Do you rewrite/retype PowerPoint slides? Effective studying question

[DocTAP87]

All of our profs use PowerPoint and this semester they use a lot of PowerPoint (100-200 slides per lecture).

I used to handwrite notes in lecture, rewrite all of the PowerPoint slides in home, and write concepts and facts to know on a whiteboard. Though that was time consuming in the past now it has become impossible to keep up with that method.

I decided to switch to typing the PowerPoint slide into a Google Doc study guide. I'm now at 40+ pages and an entire Saturday to get through one class worth of material. That entire time was spent making the study guide, not actually learning the material. That left me with no time to study for the other classes and no time to practice manual skills.

I know there has to be a more time effective way to study and actually learn the material. Do you think retyping/rewriting PPPs is a waste of time? I did it last semester and it helped but I never did stellar in my classes. I just passed.

How do you study most effectively?

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[noyceguy]

All of our profs use PowerPoint and this semester they use a lot of PowerPoint (100-200 slides per lecture).

I used to handwrite notes in lecture, rewrite all of the PowerPoint slides in home, and write concepts and facts to know on a whiteboard. Though that was time consuming in the past now it has become impossible to keep up with that method.

I decided to switch to typing the PowerPoint slide into a Google Doc study guide. I'm now at 40+ pages and an entire Saturday to get through one class worth of material. That entire time was spent making the study guide, not actually learning the material. That left me with no time to study for the other classes and no time to practice manual skills.

I know there has to be a more time effective way to study and actually learn the material. Do you think retyping/rewriting PPPs is a waste of time? I did it last semester and it helped but I never did stellar in my classes. I just passed.

How do you study most effectively?

Because of the volume of material is not possible to rewrite all notes like this. You have to be able to read and memorize as you go. Make a simple table to write/memorize and copy-recopy to force it in your brain. Remember, there are no theoretical concepts to learn, the whole experience is just based on rote memorization so get to work stuffing it in your brain-hole.

 

[Bones26]

I never rewrote the entire lecture, but I did rewrite some things in a way to organize them in my mind. For example, I drew the brachial plexus and different neuro tracts over and over again with brief notes about the purpose of the tract or patient presentation when there's a lesion.

 

[NewTestament]

That entire time was spent making the study guide, not actually learning the material.

That's the problem. You need to spend all your time actually learning the material. Make flashcards and get together with a reliable study partner. You don't have time to make your notes look good.

 

[starrsgirl]

Yes, it's a waste of time. I used a iPad and wrote on top of the power point slides during lecture. I wrote in black while taking notes in lecture. Then, as I studied (from my iPad), I added notes or clarifications in blue also on top of the power point.

I also did flash cards. And used white boards to draw out pictures.

 

[DocTAP87]

Thanks for the replies. I have stopped trying to rewrite the notes and I'm taking notes on the PPP slides digitally. My prof said that I should also learn how to explain the concepts in my own words so she recommended that I get a tape recorder, write open ended questions based on the material, and record my responses. I just started doing that and it seems to be helpful especially for our oral exam we have coming up.

I'll keep using the whiteboard to write down concepts as well.

 

[noyceguy]

Thanks for the replies. I have stopped trying to rewrite the notes and I'm taking notes on the PPP slides digitally. My prof said that I should also learn how to explain the concepts in my own words so she recommended that I get a tape recorder, write open ended questions based on the material, and record my responses. I just started doing that and it seems to be helpful especially for our oral exam we have coming up.

I'll keep using the whiteboard to write down concepts as well.

Again, this method of doing meta-work instead of actual work is a waste of time. You need to learn to read the powerpoint and memorize as you go. Don't spend time trying to explain concepts, there is no higher level of understanding that you need other than rote memorization. I wish this is were not the case but it is. Later after you have memorized everything you can begin to think critically but don't make that mistake early on. If you can regurgitate data and perform all techniques on cue flawlessly you will make easy work of PT school. It really is that simple.

 

[DocTAP87]

Again, this method of doing meta-work instead of actual work is a waste of time. You need to learn to read the powerpoint and memorize as you go. Don't spend time trying to explain concepts, there is no higher level of understanding that you need other than rote memorization. I wish this is were not the case but it is. Later after you have memorized everything you can begin to think critically but don't make that mistake early on. If you can regurgitate data and perform all techniques on cue flawlessly you will make easy work of PT school. It really is that simple.

I get what you're saying. That makes sense. Even the recorder idea took forever. Not efficient at all and I don't feel like I got any of it down. I would have been n

Again, this method of doing meta-work instead of actual work is a waste of time. You need to learn to read the powerpoint and memorize as you go. Don't spend time trying to explain concepts, there is no higher level of understanding that you need other than rote memorization. I wish this is were not the case but it is. Later after you have memorized everything you can begin to think critically but don't make that mistake early on. If you can regurgitate data and perform all techniques on cue flawlessly you will make easy work of PT school. It really is that simple.

You're definitely right. The tape recorder wasted time too. We have 345 slides for next week's quiz. It's time to just memorize and delete unnecessary slides. I really wanted to be able to internalize the information but that is an uphill battle and I just end up falling further behind.

 

[Melanie726]

All of our profs use PowerPoint and this semester they use a lot of PowerPoint (100-200 slides per lecture).

I used to handwrite notes in lecture, rewrite all of the PowerPoint slides in home, and write concepts and facts to know on a whiteboard. Though that was time consuming in the past now it has become impossible to keep up with that method.

I decided to switch to typing the PowerPoint slide into a Google Doc study guide. I'm now at 40+ pages and an entire Saturday to get through one class worth of material. That entire time was spent making the study guide, not actually learning the material. That left me with no time to study for the other classes and no time to practice manual skills.

I know there has to be a more time effective way to study and actually learn the material. Do you think retyping/rewriting PPPs is a waste of time? I did it last semester and it helped but I never did stellar in my classes. I just passed.

How do you study most effectively?

In my 3rd year of PT school here and I think that rewriting notes has a benefit... There is a catch though. You should not be rewriting notes for the sake of re-writing them. Synthesize the information on a slide- What is the main point of this slide? Be able to detect things that won't likely be asked on an exam (for many of my classes these were things like incidence and prevalence- it's important to know how rare or not rare a certain condition but our professor never asked us if it was 1:482,000 cases) It's important to take the material and see if you can reframe it into your own understanding as you retype them. This was you are learning and creating more simplified study guides.

I strongly disgaree that you need rote memorization first and then think critically (there are some things that this applies such as gross anatomy to some degree) but I always try to listen intently in class and ask myself "Why is it that way?"

Hope that helps!

 

[uncwpt2018]

I started PT school the same way- spending lots of time rewriting the powerpoints and it worked in the beginning but I quickly got tired of it. I try to make tables to synthesize information and make outlines of notes on my computer including thoughts I had during class (so I don't forget a connection I might have made). I make my outlines after class so that it doesn't pile up, and then I only use my outline to study for exams so I don't have to flip through hundreds of ppt slides.