Effective learning strategies: This is how students master everyday study life!

Effective learning strategies: This is how students master everyday study life!

On September 22, 2025, a workshop on effective learning and feedback was held at the University of Bonn, which was met with great interest. The participants, who came from different disciplines and semesters, expressed positive feedback. The protected space, which enables the exchange of personal challenges, was particularly appreciated. Many students often feel overwhelmed by the large amount of learning material that has to be mastered in a short time. This workshop addressed exactly these challenges and introduced strategies for structuring, processing and scheduling.

The workshops, led by Cynthia Heiner and Pernille Grage from the Dahlem Center for Academic Teaching, focused not only on learning strategies, but also on the role of feedback in the learning and teaching process. The focus was on the distinction between formative and summative feedback, where formative feedback promotes learners' continuous development and enables reflection on the learning process, while summative feedback assesses learning progress.

Active learning and effective learning strategies

A central aspect of the workshop was the realization that learning is an active process. Participants learned that the common learning myth that you only have to read content often enough is not true. Instead, active learning, which is characterized by practicing and applying knowledge, was considered to be more effective. By experimenting with repetition rhythms and exploring methods that fit individual learning styles, participants were able to improve their learning outcomes.

In a further discussion, various learning strategies were presented. According to Biwer et al. (2020), effective learning strategies are crucial for academic success. Research has shown that retrieval practice and distributed learning are among the most effective methods, while marking and highlighting are less effective. The importance of students being informed about these strategies in order to actively shape their learning processes was also highlighted.

Feedback as the key to progress

An important goal of the workshop was to strengthen students' responsibility in the learning process through well-timed and constructive feedback. Practical methods such as student journey mapping helped to identify effective feedback points in the learning process. Participants learned how to give and receive feedback to improve their own teaching practice based on feedback received.

The event took place in person at the Career Service and was designed in such a way that participation contributes to improving one's own teaching practice and is credited towards the tutoring certificate. The workshop is an example of how universities can integrate modern learning methods and feedback strategies to promote the academic performance of their students.

In summary, the findings of the workshop can be viewed as valuable contributions to the development of an effective learning environment. By addressing personal learning hurdles and training in effective feedback methods, students can learn to take responsibility for their learning process and thus achieve their academic goals. Further information on the contents of the workshop can be found at University of Bonn, dem Dahlem Center for Academic Teaching as well as under Teaching view.