Chapter 3: How to Study, Practise, and Be Examined
How learning works
Research shows which study methods work. A major review by Dunlosky et al. (2013) found that practice testing (retrieving information from memory) and distributed practice (spreading study over time) have high utility, while rereading and highlighting have low utility. Roediger and Karpicke (2006) showed that students who practised retrieving material remembered more after a week than those who spent the same time rereading, and Cepeda et al. (2006) found that spacing improves long-term retention.
For you. After each lesson, close your notes and write the key ideas, definitions, formulae, and a labelled diagram from memory. Revisit each topic after one day, one week, and one month. Solve many problems rather than only reading solutions. Keep an error log: for each mistake, record the question, the error, the correct approach, and the cause.
Problem solving
Polya’s (1945) four steps apply to every technical problem: (1) understand the problem, drawing a diagram and listing what is given and what is wanted; (2) devise a plan, choosing a principle or formula; (3) carry out the plan, working step by step with units; and (4) look back, checking whether the answer is reasonable in size and units.
Learning from practical work
In this stream, practical work is as important as theory. To get the most from practicals:
Prepare: read the procedure beforehand and know the hazards.
Observe carefully and record data honestly and immediately in a table with units.
Analyse: calculate, draw graphs, and estimate uncertainty.
Reflect: what went wrong? What would improve accuracy or safety?
Keep a neat record of every practical as required by your school and the examination rules.
Safety first
Workshop, laboratory, and farm safety are not optional. Basic rules: wear the right personal protective equipment (PPE): safety glasses, gloves, overalls, ear protection, safety footwear, as required; tie back long hair and remove loose clothing and jewellery near machines; know the location of exits, first-aid kits, and fire extinguishers; never work alone with hazardous equipment; keep the workplace tidy (the Japanese 5S system: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, sustain); report accidents and unsafe conditions immediately. Safety signs follow international conventions (International Organization for Standardization [ISO], 2019), which are summarised in Appendix C.
Examination technique
Know the format. Papers combine multiple-choice, structured, and essay-type questions, and practical or school-based assessment; confirm the format from the latest Department of Examinations papers.
Read the whole paper and plan your time by marks.
Show your working, state units, and give answers to a sensible number of significant figures.
Draw clear, labelled diagrams. In technology subjects, a good diagram earns marks.
Use correct technical terms and standard symbols.
Practise past papers, mark them strictly against the official marking scheme, and study how marks are given.
Wellbeing
The A/L is a stressful period. Keep regular sleep, meals, exercise, and social contact. Talk to a teacher, family member, or counsellor if the pressure feels too heavy. Your worth is not measured by examination results, and the Technology stream opens many routes, including vocational and entrepreneurial paths, that are valuable.
Common mistakes
Revising only by rereading.
Skipping practical sessions and then struggling with practical-based questions.
Neglecting safety in practice.
Practice questions
Explain why practice testing is more effective than rereading.
List five PPE items and the hazards they protect against.
Part Two: Science for Technology
Science for Technology (SFT) is the compulsory subject of the stream. It brings together the basic concepts of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and ICT that every technologist needs (Learner.net, n.d.-c). Whichever specialist subject you take, SFT gives you the language and the scientific ideas on which Engineering Technology and Bio-Systems Technology are built. The chapters in this part follow the usual order of the subject. Standard texts that support them include Giancoli (2014), Halliday et al. (2018), Chang and Goldsby (2016), Urry et al. (2020), and Brookshear and Brylow (2019).