Transcript for "Habits of Successful Students" Presentation


Dr. Loyce Pailen
Associate Provost
Office of Instructional Services and Support
Published: March-April 2008

Category: » Online-pedagogy » Teaching-strategies

Habits of Successful Students - Transcript
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Slide 1 – Introduction

Welcome to the presentation "Habits of Successful Students."

Habits can help you to be successful or cause you to fail. The good news is that habits can be changed.


Slide 2 – Ladder of Accountability

Let's take a look at the Ladder of Accountability. On the lower rung of the ladder are abdicating behaviors, or self-defeating habits, that cause you to allow circumstances or others to control your outcomes.

On the higher rung of the ladder are accountable behaviors, or successful habits, which empower you to be in control of your circumstances and ultimately, your outcomes.


Slide 3 – Where Are You on the Ladder?

As you go through this presentation, consider where you are on the ladder now and where you want to be.


Slide 4 – Self-defeating Habits

Let's explore four self-defeating habits and consider their consequences.


Slide 5 – Procrastinate

People who procrastinate deal with perfectionism and feelings of inadequacy. Perfectionists who believe they must spend extraordinary effort and time to turn in a perfect report can end up paralyzing themselves from even getting started. The worry of failure and feelings of inadequacy can also cause delays or paralysis.


Slide 6 - Blame

Blaming others, or finger pointing, is the adult version of "the dog ate my homework" syndrome. People who blame others genuinely believe they are controlled by circumstances, when in actuality they are giving their power to someone else. These people do not see themselves as empowered.


Slide 7 – Apathy

Do you find yourself saying, "I can't" or "I quit"? Apathy is the absence of passion and excitement. When you are apathetic, there is no motivation to value success or understand the consequences of failing.


Slide 8 – Daydream

Daydreaming is a way to escape responsibility and engage in wishful thinking, hoping that everything will turn out well without taking the necessary effort to make it happen. This behavior also leaves your outcomes to chance.


Slide 9 – Successful Habits

Now we'll take a look at the following four habits and how they can improve your student rate of success.


Slide 10 – Responsible

Students who are responsible tend to take ownership of the task at hand. They are motivated with passion, determination and persistence to get the job done.


Slide 11 – Resourceful

Resourceful students ask two questions. The first question is to get the answer. The second is to find out where the answer came from so they can find it for themselves the next time. Resourceful students also tend to look ahead; they make plans for getting their coursework done on time.


Slide 12 – Solution Oriented

Another important habit is the ability to view a problem as a positive challenge. Solution-oriented students are committed to finding results when they come up against obstacles. These students gain special satisfaction in solving problems.


Slide 13 – Motivated

Motivated students tend to think outside the box, they don't take no for an answer, and they end up being role models for other students. They are motivated to use all of their experiences as opportunities to learn.


Slide 14 – All Habits

Students who develop these and other habits of success enjoy the benefits of good grades, respect, and achievement.


Slide 15 - References

We hope this presentation helped you gain a new perspective about how being accountable and developing successful habits can equal student success.

About the Author(s)

Dr. Loyce Pailen is the associate provost, Office of Instructional Services and Support (OISS) at University of Maryland University College (UMUC). OISS oversees Course Development and CSI. OISS staff work with faculty to assist with online classroom setup, course design, quality assurance, virtual labs, and the introduction of new technologies. Previously, Dr. Pailen was the assistant academic director for the Information Systems Management (IFSM) discipline, responsible for the undergraduate information assurance curriculum. She has experience in supporting students, faculty, and staff; developing courses; coordinating course design; and implementing instructional technology, with a specific emphasis on distance education and virtual labs.

Dr. Pailen came to UMUC in 2002 after working at The Washington Post Company for over 20 years in various programming, management, and directorial positions in newspaper and corporate information technology, where she was responsible for selecting and implementing enterprise-wide hardware, software, business applications, and telecommunications services, as well as for disaster recovery analysis and planning. She studied at UMUC at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and in 2005 completed the degree requirements for the Doctor of Management program at UMUC as an Orkand Fellow.

Dr. Pailen’s certifications include: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Citrix Certified Administrator, CompTIA Network+, JAVA Development Certified Professional, Microsoft MOUS, and Certified NetWare Administrator.

Linda Smelser has been an instructional support specialist in the Center for Support of Instruction (CSI) since September 2006. She enjoys working in a team environment and is excited that "there's so much to learn and do with the variety of projects CSI handles." Linda is also an adjunct faculty for UMUC, teaching EDCP 100. Previously, Linda was an instructional designer in the health field while finishing her MA in Instructional Systems Development at UMBC. From 2002-2004 she was an academic advisor for UMUC’s School of Undergraduate Studies. In her spare time, Linda enjoys mountain biking, zydeco and swing dancing, and traveling to California and Philadelphia to visit her children and grandchildren.

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