Scholarly Learning
Books and journals that help students own their learning.
Research-informed books and journals for college and university students, from first year through graduate school. Each one is built on a single idea: learning improves when students plan it, check it, adjust it, and stay responsible for it, especially now that AI is one tab away.
Created by Peter Arthur, PhD, Professor of Teaching at the University of British Columbia and a recipient of the Killam Teaching Prize.
Think First
The Learning Ownership System for Studying, Assignments, and Learning with AI
The complete system in one compact guide: seven moves and the tools that put them to work on assignments, exams, AI use, feedback, weekly planning, and recovery. Written for college and university students, and designed to be opened at the point of need and written in.
Books and Journals
Current and Forthcoming Titles
Four titles. One seven-move learning system. Support for a single assignment or a full academic term.
A practical guide that teaches the moves, and term-length journals that help undergraduate and graduate students practice them day by day.
coming soon
The Graduate: Fall 2026
A four-phase journal for a crowded fall term, September through December, for graduate students.
See Insidecoming soon
The Scholar: Fall 2026
The same term structure and daily rhythm, rebuilt for a course-heavy undergraduate fall.
See Inside
The Graduate: Summer 2026
A 123-day journal that turns unstructured summer months into steady progress for graduate students.
DetailsWhat Ties Them Together
One System, Seven Moves
Scholarly Learning titles translate research on self-regulated learning, metacognition, retrieval practice, feedback, and responsible AI use into routines students can actually run. The Learning Ownership System brings that work together as seven moves that apply across many academic tasks. Think First teaches the moves directly; the journals help students practice them across a full term.
- 1Understand
- 2Plan
- 3Practice First
- 4Monitor
- 5Adjust
- 6Verify
- 7Transfer
Start Free
Six Free One-Page Tools
New to the system? Six one-page tools from Think First are free to download and print, with no sign-up. They may be shared unchanged, without charge, and with attribution for classroom, advising, and student-support use.
For Educators and Student Support
Bring the System to Your Students
The Learning Ownership System works as first-week orientation, assignment launch material, exam-preparation sessions, learning center workshops, and TA training. The six free companion tools may be shared unchanged, without charge, and with attribution for classroom, advising, and student-support use.
Ask about a complimentary introductory virtual workshop for your course, learning center, or student group.
About
Created by a Professor Who Studies How Students Learn
Peter Arthur is a Professor of Teaching at the University of British Columbia and a Killam Teaching Prize recipient. His work focuses on self-regulated learning, metacognition, and how students can use AI in ways that support rather than replace learning. He created the Learning Ownership System to help students plan, monitor, adjust, and take greater ownership of their learning.
Find Your Starting Point
Three Ways to Start
Read the guide, try a free tool, or bring the system to your students.