How to study using previous years’ CBSE papers?

With board exams a few weeks away, it is time to get over with all your final preparations and start testing your knowledge using previous years’ CBSE Papers. Practicing using previous years’ CBSE papers not only acquaints students with the overall examination pattern but also helps them assess their current levels of preparation. 

In view of the benefits of using previous years’ CBSE papers for revision, students should keep in mind the following steps for using the previous years’ CBSE papers effectively:

• The first and foremost step is to finish all conceptual understanding. Before starting to practice from the previous years’ CBSE papers, students should have all their study material and revision notes in place. Students should only plan to practice from these previous years’ CBSE papers once they are confident about their preparation and they think they are cent percent ready to write the final CBSE papers.
• While organizing the previous years’ CBSE papers, students should also simultaneously look out for their respective solution sheets along with the official marking scheme.  At this stage creating a pool of such solution sheets is important. However, students should restrain themselves from reading the solutions at this stage.
• Before starting to practice from the previous years’ CBSE papers, students should aim to create a simulated exam atmosphere around them. Choosing a study corner that is free of any disturbance and well-lit. Students can also choose to ask their parents and friends not to disturb them while writing an ‘exam’. Students should also keep a stop-watch handy, so as to keep a track of the time left to complete the mock CBSE paper.
• With all the required things in place, students can now start attempting their CBSE papers. Students should make sure that once they start writing their mock CBSE paper, they should resist any temptation to look into the solution sheet. Students should focus on completing their mock CBSE papers in time and write quality answers that can fetch them a good score.
• Once students are through with their mock CBSE papers, it is time to evaluate their performance and calculate their score. With the help of the solution sheet and the official marking scheme students can appropriately rate their performance. While evaluating the answer sheet, students should try to act as a strict examiner and not reward marks generously. Doing so will help them raise their own standards of performance.
• Once through with checking the CBSE papers, students can highlight or identify all the topics or areas where they performed poorly. Students should then get back to their CBSE study material and revise those particular topics to strengthen their conceptual base.
• After a few days, students should once again go back to those questions and revise them all over again. They should also ensure that they are cent percent accurate this time around.

Now that all you students out there know how to use previous years’ CBSE papers, scoring good marks will not be that difficult.

How to make quality notes from ICSE books

Preparing the right kind of personalized study notes from ICSE books is an important step towards obtaining a great score in the final ICSE exams. Quality notes from ICSE books not only promote effective understanding of all concepts but often re-kindle students’ interest in subjects they usually consider difficult. Therefore, while preparing notes from the ICSE books it is important for students to keep a few essential points in mind that will help make these notes effective and relevant for the final ICSE examinations.

To help all students studying under ICSE board prepare quality notes, here are a few important pointers on how to go about preparing such notes.

• Before starting to prepare notes from ICSE books, it is important for students to first go through the chapter and highlight all the important concepts, assess their understanding for all the highlighted concepts and then identify the learning gaps. Customizing study notes as per the current level of understanding will help students emphasize on areas/topics that require more attention. Such an exercise will eventually result in a thorough understanding of all concepts.
• While preparing study notes, students should make sure that it is not a word-to-word replication of what is actually given in the ICSE book. Students should try to prepare notes that are crisp and in their own language. This will facilitate a quick understanding and easy recall of all the concepts during the revision sessions. Such an exercise will also help students to optimize benefits from such an extensive note-making exercise.
• Student should also ensure that their ICSE book notes are complete. Students should practice caution that they do not miss out on any important concept/topic in the chapter while preparing such notes. Such comprehensive notes can aid as a ready-to-use booklet for anytime reference.
• While preparing notes from ICSE book, students should structure the notes as per their unique learning styles. For example, if a student is a visual learner and understands concepts faster through visual learning aids, he/she should try to include as many diagrams, illustrations, mind maps etc in his/her notes. He/she can also use colour highlighters to stress on important points in the notes. Notes that are customized as per the preferred learning styles helps students with an accelerated pace of learning.
• If students are not interested in performing such an elaborate activity to prepare notes and want some readymade curriculum-aligned study material/notes, they can seek help from websites that provide such online learning resources. ICSE study material for Maths & Science available at such websites are prepared by a team of highly qualified educationists. These notes are in easy-to-understand language supported with high quality, value adding graphics for a quick understanding. Along with the study material, students can also try their hands at curriculum-aligned interactive puzzles, tests, revision notes etc. to solidify their understanding in weak areas. 2D/ 3D/ real-life videos help students understand concepts much faster and ensure that their learning is permament.

If all you students out there preparing for ICSE exams keep all these essential points in your minds, the notes made from ICSE books will not only make learning fun and effortless but will also make scoring good marks easy.

e-Learning: The new age learning technology

e-Learning is a ray of hope for millions of people across the globe who had deserted their education due to dearth of time and money. e-Learning has brought along a whole new methodology of teaching and learning that is spreading its wings swiftly across the globe. 

In today’s fast, nerve-racking and competitive lifestyle, “Change” has become the order of the day.  So, to keep pace with the contemporary world, education in the 21st century has also attained a new form. Education has now shifted from traditional learning to new-technology motivated e-Learning. Now, study has become web-oriented with the arrival of “Internet” in every home. With the advent of e-Learning, studies have become easier as one need not be present in classrooms physically for fixed hours.

e-Learning is the most popular alternative for home study support as it combines various fields like distance learning, online learning, technology-delivered instruction and web-based training. It is a digital learning experience that offers interactive online support in the form of online lectures, online forums and chat rooms; live virtual classes and online bulletin boards are highly attention-grabbing and learner-centric and very popular with students. 

Traditional Learning vs. e-Learning

It is a well researched fact that learning through audio, video, graphics and animation is more effective than learning through unexciting, lengthy and mundane books.  Human mind is capable of retaining picture, audio and other sensory perceptions for a longer duration than words. Keeping in mind the above mentioned facts, e-Learning study modules are specially designed to deliver specific topics, lectures and techniques that are more interesting, easy to grab and retain. 

Traditional learning is gradually being replaced by web based learning or e-Learning. Some of the benefits of e-Learning over traditional learning are discussed below: 

Unlike traditional learning, e-Learning is not time bound. Students are free to attend the lectures whenever they want and wherever they want. They can enjoy learning as per their convenience and at their own pace. The mentors, tutors and parents can record the live lectures and pass it on to the students when required. 

e-Learning programs offer the facility of online discussions wherein the students can share their views, thoughts and opinions with each other. Through video-conferencing, the students can take advantage of the skill, talent, experience and knowledge of renowned experts and trainers. Further, students can revise the lessons and strengthen their weaker sections easily.

e-Learning provides customized courses to students to satisfy their interest.  It allows the students to choose their preferred courses and establish their own roadmaps. Now, students need not stick to the courses that are offered by board or university under the traditional learning systems. Traditional universities usually take a long time to replace old syllabi with new ones, but e-learning courses always comprise updated course material 

e-Learning reduces travelling and study expenses and provides quality education which is affordable and reliable. With the new form of digital learning, higher education is economical and easy like never before.