Learning How to Learn - Coursera Flashcards
Describe the difference between diffuse mode and focused modes, using analogy.
Analogy = Pinball…. Focused mode has things tight together, it helps put everything together in tight area that’s already familiar.
Diffuse mode is like wider spaced pegs. Things can reach away farther and different areas can connect, but not as strong.
How important is metaphor and analogy to learning?
Umm, the most important.
How did Dali and Edison access their diffuse modes?
By holding something, nearly falling asleep and then being awoken by the dropping….then immediately getting right back to work.
How is learning like lifting?
In lifting, you don’t wait until the end, right before the competition and try to do 69 sets to get ready. It’s slow increment strength improvement over days and weeks wth small growth day to day, big growth over time.
Where is most learning and thinking done? (conscious / unconscious)
Unconscious or subconscious….Always plugging away, even if behind the scenes.
Are brain connections dynamic?
Yes, they are. They are plastic and can always be updated, changed and are always changing.
What are the 3 steps of how procrastination works?
- You associate expected pain with an action.
- You change your attention to something that will bring an award.
- You get a reward…but only in the short term, temporarily.
(this begins the spiral as you then will associate more pain with the action you are now behind on)
What’s the best ways to combat procrastination? - 145
Using pomodoro technique, with small breaks and rewards in short term for pushing through painful, necessary tasks.
Also, inherently, focusing on the process instead of the product.
Why are abstract concepts harder to learn?
- They can’t be “seen” in the mind, by definition they are abstract.
- Even other intangible things can be felt….
You have to practice and use repetition, combined with analogy to make these real and easier to understand.
How do new patterns get created in the brain (in terms of darkness, strength)
Like a picture that’s fuzzy initially, at first they get filled in, then as repeated and repeated recall happens they get strengthened and strengthened and become darker and darker. (with non-use) metabolic vampires continually dull them, so constant use is necessary to keep them dark, full, strong, sharp.
What is the burst and rest technique related to brick and mortar?
Bricks need mortar to dry…. doing too much, stacking too many bricks before the mortar dries, will make wall topple over. Putting as many together (maximized, but not toppling), then waiting and resting while the mortar dries, then other new layers can easily be stacked again on top. Doing so, without allowing it to dry will result in having to start over.
What analogies work for working memory?
Like a self-erasing blackboard, with only 4 holes.
What analogies work for long-term memory?
Like a warehouse, but one that has copies of items. Over time, the more likely an access is expected, the more copies are stored and the more easily and likely retrieval is. It must be trusted to be needed again by being easy to find (doesn’t look like other stuff…novel and has a quick conveyor built to it either with visual and/or emotional systems)
How should repetition be spaced to secure things better in long-term memory?
Over a few days, and then, reattacked within week(s)
What three mental processes does sleep help with?
- It cleans out toxins (shrinks cells, allows fluids to sweep them away)
- allows patterns to connect and strengthen in diffuse mode by more repetition.
- removes the conscious “self” thinking mind to allow other patterns underneath to connect better.
What’s the best way to access the diffuse mode?
running, exercises, doing something else active
How does Dr. Sejnowski recommend to learn better compared to just sitting, listening in a class?
Doing it yourself
How can I make a boring lecture interesting?
Interrupting, asking questions.
Can you multi-task?
No, only switch back and forth faster
What is the best way to keep creative inspiration high?
Be in a context and/or with creative people. Use physical activity…. DO NOT KILL RECESS! Be around young people and energetic people, as energy is contagious.
Where does “success” come from in learning?
Passion, persistence, perseverance…When stuck, re-adjust perspective, zooming in/out as necessary, and allowing it to come with new eyes vision
SUMMARIZE the following concepts from Part 1: Focus vs. Diffuse Pomodoro vs. Procrastination Practice, Repetition wrt WM / LTM Sleep + Exercise Effects on Learning
- Focus in spurts with undistracted energy…then rest, shift to other activities to allow diffuse mode to happen.
Focused is conscious, tight, narrow, familiar….Diffuse is below conscious, loose, broad, new. - Pomodoro beats procrastination with interval style burst and rest, with attention to process not product
- Practice and Repetition put things into long-term memory. Best if spaced out over days and not crammed. With reattacks and active recall.
- Sleep and Exercise are REQUIRED for best learning. Sleep sweeps away toxins, removes conscious self, and allows pattern strengthening. Exercise improves blood flow, energy, mind-body connection and brings diffuse mode and mental rejuvenation.
Is creativity only for problems the world has never seen before?
No, of course not. MY creativity happens when I am solving a problem for the first time. Maybe someone else solved it, but I didn’t and those patterns are forming for the first time in my brain. This is no different and exactly what is required for me to understand it is the same thing that’s required for creating it.
What 2 OCEAN attributes are associated with creativity?
Openness, and surprisingly ‘dis’aggreeableness
What 2 balances must be made to maximize creativity?
- Acceptance of what is, versus rejecting and creating new
- Conformity vs. non-conformity….
Basically, I have to create something new that no one else has done and is different from what they’re doing, but they also have to like it.
What happens to the octupus of attention when we go to sleep?
The head is gone, so the arms can go everywhere.
How can I apply the 10x Zoom concept to learning?
going in or out on zoom process / perspective allows me to see things that weren’t there otherwise and adjust up and down as necessary?
