Rutgers-Camden Learning Center
Academic Support Workshops

Fall 2009

The Rutgers-Camden Learning Center (RCLC) will host a series of academic support workshops for the Spring 2008 term for interested students.  All workshops will take place in Room 212 of Armitage Hall on Wednesdays during the free period from 12:15 pm to 1:10 pm. except for the "But Wikipedia Says It's Right" workshop which will take place in the Robeson Library Electronic Classroom (basement level).

A Tool For Life: Goal-Setting, Timothy Pure,  Learning Specialist
9/9/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
Learn goal-setting in this highly interactive workshop. Participants will: understand the difference between a dream and a goal, design concrete, measurable long-term and short-term goals, and develop action plans for achieving their goals.
 
Time Management and Avoiding Procrastination, Dr. Robert Ciervo, Director of the RCLC
9/16/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
Learn about why students often procrastinate and the tips to overcome this competing behavior.  Find out about specific techniques to maximize your time through term, weekly and daily planning activities that will allow you to realize your academic goals.

Choosing the Right Note Taking Format, Timothy Pure, RCLC Learning Specialist
9/23/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
Explore different formats of note taking as well as tips to choose the format that best suits individual needs. Formats to be explored include Cornell, T-Notes, column format notes, outline format notes, designer notes, and note-taking on PowerPoint presentations. The workshop will also offer advice on how to best use a word processing program to take notes.

Great Study Skills, Timothy Pure, RCLC Learning Specialist
9/30/09 & 12/2/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
Attendees will learn strategies to maximize concentration, avoid distractions, better organzie their materials, and improve their retention.  Students will participate in several self-assessments in order to develop a study plan that suits their individual needs.

Improving Grammar and Writing Mechanics, Kathleen Tierney, RCLC Writing Assistant
10/7/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
This workshop will provide an overview of the proper use of punctuation such as comma use, colons, semi-colons, and the proper way to cite sources in MLA papers. Ways to improve sentence structure will also be covered. These topics include, how to avoid using passive voice, “to be” verbs and how to fix “run-on” sentences.

Understanding and Optimizing Your Learning Style, Timothy Pure, Learning Specialist
10/14/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
A brief overview of how the brain learns, as currently understood by science. Common misconceptions, such as left brain/right brain learning, will be debunked. Participants will explore various theories of learning styles (e.g., multiple intelligences theory) before receiving practical recommendations for optimizing one’s learning environment and coursework.

Test Taking Strategies, Dr. Robert Ciervo, Director of the RCLC
10/21/09 & 11/11/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
Learn how to employ different strategies to be effective in mastering multiple choice, essay, short answer and matching type examinations.  Find out how to prepare in advance to improve your test performances.

Writing a Great Research Paper, Kathleen Tierney, RCLC Writing Assistant
10/28/09 & 11/18/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
The workshop will focus on how to write a successful research paper. The topics covered will include how to effectively research a topic, tips on writing solid introductions and conclusions, a guide on structuring body paragraphs, and how to write cohesive transition sentences.  

“But Wikipedia Says It’s Right!”:  Evaluating Resources Critically, Timothy Pure, Learning Specialist
11/4/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, Robeson Library (Follow the signs to the Electronic Classroom)
Workshop will focus on how to choose appropriate resources for college-level research, and to critically analyze resources. Participants will also discuss using Google and Wikipedia in college-level courses. To be taught in collaboration with the staff of Robeson library.

Stress Management for School and Life,
Dr. Robert Ciervo, Director of the RCLC
12/9/09, 12:15-1:10 pm, ARM 212
This workshop will educate students about the different components of stress and how stress can have negative effects on both academic performance and one’s personal life.  Learn the techniques that elite level athletes use to manage stress and enter into a relaxed and focus state to achieve success. 

Attention Faculty Members:

The RCLC offers "Learning Strategy" workshops for all RU courses. Faculty members interested in having an RCLC representative present a workshop to his/her class may fill out our Workshop Request Form. Below are examples of some workshops that have been offered in the past.

                        Planning for Success
 

Time/Self Management

• Avoiding procrastination
• Developing long & short term plans
• Staying on task
• Prioritizing

• Questioning/Challenging established ideas
• Applying information to real life situations
• Evaluating resources

• Learning to analyze, brainstorm, execute, and evaluate solutions

• Becoming aware of how one best processes, retains, and applies information
• Learning to make adjustments to professors’ teaching styles
   

Learning Strategies

 

Note Taking

• Use note-taking system (e.g., Cornell)
• Summarize material

Concentrating in Class

• Active listening
• Asking questions
• Have a purpose
• Becoming aware of distractions

Memory Techniques

• Use preferred modalities to help one learn
• Teach material to another student
• Associate new information with current knowledge

Stress Management/Test Anxiety

• Take control/responsibility for oneself
• Identify stressors & coping mechanisms
• Learn relaxation techniques

Motivation/Goal Setting

• Becoming an active learner
• Staying focused
• Recognizing what motivates oneself