Study Skills for Higher Education: Applying Learning Strategies

This essay explores study skills essential for success in higher education, emphasizing the importance of effective learning, reading, and knowledge acquisition. It highlights Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, detailing eight distinct intelligences and their implications for teaching methods. The essay discusses how teachers can leverage these intelligences to cater to diverse learning styles, enhance student understanding, and improve academic performance through various techniques such as visual aids, storytelling, role-playing, and personalized guidance. Ultimately, the essay underscores the significance of understanding individual learning preferences and tailoring educational approaches to foster student growth and achievement in higher education.

Study Skills for Higher
Educations

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
Application of Howard Gardener's Theory of Multiple Intelligences........................................1
Based on this theory what teaching methods can teachers use to help students learn.................4
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Study skills refers to the variety of skills which are required by a learner and students for
the learning and developing knowledge in their academic life. It is most important for a learner
for effective learning, reading, acquiring knowledge as well as completing project and
assignment of school or college. These skills also helps them to taking extra knowledge, keeping
or remembering information and dealing with various projects in their higher education
(Cameron, 2019). It also helps them to conduct their fair and effective practices in the
professional career. Study skills provides guidance to the students to make effective plan,
strategies and improving reading, writing habits to get higher grade and success in the future
career.
This report highlights the Howard Gardener's Theory of Multiple Intelligences as well as its
multiple methods that can be used by the teachers to helps the students for learning and
developing.
MAIN BODY
Application of Howard Gardener's Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardener's Theory of Multiple Intelligence states that not all the people are born
with all the types of skills and intelligence which they will have in their whole life. This theory
believes that traditional psychometric approaches of intelligence are very less and too limited. In
this theory Gardner states that every people have various types of talents as well as they also
generate skills from various types of learning and intelligences. Gardner beliefs that every
individual have different personality, mindsets as well as unique way of understanding. For that
Gardner gives eight intelligences which each individuals can posses differently in their learning
process (Cottrell, 2020). Many teachers and professors use multiple intelligences in their
teaching style and practices as well as implement this theory in the classroom to helps the student
to understand better. Understanding more about this theory can help the teacher to understand
better about the mindsets, strengths and weaknesses of the students so they can help them to
learn and understand the concepts of various subjects or courses. The eight intelligences of
Howard Gardener's Theory are as follows-
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Visual spatial Intelligence- It includes maps, videos, charts and pictures, this
intelligence suggests that people who have good visualisation and visual spatial intelligence.
These type of people can use videos, maps and charts to provide direction and understand the
thing better. These type of people can easily solve puzzles, understand graphs, charts and
pictures well. Also, they enjoy painting, drawing and visual arts as well as recognise charts and
patterns easily. People with better visualisation can make their career as artist, engineer and
architect also they have good career choice in this field (FREy and Fisher, 2018).
Linguistic Verbal Intelligence- This intelligence states that people who use words well
as well as good vocabulary can use this intelligence to understand the things better. These types
of people have strong in writing stories, reading and memorizing information. Their strengths are
language, words and writing as well as they develop their professional career as teacher,
journalist, writer and lawyer. Individuals with linguistic verbal intelligence are enjoy writing and
reading, capable to explain thing better to others, give persuasive speeches and participate in
debate well. Also they have very good sense of humour and they can used it while telling the
stories and make its more interesting.
Logical Mathematical Intelligence- In these type of intelligence people are good at
recognizing patterns, reasoning as well as logically determining problems and errors. These type
of people lean to think and believe conceptually about relationships, numbers, patterns and
thinks. Strengths of these people are they are good in solving mathematical operations and many
analytical problems or data. Individual with logical mathematical intelligence have superior
problem solving skills, they like conducting unique and scientific experiments as well as they are
capable to solve and complex computations or equation of mathematics (Richards and Pilcher,
2020). They have vast variety of good career and growth choices such as computer programmer,
scientist, accountant, engineer and mathematician. These type of people can develop their skills
by thinking critically, practising practical equation and experiments and use abstract ideas to
solve the problems easily.
