Strategies for Comprehension and Retention in Higher Education: Report

This report delves into the crucial roles of comprehension and retention in enhancing the quality of learning and boosting academic achievements within higher education. It examines various techniques to build these skills, including keeping reading journals, reading aloud, note-taking, reading at night, and utilizing physical books. The report also highlights the significance of skimming and summarizing materials, as well as the benefits of reading buddies. Furthermore, it addresses obstacles that hinder comprehension and retention, such as lack of focus, negative mindsets, and adverse past experiences, providing potential solutions to overcome these challenges. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of these skills for student success and the need for training and development to mitigate obstacles.

Study Skills for Higher
Education

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Roles of building comprehension and retention in order to improve quality of learning and
increasing academic achievements of students............................................................................1
Evaluating obstacles pertaining to build comprehension and retention......................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Comprehension in simple term is an ability that helps an individual in order to understand
something. Then when difficult words comprehension has been left then it is essential to look up
the definition and usage (Assiter, 2017). Moreover, retention is the term that is defined as the
possession in continuous manner and also the use and control of something. In other words,
retention of the information that is being learned is defined as having that data which is stored in
long term memory in an innovative way that would lead the students in that way that it can
readily retrieved (Kongtawee and Sappapan, 2018).
In the following assignment roles and techniques of building the comprehension and
retention has been taken into consideration. Further, this report also highlights on [obstacles that
comes in a way in order to build this comprehension and retention in detail by using library
information and media resources to collect various information that would be helpful.
Roles of building comprehension and retention in order to improve quality of learning and
increasing academic achievements of students.
The term comprehension is defined as the information that is being understood at that
particular moment only when material is being read. While, retention is that in which
information is being understood later on after a particular time period (Lee, Lee, Liao and Wang,
2015). Thus, the techniques that is being used in order to build comprehension and retention in
order to improve quality of learning has been discussed as per below context-
 They must keep reading journal with them- Journals are the best way that can be used by
the students that would help them in recalling the information that is termed as important
for their development. In this journals, jot down titles, authors, important plot points and
names of characters must be written that can be further recalled and can be further
referred.
 Reading out the points loudly- As per the studies, the people are more likely in order to
remember something must try reading out in loud manner. Firstly, it may be seem as
strange but later on it would be extremely helpful as to improving reading retention.
Here, the mind of an individual or a student and also their voice are used together.
 Taking of notes- To take notes equally is the best way in order to improve the memory
and retention of a particular story even if they jot down their thoughts in a margins or
even if they keep the notebook where they write their ideas. Thus, important plot points
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are recorded; favourite quotes will be copied or may even write descriptions or names. In
addition to this, it has been analysed that the act in terms of writing further leads in
improving retention and gives the guidance to students to refer them back later if
required.
 Reading at night- the best time for reading or grasping is the night time because it is
termed as the best time of the day that helps in reading books and remembering new
things. Thus, it has been analysed that the better time for the brain to develop and to learn
is the night time that means it is easy to retain the information at night.
 Sticking to physical books- There are number of advantages of e-readers. This e-readers
includes digital books, convenience those also have their downsides (McLauchlin and
Hua, 2017). Therefore, it has been analysed that old fashion print is the best way or
technique that can be used in order to maintain and improve retention and memory of a
particular student.
 Skim the book first and read a summary- This is also the significant way in order to
improve the ability of retaining the information. Further, whole book or data is to be
revised or scan that will help them in grasping the data completely and easily. In addition
to this, it would lead in building up the solid base that will be easier in such way that they
can remember the finer details that is needed for them.
 Having a buddy in terms of reading- Either being a friend or a partner if someone
completes reading a novel than they requires someone who they will be required to talk
to someone so that they can recall it as and when required. Further, engagement in terms
of discussions will lead in creating personal connections which later helps in retaining teh
complete story.
Thus, apart from the above strategies or techniques they can also try to read as much as they can
and keep notes about all the interesting words which is used in describing difficult word in easy
manner (Stewart and et.al., 2017). This will help them in creating high level of attention and
