A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic has urged students who will soon sit the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations, and their parents, that it is not too late to prepare.Dr Brian Hemmings, a senior lecturer at the CSU School of Education, said that if students commit themselves to sustained study, even belatedly, then they should be able to reap the benefits.
“Assessments tend to continue following trial examinations and students need to give their best efforts to a study program now,” Dr Hemmings said.
“One of the best methods of study at this time is to answer questions from past examinations, and have your teacher offer feedback on the questions and answers that posed the most problems.
“Another useful technique is to make summaries of your learning, then summaries of these summaries and so on until two years of senior schooling work is condensed to a few pages.
“Sticking to a set study routine and being systematic in their study preparation should help students avoid the trap of having to re-focus on material that has already been learnt. You don’t want to step backwards to move forwards as it is best to move forwards at all times.”
However, Dr Hemmings also cautioned students not to overdo study and create unwanted stress.
“Students should engage in a balanced lifestyle, one that has a suitable study program tied to healthy recreational activities,” he said. “They should make time to go through their study materials daily, for at least an hour on most nights, but also set aside time for non-school activities such as sport, part-time work and relaxation.”
Dr Hemmings drew attention to the many resources that offer assistance and guidance on topics such as study skills, examination techniques and stress management.
“The NSW HSC Online web site is one of the best resources. It contains information on topics such as time management, how to answer short essay questions and memorisation strategies. It also offers advice to parents whose child is an HSC candidate. It is anticipated that about two million pages from the NSW HSC Online web site will be accessed in the month leading up to the 2008 HSC examinations.”
Dr Hemmings also reassured students that the decisions they make now are not binding for life, given that the current generation of high school students - so-called Generation Y - will probably change career much more frequently than previous generations.
Social
Explore the world of social