Chapter 4 - Chunking and Avoiding Illusions of Competence Flashcards
What is the best way to build up conceptual chunks of understanding?
Regular practice, not just reading through and understanding a concept, and spaced repetition
Do you build up conceptual chunks with diffuse mode thinking or focused mode thinking?
You build up conceptual chunks of information with focused mode thinking.
What happens as you read through a concept over and over? What is the most important thing to grasp?
The big idea. The underlying reason behind a concept or the method of solving a particular problem. This allows you to compress the information and recall it more easily later on.
What is the difference between bottom up learning (chunking) and big picture (context) learning?
Bottom up learning gives you the tools to solve certain problems (the how). Big picture (context) is important as it allows you to learn when to apply certain methods to solve a problem (when).
What is the best way to learn when to apply a particular method to a problem domain?
Practice, practice, practice.
What is the best method for chunking information (building up the how for solving certain problems)
Recall. Trying to recall what you have read and say it in your own way without looking at a page is a far more effective method for learning new material than simply re-reading.
How is a chunk related to a memory trace?
Chunks are related memory traces that are formed around a particular concept or piece of information/knowledge and in-forced over time.
Is understanding enough to create a chunk?
No. just because you understand how a problem was solved when looking at a solution does not mean that you know how to do this yourself or when to apply that method of solving the problem given a particular context.
What is the most common illusion of competence in learning?
Thinking that because you have read something and grasped the idea that you now fully understand it and know how and when to apply it.