Bodily Kinaesthetic intelligence- In these type of intelligence individuals are good at
performing actions, body movement and physical control. Individuals who are better in this
intelligence lean to have best dexterity and hand eye coordination. People with this intelligence
are skilled at sports and dancing as well as have superior physical coordination. These type of
people remember thing by doing rather than seeing or hearing as well as enjoy making creative
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things with their hands. Individual who are strong in bodily kinaesthetic intelligence have good
career choices such as builder, actor, sculptor and dancer.
Musical Intelligence- These intelligence states that some people have strong knowledge
about music and its instruments and they have good understanding in sounds, patterns and
rhythms. These individuals are often best at musical performance and composition and their
strengths are music and rhythm. People with musical intelligence recognise tones and musical
patterns easily and remember melodies and songs. These individuals have a strong knowledge of
musical notes, instruments, rhythm and structure (Sera, and McPherson, 2019). They also have
good career choices such as singer, music teacher, composer and musician.
Interpersonal Intelligence- These intelligence states that people who have this skills are
good at interacting and understanding other people. These people are highly skilled at evaluating
the motivations, emotions, intentions and desires of people around them. Individuals with
interpersonal skills see and handle situations from different appearance as well as can easily
resolve conflicts in group. They can create positive and healthy relationships with others and are
skilled at non verbal interaction as well as they communicate verbally better. These people have
good career opportunities such as politician, counsellor, salesperson, philosopher and
psychologist.
Intra personal Intelligence – people who are best in this intelligence are understand
well about their own feelings, motivations and emotional states. These people lean to analysis
and enjoy self reflection, exploring relationship and connection with others, evaluating their
internal strengths and they love to day dreaming. Individuals with this intelligence have better
self awareness about themselves, understand the basis for their own feelings and motivations as
well as enjoy determining ideas and theories for conducting their task in better way. They can
use this intelligence to analyse their internal strengths and weaknesses well and make efforts to
improve for the growth (Suebsom, 2020). The people who have strong intra personal skills has
better career opportunities such as theorist, philosopher, scientist and writer.
Naturalistic Intelligence- The Gardener suggest that people who have this intelligence
are good nature and understanding. These type of people are interested in exploring the nature,
like to experience different adventures and developing knowledge about many species. People
who have good naturalistic intelligence catalog and categories information easily as well as they
enjoy gardening, camping, exploring the outdoors, hiking and love to travel in different
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countries. Also, they dislikes learning and gaining knowledge about unfamiliar subjects which
are not related to nature. These type of people have interest in subjects like zoology, botany and
biology and they also nature lover. Individuals who are strong in Naturalistic intelligence have
better career opportunities such they peruse their profession as biologist, farmer, gardener and
conservationist (Tran, 2018) .
Based on this theory what teaching methods can teachers use to help students learn
As per the above theory of Howard Gardener's Theory of Multiple Intelligence the
teacher can use various teaching and learning methods in the classroom during the teaching of
students. They can use various method such as graphs, models, diagram and many more to
reduce the complexity of question as well as provide the understanding and knowing to students
who can easily understand the charts and diagram. By using story telling and humours they can
engage students more in the classroom as well as all the students can easily the difficult concepts
and theories of particular subjects (Suleman, 2018). By using role play and physical games the
teacher can provide the information and spread awareness about many topics among the learners
so they easily get the knowledge and remember the topic which helps them in their higher
studies. By listening the problems of students as well as providing better environment to them
and creating good relation with learner a teacher can claim the anxiety and reduce their stress to
solve critical equations.
By providing shortcuts and easy method to solves critical and complex mathematical
problems or equation a teacher can help the students to get higher grades and remember the
formulas of mathematics for life time. They can use empathy, personal communication with the
students to know about the weakness and problems of learners to provide them guidance and
better suggestion to overcome from these issues and focus on their career (Villarreal and
Martinez, 2018). Teachers also provide guidance to students to deal with many issues, to
understand the ideas of concepts as well as recognise the word well to perform well in the
examination. They also conduct extra classes and writing session for the students to improve
their writing and learning skills.
