Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success : A Self-management Approach

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A GUIDE FOR COMPLETING A SELF-MANAGEMENT STUDY 297

As you develop your plan, ask yourself the following question:

“Why should I use each of these strategies?” If you cannot justify

your answer based on the information you learned from the self-

observation and evaluation stage of your study, you need to find an

alternative strategy (or set of strategies) to use. Please keep in mind

that the number or type of strategies used to modify behavior will

vary according to the nature of the problem. This means that you will

not necessarily use strategies in all of the components of academic

self-management.

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

Now is the time for you to try to reduce or eliminate your prob-

lem by implementing each of the strategies specified in your action

plan. During this time you will need to do three things. First, you will

need to keep track of all of the strategies you use in an attempt to

change you behavior, as well as the date and time when you use each

strategy. This information will enable you to determine the extent to

which you follow your strategic plan. Second, you will need to keep

track of the methods you use to record your progress (e.g., documents,

charts, journals, tally sheets, or checklists). Finally, you will need to

evaluate your progress by asking the following questions:

• “Are the data collection methods I am using working?”


• “Are the strategies I am using working?”

To answer the first question, “Are the data collection methods I am

using working?” You will need to check to see if: (a) you have fol-

lowed the data recording methods specified in your plan, (b) you are

comfortable with these methods, and (c) you have enough data to

objectively evaluate your progress. If you fail to meet any of these cri-

teria, you will need to change your data collection methods.

To answer the second question, “Are the strategies I am using work-

ing?” you will need to see if (a) you are comfortable using these

strategies and (b) you are meeting the criterion you set in both your

SMART goal and strategic action plan. For example, if your inter-

mediate SMART goal is to obtain at least a B on the rest of your

quizzes and exams in your biology course this semester, you will need

to record and evaluate all of your weekly quiz scores. If you meet

your goal and are comfortable with the strategies you are using, you

do not need to modify your action plan. However, if you find that

you are uncomfortable with the strategies or that the strategies you

are using are not helping you meet your goal (e.g., you are not earn-

ing at least a B on your quizzes and exams), you will need to adjust

your strategies in your strategic action plan.