester transfers scholars - 2 mentors; (at most 1 can be a more senior

student) • All other scholars - 3 mentors; (at most 2 more senior students)

Secret Juices for Service

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FOR SERVICE TO PROGRAM & COMMUNITY • ASAP MENTORING: must mentor 1 (less senior) ASAP program scholar per semester (not

required for 1st semester transfer scholars at ASU); we’ll help pair ASU ASAP scholars with ASAP scholars at partnering CCs

• COMMUNITY SERVICE: • ASU undergrad scholars must perform 10 hours per semester community service while

on scholarship - 5 hours per semester dedicated to ASAP program; • for grad scholars - 12 hours/semester in general & 7 hours/semester toward program

• SURVEYS: must participate in all class surveys - meeting all team reporting deadlines

Pillars of ASAP Program

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MAIN POINTS

• GUARANTEED 4.0 LEARNING SYSTEM

• CAREER PLAN

• CAREER-STEERING/SHAPING INTEREST PAPER & PROJECT • CAREER FAIR PLEA

• GETTING MENTORED & COACHED

• MENTORING & COACHING OTHERS

• SERVICE TO PROGRAM & COMMUNITY

• SURVEYS – Program’s life line! Will help keep money flowing! Please turn in surveys promptly!

Overview of Class Topics

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1) Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System, Exam Taking and General Academic Success Tips 2) Critical Thinking 3) The Ongoing Technological Revolution and Associated Career Opportunities 4) Developing a Comprehensive Career Plan 5) Preparing for a Career Fair and Interviews; Developing a Career Fair Plea 6) Finding a Mentor 7) Selecting a Project Area 8) Our “All Mighty and Powerful” Interest Paper - MUST include plan to prepare for a career-

steering/shaping project; i.e. interest paper must include project plan (proposal) 9) Progressing on the career-steering/shaping project 10) Project Summary/Status Report - report due each semester after semester that interest

paper is submitted! 11) Service – to program and community 12) Mentoring others! 13) Importance of graduate school, preparing and the 4 + 1 program 14) Thriving on the job

• ASAP Class Grading: Will get A+ unless you blow it! …just attend, participate, do work, turn in on time, fix/correct when needed, turn in for regrading! B takes work … could happen (don’t let it!) … RARE! Less than B - really takes work - could happen (don’t let it!) - no scholarship renewal! REALLY RARE! GO FOR THE A+ !!!

Research-Based Learning Tips

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We all know that sometimes learning can even feel awful!

• Why?

• We may not be too motivated. • We may not understand why the material is important. • We may not possess sufficient background. • The C in the prerequisite course may be coming back to haunt us. • Or, we may just be going about learning in a bad way. • Our learning method may stink. • We might not really have a "learning method!"

• What then should we do? Here are some awesome research-based (no BS) tips!

1) Learn to “Read Strategically” (an AAR term) – Get that BIG PICTURE first: title, authors,

institutions, year, abstract, intro, conclusions, references….what is main problem, why is it important, what are main issues, what is approach, what are assumptions, pros/cons, main contributions… go to next paper…repeat…then decide what to really read!

2) Become a proficient long-distance power “interval reader” (an AAR term) – read; stop; reflect; take notes; continue…like athletic interval training…find your optimal rhythm! …will let you evolve into a powerful endurance reader!

….an excellent question: How do we “Make it Stick?”

MAKE IT STICK: THE SCIENCE OF SUCCESSFUL LEARNING

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Research-Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• Limit your re-reading; need some re-reading to get main points, big picture, basic language/terminology

NOTE: o Traditional re-reading - widely used – but ineffective (learning doesn’t stick) o gives false illusion of mastery!

• No more cramming – stressful and ineffective; leads to modest short-term results (at best); leads

to poor long term memory/learning! …learning doesn’t “stick”

• Learning should be effortful; don’t look for short cuts; look for guiding grounded principles & methods; easy comes with a price – always! (…no free lunch!)

No Pain, No Gain! You get out what you put in...

• SPACED QUIZ-BASED PRACTICE & CALIBRATION is key to learning! • helps one

o focus on central precepts, o identify weaknesses, o arrest forgetting and o pursue mastery.

