Learning How To Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects

LEARNING
HOW TO
LEARN
Edmar Lago
edmar.lago@hotmail.com
by University of California, San Diego

• Focused-mode thinking involves a direct
approach to solving problems using rational,
sequential, analytical approaches. The
focused mode is associated with the
concentrating abilities of the brain’s
prefrontal cortex. Turn your attention to
something and the focused mode is on.
• Diffuse-mode thinking is what allows us to
suddenly gain a new insight on a problem
we’ve been struggling with, and is associated
with “big picture” perspectives. Diffuse-mode
thinking is what happens when you relax your
attention and just let your mind wander.
http://www.sciencefriday.com/blogs/09/04/2014/how-pinball-helps-explain-ways-we-think-and-learn.html?series

What allows your body to wash away the metabolic toxins in your brain. Without
sleep, these toxins remain, making it difficult to concentrate and focus.
The mental process of grouping pieces of information together to form an idea
You can tap into your visual memory by creating a unique and personally
meaningful memory which is related to the concept you are trying to learn.
Practising causes the neurons in our brain to link together to form a memory,
enabling us to learn chunks.
One technique to overcome procrastination is to use the pomodoro technique,
25 minutes focused blocs of work with no interruption.

By including exercise in your study routine allows your brain to disconnect from
the focused mode of thinking, resulting in the diffuse mode to be activated. This
helps to spark new and creative approaches to ideas and creates connections
within the brain.
Breathing exercises have a physical effect on the mind, allowing you to relax,
destress and learn more effectively.
•
Recalling what you have studied, is one of the best ways to learn. It helps to
solidify the chunks in your brain, as well as helping to highlight your ‘illusions of
learning’.
http://psychcentral.com/lib/top-10-most-effective-study-habits/000599

Our study time can be sabotaged by illusions of learning. To make the
most efficient use of your time, ensure that you are cognisant of these:
Recalling what you have read not only help you to learn the material but it will also
helps to see any blind spots in your learning
Marking the key points of the textbook is a good way to test yourself at the end of
each chapter on the things that you have highlighted.
Process of committing something to memory. The act of memorization is often a
deliberate mental process undertaken in order to store in memory for later recall
The Einstellung effect is a form of cognitive bias that results in people using a
habitual way of solving a problem despite there being better technique available.
By keeping an open mind, you open yourself up to learning more.
http://daviddesouza.co.uk/8-techniques-proven-by-research-to-help-you-learn-most-efficiently/

What makes us. If we couldn't recall the who, what, where, and when
of our everyday lives, we would never be able to manage. What's more,
memory is malleable and it tends to decay with age:
Temporary recall of the information which is being processed at any point in time,
and has been referred to as "the brain's Post-it". It can be thought of as the ability
to remember and process information at the same time
Despite our everyday impressions of forgetting, it seems likely that long-term
memory actually decays very little over time, and can store a
seemingly unlimited amount of information almost indefinitely.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/memory http://www.human-memory.net

Is not just the way to make remembering relatively lengthy strings of
numbers, letters or acronyms a little bit easier.
Memorize 2 4 - 7 8 6 5 - 9 0 8 7 as a code area and telephone number,
for us Brazilians, is easier than simply 2 4 7 8 6 5 9 0 8 7, for sure.
But more than that, chunking is a network of neurons that are used to
firing together, so you can think a thought or perform an action
smoothly and effectively.
Mastering a new subject means learning not only the basic chunks, but
also learning how to select and use different chunks.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/chunking-method-definition-examples-quiz.html

Sleep does more than allow the brain
to rest or such waste of time. It also
aids in the consolidation of long-term
memories and is actually your brain’s
way of keeping itself clean and
healthy.
Taking a test without getting enough
sleep means you are operating with a
brain that’s got metabolic toxins
floating around in it. It’s kind of like
trying to drive a car that’s got sugar in
its gas tank!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_and_learning

The ability to visualize something is a massive aid to learning and
understanding said thing. Simple visualizations can thus be used to
'understand' or represent the truth in an accessible way.
Visualization is very powerful because it can physiologically mimic a
true sensory experience without any actual external stimuli
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?VisualizationAsLearningAid http://lifetrainingonline.com/blog/how-to-visualize.htm

As people begin to recognize that how you practice matters, the age old
adage “practice makes perfect” has rightfully been supplanted by
“practice makes permanent”.
Routine practice makes routine results, but deliberate practice brings
deliberate results, for overall better learning
http://kidaptive.com/deliberate-practice-for-deliberate-learning/

