Student Success Center

Be a Subversive, Read a Banned Book

Feeling a little subversive? Me too. We’re in luck. This week (September 23-29) is Banned Books Week. Sponsored by the American Library Association and other organizations, “. . . Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.”[1] At UAMS we may forget that challenges to learning and restrictions on reading significantly limit education and negatively impact optimal quality of life. Banned Books Week reminds us that a healthy life is an informed, broad-minded life.

Book banning has existed for centuries. In addition, access to certain books has been restricted from certain age groups or restricted to privileged or initiated groups. Thoughts and words are dangerous! Who knows what revolutionary movements might be spawned? In the United States between the years 2000 and 2009 the Office of Intellectual Freedom at the American Library Association received over 5,000 reports of either challenges to remove and restrict books or instances of books being banned. Complaints were most often about sexual content, either that it was explicit or that the nature of the sexual behavior was contrary to the complainant’s standards (HGBTQ issues, violence, behavior by minors, for instance). Other common complaints were about language or violence or about the book being unsuitable for a particular age group.

You are not surprised that around 2/3 of the complaints were in reference to school libraries and classrooms. Only around 150 of the complaints were associated with higher education. Slightly over half of the complainants were parents. If you would like to know specific books check out the American Library Association’s web pages. You’ll find books you expected and some surprises (maybe like me, you develop a reading list).

Generally I am completely opposed to censorship of information by any group. Be they political, religious, or public-minded, such groups always support their own interests and biases. It is certainly appropriate for parents to guide carefully their children, but to limit choices for others poses a problem. In the medicine we are taught often and early the importance of informed consent, and informed consent requires access to full information.

I was interested to find that books related to medical issues have been challenged, removed from publication, and even banned. In 1822 the British government banned The Natural History of Man by Sir William Lawrence because the author claimed that religion and metaphysics have no place in medical research. Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species is one of those pesky books which have been challenged, restricted, and banned periodically since its publication. An anatomy textbook from the 1970s was removed from publication both because of its text and the objectionable way in which women were portrayed in pictures. Several books by William Reich were destroyed by the U.S. government after the influential psychiatrist was convicted of medical quackery and served time in prison where he died. In 1997 The publisher of the Atlas of Topographical and Applied Human Anatomy by Eduard Pernkopf stopped further publication after Pernkopf’s ties to Nazi Germany came to light. Look also into the story of Henrietta Lacks. You might be interested to know that our library has some of these volumes in its collection.[2]

Read on! In honor of this week start reading a banned book. It will do you good. If you are interested, drop by during the week. I have displayed materials related to the topic, and I’ve brought some of the banned titles we have in our own family library.

[1] http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks. The American Library Association has a number of webpages devoted to this topic and I relied on them for much of the general information in this blog.
[2] https://becker.wustl.edu/news/banned-medical-books/. https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rwj/banned-medical-books. Thanks also to the Department of Medical Humanities here at UAMS for their help in pointing to resources for this blog. Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Johns Hopkins also has a brief statement about Ms. Lacks and a short video about her legacy, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/henriettalacks/index.html.

Welcome Back to Work

Someone observed, “There should be a sympathy card for having to go back to work after vacation.” I don’t know who first came up with the thought; now there are several versions circulating on the internet, some spruced up with images. These creations sound like just the kind of diversion someone coming back to work after a break would pursue. Anything to delay full immersion into the cascading stream of activities that is our normal. Well, welcome back. Stop in and say “Hello,” if you have a chance. I too am trying to reorient and forge ahead into the new semester.

With that in mind, it’s a good time to remind us of some helpful basics as we get back to work: Think Back, Look Ahead, Live in the Present.

Think Back

Build on last semester. Recognize the ways in which your knowledge, your skills, and your training will serve you well in classes this semester. Perhaps engage in a short mental review over the big ideas and even some key ideas from your training so far. It’s helpful to connect your learning across various subjects, and it can be encouraging to recognize how far you have already come. You made it—good for you, and go on to greater levels yet.

Look Ahead

Think about the semester to come. I recommend some calendar planning early on in each semester. Use a monthly calendar to lay out key dates for exams, papers, major projects, and so forth. You might also include your own key dates: a birthday or anniversary or Valentine’s Day you must not forget, doctor’s appointments, and so on. Use a weekly calendar to lay out your typical weekly schedule: when are your classes, what hours do you set aside for study, when do you take care of household chores, exercise, etc. Planning ahead will be a key component to success, academic and otherwise.

Live in the Present

Live the life that is directly in front of you with full attention to the moment. The practice of mindful living enhances your wellbeing and helps your success. Ease back into your work. Don’t try to complete the upcoming semester in the first day or the first week. Yet, do get going—complete something significant today.

