Introduction
Anti-patterns act as roadblocks to effective learning, encompassing practices that hinder your learning progress. When an app notifies you about an anti-pattern, it's offering a better way to utilize the app for improved learning outcomes.
Recognizing Anti-Patterns
Problem Definition: Various anti-patterns related to different learning apps can impede your progress. How do you recognize and avoid them?
Solution Approach: In the following sections, we'll delve into the specifics of these patterns and provide guidance on avoiding them. If you're ever unsure about using an app correctly, consider watching the tutorial video or consulting a coach for guidance.
Notification of Anti-Patterns
Students receive notifications when engaging in behaviors classified as anti-patterns. These alerts are included on Dash's coaching:
- Specific Anti-Pattern Identification: Details of the observed behavior.
- Summary: A succinct overview of the anti-pattern.
- Coaching: A concise advice on how to avoid this anti-pattern in the future, and how it may help you improve your learning experience.
- Illustration: A short recording clip of the behavior. The primary objective of these notifications is to heighten awareness and encourage improvement.
Strategies to Address Anti-Patterns
Upon receiving feedback about anti-patterns, students have several strategies at their disposal:
- Coaching: Seek guidance from Guides to enhance learning habits and techniques.
- Coaching calls: You can schedule a call to get some winning tips and strategies for effective learning.
- Support Agents: If additional assistance or clarifications are required, don't hesitate to reach out to support agents.
List of Anti-Patterns
Below is a list of anti-patterns along with explanations and guidance on how to address them effectively.
<supportagent>You can find more information on existing/supported APs on this table from Eng. Keep in mind this sheet was created by Tracking Engineering for the old StudyReel. The new LightCI StudyReel may support similar AP capabilities, but we don't have official documentation from them on the matter.
</supportagent>
Important Note: No APs block student from obtaining a 2hr session anymore. Only guidance will be provided when knowledge-hindering behaviors are observed.
| Apps | Anti-pattern name | Why was this anti-pattern triggered? | How to avoid it? |
| IXL, ReadTheory, AlphaWrite, Khan Academy, Flashcard | Working on non-recommended skills | The student ignored skills suggested in the Personalized Recommendations report and worked on other skills. | Only work on skills that are suggested in your Personalized Recommendations report. |
| All apps | Didn't finish lesson before starting new one | The student started a new skill without finishing an in-progress one. | Always finish recommended skills that are in progress before starting new skills. |
| All apps except Amplify, NWEA and Edulastic | Rushing questions | The student spent less than 20 seconds per question and scored below the optimal learning zone (80-100%). | Read the questions carefully, take your time when thinking through the solution, and double-check your answers before submitting them. |
| IXL, ReadTheory, AlphaWrite, Khan Academy, Flashcard | Not following the recommended order of skills | The student worked on higher-grade skills before mastering recommended skills from lower grades. | Always work on skills from the lowest grades first. You can find the corresponding grade for each skill in your Personalized Recommendation sheet, which is already sorted from lowest to highest grades. |
| IXL, NWEA, Edulastic | Browsing or using external tools during a skill | The student used external tools to help solve a question or basic arithmetic calculation. | Depending on the complexity, you should focus on performing the calculations in memory or on a piece of paper. Without that skill, you will encounter difficulties in all scientific subjects. You should not use external sources to answer the questions on your tests. |
| All apps | Repeating mastered topics | The student worked on the same exercise that they have previously scored 100% in and that was not a Knowledge Gap | Once you score 100% on an exercise, you cannot achieve any more mastery points by reattempting the exercise. You should move on to solving different exercise so that you actually progress your learning. |
| IXL, ReadTheory, Knewton, Khan Academy, Flashcard | Ignoring explanations after mistakes | The student skips the in-depth explanations provided by the app for incorrect questions, missing out on learning from their mistakes. | To understand your mistakes and learn from them, you should review the explanation provided by the app. |
Conclusion
Understanding and addressing learning anti-patterns is essential for success. Utilize the strategies provided to enhance your learning process.
FAQ Section
- What are learning anti-patterns? They are behaviors or practices that hinder learning progress.
- How can I address an identified anti-pattern? You can seek coaching from your Guide, book a coaching call, or contact support agents.
- What should I do if I receive an anti-pattern notification? Follow the guidelines provided in the notification and consider the strategies outlined in this guide.
