Accelerated Learning and AI

?

It is a typical mild Christmas period in the UK with no snowmen and a distinct lack of fluffy or crisp white snow. The British lament this situation, even though in the past many decades I have only witnessed two Christmas days with any snowfall. We appear to suffer from a collective Dickensian belief that Christmas should be a time for frozen rivers and roast chestnuts.

Having digressed once more, lets return to the topic at hand. In 1974 a seminal book was published titled: "Use Your Head” by Tony Buzan. He had just created a BBC series on learning methods and then published a series of books on how to enhance student learning. The book mentioned provided a summary of his main techniques, which include: speed reading, mnemonic systems and mind mapping.

Each of these methods can appeal to different people depending on how each individual processes mental data. I am typically a visual thinker and prefer the mind map approach. However, while useful, these individual methods Buzan developed are not his major contribution to learning.

Recognition versus Retrieval

When a student is learning any new material, the standard approach is to read a text, copy sections of the key points, use highlighter pens, go for a walk, watch tv, use smartphone, play some online games, browse social media, and then return to learning.

The critical element is after some time the person tests how well they have learned the material. They then look at the material/book and feel content that they recognise the material they are required to learn. Great. And quite useless. (I enjoy using the word and to start sentences to annoy all the teachers who told me not to do so.)

The human brain-visual system is extremely efficient at recognising sensory patterns it has previously encountered. It is part of our ability to survive and a strong evolutionary adaptation.

Unfortunately, in the artificial context of an exam room where we test students’ ability to recall information, the ability to recognise patterns starts to fail. The student stopped revising/learning once they felt they could recognise the content of the target material.

Buzan on Time

The key method Buzan proposed is to make the learning process time based. Basically, the pattern should be:

1.????? Study for 40-50 min as normal.

2.????? Break 10-15 min.

3.????? On blank paper attempt to recall the material and key points. DO NOT LOOK at the material. After reproducing the material, THEN LOOK and fill in the bits you missed.

4.????? It is the act of actively attempting to recall the material that begins to create long-term memory pathways to the data in your brain.

5.????? After 24 hours or so repeat this process for the material learned the previous day.

6.????? Repeat at one week, one month and 6 month intervals.

7.????? After the 6 month recall session the data should be part of your long-term memory and you are able to recall it at will.

I used this method for all my A level and degree studies, and it worked for me. Will it work for every human on planet earth? No idea, lets find out.

So What?

So why is this not the dominant pedagogical method taught in schools and colleges? There are two manifest challenges. First the student requires a significant level of discipline to manage their time like this and keep the required meta-notes on what they have covered and when. It is quite challenging. (I was personally a highly motivated mature student when I utilised the method.)

Second, it does not fit well into the pump and dump style of curriculum in most schools, where young minds are treated like buckets you simply pour content into. And teaching staff have neither time nor resources to manage the precise data management required for every student.

AI Tutors

There is a lot of commercial development of AI tutor systems which are a commendable use of AI. However, the power of AI in the learning context is not how well it can present material to a student. It rather lies in the ability to manage the test and recall process and prompt a student when they need to return at the optimum times to attempt a recall process. In addition, the AI can stop the student from forward viewing the material and engaging in the recognition trap.

If correctly applied this would transform the global education process. Not simply for young students but for any individual seeking to learn new skills.

Feel free to ignore this post. However, the AI revolution is going to displace vast numbers of people from current employment roles, who will then need to reskill at speed and low cost. New educational channels are urgently required that efficiently address this urgent social requirement.

?

References

Use your head: innovative learning and thinking techniques to fulfill your potential.

Buzan, Tony, Published BBC Active, 2006, reprint.

?