Points of Power on a PowerPoint

I was sitting in a meeting and the speaker chose to use a PowerPoint slideshow as the visual plus some handouts. So after reading over the handout, which were bullet points, I thought to myself this is going to be a short presentation. Low and behold, after the title slide was slide after slide of paragraph after paragraph, that the speaker read verbatim. Now what is wrong with this picture?

Studying PowerPoints has taught me a valuable lesson, the PowerPoint should be bulleted and the handouts should be the paragraphs. PowerPoints are Visual reminders or cue cards for the presenter, so that he or she can stay on point and as reminders of where you want to take the audience. It benefits the audience in that it gives a peak of what's next on the speakers agenda. Professional PowerPoints should not be busy with a lot of transitions or colors. Each Slide should contain no more than five bulleted points that contain leading phrases as to the subject. a PowerPoint should a few related pictures in order to break the text only cycle. The PowerPoint should get to the point in no more than 20 minutes. Think of it as an outline on a slideshow. The benefits of investing in a college education can lead to exponential growth. Enjoy the valuable lessons!!!!

SRUNR Technique

Studying can be tedious, especially if you don't know how. SRUNR is a notetaking technique that can make study time less stressful and more productive. Below is a brief summary I wrote in my CIS1500 class about the SRUNR system, which I jokingly call 'run forest run', that explains how it works and the benefits of applying it to your study habits. Learn to Earn!!!!

"SRUNR Advantages

SRUNR is a technique that helps students get better use of their time when it comes to
studying. If the system is applied properly it does appear that it can be advantageous. The ‘S’
stands for survey, which is the first step in familiarizing yourself with the assignment. During
this stage one does a quick overview paying attention to keywords and phrases. I find this stage
is a great way to introduce yourself to the assignment even though you are not ready to complete
the work at this moment. The ‘R’ and ‘U’ run concurrently because as you read the assignment
you underline and put emphasis on important information. I believe this phase is good in that
when going back over the lesson you can easily locate the highlighted information, it is
especially beneficial if you use different color highlighters. The ‘N’ which stands for note-taking
should be an easy task if you have properly highlighted important sections of the reading. Taking
notes does not have to be verbatim, just simple phrases that maintain the meaning of the text.
The final ‘R’ is for review. This stage reinforces what you have learned, not only should you be
familiar with the lesson, but after completing all of the steps, you should know the lesson.
SRUNR is a tool that I use not knowing that it had a formal name. I believe if I apply it to all of
my classes I can be successful.

The Five Day Study Plan

The five day study plan is one of the most valuable tools I have learned from one of this semester's courses. The study plan guides you, over a five day period, into a calm stress free study session that is helpful because instead of cramming for a test, you learn and retain the information. It emphasizes dividing the study material into chunks and spreading it out over a period of five days. It is orderly, and each day you not only learn a new part of the lesson but you review the previous day's work. The link below will show exactly how the plan works and should be implemented. Happy Learning!!!!!

http://www.lsc.sas.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/FiveDayStudyPlan.pdf

What Are You Paying For?

College is a great investment, even if it was not a necessity for gainful employment. Secondary education can increase your knowledge so that you may be able to reach personal growth as well as social. There are some things that we forget after high school for instance; how to study, how to prevent plagiarism, how to use the Word program to properly process papers, just to name a few. Mastering these sometimes difficult tasks can be the difference between an A or a B, or stealing or being creative. It is sometimes hard to get started, and after that it can get bumpy along the way, but the end result will give you personal satisfaction. So get started and get Degreed!!!!

Free College Tuition

Possessing a college degree has become a prerequisite for obtaining employment in many companies. So with so many companies requiring this why has the government not stepped in to either decrease or eliminate the cost of college tuition. The unemployment rate is affected because of the lack of training and education beyond high school, so much that Labor departments are offering grants in order for potential employees to get trained. I believe that had the US been proactive in making secondary education easily obtainable then the need for reactionary processes would be moot. Even still with those that have taken advantage of continuing education, the debt accrued is enough to affect wages and earnings so much that some cannot afford to work due to high rates on student loans. We (students) need a compromise.