How can I apply Zooming in and out in my studies?
Use physical patterns of eyes, head, hands, standing, walking, turning, looking etc, to lead turn mind into change required.
SUMMARIZE THE FOLLOWING GOOD STUDY TECHNIQUES :
- Recall, Test, Chunk
- Space, Alternate, Break
- Questions, Simplicity, Analogies
- Motivate, Burst, Rest
I must be able to prove that I personally know something by being able to recall it myself. Just looking, reviewing is NOT enough. The answer must come from inside me. Testing is how I find out whether this is happening or not. Using flashcards is a great way to test and to use word association to help cement chunking.
To be set info into long-term memory, I must space my repetition accordingly, ideally a few days over a few weeks. Alternating in between subjects and interleaving with other info will help, as well as taking breaks and allowing patterns to form and strengthen in the background. Think of this like muscle building. And welcoming initial failure and muscle breaking, not being able to win (like mediation) but overall its a win and is easier next time.
The best way to learn and deeply understand is to ask alot of questions, ask the right questions and be able to make something simple, NOT more complex. Using analogies as well with metaphors allows (especially abstract concepts) to take form with something I know already. To be able to answer my own question and speak it aloud as it explaining to a child is the best way to “learn by teaching”.
To make the most of my neural energy, I must use burst energy and stay motivated. Doing the difficult things first when I have the most energy and keeping a motivating and energetic environment around me that I reconnect to during rest sessions is the best way to learn with high energy.
How should writing part and editing part of my mind relate?
They should never operate at the same time. Both in the car, and only one can drive. That should be the writing part.
How’s writing like vomiting?
When “writing” as opposed to editing….the goal should be to get everything on the page, as much as possible…do NOT restrict, do NOT outline, do NOT correct as I go, just write solid for a time limit with whatever comes….
What are some ways to get rid of editing part of mind when writing?
Cover screen…Use write or die…..Talk back to negative self-talk.
What is the right motivation to learn language? What’s the wrong?
To truly learn about culture, to believe that it is important and meaningful to my future, and to enjoy the process and what I’m learning along the way. Enjoy connecting with other human beings.
The wrong reasons are to impress people or to have a bullet on a resume.
What advantage to children have in language learning?
Not perfectionist or worried about sounding perfect or making mistakes (“phone where”?
How do negative self talk and self-fulfilling prophecies crush learning?
I suck, so there’s no point to effort….no effort so no results….no results, so I suck….continue. In reality, NOONE has the perfect situation, everyone has excuses. Some overcome.
How should I handle learning plateaus (esp. wrt language learning?)?
Expect it…its natural. Be ready and adjust approach, system, technique, but not self.
How can pomodora technique translate to medium scale?
3 month projects and then rest. Vacation, mini-rewards awaiting the end of projects.. And can’t give up life along the way or will burn out and never continue again.
Does rote rehearsal work for language review?
No, (well, only one way for some kind of recognition or maybe 50% listening, but not for speaking or high level understanding)
How many slots does the octopus of attention have in working memory? How does he react to stresss.
Approx. 4…maybe more (7 or so with higher IQ?) He’s terrible with stress….he gets no energy as it’s routed to other lower portions of the brain.
How does chunking work in languages?
letters -> words -> sentences -> paragraphs, etc.
How do math/science problems relate to music/language learning chunking?
Problem sets are the songs that someone else has already written. As I learn a few “words” and can recognize patterns in techniques, eventually I can put them together to create beautiful songs with new patterns that weren’t combined before. Knowing why each step works is like knowing how to play a single note or comprehending a certain word.
Are math/science mindless step following?
Absolutely NOT. It’s like playing the notes of a song. Seeing how notes fit together or words into poetry
What’s important to the octopus trying to make chunks with regard to distractions?
It’s like his arms are getting pulled this way and that, or they’re stuck and can’t get to pattern underneath.
Is it possible to create chunks without context or understanding?
yes, it is, but it really serves no purpose, adds nothing of value.
With regard to creating chunks, is it enough to see someone else’s work and understand why they did what they did?
Absolutely NOT. I must be able to recreate it for myself. Hearing a song does NOT mean I’ll be able to play it.
How does the puzzle analogy apply to chunking?
One piece of data is a puzzle piece. It makes no sense on it’s own. Only when connected to other pieces does it even make sense. Only when those mini chunks of 4-5 pieces are together can you begin to put a bunch of chunks around and see what the big picture may look like.
Describe the we start with listening and end with grand creativity, using chunks as the objects…
First we listen and appreciate. Watching we begin to see a bigger picture and as we do so we start seeing the small patterns take shape. Being able to start with creating the small patterns on my own, I then, with repetition begin building to bigger and bigger patterns. As I start to get a repertoire of bigger and bigger patterns, I begin trying to link them together in the way others had. As I see different ways that they link together, through playful experiment I start to change the ways they are linked together and/or replace known patterns with new ones. Ultimately resulting in brand new creativity.
How are math/science problems like road maps and travel/navigation solutions?
When you start, you just go where it says to go, not sure of what else is around. The more you travel the route, the more familiar you get, you realize WHY certain paths are the best way to get there. You see that other ways of traveling may be an option as well, and understand why this particular one has traditionally been chosen,. Eventually I can get there myself without the map, and I can even create maps for others to get there as well.