Research Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• SPACED RETRIEVAL o challenges you to remember o forces you to recreate information o strengthens brain connections & the learning

• INTERLEAVING (MIXING) RELATED TOPICS

o reviewing mixture of problems/topics better than “blocked practice” o helps you better prepare for real exam o similar to taking random pitches during batting practice

o random pitches during batting practice helps one better prepare for hitting during a real game

• ELABORATION o explaining what you've learned in your own words to yourself or others o explaining to others can greatly facilitate mastery o relating new material to what you already know and your personal life o developing visual models, mneumonics, & large summary sheets help you figure out

& build additional connections/associations

Research Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• GENERATION: LOOKING AHEAD o trying to solve problems before being exposed to solutions, o reading before class, o experiential learning, o wrestling with course content on your own before going over it in class, o flipped/reversed classroom concepts, etc.

• REFLECTION

asking yourself questions about

o what has been done, o how to do it better, o what you know and don't know, and o general thinking about your thinking (i.e. critical thinking).

Research Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• JOIN TESTING GROUPS - NOT STUDY GROUPS! o Join testing groups rather than study groups

To quote Dr. Donna O. Johnson (Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System):

“Stop Studying and Start Learning!”

• MAKE THE BEST OF SETBACKS • Setbacks can provide key ingredients for a substantive reset, critical

reflection, & redirection leading to forward success and true mastery This important "glass half-full philosophy” dates back to ancient Greek stoicism

Research Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• CLIMB TO TOP OF BLOOM’S TAXONOMY PYRAMID o Learners should strive to climb to top of Bloom's cognitive learning

taxonomy (classification) pyramid (1956). o Pyramid classifies stages of learning:

1) Remember or Memorize of Basic Knowledge 2) NOTE: In some areas, we never leave the 1st floor of

the pyramid! We should all strive to get to the 6th floor! 3) Understand or Comprehend or Explain 4) Apply or Implement or Solve 5) Analyze or Organize or Examine or Test or Connect Ideas 6) Evaluate or Select or Defend or Justify 7) Create or Produce or Design or Develop or Synthesize

AAR bottom-up mnemonic for Bloom’s learning pyramid:

RESTED - Remember, Explain, Solve, Test, Evaluate, Design

Research Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• CLIMB TO TOP OF BLOOM’S TAXONOMY PYRAMID RESTED - Remember, Explain, Solve, Test, Evaluate, Design

Figure from Center for Teaching:

https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

Research Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• CLIMB TO TOP OF BLOOM’S TAXONOMY PYRAMID

Main Idea: we begin by

Remembering or memorizing some basic ideas; then we start

Explaining because we have understanding; then we start

Solving or applying; then we

Test or analyze; then we

Evaluate; and finally we

Design or create

Research Based Learning Tips

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Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning" (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel; 2014)

• CLIMB TO TOP OF BLOOM’S TAXONOMY PYRAMID

• AAR top-down mnemonic for Bloom’s learning pyramid:

CEASER - Create, Evaluate, Analyze, Solve, Explain, Remember

Figure from Pike Perspectives: http://blogs.pikeschool.org/blog/category/upper-school/

AAR Tips philosophy, critical thinking, planning, learning, health, happiness & productivity

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AAR Tips

A Few Philosophical Principles that are Good for us ALL

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AAR Tips

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EXAMINE 147 DELPHIC MAXIMS!

• 147 Delphic maxims are ancient 6th century BC proverbs (7 sages) …

http://www.witchipedia.com/def:the-delphic-maxims

• Disclosure: A few of the 147 Delphic Maxims are antiquated and simply very stupid! • Insensitivity, prejudice, misogyny, for example, have no place in our modern world!

