Building Your Portfolio

BUILD YOUR

EXPERIENCE 1 2 3 4

4 BUILDING YOUR
PORTFOLIO

Making Meaning This chapter includes several examples of note-taking strategies, but did you catch the emphasis on what you should do with your notes after class? Sometimes it is helpful to associate a concept with an interest you have. Preparing to teach someone else how to do something or explaining a complex idea to others can also help you understand the information more fully. Test this idea for yourself.

  1. Choose a set of current class notes (it doesn’t matter which class they are from) and specifically look for connections between the subject matter and your personal interests and goals (future career, social issue, sports, hobbies, etc.).
  2. Next, develop a 5-minute presentation using PowerPoint that both outlines your class notes and shows the connection to your interests. Develop the presentation as though you were going to teach a group of students about the concept. Use a combination of graphics, photos, music, and video clips to help your imaginary audience connect with the material in a new and interesting way.
  3. Save the PowerPoint in your portfolio or in the Cloud. Use your PowerPoint presentation as one way to study for your next exam in that course.

You probably won’t be creating PowerPoint presentations for all your class notes, but making a habit of connecting class content to your life is an easy way to help yourself remember information. When it is time to prepare for a test, try pulling your notes into a presentation that you would feel comfortable giving to your classmates.