[13] Learning Effectively!

One Line Summary: How to leverage science to learn more effectively.

One Paragraph Summary:

These are learning techniques used by experts in art, music, literature, math, science, sports, and many other disciplines. There are two modes of thinking, the Diffused and Focused modes of thinking. Switching your attention from your focused to a more diffuse way of analyzing the problem can help you retrench and tackle what you are doing in new and better ways. Sometimes the best to learn is to stop focusing on the problem and leave the unconscious (or/and subconscious) mind to come up with the solution later. That′s why you can study things before going to sleep to enhance the chance of dreaming about it and let your unconscious brain to work.

Newsletter:

The information provided here is based on the Coursera course Learning How to Learn (Dr. Terrence Sejnowski & Barbara Oakley, n.d.) and personal experience.

The 10 Rules of Good Learning:

1. Use RECALL. After you read a page, look away and recall the main ideas. Highlight very little, and never highlight anything you haven’t put in your mind first by recalling. Try recalling main ideas when you are walking to class or in a different room from where you originally learned it. An ability to recall—to generate the ideas from inside yourself—is one of the key indicators of good learning.

2. TEST yourself. On everything. All the time. Flash cards are your friend.

• Test preparation Check-list – A list of items that you have to cover to really ensure you know the material and you are ready to take a final test!

3. CHUNK your problems. Chunking is understanding and practicing with a problem solution so that it can all come to mind in a flash. After you solve a problem, rehearse it. Make sure you can solve it cold—every step. Pretend it’s a song and learn to play it over and over again in your mind, so the information combines into one smooth chunk you can pull up whenever you want.????????

• The Value of a Library of Chunks - valuable bits of information they can piece together in new and creative ways.
• This is where the Law of Serendipity comes into play. Lady Luck favors the one who tries (ACTION!). Follow these steps: (1) Focused attention; (2) Understanding the concept, the main idea, etc.; and (3) Practice – put it context, DO IT!

4. SPACE your Repetition. Spread out your learning in any subject a little every day, just like an athlete. Your brain is like a muscle—it can handle only a limited amount of exercise on one subject at a time.

• Use RECALLING or TEST yourself (is very effective way to check if you really know it!) Once you read a chapter what can you recall? Good to recall in different places, as you might be more comfortable to recall in your comfort zone (your room) than somewhere else. The retrieval process itself enhances deep learning, and helps us to begin forming chunks. Using recall, rather than passive rereading, makes the study time more focused and effective. The only time rereading text seems to be effective, is if you let time pass between the rereading, so that it becomes more of an exercise in spaced repetition.
• Writing and Saying what you're trying to learn seems to enhance retention.

5. ALTERNATE different problem-solving techniques during your practice. Never practice too long at any one session using only one problem-solving technique—after a while, you are just mimicking what you did on the previous problem. Mix it up and work on different types of problems. After every assignment and test, go over your errors, make sure you understand why you made them, and then rework your solutions. To study most effectively, handwrite – handwriting builds stronger neural structures in memory than typing.

6.?Take BREAKS. It is common to be unable to solve problems or figure out concepts in math or science the first time you encounter them. This is why a little study every day is much better than a lot of studying all at once. When you get frustrated with a math or science problem, take a break so that another part of your mind can take over and work in the background.

7.?Use explanatory QUESTIONING and simple ANALOGIES. Whenever you are struggling with a concept, think to yourself, How can I explain this so that a ten-year-old could understand it? Using an analogy really helps, like saying that the flow of electricity is like the flow of water. Don’t just think your explanation—say it out loud or put it in writing. The additional effort of speaking and writing allows you to more deeply encode (that is, convert into neural memory structures) what you are learning.

8.?FOCUS. Turn off all interrupting beeps and alarms on your phone and computer, and then turn on a timer for twenty-five minutes (Pomodoro technique). Focus intently for those twenty-five minutes and try to work as diligently as you can. After the timer goes off, give yourself a 5min break and repeat the process or give yourself a fun reward.

9. Eat your FROGS first. Do the hardest thing earliest in the day, when you are fresh.

10.?Remember Your WHY. Imagine where you’ve come from and contrast that with the dream of where your studies will take you. Post a picture or words in your workspace to remind you of your dream. Look at that when you find your motivation lagging. This work will pay off both for you and those you love!

References and/or Recommended Resources:

• Dr. Terrence Sejnowski, & Barbara Oakley. (n.d.). Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects. https://es.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn#instructors