Further, they can use debate and speech classes so the students improve communication
skills and interacting well with other students to give more focus on studies rather than solving
communication issues. In many schools the teachers conduct extra and creative activities classes
for students so they can learn creative things and generate hobbies in such as artwork, painting,
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drawing , music and many more to express their viewpoint and ideas. By conducting artwork
classes teachers motivate and generate interest among students to explore things and learn new
thing for the future growth. By providing sports and outdoor games activities the teacher can
increase the coordination among students so they perform their task in the complex projects with
team work effectively. By helping them in gaining practical knowledge through scientific
experiments in labs they can create confidence among them to take initiative and solve various
practical problem which are occurred in their higher studies (Vlachopoulos and Makri, 2019).
Teachers also helps them by exploring their knowledge about the importance of many
subject for the development of their future career as well as by giving examples of many students
who do good in their life by developing their profession in many subjects. By conducting picnic,
camps and education tour they can easily convey the massage to students as well as students can
also understand and learn by experiencing practically and get knowledge about various process
regarding nature easily. It is very important of teacher to understand the intelligence of students
as well as their interest and mindset to helps them in getting better knowledge or learning about
their career interest so they easily solve the problems and achieve success in their higher
education.
CONCLUSION
As per above presented information, it is concluded that study skills are the most
important key which helps the students and learners to understand thing and concepts of various
subjects well. These skills helps them to learn, understand and get better knowledge about the
course which they choose for their higher studies. Howard Gardener's Theory of Multiple
Intelligence provides 8 intelligence for understanding that every people have different mind set
and capabilities to understand the thing. These intelligence helps the teacher to know about each
students state of mind and level of understanding. By using this model and multiple teaching
methods, teachers can helps the students to develop their skills and knowledge which helps them
to gain higher grades in their further studies.
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REFERENCES
Books and journal
Cameron, L., 2019. Adjusting the balance of power: initial self-assessment in study skills for
higher education-a case study. In Assessment & Evaluation (pp. 63-72). Routledge.
Cottrell, S., 2020. Teaching study skills and supporting learning. Bloomsbury Publishing.
FREy, N. and Fisher, D., 2018. Ready for college English? Try study skills. The English
Journal. 108(2). pp.68-73.
Nansathit, W. and Intasena, A., 2021. The Development of Reading Comprehension Skills of
Pratomsuksa 3 Students using SQ4R Integrated with Mind Mapping Learning
Management (Doctoral dissertation, Mahasarakham University).
Patphol, M. and Wongyai, W., 2021. Development of Leaning Management Model for Creative
and Innovation Skills Enhancement of Primary Students: A Case Study in
Thailand. Ilkogretim Online, 20(1).
Richards, K. and Pilcher, N., 2020. Study Skills: neoliberalism’s perfect Tinkerbell. Teaching in
Higher Education. pp.1-17.
Sera, L. and McPherson, M.L., 2019. Effect of a study skills course on student self-assessment of
learning skills and strategies. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning. 11(7).
pp.664-668.
Suebsom, K., 2020, January. The use of blended learning: Social media and Flipped Classroom
to encourage Thinking skills and Collaborate Work in Higher Education. In Proceedings
of the 2020 the 3rd International Conference on Computers in Management and
Business (pp. 201-206).
Suleman, F., 2018. The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into
conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education. 76(2). pp.263-
278.
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Tran, L.H.N., 2018. Game of blames: Higher education stakeholders’ perceptions of causes of
Vietnamese graduates’ skills gap. International Journal of Educational
Development. 62(C). pp.302-312.
Villarreal, V. and Martinez, A., 2018. Assessing study skills in college students: A review of
three measures. Journal of College Student Development. 59(5). pp.629-635.
Vlachopoulos, D. and Makri, A., 2019. Online communication and interaction in distance higher
education: A framework study of good practice. International Review of
Education. 65(4). pp.605-632.
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