Learning to Learn Flashcards
Active Recall
processing what you are learning through purposeful interaction (instead of just reading or repeating it over and over).
like: asking yourself questions about it or rephrasing concepts in your own words.
Seems to be the most effective way to learn. Watch/Read material, stop and recall what you learned. Or ask yourself or write down questions instead of notes. Proven to be more effective than re-reading material over and over or highlighting.
Spaced Repetition
spread learning over time: practice every day, then every other day, then once a week, then once a month, etc. eventually stores to long term memory.
Proven to learn much more effectively and efficiently by spreading out over time instead of doing all at once. Can repeat less and less throughout time as it gets stored in long term memory.
For example, work on topic 1 on Monday, then Tuesday, then skip a day, then skip a week, then skip a month.
Another example: it’s MUCH MORE effective to review something for 10 minutes each day for 6 days, instead of for 60 minutes in one day.
https://youtu.be/Z-zNHHpXoMM
Learning to Learn
Coursera course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn
Chunking
connecting together information in to a single chunk so it is easier to reference.
for example, the chunk “frontend web development” can break apart in to structure (HTML), presentation (CSS), and client side scripting (Javascript). Your brain can just grab the “chunk” “frontend web development” instead of the list of everything that contains, which allows you to start piecing together bigger concepts instead of getting stuck on trying to remember little details… leading to actual understanding instead of memorizing
Meaningful Grouping
Associating things you need to remember with something more visual or memorable, like numbers, abbreviations, and images.
For example, fending off vampires can be done with Garlic, rose, hawthorn, and mustard. First letts abbreviate to GRHM - so you can use the image of a Graham cracker to help you remember. Of if you need to remember numbers, associate them with something familiar; like your grandma’s birth year.
Memory Palace
thinking of a place you are very familiar with (e.g. home) and placing imaginary objects within it to represent things you want to remember.
a particular way of creating “meaningful groups” to remember something. Think of a place you are familiar with (home, route to school, favorite restaurant) - now this is a “Memory Palace” you can use as a notepad. Can help you remember unrelated items, like a grocery list. Imagine yourself walking through this place you know, coupled with shockingly memorable objects that you want to remember. For example: to remember rice, coffee, and foil: A rice crispy treat is in the hallway, you can hear and smell the coffee from the kitchen, and an alien in a tin foil hat is on the couch.
Pomodoro technique
remove distractions (e.g. turn off phone) focus on topic for 25 minutes (set timer) reward self (take 5 minute break)
The habit of procrastination
Procrastination is a habit that can affect MANY areas of your life. the process of procrastination can be compared to addiction. Things you don’t want to do often cause pain and makes it easy to slip in to procrastination for a “quick fix”.
One of the best things you can do is to focus on the PROCESS instead of the PRODUCT. Instead of “I have to do a whole essay by tomorrow” think “I am going to work on an outline for the next 20 minutes”. This can help avoid the triggering of pain which is often caused by being overwhelmed by the idea of the product.
makeup of a habit:
- cue - triggers your zombies to kick in (something that causes you to react in a way that almost feel natural/unconscious
examples:
“I need to do homework” ;
“oooh a text from a friend!” - routine - what has become your “natural response” to the cue/trigger above (zombie mode - can be useful, harmless, or sometimes harmful)
examples:
“ahh I really don’t want to do homework. I need to do the dishes” ;
“got to stop what i’m doing and text them back” - the reward - how you feel immediately after. habits continue because they reward us with a feeling of pleasure. procrastination is especially harmful since the reward is quick and immediate, like addiction.
examples:
“much better; i couldnt do anything else without doing those dishes (but now you didnt do your homework)”
“good thing I responded and stopped the boring stuff i was doing, ooh and here’s a facebook notification so im going to scroll on here for a while” - the belief - cannot change a habit without changing this. you may get stuck up in “well i can only get homework done in the evening so shouldnt even try waking up to do it” you won’t be able to change a habit until you can change this belief. “i haven’t gotten up early in a while, but I am going to tomorrow and do some reading for 20 minutes. then I can enjoy a nice cup of coffee”
finding ways to shift your belief and reward good habits is the trick to tackling procrastination.
Metaphors and Visualization
using letters, numbers, and images that remind you of something to help you remember.
“being able to see something in your mind’s eye”
compare something you need to remember and understand to something similar that is more visual and easier to remember. a cation = compare to a cat with paws, so is therefore “pawsitive” ; and anion = compare to an onion which makes you cry so is “negative”.
sometimes it helps to pretend YOU are the concept you’re trying to understand. you can imagine yourself walking through a graph or stuck inside a formula, etc.
metaphors help get people out of “einsellung” (being blocked by thinking about a problem in the wrong way). it makes connections to patterns in your brain that are already there so you feel more comfortable.
Interleaving
Tying the things you are learning to other things you know. A sign you’re really beginning to understand that content.
Interleave your learning to really understand concepts and relate them to multiple topics. instead of studying the chapter from the beginning (often leading to reviewing the beginning topic very strongly and being weak with the topics toward the end) - randomize the review of topics within the chapter and don’t review them sequentially
Deliberate Practice
practice tougher material; dont’ default to the easy things you already know. try to practice the end to the beginning of the chapter
(often people make the mistake of studying the beginning over and over and don’t get as much repetition with later parts)
Take responsibility for your learning
don’t just take a teacher’s word for it. dig in yourself. find more resources and teachers. learn for you.
Focus vs Diffuse Thinking Modes
You can only be in one of these modes at a time. Diffuse Mode is incredibly important for helping you piece together and understand the bigger picture. Focus mode by itself is not enough for committing something to long term memory and understanding. The Pomodoro technique goes hand in hand with this. The 5 minute break allows you to go in to Diffuse mode where you can zone out from the topic and let your brain unconsciously sort itself out.
Some major ways of reaching diffuse mode:
Exercise
Sleep (some “geniouses” were known to sit in a chair for a break away from focus mode, in order to help them solve something or make it through a blockage. They would allow themselves to doze off while holding something in their hand (like keys). when they fall asleep and drop it, they get woken up and then go back to work. Often they will come back with the blockage removed or with a new idea to try.
Testing & Testing Check List
1 hour studying vs 1 hour testing - testing is SO MUCH better for learning/remembering
- Did you make a serious effort to understand the text?
- Did you work with classmates on problems or at least check answers with them?
- Did you attempt to outline every homework problem solution before working with classmates?
- Did you participate actively in group discussions?
- Did you consult with instructor on questions?
- Did you understand ALL homework problem solutions?
- Did you ask for homework explanations in class on problems not clear to you?
- Did you go through a study guide and believe you understand everything on it?
- Did you attempt to outline lots of problem solutions quickly without spending time on the algebra and calculations?
- Did you go over study guide and problems with classmates and quiz one another?
- Did you attend review session and ask questions?
- Did you get a reasonable night sleep before test. If answer is no, your answers to all questions before may not matter.
Test Taking Tips (“Hard start - jump to easy” technique)
1 - skim test for an overview
2 - start with the hardest problem, but stop after a minute or two ESPECIALLY if stuck
3 - switch to easy problems (this gets your diffuse mode to start working on the hard problem in the background)
practice this first on homework problems before a test.