– Before you can begin practicing you need to seek out instruction on
what you are trying to learn. You cannot practice effectively if you do not know how to solve the
problem or perform the skill.
– This is a supplement to deliberate practice, not a
replacement. Whenever you are practicing you should be practicing the tenets of deliberate
practice.
– Block practice allows you to get in a groove which gives a false impression that
you know the material. You need to actively avoid that sensation and shift to a different exercise
once you feel it occurring.
– It is important that you mix up your practice material. This can be
accomplished by cycling in practice exercises you have already completed. This also has the
advantage of leveraging the spacing effect.
- This technique has the potential to frustrate and discourage even
the most persistent student. By keeping track of your progress you will have confirmation that
you are making progress even though it may feel like you are constantly struggling.
j2jenkins.com/2013/04/29/interleaved-practice-a-secret-enhanced-learning-technique/

One of the easiest ways to focus on process is to focus on doing a Pomodoro
— a twenty-five-minute timed work session. (Do NOT focus on completing a
task.)
By focusing on process rather than product, you allow yourself to back away
from judging yourself (Am I getting closer to finishing? ) and allow yourself to
relax into the flow of the work.
How to Overcome Procrastination
• Step 1: Recognize That You're Procrastinating
• Step 2: Work Out WHY You're Procrastinating
• Step 3: Adopt Anti-Procrastination Strategies:
• Make up your own rewards.
• Ask someone else to check up on you.
• Identify the unpleasant consequences of NOT doing the task.
• Work out the cost of your time to your employer.
• Aim to “eat an elephant beetle” first thing, every day!
www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_96.htm www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn

• You will learn and retain more in one hour of testing than you would
if you spent one hour studying.
• Tests during study sessions are good for concentrating the mind.
• Research has shown that testing yourself during your studies is one of
the best ways to understand and retain information.
http://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn

• Adjusting your "learning mindset" — the way you approach and think
about learning — can help you get more out of your undergrad experience.
• Researchers believe it is due to the way students approach learning:
students seek to reproduce the information they get in class,
memorizing content without really seeking to understand it.
students seek to transform their knowledge, looking for
patterns and making connections among ideas.
students may combine either deep or surface with an
organized effort to earn the highest possible grade.
• A key finding is that these approaches are not "hard-wired" characteristics,
but can be modified. For instance, teachers who expect students to learn
deeply encourage students to do just that.
http://www.northwestern.edu/searle/resources/undergraduate-academic-resources/what-is-a-learning-mindset.html

Researchers have confirmed that performing teamwork generally
works better when members of the team have prior experience
working together due to enhanced coordination and communication.
This appears partly due to a chemical called serotonin which helps an
individual to communicate better and think more positively. Serotonin
is produced when an individual is in a situation where he/she is in
comfortable environment.
A single brain can’t bounce different ideas off of each other. Each team
member has a responsibility to contribute equally and offer their
unique perspective on a problem to arrive at the best possible solution.
Teamwork can lead to better decisions, products, or services.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teamwork

“Without an understanding of the unique meanings existing for the
individual, the problems of helping him effectively are almost
insurmountable.” Arthur Combs
• An individual learner's culture, family background, and
socioeconomic level affect his or her learning. The context in which
someone grows and develops has an important impact on learning.
• These beliefs, principles and theories have an important impact on
the opportunities for success for every student.
http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/Learning%20Styles/diversity.html

1. Make a conscious decision to be a lifelong learner.
2. Dare to dream big.
3. Engage in work that encourages, requires, and/or supports your
lifelong learning.
4. Schedule a time for learning
5. Use scraps of time or trapped time for learning
6. Determine your learning style and preferences.
7. Surround yourself with lifelong learners
http://www.bluepencilinstitute.com/home/how-to-become-a-more-effective-lifelong-learner-15-tips.html
:

9. Subscribe to and read professional journals and books.
10. Visit the library regularly, either the local public library or a college
library.
11. Become a better browser
12. Attend lectures
13. Teach with others and to others
14. Try new things – often
15. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
:

• Motivated
• Resilient, to overcome challenges
• An excellent time manager
• Motivation
• Independence
• Initiative
• Time Management
• Organisation and multi-tasking
• Strong Reading and Writing skills
* Independent learning is when an individual is able to think, act and pursue their own studies
autonomously, without the same levels of support you receive from a teacher at school.

LEARNING
HOW TO
LEARN
Thank You
edmar.lago@hotmail.com
by University of California, San Diego

Learning How To Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects

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Learning How To Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects