Learning is a very personal process. Not everyone’s learning style is the same. There is no guarantee that your learning style and another friend’s will follow exactly the same pattern. What works for you may not work for me.
So it is very difficult to tie the matter of ‘learning method’ to a specific rule. But there are certainly some research-based methods that we can use to make our learning process more effective and enjoyable. Today we will discuss some such methods.
We will frame our entire discussion in the light of a few questions. These questions will guide us to the desired answers. You will find the questions in the table of contents.
Table of Contents
Now let’s answer the questions one by one.
How to Hold Attention for Long Periods of Time?
There are times when even the simplest things do not come to mind. And sometimes, we can’t learn anything new even though we try hard. What do you do at such times?
If we have some knowledge about the functioning of our brain, we can get out of such problems quite easily. According to researchers, we mainly think in two ways, which we can divide into focused thinking and diffuse thinking.
We are very familiar with the focused thinking mode. When we give our full attention to understand or read something, it is called the focused mode. On the other hand, our understanding of the diffuse mode is quite poor. This concept is related to the resting state of our brain. When we take a break after being deeply engrossed in something, our subconscious mind continues to think about it. This is diffuse thinking. In this mode, we can think about any subject in a different way, from a different perspective.
But according to neuroscientists, we cannot be in these two states simultaneously; we can be in either state. It’s like tossing a coin – whichever side comes up.
We see the use of both the focused mode and the diffuse mode of problem-solving in many famous creative people. An example of this is the famous painter Salvador Dali. Dali followed a strange method when working on his surreal paintings.
Dali often sat in an armchair and thought. He always held a bunch of keys in his hand while sitting in his chair. When he fell asleep while thinking, the key would fall from his hand, and the sound of the key would wake him up. This is how Dali originally combined the focused and diffuse modes. Diffuse mode thoughts during sleep were brought into focused mode by being awakened by the sound of a key.
Many may think that this method may be useful for artists but is ineffective in science, math, or other hard sciences. Absolutely wrong! One of the world’s greatest scientists, Thomas Alva Edison, also used a similar method. He just sat in an armchair with ball bearings in his hands instead of keys like Dali.
The point is, when you’re learning something new, especially when you’re learning something difficult, the brain has to switch back and forth between these two ways of thinking. Only then can you learn something effectively.
So now the question is, what do we need to do to use these two methods? The question is very difficult, but the answer is actually very simple. The things we need to do to maximize the use of our brains are adequate sleep, brain-friendly foods, and exercise. It is also important to take breaks between readings, reward yourself, create a quiet and calm environment for reading, and stay away from all distractions, including phones. Let’s know a little more about them.
1. Enough Sleep
Our brain needs 7-9 hours of restful sleep every day to keep it functioning. Sleep is very effective for memorizing information according to proper learning methods. Sleep removes laziness and body weakness. In learning, it facilitates memorization and creates new neural connections for enhanced learning. Some habits can be developed as prerequisites for good sleep:
- Stay away from all kinds of screens at least 1 hour before sleep. If absolutely not possible, turn on reading mode on the device to minimize exposure to blue light.
- Create a comfortable bedtime routine. Part of this routine can include reading a book before going to sleep, listening to music, taking a bath in warm yellow water, praying, etc.
- Make sure your bedroom is calm and comfortable. All light sources should be turned off. However, a dim lamp can be left on to help sleep.
- Avoid consuming anything containing caffeine at least 4-6 hours before sleep.
2. Brain-Beneficial Foods
Eating nutritious and energizing foods keeps our brain alert and enhances its ability to process information quickly. Having a good breakfast at the start of the day is very effective. Consuming boiled eggs and fresh fruit for breakfast is a good practice. It’s also important to drink plenty of water while studying. Dehydration can impair concentration and make it difficult to focus on studies.
For students, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds, are crucial for brain health, supporting cognitive function and memory. Additionally, leafy green vegetables, berries, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fatty fish, and dark chocolate contain nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that promote optimal brain function, memory, and mood. Incorporating these foods into your diet can help boost your brainpower and support academic success.
3. Exercise
If you exercise regularly, the body is healthy, the mind is good.
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days. You can break this down into smaller sessions throughout the week to make it more manageable and maintain both physical and mental well-being.
Tips: Do exercise regularly, make it habit of your daily routine. It’s stimulates the release of endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, BDNF, and norepinephrine in the brain, mainly endorphins, which collectively enhance mood, motivation, focus, and cognitive function.
Endorphins are neurotransmitters that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators, providing benefits such as reducing feelings of pain, promoting feelings of happiness and well-being, and helping to alleviate stress and anxiety.
