Module 2

Learning management & goal setting

Goals should be self-chosen

• Goals that are set by your parents teachers or friends may not always work for you.
• You need to determine or choose your own goals.
• You need to decide what you want to accomplish. If you set your own goals you will be more motivated to achieve them.

Goals should be moderately challenging

• One way to set moderately challenging goals is to consider what you have done in the past.
• Goals can always be revised, if you discover you can achieve more than you originally set out to accomplish.

Goals should be realistic

• Think about whether you goals are attainable. Ex : it would be unrealistic to expect to get a B or better in Calculus if your math background is very weak and your high school grades in math were never higher than C.
• To set realistic goals, you must carefully evaluate your chances of achieving each goal.

Goals should be measurable

• A goal is measurable if you can determine whether you reached it
• It would be difficult to determine whether you achieved your goal if you just wanted to "do well in a course"
• It would be much easier to measure your success if you had aimed for an A or a B

Goals should be specific

• The more specific your goals are, the more motivated you'll be to achieve them.
• Ex : Getting a B in College Algebra is a specific goal; while, getting a "good grade" in College Algebra is not.
Goals should be finite/limits/bounds

• Goals need to have a limited time frame.
• Ex : If a paper is due by Friday, you need to have it done by Friday. However, you might decide to have the paper done by Wednesday so that you can prepare for your big Biology exam on Friday.
• It's important to set deadlines for all of your goals

Goals should be positive

• Negative goal statements tend to make you feel that you can't really be successful; they aren't motivating.
• Ex : "I don't want to get any lower than a C in any of my classes", "I won't go to dinner until I get this calculus work done".
• You will always do better if you are working toward something - when you have a positive attitude.
• Avoid using words like try, think, hope, and should when you describe your goals.

Long-and-short-term goals

• Long-term goals are the objectives you set for yourself for the the end of the year, for four or five years from now, or even for a lifetime.
• Short-term goals can be set for an hour from now, for the end of the day, week, month, or term (or semester). Ex : Short-term goals include things like completing a reading assignment, writing an essay, getting a B in a course, getting off probation.

Academic and personal goals

• Academic goals relate to your course work. They include things like doing to class, completing assignments and preparing for exams.
• Personal goals, like making new friends, participating in clubs or sporting events, exercising or even doing your launch.