• Here are some relevant and important maxims:

o 6. Know what you have learned 106. Be grateful o 8. Be (or Know) Yourself 112. Do away with enmities o 10. Know your opportunity 121. Do not tire of learning o 14. Control yourself 129. Respect yourself o 15. Help your friends 135. Share the load of the unfortunate o 17. Exercise prudence 147. on reaching the end - without sorrow o 21. Cling to discipline o 48. Be a seeker of wisdom o 53. Consult the wise o 72. Govern your expenses o 73. Be happy with what you have o 97. Be courteous

AAR Tips

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LUCK

• What is luck? Luck is when preparation meets opportunity:

L = P + O (mnemonics: LPO or LEPPO)

• If you're unprepared, you won't even notice the opportunity that may be staring you in the face!

• That's my definition of BAD LUCK; i.e. being unprepared for an amazing opportunity!

• Delphic Maxim #10: Know your opportunity (Pittacus of Mytilene).

AAR Tips

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BE PERSISTENT: DON’T GIVE UP!

• Your life dreams are important • Give it all you got and then give it some more • You don’t want to have any “I didn’t do my best” regrets

• Remember: INVENIAM VIAM - find a way or make one ... Hannibal

Delphic Maxim #92: Finish the race without shrinking back. Delphic Maxim #147: On reaching the end, be without sorrow.

AAR Tips

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BECOME A FANATIC CRITICAL THINKER! • What is critical thinking? Here is one possible definition - my definition.

• Critical thinking refers to thinking about your thinking; o analyzing, evaluating and improving the full bloody thinking process; o how information is gathered; o deciding on the quality of the information; o examining the questioning that takes place; o making sure that it is systematic; o trying to make sure that nothing has been overlooked; o have other points of view been missed? o analyzing the thresholds that are used (and set) for determining whether or not an idea is

acceptable; o analyzing the standards that are used! o being aware of our irrational mind, egocentrism and sociocentrism – attacking these with

logic • Sounds very complex! It is!

• If you practice enough, it can become second nature! ... …just like walking, running, jumping, caring, helping, etc.

• Becoming a good critical thinker takes work; e.g. like hitting a baseball, manipulating a soccer ball, playing tennis, etc.

AAR Tips

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LEARN TO SIFT YOUR MIND! • As, Dr. Dan Siegel describes in his book:

"Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation,“

we must all (children, teenagers, and adults alike) learn to "SIFT" our mind; i.e. carefully examine the many associated (past and present) S- Sensations (physical reactions); I – Images; F - Feelings; T - Thoughts

AAR Tips

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LEARN TO SIFT YOUR MIND!

• We must remind ourselves that feelings, and the associated/resulting thoughts, are not "facts." That is, they are not reality. They are (at best) our interpretation or misinterpretation or distortion of reality. As such, pause and reflection are in order so that our “rational brain” can properly inform, guide and calm our often troublesome and cantankerous “emotional brain.”

• References

• http://www.vancouversun.com/professional+help+sifting+mind/9356153/story.html • https://www.nicabm.com/a-four-step-strategy-for-training-your-brain-to-better-

understand-your-emotions/ • https://www.kidsinthehouse.com/all-parents/health-and-wellness/brain-

enrichment/what-sift-and-how-can-it-help-parenting

AAR Tips

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BE GRATEFUL!

• Realize that you must be very grateful to be pursuing ENG – a career that will prepare you to participate in the ongoing technological revolution!

• You’ve made an EXCELLENT career choice! … every ENG discipline is GREAT! See Delphic Maxim #10: Know your opportunity

AAR Tips

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TAKE CONTROL: QUESTION, ANALYZE & VALIDATE!

• Take control of you learning, your career and your life • Be skeptical. A good dose of skepticism, supported by systematic questioning and

standards, is fundamental for any modern day, analytic, scientific thinking professional! • Question everything

• CAUTION: Remember to turn it down a notch when you get home! Even if your

spouse, roommate, etc. is a similar thinking professional, you don't want to overdo it. Peace in the home is essential!

• Always seek validating evidence before accepting anything • The extra time invested will yield a tremendous ROI (return on investment) • Avoid short cuts; the price may be too high; short cuts may take you a lifetime to pay off! • I’ve seen this countless times!

AAR Tips

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PLANNING!

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AAR Tips

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PLANNING

• Always Plan your work and work your plan!

If you fail to plan, then your planning to fail! (Ben Franklin) Don't build the plane during takeoff!

