Mastering the Learning Process
How Memory Works
To increase the effectiveness of your studying and learning, you must
understand the science behind memory.
Understanding How We Learn
• Contextual Clues for Memory Recall
• Your brain is constantly taking in
what is around you
• Using triggers
• Don’t create rituals for studying;
Challenge your brain to recall
information
Understanding How We Learn
• Space Studying Out
• Space out studying in shorter chunks, and repeat this over time for the
largest return on investment
• “You’re not spending any more time. You’re not working any harder. But
you remember for longer.” – Mary Roach
• The farther you are from a test, have longer study intervals. The closer you
are to a test, have shorter intervals.
• Pomodoro Method
Week 1:
Initial learning –
Chapters 1-2
Week 3:
Review Ch. 1-4; Initial
learning Ch. 5-6
Test
Week 5
Review SAME material at
least 2 more times in week 3
Review SAME material at
least 1 more time in week 1
Review SAME material at
least 1 more time in week 2
Week 2:
Review Chapter 1-2
Add Initial Learning
Chapter 3-4
Review SAME material at
least 3 more times in week 4
Week 4:
Review Ch 1-6
Understanding How We Learn
• Testing As Part of Studying
• Testing means practicing the concepts
without any study aids
• Testing yourself earlier in your study
routine will also confirm for you what you
don’t know, and allow you time to review
this material.
• When you study, then test yourself, you
are more likely to remember the material
later.
• How can you test yourself?
Understanding How We Learn
• When Reviewing Material
• The more multi-sensory techniques you use to learn
information over time, the more neuro pathways you
build.
• Examples of multi-sensory techniques:
• Visual
• Cornell Note-Taking
• Doodling
• Verbal/Explanation
• Teaching Others
• Study Groups
• Associations
• Efficient Repetition
• Organization
• Mnemonic Tricks
• Take a break! A syn-nap
Understanding How We Learn
• Things to Avoid
• Re-writing the same thing over and over
• Simple memorization and regurgitation
• Cramming
• Sticking with the “flash cards” model.
• Moving on when you don’t understand something
• Going to class without a clue as to what will be covered
• Not going to class
Time/Priority Management
• “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your
schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
– Stephen Covey
• This is really more about managing all of
your priorities to accomplish your goal.
• You must be intentional with your time,
study habits, and what you are prioritizing.
• You don’t have to be a student 100% of
your day! But you do need to plan so you
can accomplish everything that’s important
to you.
Time/Priority Management
• Let’s start with the BIG PICTURE – Backwards Planning (see handout)
• Plan now for the super stressful weeks. What can you do not to mitigate the
impact of those weeks?
• The more you do now to plan your future weeks and semester, the more likely
you will be able to handle things when you are very stressed.
Time/Priority Management
• Set Milestones and Goals
• Goal Mapping (handout)
• At each milestone, reflect and re-assess your habits
Time/Priority Management
• After you do backwards planning and set
your goals, you will need to incorporate
strategic decision making and planning on
a daily and weekly basis
• There are many ways to do this. At a
minimum, you will need a basic
organization tool that you use daily and
week. This could be:
• Planner (hard copy)
• Calendar on your wall
• White board
• Post-it notes
• Simple notebook to plan your day(s)
• Electronic calendar or app
• To-Do List
• Personal Kanban
• Priority Grid
• Other methods – what do you use?
Get Started
Your task is to complete the following by next class:
• Backwards Planning for the Semester
• Set at least one milestone that occurs before the end of the semester and complete
goal mapping for at least one goal.
• Pick a time/organization method and use it daily/weekly (planners, Kanban, Priority
grid, etc)
• Pick a study technique and use it daily/weekly (spaced intervals, Cornell method,
teaching, Pomodoro, etc)
Online Resources:
•
Learning
•
Doodling for Learning
•
Ted Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/sunni_brown
•
Article: http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1882127,00.html
•
Cornell Method for Notetaking: http://goo.gl/WDMuni
•
Studying, General
•
Article – Teach as part of the learning process: http://goo.gl/LuviDu
•
Article based on the How We Learn book: http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/25/how-does-the-brainlearn-best-smart-studying-strategies/
•
Online tools for better attention and focus:
•
http://99u.com/articles/6969/10-online-tools-for-better-attention-focus
•
http://collegeinfogeek.com/resources/
•
Time/Priority Management
•
Building Your Own Productivity Style: http://lifehacker.com/5828033/how-to-build-your-own-productivity-style-byremixing-from-the-best
•
Pomorodo Method:
•
http://pomodorotechnique.com/
•
http://lifehacker.com/productivity-101-a-primer-to-the-pomodoro-technique-1598992730
•
http://www.moosti.com/
•
Personal Kanban:
•
http://goo.gl/vjuE9V
•
http://yeswekanban.net/
•
Getting Things Done Philosophy
•
http://lifehacker.com/productivity-101-a-primer-to-the-getting-things-done-1551880955
•
Mastering Your To Do List: http://lifehacker.com/5986867/david-allen-explains-how-to-master-your-to-do-list
•
Prioritizing
•
Article: How To Prioritize When Everything Is Important: http://lifehacker.com/5877111/how-to-prioritize-wheneverything-is-important
•
Priority Grid: http://www.usgs.gov/humancapital/documents/TimeManagementGrid.pdf
•
Motivation
•
Ted Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation?language=en