On Nov. 2, the Center for Innovative Pedagogy (CIP) hosted a read-what-you-can book club to discuss Study Like A Champ, a novel by John Dunlosky and Regan A.R. Gurung. Prior to the event, the CIP provided both physical copies and an audio version of the book to students in  Chalmers Library. “Read what you can, and come discuss some of the ideas [that] might validate or change your approaches to learning!” read an email sent by the CIP on Oct. 25.

Using the empirical research featured in the authors’ peer-reviewed papers on the topic, Dunlosky and Gurung’s book debunks some of the myths surrounding studying, while offering practical tips to teach students how to study smarter, not harder. The book further provides a series of self-assessments to gauge one’s progress. According to CIP Director Joseph Murphy, Dunlosky will not only provide students with tips, but will also advise faculty members on designing assignments that encourage students to use these practices.

As psychologists who studied the science of study habits, Dunlosky and Gurung’s book contains chapters dedicated to note taking, retrieval practice and the cognitions of successful students. The tips offered in the book include getting adequate sleep and nutrition to support optimal brain function, as well as developing “self-regulation” skills to manage time and work efficiency. 

Murphy added that the CIP invited Dunlosky to speak after hearing him talk on higher education podcasts, and emphasized the relevance of Dunlosky’s novel on college campuses. “The topic of Study Like A Champ is an important one — what study practices do we know, from psychological science, really work for lasting learning?” Murphy wrote in an email to the Collegian. “Dr. Dunlosky has researched this question and published a significant number of articles, and he’s an award-winning teacher, so he knows how to put the principles into practice.”

Dunlosky, professor emeritus of Psychological Sciences and director of the Science of Learning & Education Center at Kent State University, will be visiting campus on Thursday to give a talk on the book at the Community Foundation Theater during common hour.