By Professor Sophie M. Sparrow .This is the first in a multi-part series suggesting concrete ways that law students can maximize their learning in law school. Based on the current research on teaching and learning, almost all of us can learn how to improve our approach to reading, listening, discussing and note-taking. .These skills can be learned, and mastering more effective, learning skills will enhance our higher-level thinking, like making the kinds of complext judgments required by legal professionals..Because working in the legal profession requires professionals to consistently teach themselves new principles, and apply them to increasingly complex situations, maximizing learning during law school can help all law students’ potential career growth. These columns seek to provide students with efficient and effective ways to maximize their learning in law school and develop skills that they can use throughout their careers. Each column will contain concrete suggestions as well as the reasons for them..Learning from a lecture seems simple enough – all you need to do is show up, listen, and voilà! you have learned the material. Or… maybe not. Research studies show that within 24 hours most students forget around 90 percent of what they heard in a class lecture. This is consistent with what we know about how the brain processes information. If you heard a Torts lecture at the beginning of the day, say, at 9:00 a.m., you probably had another four or five additional lectures throughout the day. The information you understood in Torts class was quickly eclipsed by all the new information professors introduced in Contracts, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, etc. etc. as well as other demands on your time, such as having to prepare for a courtroom exercise, work on a course paper or project, practice moot court arguments, or engage in Legal Aid camps. Our brains struggle to understand new information, but when layer upon layer of new information is added, our brain has a hard time keeping up and “consolidating” the new learning..By taking a few minutes to pay attention to 1) How you approach lectures, 2) How you take notes during a lecture, and 3) What you do after a lecture, you can significantly improve your ability to recall and build upon what you have heard in class. Each of these three approaches are discussed below in greater detail. These suggestions work if you attend the lecture. If you are absent, follow the same steps using a classmate’s notes..Step 1: How to approach a lecture – steps to take before the lecture.Rather than just showing up and taking notes, first try to understand the context of the lecture. Before you go to class – ideally, the night before class – take a few minutes to look at the course syllabus to answer the following questions..On what course module is the professor lecturing?What are the main principles and authorities in that module?What do you already know about this module’s principles?Looking at the topics in the module, what questions come immediately to mind?.For example, suppose the lecture you are attending is the beginning of a new module in Contracts. In your notebook, write a few notes about the module, such as “Contracts – Contingent Contracts and Quasi Contractual Obligations.” Underneath that, you might note the topics, just to get in the practice of reading and writing the names of principles. Even if you don’t write down the module’s principles or authorities, though, just by skimming the topics you have already primed your brain to learn more about them. Then, when you hear the names of the principles and authorities in the lecture, you will already have some idea what they are, know where to look for accurate spellings if not provided by your professor during the lecture, and have the broader context into which each principle fits. Regularly reminding yourself about the context and key terms of the class will help you stay focused on important learning objectives..To give another example, consider a lecture you are attending that occurs in the middle or towards the end of a module. Here again, quickly looking at the syllabus and the principles and authorities listed in the module will help you familiarize yourself with the main principles you have already heard about as well as what new information you are likely to encounter during that day’s lecture. Considering questions you might have about the material, such as how does this fit into the course as a whole, and how will the lecture material fit in with previous lectures further prepares your brain to listen well to the lecture to see if your questions will be answered..Why prepare before the lecture? Our brains are more efficient when they know how to fit new knowledge with existing knowledge. Our brains are eager to make connections, and will work hard to make connections with existing and new knowledge. If you give yourself time to understand the context before a lecture, you free up your brain to focus on learning and understanding the new material rather than struggling to find the relevant connection. In addition, our brains function more efficiently and effectively when we learn materials through multiple and varied ways. Reading a little about the topic of the lecture and writing a few key words about the topic are two ways that you learn about the topic before you encounter it in a third way, by hearing..Step 2: How to take notes during a lecture.Many experts suggest using a “Two column” approach. Draw a line about two-thirds of the way across the page, cutting the page into two columns. In one column, the wider column, record your notes from the class. These notes should include what the professor says, points other students say that the professor echoes or reinforces, and any material the professor writes on the board (in general)..In the narrower column, write down any questions or observations you have during the lecture. For example, professors often repeat important points several times. Rather than writing down the point four times, you might just put a big “*” in the narrow column, and note, “IMPORTANT! Emphasized repeatedly.” Similarly, if you have questions that have not been answered, or are confused by a point made in the lecture, note it in the narrow column. In the narrow column you may also want to write notes to yourself about things you want follow up with, such as authorities you want to read, textual material you want to review, or points that