Want to learn Better? Embrace Smart Studying Strategies

I am sure you study by re-reading books and notes, memorizing formulas, and textbooks. Several psychologists’ research shows that this is a terrible way to learn material. Most of our instincts about learning are incomplete, misplaced and rooted more in superstition than in science. They say that many things that we think of as detractors from learning such as lack of sleep, interruptions, forgetting, exam tension and distractions aren’t necessarily bad.They can actually work in your favor and can offer doable strategies for making learning more effective.The secret lies in active learning strategies. Flashcard, gaming, quizzing, diagramming, using technical tools are more effective. They space out study over time and mix different topics together. In case, if you are also on the same page, today’s blog post will help you with variety of counterintuitive techniques that can aid and deepen learning and make you a smart learner.

Don’t just re-read your notes and textbooks

Several surveys show that the majority of the students, when they study, they typically re-read their notes and assignments. They think this is the first strategy to study well. However, researchers say that this type of recycling of information is not an effective way to learn and create permanent memories. Students of Washington University says that they have no improvement in learning when they re-read textbook chapters.Try to extract a lot of understanding on your first reading. This is done to make you read with a sense of ‘I know the context’ on your second reading. This is time when you will try to figure out more questions and answers and get your facts correct.

Ask yourself as many questions as possible

Making up your own questions is a good technique. Retrieving the information can actually produce more robust learning and memory. When you get the questions wrong, it gives you an accurate diagnostic on what you don’t know. And this tells you to go back and study. This guide your study more effectively. Asking questions help you to understand more deeply – the answers to why, when, where, what and how contribute to better memory and learning. So instead of JUST reading and skimming, stop and ask questions to make yourself understand the material.

Experiment with learning tactics

Just before a science test that’s one week away, students can plan to study an hour today, an hour tomorrow and then self-test themselves next week before the exam. This is a great learning tactic. Take a look at some of the best ways to experiment with learning tacticsA lot of students answer questions on a Flashcard and take it out of the deck if they get it right. Studies shows that keeping the correct item in the deck and encountering it again is usefulLook for patterns in information. Information becomes easier to retain if it can be identified through broader patterns that are similar across different topicsBuilding models are useful for describing abstract ideas. Mental image or experience can create a model as reference when trying to understand a conceptStudying through flowcharts and diagrams is a great strategy. Anything that creates active learning generates understanding of your own and is effective in retaining information. Learners need to become more involved and engaged and less passive.

Space out your study session

Don’t wait until the last minute to study. Researchers say that this isn’t good for long term memory. It may allow you perform decent on the text next day, but will not help you to retain information for long. The best idea is to space repetition. Spacing out study session over a long period of time improves long-term memory. If you have 12 hours to spend on a subject, spread out the studying time. Devote three hours each week for four weeks instead of cramming all 12 hours into week four.In addition, weekly meetings with classmates and discussing about what you’ve learned, how it applies to each other’s craft and how you can dig deeper to discover new things help you to create a perspectives when you study a subject overtime.

Test yourself

Testing can be a useful tool to help students learn. Making yourself recall information helps strengthen your long-term learning. Testing yourself or participating in quiz help you to remember the study material on the final exam. Many teachers have claimed that students in quiz class significantly outscored students in the non-quiz class on the final exam. Look for ideas that are connected to one another. Note how the ideas you’re learning relate to the ideas you already know.Self-education is a valuable habit to start. Putting in extra work to learn material is particularly important in educational field. However, the most important transition that you make is the realization that you’re really there to learn, and not just to acquire good grades. Even private tutors are also encouraging students to study smartly and not just re-read their notes and textbook. Image courtesy http://marhaba.com.qa

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