There is an extensive amount of literature on how to learn efficiently. I have spent a lot of time studying the subject. It has paid many dividends, shortening my time studying considerably, and improving my grades.
What is written below is a brief sample of what I’ve learned. Hopefully it will act as a starting point for someone else’s journey.
How Learning Works
How does the brain learn? In simple terms, we memorize by holding new information in our working memory for long enough, and we understand that thing by manipulating it and connecting it to other things we know. Unfortunately, our working memory only has so much storage space to contend with. If we are to think of the brain as a computer, this storage space would be the RAM.
Information is brought to the working memory when we pay attention to it, or if we pull a copy of the information from our long-term memories. Here it is manipulated and then it is placed into long term storage. However, some of the information is lost for many reasons. The RAM is a bottleneck here.
When we push the information into storage, physical changes take place that accommodate the information trace. If the information trace was manipulated, it can be connected to other information traces, or those pathways can be strengthened.
Of course, this information fades over time.
When learning something new, we are hoping to memorize the information, understand it, and to remember it. By maximizing each of these areas, we will maximize learning.
Maximizing the Learning Areas
Absorbing Information
When it comes to absorbing information, we have a few adversaries. Where our attention is focused, emotional states not conducive to learning, bad habits and our “RAM”.
Developing good habits is an entire topic on its own. But we can improve our mood, attention, and help foster good study habits by removing distractions, taking breaks, and making the learning process more enjoyable. Non-distracting music and a cup of your favorite hot beverage will go a long way.
The RAM bottleneck is a little bit trickier to deal with. We can tackle this issue through the method of chunking. The general rule is to break information into small bits and associate them into groups, with mnemonics, or even with previous memories. Somehow this makes it easier for our brains to digest.
Going back to our analogy, if your RAM bottleneck has 7 slots for 7 chunks of information but you have 14 chunks, you wouldn’t be able to fit them all through very quickly. By sorting the information, we can have multiple items occupy the same space.
Finally, willpower is limited. Take frequent breaks. This is the pomodoro technique.
Understanding the Information
It’s not enough to absorb information. Information that is not synthesized is weak, not readily obtainable, and isn’t useful because it is not understood. In theory, the more connections you make to other information, the more you understand something, and the longer you will retain it. Practice makes information recall more automatic.
Blooms taxonomy is an excellent tool that serves as a measurement for our level of understanding. We can use blooms taxonomy to develop a learning gameplan, based on our target level of mastery. A good article on how to develop that gameplan based on a syllabus can be found here: Bloom’s Taxonomy for Effective Learning | Student Success | University of Arkansas (uark.edu).
I have found that a solid way of synthesizing information is to write in depth about a topic, after pulling together many sources about the topic. For my statistics classes, I put together a toolbox that is meant to teach my future self how to use a certain tool, when it is applicable, a brief and clear explanation on why it works, and the formulas involved.
Retention
Finally, we need to fight our natural tendency to forget information over time. Luckily our brains will forget more slowly after each review. Adjusting for this tendency is called spaced repetition. Each review takes less and less time, you will be way less stressed, and you will get better grades.
But what is the best way to review? Simple flashcards are the best strategy for most subjects. Don’t turn them over too quickly! Think of your brain as a muscle, a little bit of struggle is almost required for effective learning. Too little, or too much effort, and you won’t be learning very much at all.
How do we make a question bank for the flashcards? When writing a question, conceptualize each note as an answer to your to-be-written question.
How do we know that we understand the information?
A quick but effective test is to apply the Feynman Technique. By explaining something in the simplest terms, we can quickly identify how much we know about the subject.
Conclusion
There is a lot to know when it comes to learning. Unfortunately, not a lot of it is taught in schools.
However, by developing good habits, making the process enjoyable, pulling out the information frequently, and connecting it to other things we know, we will go a lot further than simply reading our notes over and over.
References
How to Study for Exams – An Evidence-Based Masterclass | Ali Abdaal | Skillshare
Neuro-Learning: Principles from the Science of Learning on Information Synthesis, Comprehension, Retention, and Breaking Down Complex Subjects by Dr. Peter Hollins