Suggestion: You can explore on the Internet about the benefits of Exercise.
4. Taking Breaks Between Reading Sessions
Our brains cannot sustain high levels of activity for extended periods. They also require rest. One excellent learning method for optimizing your reading sessions is the Pomodoro Technique. This technique is highly effective in combating procrastination and maintaining productivity. It was popularized by Francesco Cirillo in the 1990s.
Since our brain’s attention span is limited, it’s beneficial to divide tasks requiring focus into smaller chunks. The maximum sustained attention span of our brain is around 25 minutes. Therefore, we can engage in focused reading for 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. This cycle constitutes one Pomodoro.
Now, you might be curious about why it’s called ‘Pomodoro.’ The onus is on you to find the answer to this question.
🎯 You are given one Pomodoro to discover the answer!
5. Reward Yourself
Rewarding yourself is vital for motivation and productivity in learning. It involves acknowledging achievements and celebrating progress. Choose meaningful rewards like a favorite snack, short break, or enjoyable activity. By regularly rewarding yourself, you’ll stay motivated and focused on your learning goals.
Basically, reward yourself with something you love.
6. Choose a Quiet and Calm Reading Environment
In such a situation, your younger brother has started watching cartoons at full volume in the next room. Your reading table is very messy, and you can’t find the calculator after searching for a while. The room is very dirty, and the small bulb installed in the room provides insufficient light. It is definitely not conducive to studying well in such conditions.
A quiet and calm environment is crucial for effective reading. When at home, inform everyone about your reading routine so that they are aware of the need for quiet during that time. If being alone is not possible, consider reading in a quiet library. A comfortable and clean reading area facilitates better focus. However, be cautious not to make the seating too comfortable, as it may lead to falling asleep!
7. Stay Away from Phones and Other Distractions
Growing in life needs to focus on high impactful task consistency. But distraction and procrastination is the main threat to our progress in studying or any work. In the century of Twenty-first, People easily distracted in social media or others, this is digital distraction. I know, you may know about distractions. There are 3 types of distraction commonly:
- Digital Distraction such as Social Media.
- Environmental Distraction (Such as ringing phones, television, and incoming e-mail.)
- Emotional Distraction (Such as fear, doubt, and embarrassment, etc).
At that moment, the notification light on the phone kept a little distance away. Perhaps you’re tempted to check Messenger or see if any useful emails have arrived by glancing at the notification light. Such distractions impede our reading progress. Therefore, it’s advisable to keep the phone switched off while reading, or at the very least, keep it out of sight and ensure it’s on silent mode. Several productivity apps are available to assist with this task, such as Forest, Breakfree etc.
How to Remember What You Study
1. Break Down the Whole Topic into Smaller Chunks
To tackle a large subject all at once may seem daunting initially. Therefore, it’s beneficial to start by gaining a general understanding of the entire topic through speed reading. Make a list of the aspects that are challenging to comprehend during this process. This will provide clarity on the overall subject matter. Subsequently, immerse yourself in a thorough examination of the difficult topics through ‘Closed Reading.’
For instance, let’s consider studying photosynthesis. During speed reading, you may encounter unfamiliar terms such as photophosphorylation, photolysis, photons, assimilation, and oxidation. Begin by studying these concepts in detail, perhaps by referring to a book or watching a video. Then proceed to explore the entire topic comprehensively. You’ll find it much easier to grasp thereafter.
2. Note Taking
There is a concept called ‘The Curve of Forgetting.’ Based on the idea of German philosopher Hermann Ebbinghaus, we learn that within 24 hours of learning something, we forget 40% of the information. If we don’t review, we forget 60% in the next 24 hours. Therefore, regular review, such as re-reading, is crucial for long-term retention. One of the most effective ways to facilitate this is by taking good notes.
Many of us nowadays opt to take notes using mobile phones or laptops instead of handwriting. While everyone’s note-taking method varies, there are some well-known techniques we can follow. For example:
Cornell Method:
1️⃣ Divide the sheet of paper or notebook into three parts. Leave two inches on the left side (Cue Column), six inches on the right side (Note-taking area), and 2 inches below (Summary).
2️⃣ Enter your main notes in the note-taking area.
3️⃣ Enter important keywords and terminology in the Cue Column.
4️⃣ In the Summary section below, you can write a summary or any questions for later review.
Advantages:
– Highly organized method.
– Very useful for later review.
– Important terminology is readily apparent.
Disadvantages:
– Limited space for taking key notes.
Outlining Method:
This is the most common method of note-taking. Listen to the lecture and jot down the important points. It’s helpful to leave space between your writing to add additional information later.
