JISCMail - LDHEN Archives

I have never suggested any particular time limit for a revision period. I leave this up to the student to assess what feels right for them and the task. For example, if it is a difficult task that they are not looking forward to, I suggest they revise for a fairly short study period (perhaps 20-30 minutes) and then take a break of 5-10 minutes. The rationale for this is linked to both learning and motivation/confidence building: something difficult might take more intense concentration and therefore be more tiring, so a shorter time period might make learning more effective. Also, if the student knows they only have to do half an hour on something they struggle with, the task might seem less daunting! If they are revising something they are fairly confident with, I recommend they revise for a maximum of an hour and no more, even if they feel they are getting on well. This is because of the intense nature of revision - trying to memorise and consolidate information is arguably more taxing than writing an assignment ('Discuss'?) When 2 hours are up (though of course it will not be 2 hours non-stop - it will probably be 2 hours less two 10 minute breaks) I suggest to students that they take an even longer break of an hour or maybe more. I also suggest that the maximum number of hours to revise in a day is 6. Apparently after that, learning is no longer effective. However, I'm afraid I don't have a reference for this idea - it's just one of those things I have absorbed into my teaching after about 12 years! Also, the student needs to bear in mind how many exams they are doing and the nature of them. 6 hours a day might be appropriate if a student is about to take their finals, but highly inappropriate if the 'exam' is perhaps only 2 timed essays of half an hour each.