Learning How to Learn

This is an introduction to a very interesting subject which is learning how to learn, the course gives you easy access to the invaluable learning techniques used by experts in art, literature, math, science, sports, and many other disciplines.

We have been studying for more than 12 years and no one taught us how to do that (How to study effectively), indeed it's a brain game, just try to figure out what is going on inside your skull to make things work better.

First of all, let's define what's learning, so learning simply is the ability to acquire knowledge and use it in the needed situation, as an example engineers should understand all the basics of maths and physics to find solutions and implant new technologies.

As you know the Brain is the leader of our thinking and reaction, to make the most of it, It's crucial to use it properly.

We have two modes of thinking, focused mode, and diffused mode;

The definition of focused thought: It is focused? When we are completely focused on the task at hand, we use concentrated thinking. Focused thinking is a state of mind in which the brain's prefrontal cortex uses its best concentration talents to ignore all distracting information. It's also the ideal way for learning courses that need a lot of knowledge like Physics or Mathematics.

On the other hand, diffuse thinking considers the larger picture. Distractive thinking, in contrast to concentrated thought, is all about interruptions. When you allow your thoughts to roam freely, forming connections at random, you're engaging in diffuse thinking. The diffuse way of thinking occurs across the brain, not just in one region. That is, in fact, the beauty of diffuse thinking: it allows your brain to connect the dots and interconnect neuronal processes.

Second, when we speak about the brain It is mandatory to mention memory, many people are suffering from remembering things, they think that they have a bad memory, which can be right, but in most cases, their problem is that they did not train their brain to recall the wanted information. Well, there are some technics to do so, I use two methods Spaced Repetition and Chunking.

Spaced Repetition: It is all about practicing remembering at the right time, using flashcards is an easy method to use this strategy. You may divide your flashcards into three groups based on how well you recall them, in another way It is taking information that you need to memorize and repeating it across increasing intervals.

Chunking: the process of combining discrete bits of data into bigger parts. You may increase the quantity of information you recall by grouping each data point into a bigger whole. Phone numbers are perhaps the most prevalent example of chunking. A phone number sequence of 5-8-1-7-0-9-4, for example, would be chunked into 581-7094.

Those methods aren't magic bullets for memory difficulties, but they may be a useful tool in your memory-improvement toolbox. You could discover that you can recall more if you use these tactics regularly and include this approach in your study routines.

From experience, I can say that if I have known these methods earlier I would have win lot of time and knowledge, put in mind that understanding how things work around you makes you better, that's why you should always use the following words How and Why to improve your level.

It is not a race, It is a marathon.

Webliography:

Coursera: Learning how to learn.