Pros: Key points are easy to spot, making it straightforward to understand what kind of questions may come from the written part.
Disadvantages: Care must be taken to leave spaces for writing new information. If the lecturer talks too fast, it becomes difficult to take notes.
Mapping Method:
This method is akin to how detectives or cops create mind maps in mystery-thriller stories. An idea is written down, accompanied by a graphic representation of derived ideas.
Advantages: The relationship between concepts is immediately visible, providing a comprehensive overview of the lecture’s subject matter. It stimulates critical thinking and offers food for thought.
Disadvantages: For lengthy lectures, it can be challenging to fit comprehensive notes onto one page. Lack of space may occur when detailed explanations are required for certain subjects.
Charting Method:
We can use this method when a series of events or processes are described in the lecture. Divided into columns and rows to be written consecutively.
Advantages: The sequence of events or processes is easily understood. Differentiate or relate multiple concepts easily.
Disadvantages: Preconceptions of lectures are required. This method is not effective in all types of lectures.
Sentence Method:
It is the easiest to understand. New ideas, thoughts or anything should be written by numbering consecutively.
Advantages: All types of information can be written.
Disadvantages: It is difficult to distinguish important points. If you want to make any changes later, you have to write the whole thing again.
3. Creating a Summary of the Reading
A very effective method of checking how much we know about a subject, or how well we understand what we understand, is to create a summary of the subject. When learning something new, be it a class lecture or something from a book – we can summarize the whole thing with a few paragraphs or a few bullet points about it.
It should always be done in writing – this is not the case. Maybe verbally you explained the matter briefly to your teacher or a friend. Maybe you made some flashcards on important topics. Whatever the medium, you’ll rethink the whole thing when summarizing.
Maybe if you get stuck somewhere, talk about it a little more. Through this, the brain will be exercised – in Feluda language the brain will be lent. As a result, you will develop a deeper understanding of what you read.
How do I find the ideal learning style for myself?
As we already understand, there are different learning styles. From this, we have to find the ideal learning method for ourselves. To find out, these methods can be adopted:
1. Check You Understanding
How much I really know and how much I don’t know – it’s very important to check. This matter is called Metacognition in the language of the book. Thinking about the subject you are studying or mastering, you need to ask yourself two questions:
– What do I know about this?
– What do I not know about this or what part did I not fully understand?
Whenever you realize which part of your mind is still unclear, you can focus more on that part.
Quizzes are a very good way to test your knowledge on a subject. If you learn by reading a book that has self-assessment questions (like end-of-chapter questions in early childhood textbooks) or by watching a tutorial that has self-assessment quizzes – make the most of them.
At the same time, you can check your knowledge by creating a summary of the entire topic as we discussed earlier.
2. SWOT Analysis of Self-Learning Process
SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT analysis is a widely used concept in business. However, we can also apply this concept to our learning methods. By deeply considering the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges of the way we study, we can make our learning more effective.
For example: If you are accustomed to studying late at night, what are its strengths? Perhaps your home is quieter at night than during other times of the day, allowing you to read easily. Weaknesses may include being a passionate Real Madrid fan and often being tempted to watch football games at night instead of studying.
Opportunities arise from the fact that you study during the day, making nighttime ideal for uninterrupted study sessions. However, the threat lies in the potential harm regular late-night waking can cause to your body. With these considerations in mind, you have the option to adjust your schedule by waking up early in the morning to study. Conducting a SWOT analysis and comparing the two timeframes can help determine the optimal study time for you.
Tips: In your own style, focus on leveraging your strengths and addressing your weaknesses. If you struggle with a particular subject, dedicate extra time to it. Practice extensively in your areas of strength so that you can confidently apply them in your exams.
How to Do Critical Thinking about the Ideas You Read?
Critical thinking is the ability to understand something deeply and to discern between different ideas, offering a critical analysis of the subject. To engage in critical thinking:
1. Asking yourself questions about what you are learning.
Don’t limit your learning to mere memorization; instead, continuously question what you’re studying to truly grasp the material. For example, when examining a historical event, ask yourself
- Why it occurred?
- How we know about it?
- and what might have happened if the outcome had been different?
By asking and answering these questions, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the event. Similarly, when exploring a new subject, such as land laws in your area, start by generating questions about the topic to guide your learning process and gain a comprehensive understanding.
2. Coordinating between different types of ideas.
Coordinating between different types of ideas involves integrating diverse concepts and perspectives to form a cohesive understanding. By continuously questioning and exploring topics, you can identify connections and relationships between ideas, allowing you to synthesize information effectively. For example, when studying various historical events or complex subjects like land laws, consider how different factors interact and influence each other. This process of coordination enables you to develop a nuanced understanding and navigate complex topics with clarity and insight.
