4 Tips for Effective Study

There’s no hiding the fact that earning a pilot certificate will most certainly involve some study.  While certain topics will come easier for some, we all will face unique challenges and concepts we find difficult. We’ll also encounter regulations, procedures, checklists, and much more, deserving of additional study and effort to master.  And we’ll be better pilots for it and begin to formulate the right habits to maintain proficiency and the desire to continue learning.

 

Tip #1 – Schedule Study Time

Having trouble finding time to study? Try setting a scheduled, recurring appointment. Committing to specific days and times for your study will increase your likelihood of accomplishing your training on schedule and lessens the opportunity for distraction. Experimenting with various times of day to study can also be a valuable exercise to find your optimum energy level. It will also help you determine the right amount of study that’s right for you per session.

Once you’ve found that optimum time of day, try committing to the same time each study session to help reinforce the habit. Sporty’s video training is divided into small, manageable segments to make it easier to fit your schedule.

 

Tip #2 – Focus on Manageable Segments of Information

For some, having all of your training material in one convenient location can seem a bit overwhelming. But for others, this same grouping of resources makes it tempting to fit in as much as you can in one sitting.

While everyone is different, it generally helps to space your studying and focus on one topic at a time. Focus on general topics first and then on the fine details. It also helps to take frequent short breaks. This method will allow you to retain more of the information as it will be easier to remember the information that was presented first and last.

Finding the right length of study time for you and then making that study session a daily routine will allow you to still meet your goals in a reasonable time frame. Test yourself to identify deficient knowledge areas and then begin each session with a review of what you’ve previously identified as a weaker area.

 

Tip #3 – Notes Can Help

Taking good notes can help many students stay organized and provide a clear, succinct method for remembering key topics which can be reviewed.

Notes should be kept in the same location and as obvious as it sounds, kept in the same order as the course. The course is already organized to provide a logical, building-block approach to your learning. Dating each entry will also help with recall and provide additional motivation to stay on task.

While your notes should contain a complete record of general topics, it should not be a record of every word spoken. This will prevent you from truly understanding what is being taught on screen. When you study, your notes should call back to mind the entire sequence of topics presented. In a separate location from within your notes, make room to jot down terms or acronyms you may wish to expand on later or research further.

Also keep in mind that any text presented on screen or topics emphasized by the instructors are important and should be included in your notes. If possible, try to take your notes in some kind of outline form. The organization of ideas is as important as the content of those ideas, especially when it comes to learning the material for the exam.

Finally, you might find it useful to review your notes right away while the information is fresh and have a highlighter available for important ideas.

 

Tip #4 – Consider a Group Setting

Never underestimate the power of your peers, especially when working through difficult concepts with everyone working toward a common goal. Tapping into the knowledge and insight of your “partners” is an effective way to reduce your workload – and to make sure you understand the material. You might even forge some long-lasting friendships along the way.

Students tend to learn faster working within a group versus working alone. If you were working on your own, there is risk of wasted time puzzling over a specific topic. While working in a group setting, you have the opportunity to explain concepts, review material, exchange ideas, and disagree/reason with one another about why one person’s answer differs from another. You can seek clarification and learn faster working in a group setting while gaining personal skills.

There are always ways to enhance your studying methods/techniques in your study skills. Joining a study group will provide you the opportunity to observe a wide variety of study methods and incorporate them into your study habits. Additionally, studying by yourself can get boring and monotonous. A study group brings a positive social aspect.