Cognitive Function and Learning Explained

Module Seven

Organization: Systems

Goal: Students will create study systems appropriate to their goals and learning needs. They will understand that systems are an approach to completing goals, and they are action-based approaches that often need to be adjusted for efficiency.

Essential Questions:

  1. What are systems, and how do they help with goal-setting?
  2. How can we determine if a system is effective?
  3. What essential skills and tools help create effective systems?

Students will know:

  • The definition of a system
  • How to use priority protocols and other skills/tools to create a study system
  • How to assess systems for efficiency
  • Strategies for maintaining systems

Assessment Evidence:

  • Performance Tasks:
    • Case studies or scenarios where students apply effective system principles.
    • Student reflections/journals.
    • Activities in which students develop morning and evening routines and study systems.
    • Provide appropriate feedback to peers
  • Other Evidence:
    • Observations and discussions during class activities.

Resources and Materials:

  • Module Seven Slideshow/ PDF
  • Brainstorming and writing tools (whiteboard, paper, pencils, notebooks, etc.)
  • Optional: Planners, digital tools, or planning printouts.

Part One: Introduction to Systems

Objective: Students will Understand the concept of systems and their impact on daily life and identify different study systems and their benefits.

  1. Start with a brief discussion of systems and how they impact daily life. Connect systems to the concept of routines and how different actions and routines/systems can lead to different results. Tip: Engage students with conversation starters about their personal routines. 
  2. Provide students with the “Creating Systems Case Study” in the Module Seven Slideshow/PDF. 
  3. Ask students to categorize the tasks using priority protocols such as the Eisenhower Matrix or ABCDE method and brainstorm tasks the case study subjects could implement in their daily lives. 
  4. Discuss the rationale behind their categorizations and chosen daily tasks.
  5. Resume regular classroom procedures.

Part Two: Building Systems to Reach Goals

Objective: Students will learn how to create systems aligned with their goals and lifestyle needs.

  1. Begin with a discussion focused on goals that were set but not met. Anecdotes, questions, and hypothetical scenarios can be effective ways to engage students.
  2. Lead into sharing and discussing daily routines and how they can contribute to or hinder personal and academic goals. 
  3. Introduce habit and routine concepts such as James Cleary’s “Atomic Habits,” Charles Duhill’s “The Power of Habit,” and others. 
  4. Have students identify a long- or short-term goal and activities that contribute to it. Then, they will create daily morning and evening routines that align with their goal.
  5. Optional: Have students share or discuss their routines with the group. Encourage peers to provide feedback. 
  6. Resume regular classroom procedures.

Part Three: Study and Note-Taking Systems

Objective: Students will explore different note-taking systems, including the Tree method, Cornell method, Mind Maps, and sketch notes, and apply them appropriately based on context and learning needs.

  1. Use the Module Seven Slideshow/PDF to introduce different study techniques (e.g., time blocking, chunking, Pomodoro Technique) and note-taking systems (e.g., Cornell Method, Tree method, Mind Maps). Be sure to explain how each system organizes information.
  2. Discuss when each note-taking system is most effective based on the type of content and learning style.
  3. Have students practice using each note-taking system with sample content or their current coursework. 
  4. Have students reflect through a comparison of notes taken using different systems and their effectiveness.
  5. Resume regular classroom procedures.

Part Four: Components of an Effective System

Objective: Students will identify and understand the key components of an effective study system.

  1. Use the Module Seven Slideshow/PDF to discuss the elements that contribute to successful systems, such as goal setting, time management, organization, and review strategies.
  2. Ask students to analyze their study habits and routines.
  3. Have students identify and categorize the successful elements present in their current habits.
  4. Guide students in reflecting on areas for improvement and developing a plan to integrate missing components into their study systems.
  5. Resume regular classroom procedures

Part Five: Implementing and Reflecting on Habits and Systems

Objective: Students will learn and practice strategies for maintaining and adjusting habits and systems for long-term success.

  1. Discuss common challenges students face in maintaining study systems, such as procrastination, burnout, and distractions. 
  2. Establish strategies for overcoming challenges and maintaining motivation, such as setting realistic goals, managing time effectively, and seeking support when needed.
  3. Discuss the importance of regular review and reflection in evaluating study system effectiveness and making necessary adjustments.
  4. Have students create a study system maintenance plan outlining strategies for maintaining and adjusting their study systems.
  5. Have students share their maintenance plans with a partner or small group for feedback and refinement.
  6. Resume regular classroom procedures.
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