• Learn to plan • Strategize about where your going and how to get there • Get the BIG PICTURE right (mentor can help!!) • Set longer-term goals • Set supporting shorter-term objectives, milestones, & achievable waypoints

(targets) • This takes practice! (don’t dispare!)

AAR Tips

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PLANNING & UNCERTAINTY

• Prepare for alternatives • Ad utrumque paratus (pronounced “adutroomp queparatos”) ….prepare for alternatives

“There’s no such thing as good or bad weather. All we have is weather, and you have to be prepared for it — good and bad.”

-Mikal E. Belicove • Briefly go over goals, objectives, targets and plans every day • Helps you stay focused • Revise/adapt short-term plans when necessary • We all must do this to accommodate unforseeable events that arise • Calmly & responsibly deal with uncertainty – critical skill to develop • Don’t ever change long-term plans because of one bad experience

"Because Dr. So-n-So gave me a B in biology. I no longer want to become a prosthetic surgeon.“

Don't let this be you. NO WAY!

Consult very trusted mentor before changing your (well thought out) long-term plans/dreams!

AAR Tips

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PREPARING FOR COURSES

• Start preparing & planning for courses early • Speak to students, advisors about what to take, when to take it, and who to take it with • Start this at least one semester ahead • Do your “homework” on classes, syllabi, texts, exams, labs, software, reports,

solutions….everything you possibly can, etc. • Use the material wisely! Learn! Don’t “cheat” yourself! Always set mastery as a goal! • Sit in on classes whenever you can. • Have friends record classes for you and help you gather useful relevant resources • Start early • Get organized! • Don’t procrastinate!

AAR Tips

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GPA INSURANCE – DROP WHEN NECESSARY!

• Take a couple of extra “safe classes” • If needed, drop those harder classes that may kill your GPA • “Running away to learn (fight) another day” is fine if done responsibly • Getting a W on your transcript is much better than getting a C or worse • A C grade or worse means you missed some important stuff. This can have very bad

consequences in subsequent classes! C = 0.75… (0.75)^n goes to zero as n approached infinity… get me? This is NOT GOOD!

AAR Tips

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GET & STAY ORGANIZED

• AAR: How you organize impacts how you think! • Important to organize stuff logically!!! • Important to be able to find stuff quickly…like your thinking, your

organizing should have structure! • When you “plan your work,” prioritize organization! • A modern notebook can help you get and stay organized

AAR Tips

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MODERN NOTEBOOK

• Record all lectures (video if possible)…serves as a backup you can go to if needed • Use tablet PC that permits you to take notes, video record lectures, import, annotate,

compute, access www, bookmark & download key resources, etc. • This is the future of note taking… & the future has arrived! • I see many successful students doing this!

• Modern text is a collection of carefully selected and logically organized book marks

(to leverage existing electronic resources)…supplemented by notes, detailed annotation, etc.

• Download, store & carefully organize your knowledge-tutorial-and-information GEMS to form your personal electronic multi-media library

• Do this for the rest of your life!

AAR Tips

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LEARNING!

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AAR Tips

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GET SUFFICIENT SLEEP!

• Sleep helps you heal, regenerate • Lack of sleep impacts your general mood, ability to focus and learn, motivation,

judgement, perception • Impacts learning & memory formation processes – acquisition, consolidation

(memory stabilization), & recall • Consolidation takes place during sleep through strengthening of neural connections http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory • First few hours: Critical for unraveling, reconnecting, transferring into longer term

memory • Last few hours – critical for complex stuff, creativity!

AAR Tips

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BECOME A GOOD LISTENER! • Has anyone ever told you that listening is just as important a skill to nurture, develop and

learn as is writing or speaking? If not, here it is. Learn to listen. It is very important - impacting all components of your life. How does one become a good listener you might ask? The answer is simple. Just practice! NOTE: I said the answer was simple. I did NOT say that listening was simple!

o Like any other worthwhile skill, it requires work. o Toward this goal of becoming an effective listener, it is useful to combine

curiosity, perseverance and patience with sensitivity, objectivity and an ability to internalize, store, file and analyze spoken information.

o Of course, it is not enough to show interest or be interested. o Genuine work is required! o As the listener, you must believe that your listening investment will have a

worthwhile payoff - otherwise, you'll give up and stop! Then you will be labeled a _ _ _ HOLE!