concentration and also leads in retention of learning. In addition to this, they can also try to get
interested in new things which attracts their concentration or mind towards it will be termed as
successful for such learners.
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Evaluating obstacles pertaining to build comprehension and retention.
The benefits are maximum with it comes to barriers. Thus, the achievements for students
are achieved in seldom which is termed as the major and significant reason for these obstacles to
come in way of achievement of engagement in terms of learning and studying something
(Suleman, 2016). The obstacles that might arise in their path towards comprehension and
retention has been discussed as per below context-
 Lack of focus- Focus plays significant role in order to learn something or to retain it in an
adequate manner. But it gets disturbed due to various reasons like phone rings, email
notifications poking up and also meetings that run back to back. All this distraction
process makes an individual away from concentration level. Further, trying to read notes
without any essence. Thus, the way or solution to this problem is that they must be
advised and motivated in such way so that they can focus on learning while training and
development session. They must also prepare a focus hour, where they have to keep their
mobile phones and many other things that would distract them aside so that they can
concentrate on learning and studying easily without any disturbance.
 Personal mindsets- this may also be due to negative experience that individual may have
suffered in their past or due to low level of self esteem, many people believe that they
cannot learn new things or tricks as it is impossible for them. This may also create low
level of engagement among their co workers or co learners and the only reason is their
negativity. The technique that can be used in order to overcome this issue is that the
learners must be provided with room that will help them in discussing the concerns in
constructive manner (Tavoosy and Jelveh, 2019).
 Negative past experience- Bad or negative past experience can be either bad teacher,
sloppy courses that are online or history of schooling that was quite boring can foster
down the barriers in terms of learning. There are some experiences through which adults
or learners doubt in order to their own ability so that they can learn. Thus, the solution
that can be adopted by them is that they must try to create positive and stress free
environment where the students can raise their voice and share their views or ideas freely
without any kind of hesitation. And the best way to make such environment is to ask the
one who are learning about their interest and the thing that they wanted to avoid in terms
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of learning. This will make them feel valued which in turn will create positive vibes
between them (Vaughn and et.al., 2015).
Thus, it has been analysed that the barriers are those that prevents anyone to learn and also to
get fully engaged into it. There are number of barriers that everyone has to face before
learning. Thus, when the students that are involved cannot satisfy fully in the activity that is
related to learning than they may lack in learning process and also in engaging in it in fully
manner. Moreover, if adults are being taken into consideration than the obstacles may be
quite high and may also be unpredictable which becomes difficult to find solution for them
so that they can overcome with those problems.
CONCLUSION
From the above report or assignment it has been analysed that comprehension and
retention plays extremely significant role in the life of a student so that they can achieve high
level of success in the future. Further, it has also been analysed that learning retention makes the
information transfer from short term memory to that of long term ones that later leads them in
recalling the data as and when required without any mistake. In addition to this, this assignment
also helps in highlight the obstacles that may arise in their path towards success, therefore they
have to make students aware about the importance of learning and give them proper training and
development session so that they can easily overcome such obstacles.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Assiter, A., 2017. Transferable skills in higher education. Routledge.
Kongtawee, P. and Sappapan, P., 2018. The Effects of L1 and L2 Hypertext Glosses on Reading
Comprehension and Vocabulary: Retention Among Thai Secondary School Students. Arab
World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume. 9.
Lee, S.P., Lee, S.D., Liao, Y.L. and Wang, A.C., 2015. Effects of audio-visual aids on foreign
language test anxiety, reading and listening comprehension, and retention in EFL
learners. Perceptual and motor skills. 120(2). pp.576-590.
McLauchlin, B. and Hua, J., 2017. Impact of the Arts on Public Perception, Comprehension, and
Retention of Scientific Research. Alpenglow: Binghamton University Undergraduate
Journal of Research and Creative Activity. 3(1). p.12.
Stewart, A., and et.al., 2017, June. Face forward: Detecting mind wandering from video during
narrative film comprehension. In International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in
Education (pp. 359-370). Springer, Cham.
Suleman, F., 2016. Employability skills of higher education graduates: Little consensus on a
much-discussed subject. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 228. pp.169-174.
Tavoosy, Y. and Jelveh, R., 2019. Language teaching strategies and techniques used to support
students learning in a language other than their mother tongue. International Journal of
Learning and Teaching. 11(2). pp.77-88.
Vaughn, S., and et.al., 2015. Improving reading comprehension for high school students with
disabilities: Effects for comprehension and school retention. Exceptional Children. 82(1).
pp.117-131.
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