Below are some students' reflections on their experiences with the Three Ms for effective learning. These testimonials were gathered from metacognitive reflections that were part of course assignments.
Students were asked what they learned about themselves, how it impacted their academic experience, and what advice they would share with future students.
What I learned
"By beginning studying and major assignments at least one week prior to the due date I could tell that I was actually retaining the information and not stressing as much because I had more time to learn more concepts."
"Evaluating was a good way to reflect post assignment and see what I did well and what I did not do very well. Evaluating helped me grow as a student because it is something I have never really done before, I usually just turn the assignment in and that's that."
"Self-testing has been very helpful at showing when I do not understand a topic as well as I thought. I then know what areas I need to study further, and which ones I am solid on."
Impact on academics
"I adopted the use of practice quizzes... this strategy helped me perform better on exams because it was a much more efficient way of studying than only reading and re-reading material."
"My exam grades have improved tremendously, but I also feel like I am actually learning the information I am given instead of just studying the night before to do well on the exam and then forgetting all the information the next day."
"One thing that I was able to use throughout all of my other courses was a growth mindset ... Think positively about your given situations. Change your narrative. Think about what you CAN do, not what you can't."
Advice to future students
"My favorite [tip] is overall taking breaks when studying... Many of us assume that if we cram and study hours long, we will get the grasp of it but we all individually learn in different ways."
"It’s really nice to get good grades, and it’s okay to work for them, but the most important part is comprehension. It’s vital that you understand what you’re learning, that you ask questions about it, and feel comfortable with material."
"...how important it is to space out when we study and work on things as opposed to cramming at the last minute. I've been studying for my finals with this technique and don't feel as overwhelmed and stressed as I typically would."