AAR Tips

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BECOME A GOOD LISTENER! • A great tip for becoming a good listener is to simply let the other person speak!!! Don't

monopolize the conversation. At this point, it is useful to recall a quote from the Greek philosopher Epictetus (50-135 AD):

“We were given two ears and one mouth so that

we might listen twice as much as we speak.”

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epictetus https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/epictetus106298.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_listening

AAR Tips

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STUDY-REST PACE RHYTHM

• When studying (e.g. reading, watching video), learn to pace yourself! • Find your optimal study-rest pace/rhythm • Become a burst or short-sprint learner • Learn (sprint), stop (rest), reflect (breathe), take notes (think), and resume (sprint) • Pace yourself so that you can stay motivated & engaged! • Like interval training in athletics, I propose the term “interval learning!” • Become an ath-learner! Like athlete!

OPTIMALLY SPREAD YOUR STUDY SESSIONS

• More shorter (properly spaced) sessions are better than fewer longer sessions • Provides time for proper absorption • Gives brain time to strengthen and optimize those neural connections (consolidation)

AAR Tips

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WHERE YOU STUDY MATTERS

• SACRED PLACE Find a sacred place to study; everyone should have one

• VARIOUS PLACES Alternating locations can help too! Different locations provides a variety of association/visual learning queues

• THE LEARNING/STUDY COMFORT ZONE! Need to repeatedly enter that elusive learning/study comfort zone to remain motivated and focused; being interested/motivated helps, but having effective techniques is also important!

• LIGHTING Make sure to study under good lighting so your eyes & brain don’t tire prematurely; bad lighting will reduce your reading stamina!

WHEN STUDYING, FOCUS!

• Try to stay in that elusive learning/study zone (frame of mind) • Avoid distractions • DON’T MULTI-TASK! …if you multi-task, you will pay a price!

AAR Tips

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EXAMS

• Practice 4-5 prior exams before taking an exam! • "Practice makes perfect" is not just another silly saying! • See “Make it Stick” about spaced quiz-based practice

• Brainstorm with your quizzing/study group on what might be asked • Work together to create challenging possible exam questions • When examining any problems, think how the problem can be restated • Think of different versions of the problem or related problems that may be asked on

an exam • Now you’ve gone from exam taking to exam making!...a big step! • See Donna O. Johnson’s test taking tips!

SPEED ON EXAMS

• The key to speed on exams is understanding & practice! • Understanding comes by solving problems very slowly – to deeply understand each

tiny assumption and step; you want to remove any conceptual gaps asap; taking time to explore alternative approaches is also a vital part of the learning process; mastery should always be a goal – tempered by hard deadlines, time constraints & real responsibilities; speed then comes with practice under exam conditions

AAR Tips

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HARD PROBLEMS

• Learn to break larger harder problems into smaller simpler (more familiar, manageable) problems! …critically important life skill to nurture & develop…like anything else, it takes practice…

ALWAYS MAINTAIN MASTERY AS A GOAL! DO YOUR BEST!

• Sure grades are important

• But there is something even more important!

• Did you do your best should be the guiding standard

AAR Tips

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LEARN TO TAKE NOTES & SUMMARIZE WITH BULLETS!

• Take notes while reading, in class, at seminars, while reviewing HW and exams, etc. • After taking notes, examine the notes…right away!...while stuff is fresh in your mind • Learn to summarize your notes (and your thoughts!!!) with a few bullets Reference: Dr. Donna O. Johnson’s Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System - bullet point reading, notes, concepts, notebooks • AAR: Bullets are all about emphasizing the main ideas…the “Big Picture”

TEACHING CAN REALLY HELP YOU MASTER MATERIAL!

• Arrange teaching sessions with study/quizzing group partners • You can also tutor others in class

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LEARNING A NEW THEORY OR METHOD

• When does it work? What are the associated assumptions? • When does it fail? • Remember:

All theories, methods, models, descriptions have limitations!

