Toyin Ogunmefun's space

Below is a mail from a fellow study group member.Thought of sharing the work-out there.

thx

Here’s a mail from a Study Grouper that I think we can all relate to--

Hey BOB team,

I originally wrote an email to you about failing a few 2003 tests and being a bit discouraged.  I feel your reply was somewhat helpful but what I really need is a better way to study.  I have no problems passing simulations (transcenders, self test & etc) I took them all, free ones and even spent plenty of money on them.  I have built many labs and do a lot of this stuff day in and day out.  I am very discouraged and it is very hard to read and study this stuff over and over.  I feel I can pass the 70-290 test tomorrow but I am to worried about failing.  As you know (from what you said in your story) failing is very hard to get over and I am having a difficult time being focused.  Please any suggestions on better study habits or ways to get more out of what you’re studying would be a big help to me.  I feel the way I was studying for the 2000/NT4 style exams just does not work anymore.

Thanks for the mail, and thanks for being so honest.  What we are dealing with here is really two problems.  The first problem is finding how to study in a way that allows you to retain the information.  The second problem is the old classic of test anxiety—for some people a phobia, but for most of us a conditioned response we start to get when we’re having a streak of failures.

Let’s take this one question at a time—first, how to study.  Seeing how I was brought up by a very effective teacher, this is a topic I have some opinions about. 

The most important thing to remember about studying is that you can’t make your brain retain information when your will is divided.  The part of your mind that focuses attention on a topic requires stimulation as a reward for paying attention.  Ideally, the stimulation comes from the pleasure of learning itself.  For me, this works when the topic is one that I have time to study to a high level of detail, where I can comprehend the core relationships between ideas and the cause/effect dynamics that make something work.  However, not all topics have their own innate reward for studying…for example, memorizing information that you simply have to learn by rote, such as the port numbers used by common protocols.  In cases like this, I have a simple rule:  if the information isn’t interesting to me, I create my own reward.  It may odd, but it’s sometimes necessary to train your brain like a child or a pet…a matter of keeping your brain on track.

I remember that at the time I needed to pass one of the Windows NT 4.0 exams, I was completely absorbed in the “Doctor Who” mod for Doom 2. (That’s right, sports fans, I’m that much of a geek.)  I had an upcoming class to teach on the topic of the exam, and it was essential that I be certified before the start date of the course.  However, I found myself reading page after page of study material without retaining any information…my brain was perfectly happy to keep working on Doom level design issues while my eyeballs kept reading.  Something had to be done.  So, I worked out a little system as the deadline for passing loomed…if the “attentive” part of my brain was going to be irresponsible enough to spend time on Dr. Who Doom when I should be studying, then it was going to PAY me for it.  I made a rule: If I read two chapters of the study guide for the test, and answered all of the review questions correctly, I got to spend one hour working on Doom.  It didn’t work at first…I read the first two chapters and didn’t get the review questions right.  So, I did it again, got them right, did some Doom work, and got back on it…which started a successful cycle that led to me passing the exam.

This is just an example…I’m not saying that behavior like this will necessarily work for you.  I tell you to illustrate the point—if the reward for studying is too distant or intangible for your mind to care, create something that your mind will care about.

Another factor to bear in mind is the changing nature of your own brain.  As years pass since you’ve been in academia, your brain gets “out of shape”.  Aside from re-enrolling in your local college, you may find the exercises designed by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima and Dr. Lawrence Katz useful for strengthening your brain’s learning ability.  I personally have found these exercises to be valid.  (Note:  The previous statement is NOT a Microsoft endorsement, it’s a Sterling Jones endorsement  Thank you!)

Finally, another factor to consider is your own personal method of learning.  This is not something you choose so much as are born into…some people learn through hearing, through seeing, through reading, through doing something with their hands, etc.  If you’ve never determined which learning method is the most appropriate for you, it’s time to figure it out.  Try reading sections of study material out loud.  Try creating a written outline of a set of key points.  Try drawing illustrations for ideas as you read them.  Many people make the mistake of thinking that following a hands-on lab with step-by-step instructions teaches more than it does.  Labs of this nature teach you a procedure, but they do not teach you what that procedure really means.  Only your own personal learning technique can give you that, and you need to find out what that is.

So…three things:  First, make certain the part of your brain that actually remembers things has a reward, or reason to find the material interesting.  Second, make certain your brain is “in shape” by working it out on varied problems.  And third, be sure that you understand your own method of learning.  All of these things are important to successful studying that yields lasting results.

Now…test anxiety.  This is an entirely different issue.  Many things get rolled into the phenomenon of test anxiety…fear of failure, lack of confidence, poor self-image, all sorts of things I’m not really qualified to comment on.  I can, however, tell you what’s worked for me in the past.  It’s clichéd, but I have to say: Remember to breathe.  Anxiety can manifest in many ways, but shortness of breath is the one that leads to many other negative effects for many people.  If you can concentrate on taking slow, controlled breaths, you can usually concentrate the test questions as well.  Freezing up, jaw clenching, sweaty hands…all of these things seem to fade if you’re breathing properly.

Finally, try to stick to your regular routines on test day.  Resist the urge to stay up all night studying…sleep helps your concentration, so be sure to get a full night’s worth.  Don’t overdo it on caffeine or other stimulants.  Don’t go in hungry, or stuffed with food…a steady flow of blood sugar without a spike is exactly what your brain needs at test time.

When you get into the test center, think of the test as a challenging game, rather than a monster…it’s not about clicking that last button to see whether you passed or failed, but learning about how Microsoft’s test authors are testing us.  See whether or not you understand the purpose behind the questions.  Mark the ones that you think are unclear or don’t agree with, and comment on those at the end when the test software gives you the opportunity.  The entire testing process is a system, and your time in the testing center is part of that system.  If there’s something wrong with the way it works, we need to know about it.  The test isn’t a beast you’re facing…it’s more like sparring with a martial arts master.  It’s not about beating the test, it’s about using the test to prove your skills.

Well, there you have my comments on studying and testing.  I hope you find them useful.

Keep your comments and questions coming to study@microsoft.com.