How to improve self-education skills

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Every time a person begins to learn something new, he faces difficulties. You need to allocate time for a new activity, define a goal, overcome obstacles, forget, memorize and again forget new knowledge. Daria Abramova, CEO of the Kodabra online programming school, talks about how best to learn new things from a scientific point of view.

We pump memory and attention

Choose your technique for memorizing information. Most often, spaced repetition, the Leitner system and active recall are used in teaching.

The spaced repetition technique is based on the Ebinghaus theory - learned information is gradually forgotten if not repeated at the right time. Scientists periodically try to calculate the most effective "points" for repetitions. While it is worth using the "1-7-16-35" scheme, that is, repeat the material every other day, week, 16 and 35 days.

The Leitner system is a sophisticated method of spaced repetition. It is convenient for memorizing difficult terms or foreign languages. It also helps you learn the commands and functions used in programming. The student needs to start 3 boxes. First, words are put into the first box that the student does not know or knows poorly. They need to be repeated every day. Once the student has learned the word, he puts it in the second box. The words from the second box are repeated every three days. The successfully learned words are sent to the third box, the unlearned ones to the first. The words from the third box are repeated every five days. The practice is continued until all the words are in the third box.

Active recall is easiest to use not to memorize specific terms, but to study a large topic. It is necessary to read the educational material several times, and then not mechanically repeat it, but memorize it actively. For example, you can write an essay based on what you read, retell it to a friend, or create a list of questions based on the material and answer it.

Build connections between learned concepts. Research shows that those who make connections between learned ideas learn faster. To do this, the easiest way is to use mind cards, but you can act in a different way. The main thing is to constantly include the learned terms and definitions in the general context. For example, you can compose a dictionary from the studied terms and write them down on one sheet - this already helps the formation of connections between concepts.

Help your attention. On the one hand, for intensive training, you need to distract from all the stimuli and focus on your studies. On the other hand, will and attention are exhaustible resources, and the longer you concentrate on one subject, the more difficult it becomes. Therefore, it is worth constantly changing teaching techniques and even studying several topics in parallel. Switch - solve a programming problem, then repeat a few complex commands, and then write a simple application or function. You can also study two programming languages in parallel - this will also help to switch, and at the same time, the general principles of programming and the relationship between languages will become clear.

We use pedagogical techniques

Engage even if you have achieved success. Learning is a never-ending process, so don't stop if it seems like you've already mastered the skill. If not repeated regularly, it will be forgotten or worsened. Studies show that people who study juggling have increased gray matter in the lobes responsible for visual memory. When they stopped practicing the new skill, the amount of the substance decreased.

Use previous skills to learn new ones. Moreover, these skills can be from completely different areas. It is clear that, having learned one programming language, it is not so difficult to master the next one. But also knowledge of mathematics, physics, English words, and maybe something else will be useful to you.

Explain what you have learned to other people. Research shows that students remember information better when they know they have to retell it to someone. Yes, not just retell, but make sure that the other remembers the information and is well oriented in it. Such students are more involved in learning and instinctively use better mnemonic techniques. Therefore, find yourself a "student", remember the information well and try to tell it as clearly as possible. Then most likely you will understand it yourself.

Take tests more often. Research shows that tests can help keep the information learned, and not just the information found in the test. This does not mean that you need to prepare hard for the tests - it is enough to start answering questions and the brain itself will load the necessary information.

We organize the educational process

Understand what is more convenient for you to study. To practice effectively, you need to determine the mode of training, intensity, choose the best methods. To do this, it is worth remembering all previous undertakings and keeping track of which of them were successful and what you did for this. Maybe it's more convenient for you to study in the morning and allocate an hour for this, or maybe you like to study several times a week, but with greater intensity. Notice if you can do it at home or if you need a workspace, a library, or even a cafe. The calmer and more pleasant it is for you to study, the more success you will achieve.

Get rid of irritants. In principle, you can study while distracted by work or social networks. Students often listen to lectures, while communicating with fellow students. Scientists call this low-intensity exercise. They also lead to success, but many times more time has to be spent. Better to find a secluded spot, turn off notifications on your phone, and practice. Even if you only have half an hour, they will be well spent.

Change your surroundings. Try to practice in a place other than where you work. This is especially important for those who work remotely. The brain remembers the emotions associated with the workplace and when you sit down to study, you will feel like you are working again, that is, doing difficult tasks. Find another table, change rooms, even study on the floor - let your brain get used to the new study area.

Go in for sports. During training, the metabolism increases, the mood rises - if you catch this state, you can exercise more effectively than usual. But even if you can't do just that, go in for sports in any case, especially in the fresh air. It strengthens the body and helps it exercise better.

Read paper books more often. Of course, IT skills are easier to gain by looking for clues on online forums, watching videos, but paper books should not be completely neglected. Research shows that students need less repetition to memorize information when they read from paper rather than from a computer screen.