Stupidity does not!

• Understand those critical assumptions Delphic Maxim #6: Know what you have learned.

• Remember that:

ALL models and theories have limitations, stupidity does not!

All models are wrong. Some are useful!

• Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while employing longstanding logic, methods of questioning and standards! http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766

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LIFELONG LEARNING!

• Prepare for and embrace life-long learning • There should never be a boring moment • There is always so much you can do! • Delphic Maxim #121: Do not tire of learning

LEARN TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE

• To learn some practical people skills, I strongly recommend Dale Carnegie's

"How to Win Friends and Influence People."

AAR Tips on health, happiness & productivity

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AAR Tips

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PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH!

• Always take care of your health • If you don’t, you can jeopardize/ruin everything your working for • This would be very bad! • One reason to have good techniques is to reduce stress, permit steady sustainable

progress and protect your health • None of us want to ever experience what it feels like to lose one’s health!

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LEARN ABOUT THOSE HAPPY BRAIN CHEMICALS (DOSE)

• NO CRAZY STUFF FOLKS!

• Dopamine – helps with goals How to get it: short celebrations, hugs, gifts

• Oxytocin – helps with relations (cuddle or bonding hormone) … AAR: TAKE OF YOUR STUDIES FIRST MY YOUNG FRIENDS!! How to get it: hugs, gifts

• Serotonin – helps you feel important; controls mood How to get it: sun, tryptophan, carbs, low proteins

• Endorphins – helps you “power through” stress and depression How to get it: laughter, exercise, dark chocolate

http://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/activate-chemicals-gamify-happiness-nicole-lazzaro/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/59029/happy-chemicals.pdf

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LEARN ABOUT THOSE HAPPY BRAIN CHEMICALS (DOSE)

• Understanding the above can increase productivity and happiness

• Be aware of bad habits that may develop in order to stimulate happy chemical production; e.g. smoking, spending, manipulating others, etc.

• Learning to get accept some of the nasty realities of our complex world (and associated

“learned” unhappiness…yes…accept unhappiness) can help us remove bad habits! • When you get a bad feeling, that’s your body telling you to stop something – even if

you know it may be very good for you: e.g. exercise! o We therefore must learn to use logic to fight our complaining (dumb) bodies. o When your body “yells,” your brain should yell back… “I’m winning” … and just

keep going…. o Eventually, the body’s “yelling” (complaining) will diminish…i.e. you get used to

the activity that is good for you; exercise

GUARANTEED 4.0 LEARNING SYSTEM

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Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System

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• Author: Dr. Donna O. Johnson • A complete system for learning • Developed for engineers, but works for any area • This is a MUST read, MUST study, MUST use regularly system • Paperback available on Amazon! • AAR – Please Remember:

o Anything worthwhile takes work. This takes work. o This system is VERY worthwhile. It takes work. This work will save

you an immense amount of time!

STRESS • Stress is normal • You are not alone! (Important for you to really know this!) • All engineering students stress • Have a stress relieving/preventing activity (1-2 hours per week) Something you can think about to relax you (e.g. during an exam)

WORK • School should be your job! • Work iff you need money for Food, Shelter, or Tuition • If you must work, try to pick job that will help you; i.e. doesn’t take you away

from studying

Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System

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CLASS • Go to class! • Sit up front & center • Remain alert, focused, and attentive…participate, ask questions!

POH • Go to professor office hours (POH) • Even if you know the answer; good to get a different perspective • Seek mentoring • Discuss important stuff; e.g. career, research, FURI, thesis, etc. • NOTE: Don’t ask for a letter of recommendation until the professor

knows you a bit (e.g. class is over, you’ve started a project together)

BPR • Read ahead – before class (1-7 days before) • AAR: Even a good “strategic (big picture) scan” of the material to be

covered can give you a huge cognitive advantage during a class lecture • Bullet Point Reading (BPR) – summarize!

Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System

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BPN •Bullet Point Notes (BPN) • Immediately after class – when things are “refresh” in your mind! •Summarize key points! •What were main questions/problems addressed? What was answer/solution/approach/method? What were key assumptions? Knowing the latter will give you deep understanding!

