Learning to Learn

Question 1

What is the best way to focus intently but briefly?

Answer 1

If you often find yourself procrastinating, as many of us do, here’s a tip. Turn off your phone and any sounds or sights (or websites) that might signal an interruption. Then set a timer for twenty-five minutes and put yourself toward doing a twenty-five-minute interlude of work focused on a task— any task. Don’t worry about finishing the task— just worry about working on it. Once the twenty-five minutes is up, reward yourself with web surfing, checking your phone, or whatever you like to do. This reward is as important as the work itself.

Question 2

How to prime you brain before bed?

Answer 2

If you want to apply a more advanced version of this approach, imagine that at the end of the day, you are reflecting on the one most important task that you accomplished that day. What would that task be? Write it down. Then work on it. Oakley, Barbara. A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) (p. 24). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Question 3

What and when are the best ways to prime your brain?

Answer 3

At the end of your workday, look at what you crossed off your list and savor the feeling of accomplishment. Then write a few key things that you would like to work on the next day. This early preparation will help your diffuse mode begin to think about how you will get those tasks done the next day. Oakley, Barbara. A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) (pp. 24-25). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Question 4

Which kind of thinking is more important?

Answer 4

Both, in different ways and at different times. It toggles back and forth given the correct amount of work, input, self-testing, priming, and rest.

Question 5

How do you know you are working on a new problem correctly?

Answer 5

It is befuddling in the beginning.

Question 6

How do you engage focussed and diffuse methods of working on a problem?

Answer 6

To figure out new ideas and solve problems, it’s important not only to focus initially, but also to subsequently turn our focus away from what we want to learn. Oakley, Barbara. A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) (p. 25). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Question 7

What is the einstellung effect?

Answer 7

getting stuck in solving a problem or understanding a concept as a result of becoming fixated on a flawed approach, because you have incorrectly become attached to an incorrect chunk. Switching modes from focused to diffuse can help free you from this effect. Keep in mind, then, that sometimes you will need to be flexible in your thinking. You may need to switch modes to solve a problem or understand a concept. Your initial ideas about problem solving can sometimes be very misleading.

Question 8

What is step one of familiarizing yourself with a text?

Answer 8

Skim it, especially for practice problems and summaries.

Question 9

What is step two in familiarizing yourself with a text?

Answer 9

Read it through as early as possible.

Question 10

What is step three in familiarizing yourself with a text?

Answer 10

Reprise it in your head without looking back. try to summarize as much out loud or onto paper as possible. “self test”

Question 11

What is step three in familiarizing yourself with a text?

Answer 11

Reprise it in your head without looking back. try to summarize as much out loud or onto paper as possible. “self test”

Question 12

How can you tell what mode of thought you are in?

Answer 12

observation - details?

Question 13

How can you change your mode of observation?

Answer 13

change state, place, activity, environment, rest, etc.

Question 14

If the focussed and diffuse types of thought were different settings on a flashlight, what would they be?

Answer 14

bright but narrow, wide but shadowy

Question 15

What is the best strategy when stuck on a difficult problem?

Answer 15

move away for a few minutes. let your diffuse brain work on it. then try again.

Question 16

What are the three most important forms of memory work that your brain does while you sleep?

Answer 16

clean toxic byproducts, rehearse day’s work, process through dreams.

Question 17

Best way to avoid dread/distress in tasks?

Answer 17

avoid procrastination

Question 18

Best ways to avoid procrastination traps?

Answer 18

Prime mind the night before; tolerate a little pain to get started; use pomodoro and make sure to include rewards; make your goals process not outcome oriented.

Question 19

What is the most systematic way to move things from STM to LTM?

Answer 19

Spaced repetition.

Question 20

What is the best way to use breaks/time off/”procrastination” time?

Answer 20

Use it to idly recall and think about the material you’ve been working on.

Question 21

When you just can’t get something, try looking for the _______ in it.

Answer 21

Meaning. Sometimes through thinking. Sometimes through sleeping. Sometimes through googling the history of the concept and its origin. Why is it important?

Question 22

As things get easier, prune away the ___& ___ and focus on the __ &____ parts of what you are learning.

Answer 22

trivialities & easy part; the important & distinguishing

Question 23

Name six techniques you could use to move between the focussed and the diffuse modes of thinking?

Answer 23

Perfect score: 6

Question 24

Name 4 risks of studying for too long.

Answer 24

overlearning, inefficiency, burnout, failure to toggle between modes of thinking, rehearsing the easy parts. Others?

Question 25

What is the ideal interview between first focussing on and then refocusing on a problem (excluding priming)?

Answer 25

24 hours

Question 26

What is the best predictor for successful creativity?

Answer 26

the number of creative works we put into the world

Question 27

What is “chunking”?

Answer 27

Using guides and retesting to understand the connection between steps rather than their form or location.

Question 28

Step ZERO to chunking is:

Answer 28

Skimming through a chapter or listening to a very well-organized lecture can allow you to gain a sense of the big picture. This can help you know where to put the chunks you are constructing. Learn the major concepts or points first— these are often the key parts of a good instructor or book chapter’s outline, flow charts, tables, or concept maps. Once you have this done, fill in the details. Even if a few of the puzzle pieces are missing at the end of your studies, you can still see the big picture.

Question 29

Step One to chunking is:

Answer 29

FOCUS FULLY with ZERO distractions on the thing to be learned.

Question 30

Step Two to chunking is:

Answer 30

Try to UNDERSTAND the concept. Synthesize, put into words, and write down the gist of the concept.

WARNING: don’t confuse this “aha” moment with learning! That comes later.

Question 31

Step Three in Chunking is:

Answer 31

Close the book and retest yourself on the understanding you have just developed, as well as what you remember of the nuts and bolts of the problem.

Question 32

Step Four in Chunking is:

Answer 32

Putting your chunk in context, by solving a few related and unrelated problems to see where it applies.

Ask yourself: How does it fit into the bigger picture?

ALSO: Write a paragraph about when this chunk is relevant and when it is not.

Question 33

Step Five in chunking is:

Answer 33

Priming. Review the material at intervals, especially before intervals of diffuse thinking - like before bed or before a workout.

Question 34

What are the 4 best way to use your study time in order?

Answer 34

1. Closed book recall practice of key ideas
2. Working through example problems on your own
3. rewrite notes and rework problems regularly (min 24 hours to begin
4. balance with primed diffuse time
5. Briew review of texts and problems on spaced repitition schedule

Question 35

What six things contribute towards the “illusion of competence” in learning?

Answer 35

1. Overlearning/review of texts
2. solving problems with the book open (solution is right there)
3. lack of repeated retest
4. doing everything in the same environment
5. focus on assignment completion above understanding
6. highlighting as a stand-in for understanding

“Intention to learn is helpful only if it leads to the use of good learning strategies.”

Question 36

What is the most exciting thing you can do with a chunked library?

Answer 36

make intuitive leaps

Question 37

What is the best way to get started?

Answer 37

One process goal at a time.

Question 38

What is another great place to practice recall/retest?

Answer 38

Anywhere BUT where you have been doin the focussed work.