Some
college students who score poorly on exams may be able to lay the blame on
their brains, not their study habits.
Two recent
studies revealed some students’ brain activities may be hindering their ability
to comprehend and remember course content.
One study,
published in the Frontiers in Human
Neuroscience journal, determined that most people in their late teens and
early 20s are biologically wired to be more active at night and consequently sluggish
in the morning. College students in the traditional age bracket, according to a report on the study by National Public Radio, may have trouble remaining alert
in classes before 10 a.m.
As a
result, their learning suffers. These students tend to receive lower scores on
morning tests than those later in the day. “While there is no ideal start time
for everyone, up to 83% of students could be at their best performance if
colleges allowed them to choose their own ideal starting time for a regular
six-hour day,” the report said.
Another study, published in the Journal of
Educational Psychology, showed a strong relationship between stress and
memory. Students who reported feeling highly stressed during the course often
had difficulty recalling material they had studied. The most intriguing
finding, however, was that students with the most confidence in their academic
abilities typically encountered a greater level and incidence of forgetfulness and
their test scores dropped a full grade.
These
students also reported they avoided thinking about the course when not in
class. Researchers concluded that students who felt stressed by the class may
have subconsciously forgotten the material as a means of protecting their self-image
as academically proficient.
