How To Study [antikvár]

FOREWORD In writing this book I originally intended to cover only those aspects of the psychology of learning which are useful to students. But I found that, although many students know pretty well what they ought to do, they don't do it. So I was led to include chapters on goals and motives, and, also on more general questions of mental and physical health. And I included, for good measure, chapters on writing English and elementary mathematics. This extensive coverage led me outside my own special field of competence. I have therefore submitted various chapters to colleagues who are experts in those fields in which I have no special training or experience. Dr Ruth Beard read and commented on the chapter on mathematics, and Dr A. Wilkinson on the chapter on writing English. On the various aspects of physical health I have benefited from many discussions with Dr J. N. Oliver. * The chapter on Group Work owes its presence to Professor O. A. Oeser and Dr S. B. Hammond of Melbourne University, who first demonstrated to me the possibilities of the less didactic methods of education. I am also indebted to Mr K. J. McAdam, who made detailed and valuable criticisms of parts of the manuscript, and to the publishers for their advice and encouragement when the book was in its early stages. For such defects as remain I am of course solely responsible. I have benefited from the honest and unvarnished descriptions of their study habits made by my three children, one at the primary, one at the secondary and one at the tertiary stage of education. Discussions with them have, I hope, helped me to avoid some of the academic absurdities which any man who shuts himself up in his study occasionally perpetrates. And I owe most to my wife, for maintaining that domestic order and comfort which facilitate the labours of writing a book. A number of publishers and authors have kindly given permission for extracts from their works to be included in the book. Specific acknowledgements are made in the text. * For the chapter on Mental Health I acknowledge with thanks the kind permission of Professor L. J. Cronbach and his publishers to use an extract from Educational Psychology.