A Final Reminder—Recreate Periodically

Remember also to plan some recreative activities during the semester. Arkansas Parks and Tourism maintains a calendar of activities around the state. The website address is https://www.arkansas.com/events/. Many of the events are free. You might visit art exhibits and juried competitions in Mena and El Dorado. You might enjoy the monthly performance of music at the Garland County Library in Hot Springs. During January there is an “Artists’ Garage Sale” in Mena where you can buy art supplies and artwork. On February 8 Hope, Arkansas hosts “An Evening with Frederick Douglas” as part of Black History Month. Eureka Springs has a pirate-themed Mayor’s Ball on February 10 as part of its Mardi Gras celebrations. There are ongoing activities all around the state.

Welcome back, then. Enjoy yourself and your loved ones. Have a great semester learning and living.

What About Summer?

When I was a child I loved summer. Nearly three whole months out of school to swim and play with my friends. No homework and no chores. All I did was swim and play in the neighborhood. With a nod to Jim Gaffigan, who couldn’t use three months off after the rigors of 4th grade?

What are you going to do with your summer? While it might be tempting to sit on a sofa binge-watching shows on Amazon Prime or Netflix, this is a good time to gain experience and increase your education.

Using Your Summer Break

Assuming you have a break, there are a number of ways to stay connected to what you have learned. You could find an internship in your field or find places to volunteer to help keep your new knowledge and skills sharp. You could combine travel with service work to expand your worldview while learning about new places and people. See if you can attend a conference hosted by a your professional organizations. Students can connect with professionals, seek a mentor, and learn about potential employment opportunities. Conferences bring in people from all over, which can help you learn about new ideas and innovations and develop a broader perspective on your profession as a whole. These types of activities will help you remember the information and skills you learned over the academic year, rather than risk forgetting what you know and having to catch up in the fall.

What if you are in a program that runs through the summer? Summer semesters can be intense, because they tend to be shorter than those in the fall and spring. Make a renewed effort to connect new information to what you have already learned to build a bigger picture. Often, summer courses provide more interaction time with your instructors, who can provide opportunities to sharpen your skills or fill gaps in your knowledge.

Whatever you decide to do, don’t waste the opportunity to further your education in some way this summer. You will be a stronger student and a better practitioner if you do.

Congratulations and Graduation

Congratulations!

You made it to one degree or another. You made it, and now it’s time to move on. Go with our blessing. Live well, be good, work hard, take care.

To those of you graduating this semester, congratulations on this important achievement. To those who have courses yet to come and hurdles yet to clear, congratulations on your progress so far. Take a break, and celebrate. Celebrate with your classmates. Celebrate with your partners and your families. Those communities help make us who we are, and one way or another the ones standing alongside contributed to our success. Some of them cheered you on and gave you needed motivation. Some to them challenged you and made you prove that you could be better. Some of them did the mundane tasks so you could concentrate on your studies. Remember that lots of people celebrate with you: family and friends and mentors and colleagues.

Honor the Graduation Rituals

And remember too that milestones such as these are often marked by rituals. New nurses are pinned and welcomed into the professional community of nursing. Those of you who have demonstrated skilled expertise earn important certificates. At graduation you will receive official degrees, and new PhDs will be hooded. Rituals are important markers of initiation and accomplishment. Rituals signal that we have taken on new identities and roles in society. Rituals are communal acts that say something about what our lives mean. Now, it’s true that rituals can be laborious and take work on our part, and who wants to jump through another hoop at this stage in the game? Go ahead and honor the ritual. Time-honored traditions have their place. Even if you aren’t particularly enamored by the ritual, I’ll bet an especially tender parent or a loving spouse will care. They will love to see and applaud the actual event. These professional rituals should be honored. Don’t neglect them, and do claim your rightful place among the accomplished.

So once again, congratulations. Go with our best wishes. As you go follow all that good motherly advice: brush your teeth, continue to study hard, be a good person, live well, work hard, take care of yourselves, wash your hands and behind your ears.
Bye for now.

Traditions from Babylon: Resolutions for Success

Are you part of the nearly 45 percent of Americans who say they make New Year’s Resolutions? The tradition dates back to the ancient Babylonians who made promises to the gods in an effort to gain their favor. While we’ve been keeping the tradition ever since, today our resolutions focus on self-improvement.

Reflection to Resolutions

January 1st is a great opportunity to make resolutions to change academic habits that aren’t working for you. Think back over the last semester.

How successful were you?
Did you meet your goals?
Were your goals attainable?
How well did you balance your academic requirements with the other areas of your life?
Did you manage your time as effectively as you could?
Did you work hard enough to achieve your goals?
If you worked hard, do you need to find ways to work smarter so you can maximize your study time?

