What are some benefits and challenges of using flashcards as a learning tool?

Study Stacks is a free way to get started using flash cards. https://studystacks.net/ It provides metrics on your flashcard stacks as well as your performance on individual cards.

Flashcards also provide an opportunity to learn creatively. For example, if you were to learn to count from 1 to 10, revising the written down order would be helpful. However, if you had a flashcard for each number you can jumble the order and put them back into order again and take some numbers out of the sequence, so you have to mentally recall the number. Flashcards allow for you to be creative. Creatively ignites engagement and engagement sparks motivation.

Flash cards are a useful coping strategy, but if you establish good motor-sensory integration you do not need them. You have good visual and auditory recall. You can visualise what you want to say and you can speak clearly and fluently on any subject. So you look at and engage with the audience. You know your material well and can manipulate it in your mind's eye.... you have flexible intelligence. Coping strategies and having gaps in cognitive processing make people feel insecure and create anxiety. We can all choose to be fit to learn at the highest level https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A0hqbuPZw0&t=75s&ab_channel=Fit2Learn

Here are some tips on how to use flashcards effectively during a speech: - Keep it brief: Use keywords or bullet points to jog your memory. - Use large font: Large enough text to read easily from a distance. - Organize your cards: You might want to number them or color-code them by topic. - Practice your speech with your flashcards several times before you deliver it in public, try out PitchNinjas.com. - Use them sparingly: Don't rely on flashcards too heavily. Make eye contact with your audience and engage with them as much as possible. If you find that your flashcards aren't working for you, ditch them. Your main goal is to communicate your message effectively to your audience, and sometimes that means adjusting on the fly.

Enrich the flashcards with pictures and audio. Use the 'Velcro' principle of memorisation: the more hooks the better. I like to use pictures that make me feel good and show natural scenes. Audio is good for dictation and also snippets of a conversation as the 'question'.

Flashcards helped me pass the PMP exam. The flashcards were supplemental to the practice exams I would take independently from my weekly group tutoring sessions. I used digital and handwritten flashcards during my study time to assist in remembering the terminology for the exam. The flashcards led me to zone in and focus on the areas I needed to review more.

On Brainscape, the decks have a space to describe the deck's goal briefly. Descriptions that include positive words, eg. 'Start the conversation well' or 'Building trust', 'Administer meds safely', can form a powerful link to the real-life application of the knowledge and increase student motivation. If you are a teacher, you might invite students to name the deck, thus improving their ownership of the cards.

I often work on a platform where you spend a fixed period (25/50/75 minutes) working on your project with another person working on their project. This enables people to stay accountable for a fixed time. I frequently meet people studying flashcards who commit to either mastering a specific number or creating flashcards. While experiencing time pressure is not for everyone, a little light pressure can often generate excitement about learning and satisfaction about completing or closing in on educational goals.

I've helped hundreds of people prepare for speeches, pitches or presentations. Early in my career when doing presentations, I felt the need to hold a piece of paper or card so I wouldn't get lost but I've practiced going without this and slowly but surely it's worked wonders. There is more connection to the audience, more eye contact and you have more of a conversation rather than a scripted presentation. You also look less nervous and more natural. I would encourage you to give it a go and be brave. Visit pitchninjas.com to get the help you need and practice in a safe environment. We promise you'll see change!