you missed that you can ask your classmates about. If you can, you may also want to summarize or synthesize points made during class, but this may be easier to do after the lecture (see below)..When in doubt, err on the side of taking notes. You may be listening along and feel that you understand everything the professor is saying, but remember that you are unlikely to remember this information 24 hours later if all you do is listen. If your hand is moving and you are actively taking notes, you are more likely to remember the material, as you are hearing the lecture, writing the information, and reading the material you have written. Processing the information this way makes you actively engage with the material in the lecture, and research studies show that the more you actively engage in your learning, the more likely that learning is to “stick” in your mind..Why take notes using the two-column approach? This will give you important white space to use when reviewing your notes later (see below, in Step 3). It also provides you with space to consider and take notes about what you don’t understand. Even putting a big “?” in the narrow column helps you realize that you are confused about a point, can later quickly identify where you were confused, and be efficient in trying to resolve your confusion. As professors, we can be much more helpful when students have specific questions about a topic rather than having students say that they “just didn’t understand the class.” In addition, this will help you later in your career. Your supervisors may give you verbal directions, and having space to follow up and clarify their directives is a helpful strategy..Step 3: What to do after a lecture.As noted above, because our brains are busy processing so much information, it is easy to lose track of all that you have learned. One of the most effective steps you can take is to review your lecture notes within 24 hours after the class. Reviewing the notes within a day means that the material will still be relatively fresh, and you may be able to add details you didn’t record during class, but which you recall upon reviewing your notes. This need not take a lot of time – even spending ten minutes a day reviewing your notes can help. Read your notes actively – highlight, underline, provide examples in the narrow column – so that the material is again more likely to “stick” in your mind. A corollary to reviewing your notes within 24 hours is to review all the notes from the week over the weekend. This allows you to review the material another time, as well as to see the context of the lectures over the course of a week. Repeat this process at the end of each module, and by the time you are studying for an exam, you will find it much easier to understand the course material as a whole..Up next: Learning from reading texts..Sophie M. Sparrow, Professor of Law, University of New Hampshire School of Law, Visiting Fulbright Scholar, National Law University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Professor Sparrow is a nationally recognized expert on teaching and learning law in the USA, has conducted over 75 presentations on teaching and learning, and has authored and co-authored books and article on the topic.
By Professor Sophie M. Sparrow .This is the first in a multi-part series suggesting concrete ways that law students can maximize their learning in law school. Based on the current research on teaching and learning, almost all of us can learn how to improve our approach to reading, listening, discussing and note-taking. .These skills can be learned, and mastering more effective, learning skills will enhance our higher-level thinking, like making the kinds of complext judgments required by legal professionals..Because working in the legal profession requires professionals to consistently teach themselves new principles, and apply them to increasingly complex situations, maximizing learning during law school can help all law students’ potential career growth. These columns seek to provide students with efficient and effective ways to maximize their learning in law school and develop skills that they can use throughout their careers. Each column will contain concrete suggestions as well as the reasons for them..Learning from a lecture seems simple enough – all you need to do is show up, listen, and voilà! you have learned the material. Or… maybe not. Research studies show that within 24 hours most students forget around 90 percent of what they heard in a class lecture. This is consistent with what we know about how the brain processes information. If you heard a Torts lecture at the beginning of the day, say, at 9:00 a.m., you probably had another four or five additional lectures throughout the day. The information you understood in Torts class was quickly eclipsed by all the new information professors introduced in Contracts, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, etc. etc. as well as other demands on your time, such as having to prepare for a courtroom exercise, work on a course paper or project, practice moot court arguments, or engage in Legal Aid camps. Our brains struggle to understand new information, but when layer upon layer of new information is added, our brain has a hard time keeping up and “consolidating” the new learning..By taking a few minutes to pay attention to 1) How you approach lectures, 2) How you take notes during a lecture, and 3) What you do after a lecture, you can significantly improve your ability to recall and build upon what you have heard in class. Each of these three approaches are discussed below in greater detail. These suggestions work if you attend the lecture. If you are absent, follow the same steps using a classmate’s notes..Step 1: How to approach a lecture – steps to take before the lecture.Rather than just showing up and taking notes, first try to understand the context of the lecture. Before you go to class – ideally, the night before class – take a few minutes to look at the course syllabus to answer the following questions..On what course module is the professor lecturing?What are the main principles and authorities in that module?What do you already know about this module’s principles?Looking at the topics in the module, what questions come immediately to mind?.For example, suppose the lecture you are attending is the beginning of a new module in Contracts. In your notebook, write a few notes about the module, such as “Contracts – Contingent