Potential academic resolutions lie in your answers to these questions. If everything is running smoothly, that’s great! But if it isn’t, what do you want or need to change? If Plan A isn’t working, then it’s time to move to Plan B or even Plan C. No plan is ever perfect. You should always be updating and changing your plan based on your needs. What worked for you in the past may not work in your current situation. So, make a new plan and meet your goals for academic success.

Resolutions to a New Plan

If you want some help creating a new plan, the Student Success Center has a wide range of resources to help you find what you need. Visit our On Demand Support page to find materials that provide support and guidance. And if you don’t see what you need, tell us what you are looking for. Use the Academic Coaching Request form to make an appointment with a Learning Specialist for personalized guidance and advice. We will work with you to find what you need.

Learn from the traditions of ancient Babylon. Make your resolutions for the new academic year. The Student Success Center is here to help if you. We want you to have a very successful New Year.

Taking Your Finals in the Testing Center

The Testing Center is preparing for finals. If you have tested with us before, you know we have limited space. We have 24 regular testing computers, 12 reserved special testing cubicles, and hundreds of students to test. So, here are four tips to make your finals as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Testing Tip 1: Know the Testing Center Protocols

Read the Testing Center Protocols before you come in to test. The Protocols clearly explain the rules relating to the Testing Center’s hours, sign-in procedures, testing room policies, and academic integrity standards.

Testing Tip 2: Test Early

Don’t wait until the last minute to take your test. If you do, then you can expect to experience delays and waiting time if all spots are filled. The busiest times tend to be the hours between 4:00 pm and closing time. Keep that in mind as you plan for your finals. Come early and beat the rush and the stress of waiting.

Testing Tip 3: Remember the “Drill”

Bring your UAMS Student ID
Place all your personal belongings in one of the lockers outside the testing room with cell phones silent or off
Sign in at the desk as usual, and be sure to check with one of the testing coordinators and let them know what test you are there to take. We can’t open your test if we don’t know who you are.

Testing Tip 4: Know the login procedure for your test before arriving.

Is your final in Blackboard? Lockdown Browser? ExamSoft? ATI? The initial phase of logging in and accessing your exam is your responsibility. Make sure you know what to do.

Keep these things in mind and taking your finals will be a much smoother experience.

Notes on Thanksgiving and Gratitude

It’s that time again. Lest we forget the holidays, TV reminds us. Already round-the-clock Christmas movies are broadcast. So it was that I recently honored Halloween by seeing “Addams Family Values.” There is a delightful send up of all the awful, unhistorical, overly sentimental, school productions of “the first thanksgiving.” Never mind that it wasn’t nearly the first thanksgiving day by European settlers on this continent. Never mind that our current celebration has wandered away from what was originally a harvest festival with gratitude to God because it looked like enough food was stored in for the winter. Many years in agrarian societies that is not a given.

The Official Thanksgiving Holiday

When President Abraham Lincoln, in the middle of the Civil War, proclaimed November 26, 1863 a federal holiday and unified the date of the celebration, he did so largely because of Sarah Josepha Hale who argued for a unified date during a period of military and political disunity. In our day the holiday has become an occasion for food, family, and football. Recently, we’ve added an economic aspect with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For college students and faculty it has become the last short breather before finals.

Your Thanksgiving

May your Thanksgiving honor one or more of these important themes. The rancorous presidential election will be behind us. It might be good to re-unify, even with that annoying, politically wrong, uncle. Connect with your human family be it blood relatives, extended kin and in-laws, or other families of friends and associates. Think and speak gratitude to those who have enriched you. Indulge some delicious pleasure. It’s healthful to splurge once in awhile. Enjoy shopping amid the roiling crowd or at home in some cyber-boutique. Breathe, rest, and ready yourself for the sprint to the finish of finals week. Have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

Group Projects with Google Drive

Group projects always have challenges, but managing one doesn’t have to be stressful. What you need is a platform that keeps all the work in one place, shows the latest drafts, and offers enough flexibility so that group members can work on their own time schedules. Google Drive incorporates all these features and makes organization, communication, and collaboration much less frustrating and time consuming.

Google Drive is designed for collaboration. The documents you create and share are designed to be worked on by multiple people. It’s easy to create a Google account. In fact, anyone who already has a Gmail address has access to Google Drive. And, you don’t need a Gmail address if you don’t want one. You can create an account with your UAMS or personal email address. Go to https://www.google.com/drive and click on Go to Google Drive.

The strength behind collaborating in Google Drive comes through the ability to create and share files. Create a folder for your project and share it with the group members. You can create new folders and files or upload files from your laptop into the drive. Share photos, documents, presentations, PDFs, designs, drawings, recordings, videos – almost anything you need for your project can be stored and shared in Google Drive.