HW •Start HW day it is assigned •Even a “strategic read over” can help tremendously; i.e. prepare you for what lies ahead • If you get stuck on a problem, move on after 20 min…think about later, get help, ask friends,… go to POH even if you know (or think you know) the answer now! Ask your question to get the prof’s insightful perspective.

BPC •On corrected HW and Exams; •For each question, answer: why is this correct or incorrect? What are relevant concepts! •Critical moment for reflection; try to relate to what’s been covered & what’s ahead

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Bullet Point Notebook

• Organize ALL bullet points in one notebook…BE ORGANIZED! • Take it everywhere! • Review repeatedly…you will naturally add stuff (e.g. examples, etc.) • Continue to improve!

Stop Studying … and Start Learning!

AAR:

Live a 4.0-Centric Life!

A 4.O Centric Life means that you are always (continuously) learning If you do this, there is no need for that “traditional” ineffective studying!

Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System

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THE 4.0 PROCESS

• BPR • Class • BPN • HW • POH • BPC • BP Notebook • Practice exams/quizzes • Quizzing Group “fist fight” • BPC • BP Notebook

TIME MANAGEMENT • 168 hours / week • Follow 4.0 Learning System and you’ll significantly reduce “study time”

& you’ll have time for many other things & sleep – Dr. Johnson insists upon 8 hrs/night!

Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System

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STAYING ON PLAN The “Magnificent” 7 Questions 1) BPR - Did I BPR at least 1-7 days before class or not?

2) CLASS - Did I go to class and arrive 5 minutes early or not?

3) BPN - Did I BPN immediately after each class or not?

4) HW - Did I start my HW the day it was assigned or not?

5) POH - Did I visit POH this week for every class or not?

6) PBC - Did I BPC my returned HW and exams or not?

7) BP NOTEBOOK - Did I take my BP notebook everywhere or not?

Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System

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• This is a MUST read, MUST study, MUST use regularly system • Paperback available on Amazon!

• LIVE IT! (Forgo “traditional ineffective” studying.)

• IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

• You may even sleep 8 hours per night!!! :o)

ASSIGNMENT #1

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• Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System Due 8-31 (2 wks from now)

o turn in official class schedule; o full weekly time management schedule including BPR (bullet point reading), BPN

(bullet point notes), BPC (bullet point concepts), POH (professor office hours), and HW (homework) times for each class

o Complete a Time Estimate Chart that matches your time management schedule by category; e.g. Sleep, Eat, Class, Study, Social, Work, Persona Hygiene, etc.; Note: An illustrative example is on the back side of the first page of our (27 page) 4.0 Handout that will be disseminated in class.

o turn in POH o Please answer the seven (7) questions shown on p. 92 of our (27 page) 4.0 Handout.

This will help you check if you are “On Plan.” Please answer more than just yes or no. Please give an explanation if the answer is not “yes.”

• Guaranteed 4.0 and Exam Taking Survey (will be developed & posted) - Due 9-28 (approx. 6 wks)

• Learning and Critical Thinking Survey (will be developed & posted) Due 9-28 (approx. 6 wks)

• Write short summary of meeting; list 5 new things that you learned. Due 8-31 (2 wks)

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ASAP Class - Semester Requirements at a Glance

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1) Guaranteed 4.0 Learning System Due 8-31

2) Resume – 1 page Due 8-31

3) 3 Minute Career Fair Plea – ~1 page Due 9-11

4) Find Mentors (2-3) Due 9-28

5) Make Yourself Available to Mentee at CCs Due 9-28

6) FURI Materials Due 10-12

7) Interest Paper and Plan or Project Summary Report (Tech Paper) 5 pages + 10 references + Figures + Diagrams Due 11-16

8) Career Plan – 5 pages (10 years past grad) Due 11-16

9) Statement of Purpose for Grad School - 1 page Due 11-30

10) Surveys – throughout semester NOTE: Please see ASAP Due Dates at a Glance for more details

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Thank You Very Much!

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Thank You Very Much!