Contracts and Quasi Contractual Obligations.” Underneath that, you might note the topics, just to get in the practice of reading and writing the names of principles. Even if you don’t write down the module’s principles or authorities, though, just by skimming the topics you have already primed your brain to learn more about them. Then, when you hear the names of the principles and authorities in the lecture, you will already have some idea what they are, know where to look for accurate spellings if not provided by your professor during the lecture, and have the broader context into which each principle fits. Regularly reminding yourself about the context and key terms of the class will help you stay focused on important learning objectives..To give another example, consider a lecture you are attending that occurs in the middle or towards the end of a module. Here again, quickly looking at the syllabus and the principles and authorities listed in the module will help you familiarize yourself with the main principles you have already heard about as well as what new information you are likely to encounter during that day’s lecture. Considering questions you might have about the material, such as how does this fit into the course as a whole, and how will the lecture material fit in with previous lectures further prepares your brain to listen well to the lecture to see if your questions will be answered..Why prepare before the lecture? Our brains are more efficient when they know how to fit new knowledge with existing knowledge. Our brains are eager to make connections, and will work hard to make connections with existing and new knowledge. If you give yourself time to understand the context before a lecture, you free up your brain to focus on learning and understanding the new material rather than struggling to find the relevant connection. In addition, our brains function more efficiently and effectively when we learn materials through multiple and varied ways. Reading a little about the topic of the lecture and writing a few key words about the topic are two ways that you learn about the topic before you encounter it in a third way, by hearing..Step 2: How to take notes during a lecture.Many experts suggest using a “Two column” approach. Draw a line about two-thirds of the way across the page, cutting the page into two columns. In one column, the wider column, record your notes from the class. These notes should include what the professor says, points other students say that the professor echoes or reinforces, and any material the professor writes on the board (in general)..In the narrower column, write down any questions or observations you have during the lecture. For example, professors often repeat important points several times. Rather than writing down the point four times, you might just put a big “*” in the narrow column, and note, “IMPORTANT! Emphasized repeatedly.” Similarly, if you have questions that have not been answered, or are confused by a point made in the lecture, note it in the narrow column. In the narrow column you may also want to write notes to yourself about things you want follow up with, such as authorities you want to read, textual material you want to review, or points that you missed that you can ask your classmates about. If you can, you may also want to summarize or synthesize points made during class, but this may be easier to do after the lecture (see below)..When in doubt, err on the side of taking notes. You may be listening along and feel that you understand everything the professor is saying, but remember that you are unlikely to remember this information 24 hours later if all you do is listen. If your hand is moving and you are actively taking notes, you are more likely to remember the material, as you are hearing the lecture, writing the information, and reading the material you have written. Processing the information this way makes you actively engage with the material in the lecture, and research studies show that the more you actively engage in your learning, the more likely that learning is to “stick” in your mind..Why take notes using the two-column approach? This will give you important white space to use when reviewing your notes later (see below, in Step 3). It also provides you with space to consider and take notes about what you don’t understand. Even putting a big “?” in the narrow column helps you realize that you are confused about a point, can later quickly identify where you were confused, and be efficient in trying to resolve your confusion. As professors, we can be much more helpful when students have specific questions about a topic rather than having students say that they “just didn’t understand the class.” In addition, this will help you later in your career. Your supervisors may give you verbal directions, and having space to follow up and clarify their directives is a helpful strategy..Step 3: What to do after a lecture.As noted above, because our brains are busy processing so much information, it is easy to lose track of all that you have learned. One of the most effective steps you can take is to review your lecture notes within 24 hours after the class. Reviewing the notes within a day means that the material will still be relatively fresh, and you may be able to add details you didn’t record during class, but which you recall upon reviewing your notes. This need not take a lot of time – even spending ten minutes a day reviewing your notes can help. Read your notes actively – highlight, underline, provide examples in the narrow column – so that the material is again more likely to “stick” in your mind. A corollary to reviewing your notes within 24 hours is to review all the notes from the week over the weekend. This allows you to review the material another time, as well as to see the context of the lectures over the course of a week. Repeat this process at the end of each module, and by the time you are studying for an exam, you will find it much easier to understand the course material as a whole..Up next: Learning from reading texts..Sophie M. Sparrow, Professor of Law, University of New Hampshire School of Law, Visiting Fulbright Scholar, National Law University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Professor Sparrow is a nationally recognized expert on teaching and learning law in the USA, has conducted over 75 presentations on teaching and learning, and has authored and co-authored books and article on the topic.