Group Projects with Google Apps

The Google apps make Drive a great platform for group projects. Students can work together, on the same document, in real time, and save their work in Drive. Here’s a quick overview of four apps that make working on group projects, papers, and presentations easy and efficient.

Docs: Docs is Google’s word processing app. Think of it as a lite version of Microsoft Word. Use docs for brainstorming, outlining, drafting, and polishing any type of document.

Slides: Slides is like PowerPoint lite. Gather all your content and create your slideshow in Slides. Multiple authors can add to, change, or edit the slideshow as needed, and Slides will always display the most recent version. You can track changes too, and revert to earlier versions if necessary.

Sheets: Sheets is Google’s spreadsheet app, sort of an Excel lite. You can use it for anything from data collection to keeping a project journal.

Calendar: Google Calendar is a great way of putting your project on a timeline. Create a project calendar and then set all your deadlines, due dates, status checks, meetings, and class sessions so that everyone in your group stays on track.

Google makes group projects much less frustrating and time consuming. Use Google for your next project and have greater success.

You can find more information about some of the Google apps on Google Tools.

3-Step Study Groups

Have you ever seen those products that advertise a “quick, new way” to get something done? Maybe it’s a new cooking tool or lawn care item. It seems life-changing in the ad, but when you get it home it’s a lot of random parts and some vague diagrams. Good luck putting it together! Study groups can be the same way. It’s easy for someone on the outside to say, “Just make a study group”, when (in reality) study groups can be a little messy when you’re trying to figure out how to put everything together.

There are some good reasons to form a study group. First, explaining a concept to other students tells you how well you understand the material. If you can share it in your own words, you understand it pretty well. Second, when you study in a group, you benefit from the viewpoints of the other members, making sure you aren’t missing any vital information. Finally, reviewing with others gives you the opportunity to test one another without using your notes.

Fortunately, creating study groups doesn’t have to be complicated. Just follow these three steps.

Step 1: Talk to your Classmates

Look for the students who seem dependable, whether it’s through posting thoughtful answers to online discussion questions, or paying attention in class. Ask them if they’d like to study together sometime. There, it’s done! You’ve completed Step 1.

Step 2: Prepare for the Study Group

This is the step that many people overlook, but it can help the group work well. As soon as you decide to study together, also take some time to decide the following:

When and where your group will meet,
What each person will come prepared to talk about,
How much time you’ll spend total.

Setting expectations upfront takes the guesswork out of forming a study group, and clear expectations are a great way to avoid frustrations later.

Step 3: Meet with the Group

Follow through with the plan that you made in Step 2. If someone decides not to show up, work with the people who do show up. Cover the topics that you discussed in your plan, and use any extra time to cover new topics or review something complicated.

These three steps move forming study groups from being complicated and messy to being clear and helpful for everyone. Find more detailed ideas about how to form in-person or online study groups, here at Creating Study Groups You also can make an appointment using the Academic Coaching Request to meet with a Learning Specialist who will be happy to talk to you about study skills and forming study groups.

Reducing Test Anxiety

“Students, open your blue books”… That’s a phrase that still strikes fear into me. It’s what one of my professors would say at the beginning of each exam. I can still feel the hair standing up on the back of my neck, my heart beginning to race, and my vision narrowing as if staring into the light of an oncoming train. I was experiencing test anxiety.

What Causes Test Anxiety?

Test anxiety can come from many sources. Lack of preparation, past negative experiences, pressure to perform well, competitiveness, or lack of physical well-being (like not getting enough sleep) can all contribute to test anxiety.

Let’s talk about preparation for a minute. Have you ever stayed up all night before a test cramming information? You might be able to remember some information, but exhaustion makes it even harder to understand the test questions and apply the details you’re trying to remember. Cramming information the night before a test usually made me feel like I was carrying water in my hands – it all leaked out before I could use it.

How Can You Prevent Test Anxiety?

One solution is to be better prepared. To do this, start studying as soon as new information is covered in the class. Make the time to review your notes/textbook daily. Set aside enough time the week before the exam to go over the most important topics again.

But what if you prepared well, and you still feel anxious? When this happens, try calming yourself with positive self-talk and relaxation exercises. Tell yourself: “I know that I’ve studied. I’m just going to answer each question one at a time”, and then do just that. Answer each question to the best of your ability, and come back to problematic questions at the end if you have time. Try to relax by taking a deep breath in and then exhaling slowly.

With advance preparation, positive self-talk, and relaxation exercises, I am confident that you will be able to handle any exam.

If you’d like more information about addressing test anxiety and preparing for tests, check out our Learning Support page or use the Academic Coaching Request form to contact a Learning Specialist. If you want to talk about anxiety in general, contact the UAMS Student Wellness Program at 501-686-8408; they’re available to all UAMS students.