3. Verifying the source of information.
A critical thinker will never take for granted what he sees, hears, or reads. So when you are reading something, be sure to note where the information is sourced from, how credible the source is, whether the information is old or new, etc. Other questions you may ask:
– What evidence does the author provide to support his arguments?
– What is the educational qualification and experience of the person giving the information?
– Whether there is any alternative information or explanation to the information or explanation given, and if so, which one is more reasonable?
4. Finding the main concept
Whether you’re listening to a lecture, reading a book or maybe just reading a short article on the internet – no matter what you’re reading, you should always try to find the main concept.
How to Study According to Routine?
There are many people around us who can study very well on a routine basis. Again, many of us may be quite raw in this regard. But the good news is that it is not a magic spell. We can all learn a little bit about it. For example:
1. Habit forming techniques
Habit-forming techniques according to “Atomic Habits” involve several principles:
Cue: Identify a specific cue or trigger that will prompt the habit. Make it obvious and noticeable.
Craving: Create a craving or desire for the habit by associating it with a rewarding outcome or feeling.
Response: Develop a specific response or action that you will take when the cue occurs. Make the response easy and simple to execute.
Reward: Provide a satisfying reward or reinforcement for completing the habit. Make the reward immediate and gratifying.
How to build a good habit?
To build good habits according to “Atomic Habits,” you can follow a four-step process:
Make it Obvious: Start by making your desired habit obvious. This involves identifying cues or triggers that prompt the habit. Create visible reminders or cues in your environment to encourage the habit.
Make it Attractive: Make your habit attractive by associating it with positive outcomes or rewards. Focus on the benefits of the habit and find ways to make it enjoyable or satisfying.
Make it Easy: Simplify your habit by breaking it down into small, manageable steps. Reduce friction and obstacles that may prevent you from performing the habit. Design your environment to make it easier to follow through on the habit.
Make it Satisfying: Make your habit satisfying by providing immediate rewards or reinforcement. Celebrate small wins and milestones to reinforce the habit and increase motivation.
How to break a bad habit?
Building a bad habit follows a similar process, but in reverse:
Make it Invisible: Hide the negative habit from your awareness. Avoid acknowledging the cues or triggers that prompt the habit. Keep the habit out of sight to reduce its visibility.
Make it Unattractive: Associate the bad habit with negative outcomes or consequences. Focus on the downsides of the habit and find ways to make it unappealing or unsatisfying.
Make it Difficult: Introduce obstacles or barriers that make it harder to engage in the bad habit. Increase friction and make it inconvenient to perform the habit. Create distance between yourself and the cues that trigger the habit.
Make it Unsatisfying: Remove any rewards or reinforcement associated with the bad habit. Make the consequences of the habit immediate and unpleasant. Focus on the negative outcomes to discourage the habit.
2. Create small measurable milestones
A long-term task requires breaking down the desired results into smaller milestones. After achieving each milestone, it’s important to acknowledge and reward oneself. Let’s use the example of a New Year’s resolution to learn to debate gracefully. This process can be broken down into smaller milestones:
- Understanding Debate Formats: Learn the rules of different formats of debate.
- Improving Speaking Skills: Work on speaking with a clear and beautiful accent.
- Speech Development: Enhance speech delivery, focusing on clarity and persuasiveness.
- Studying Various Subjects: Dive into subjects like economics, politics, and international relations to broaden knowledge and argumentative skills.
- Analyzing Arguments: Study and analyze the arguments of skilled debaters to understand effective debating strategies.
- Participation in Competitions: Participate in at least 3 debate competitions throughout the year to apply and refine skills.
After achieving each milestone, it’s important to reward oneself. Rewards can vary from small treats to fulfilling a personal wish. This helps to maintain motivation and celebrate progress along the way.
3. Use Google Calendar and Google Tasks
Learning something new can be time-consuming, especially if proper learning methods aren’t followed. If you’re preparing for exams like the GRE or IELTS while juggling work and household responsibilities, it’s crucial to manage your time effectively. Creating a routine is key to staying on track.
To establish a routine, you can utilize tools like Google Calendar or Google Tasks to schedule your tasks over time. Additionally, there are numerous other software and apps available for this purpose, such as ToDoist, Evernote, Ticktick, Planner Pro, Sectograph, and more.
It’s important to recognize that not all learning methods discussed will work for everyone. Humans are diverse, and what works for one person may not work for another. Therefore, it’s essential to explore different approaches and find what works best for you.
Feel free to start a conversation about everything we’ve covered here, as well as any new discoveries you make along the way. Happy learning!
