Preparing for O levels

EDUCATION is one of those areas which have an extensive presence on the Internet. And as the Net increases its technological advances, its searchable databases effectively cater to the needs to the students through a whole host of academic web sites designed to help exclusively in the areas of studies, revision and exam preparation. Whether a school, college or university student, the Internet is the place for students interested in some interactive and multimedia based learning.

No matter which year you are in or what subject you have, you will find an array of helpful matter and expertise of foreign experts on every subject at every level. But the question then arises: how to actually study the mass of information that is there?

Well, it seems the Internet has the solution to that as well by hosting web sites comprising of the general theme of “study skills.” And some of those study skills web sites to be used as reference, especially if you are an O level, AS level or

A level student.

A very comprehensive web site related to the above theme is http://www.howtostudy.org/. It contains a wealth of information on study skills. From the main page if you click on “Resources” it is going to take you to the page where study skills have been explained in detail from “Getting Ready” to “Taking In”, “Processing” and “Output.” Each of the sections has a list of online handouts that can easily be printed out. This web page also has a “Study Skills” section from where you can access the study skills on all the subjects.

http://www.samlearning .com is the web site to access when looking to practice exam style questions related to Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Business Studies, ICT and Geography. Full access to the web site is available only through subscription, but some questions are available for free for you to try out and see where you stand.

A very comprehensive revision guide is given at http://www.examstutor.com/resources/revision/revision_advice/. Though this web site is accessible only on paid subscription, still the section “common room” covers revision advice, exam preparation, revision tools, handling the exam stress, how to anticipate exam content and top 10 exam tips.

Whether you have just begun you’re A level course, or you are nearing your examination, http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/asguru/studyskills/intro.shtml section is the one which you cannot miss. This 18-page Skills’ Section, which you can either access sequentially or use the drop down box to jump to the topic most relevant to you, begins by highlighting how your AS course differs from GCSE and O levels.

You can use this section to understand what type of a learner you are, master the skills of research and time management, learn how to keep yourself motivated, how to structure your essays, how to revise and how to present your work. All in all, a very useful resource.

A one-stop web page for study skills is presented in the form of http://www.darvill.clara.net/revtips.htm, based on the webmaster’s experience with students. It is divided into two sections. In the first one you learn what type of learning works best for you. According to that, you then go on to study in detail how to go about your revision, and finally, how to handle your exams. The relatively graphic-free layout ensures that the page is printer friendly.

Another offer with loads of links related to every topic is available at http://www.lightspan. com. But you have to register for a 30-day trial first after which you will have to pay to continue using this web site. Not a very feasible option when you have so many other web sites that offer the same for free. But still, you can use the material here for 30 days and make the most out of it.

Apart from the subject-oriented sites, you can download the latest O level, AS Level and A level syllabi of all the subjects and specimen papers in PDF format from the http://www.cie.org.uk. This link also has a list of reference books for different subjects. To order past papers, specimen papers, syllabi, mark schemes, option booklets and examiners’ report in hard copy, you can download the forms and get the appropriate instructions from the http://www.britishcouncil.org.pk.

No doubt there are many more of such sites, some with probably more information. And with more young minds coming up with innovative ideas about the designing and content of such web sites, the possibilities of finding a good site, one that suits your needs regarding your subject, are endless. The likes of such links have not only provided a new form of reference material, but also has served to make learning a multimedia oriented experience.