It is ubiquitous for students to face learning challenges throughout their years of education. There are several factors which can affect the learning process and thereby contribute to these learning difficulties. Such factors can be motivation, cognition and social. One of my best learning experiences occurred when I took a Mind and Brain Psychology course (PSYC 251) at the University of Victoria.

Ironically, I initially had a difficult time with this course as I faced multiple learning challenges. Two of the main challenges I faced were motivation and difficulty with memory retention. If you have taken PSYC 251 before, you would be familiar with the challenge of memorizing the vast array of terminology of brain anatomy and learning the corresponding function of the anatomical region. Prior to taking this course, some of my peers had warned me about the difficulties they faced in this course which predisposed me to the idea that I too would perform poorly and have a hard time with this course. This is a great example of how I was subjected to the effects of “Confirmation Bias”. Having this preconceived notion about the course and finding difficulty in learning the terminology really set me back and demotivated me to the point where I would not attend some classes.

However, I was determined to take the driver’s seat and put effort into improving my performance. First, I started by ensuring that I attended all classes and took detailed notes every time. I would go over my notes at least one-time the same day and also make flashcards with the anatomical terms and their functions and would go over them multiple times which dramatically improved my learning retention. At the end of each study session, I would reward myself by doing something fun and relaxing. This helped me create positive reinforcement which made me positively associate with learning. On the days when my motivation was low, I would go over the flashcards with my friends which made the learning experience more fun and engaging. Furthermore, my professor assigned weekly quizzes which tested my retention and doing well on the quizzes was very rewarding as it gave me a boost in motivation and confidence. Overall, this course was a fun learning experience for me as I found it interesting and used effective learning strategies, and getting an A+ was just a cherry on top.

Hi everyone!

My name is Eemaan and my pronouns are She/Her. I am a 3rd-year Psychology student at the University of Victoria and I am excited to learn new things about technology-mediated learning experiences.
A little about me: I am originally from Saudi Arabia and I moved to Victoria about three years ago to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. It has definitely been a big transition moving from the middle east to Canada but I’m really enjoying the diversity and nature here. I’m currently studying remotely from Vancouver and I live with two of my cats, Cloudy and Misa. In my free time, I enjoy reading, cooking, singing, playing VR games, and watching anime and other tv shows.
I look forward to speaking with you all!