Learning Hacks + Conclusion

And now, for the final segment before we end this course—learning hacks that are going to supercharge your next study sessions.

Diving into the realm of deep concentration, we discovered the power of the pomodoro technique. Just like a skilled chef slices a tomato into perfect slices, we learned to slice our study time into focused bursts, maximizing productivity for 25 minutes as well as giving ourselves our well-deserved 5-minute breaks. Through this technique, we harnessed the ability to maintain sustained attention and conquer the distractions that tempt us from our learning quests. Does listening to music while we study really help? In most cases, NO.

Binaural beats have been proven countless times to have a positive effect on focus and attention.

What are binaural beats? They are an auditory illusion that occurs when two different frequencies are played in each ear. tap-tap-tap in one ear, and tap-tap-tap in the other.

A number of peer-reviewed studies strongly suggest that listening to 40 Hz binaural beats can engage higher cognitive functions, such as consciousness and memory, showcasing a positive effect on focus and attention, drastically improving your learning. If you want to try, the app Brainwave is a pretty good tool.

Binaural beats in the gamma frequency range of 40 Hz help increase concentration, alertness, problem-solving, and memory. Binaural beats help hone your focus, ramping up your neurochemicals, be it epinephrine, adrenaline, acetylcholine, or dopamine.

So just close your eyes, and listen to this: Music for binaural beats

Next, we have the captivating Feynman technique. Inspired by the genius physicist Richard Feynman, this technique encourages us to simplify complex concepts by explaining them in plain language. By teaching others, either real or imaginary, we solidify our understanding and identify any gaps in our knowledge.

The Feynman technique evolves from the idea that the best way to understand a concept is to explain it in your own words, almost as if you were teaching it to someone else. The technique couldn't be simpler. First, you learn the concept itself and try to teach it or write it in the simplest terms possible. Second, you notice the gaps in your own understanding and fill them. By simplifying and explaining the concept, you are forcing yourself to not only analyze the material but also to identify any misconceptions you have.

Last but not least, we have the concept of the dynamic active recall. Imagine yourself as an archaeologist unearthing hidden treasures from the depths of your memory. With active recall, we engage in the deliberate act of retrieving information without external cues. Through practice quizzes, flashcards, or engaging in discussions, we reinforce our memory and transform ourselves into knowledge excavators.

It's all about strengthening the neural pathways in your brain! When you actively recall information from memory, you trigger a process called long-term potentiation. This process strengthens the connections between neurons in your brain, making it easier to retrieve that information in the future.

This is where neuroplasticity comes in. Neuroplasticity is your brain's ability to adapt and change in response to new experiences. By actively recalling information, you are creating new neural pathways and strengthening existing ones, which can improve your overall learning outcomes.

So, next time you're studying, try practicing active recall by quizzing yourself on the material, or by explaining it to someone else.

Having studied very powerful learning techniques, we are now in the last phase of our learning curriculum. Let’s talk a bit about some helpful learning habits which you can pick along the way.

These study habits or rules of study, as we like to call them, can significantly increase the effectiveness of your study. It’s a great idea to know about them and wherever possible integrate them in your daily routine!

Let’s start with the good rules of study.

Be Engaged in Learning When we are actively engaged in our learning, we tend to ask more questions, interact, listen, and participate fully in understanding the topic. We also tend to engage in multiple senses of listening, watching, reading, and movement to learn and apply the learning to real world situations.

Set Clear Goals Another simple rule of study is to identify your objectives and set the plan in place before you even begin. It is best to focus on one task at a time, avoid juggling multiple activities, as it reduces your overall efficiency.

Create a Study Oriented Space The next simple rule of study is to keep the study space clutter free, clean, well-lit, and ventilated so that it can have a positive impact on our cognitive function and creativity, and improve our focus. By keeping the learning materials and resources organized, you save time, reduce stress, and enhance the speed at which you get on with your work.

Some studies suggest that moderate ambient noise, such as the hum of a machine or soft background music, can enhance creativity and cognitive performance by improving concentration and promoting relaxation. If you're in an environment where the noise is loud, use noise-cancelling headphones and try to find quiet spaces to study.

Be Consistent Consistency is an important rule of good study, wherein we need to establish a good routine of study, consistent over space and time, to help us memorize better and retain the information longer.

Variety in Learning Styles An interesting rule while studying is to incorporate a variety of ways in which we can learn, such as through textbooks, interactive videos, podcasts and games, case studies, and practical exercises. Each of these varied methods connect with a different style of learning. Our subject comprehension will get stronger and better as we try different approaches to learn a topic.

Critical Thinking Adopt critical thinking in your learning activities. You can enhance our understanding of a topic by analyzing and discussing the topic, and thinking deeply and critically. A well-executed critical thought process will help you to grasp the topic better.

Become Self-Aware This is less a rule, more of a valuable habit to help you introspect and recognize your own study patterns. With self-awareness, we get to know some of the habits that hinder our learning process such as things in our environment or daily schedule that affect our ability to focus and learn better. We need to observe how lack of physical exercise, multitasking or any other internal/ external conditions that slow our learning graph.

Being self-ware of your study patterns helps you to become better prepared in future and work toward necessary changes to improve your ability to learn.

Reflect At the end of our study, it’s always a good idea to summarize what we have learnt, discuss the concepts, reflect, and write our individual summary so that we create our own mental connections to the subject matter and have a unique approach and grasp of the subject.

Bright Surroundings Light is the primary cue that regulates the circadian rhythm. Exposure to natural light during the day and reduced light in the evening helps maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. A well-regulated circadian rhythm is essential for optimal cognitive performance, mood. and overall well-being.

Exposure to bright light during the daytime can increase alertness, improve focus, and enhance attention span. This is particularly important for tasks that require sustained concentration and mental clarity, such as studying or problem-solving.

Self-Care Lastly, we cannot emphasize enough on the importance of adequate rest and sleep time. Only a healthy and well-rested body and mind can support effective learning. Staying hydrated, eating healthy, taking regular breaks, investing in physical well-being are all very important aspects of self-care. We can also balance study time with hobbies and building healthy relationships. A well-rounded life promotes overall well-being.

Sleep is crucial for memory consolidation. During sleep, information that we have learnt is transferred from short-term to long-term memory storage, and neural connections are strengthened leading to better retention and recall of what we have learnt. Sleep is also associated with improved attention and focus.

You should seek to know about effective study techniques from teachers, mentors, or educational resources.

Moving onward, let’s get some insights on the bad rules of learning so that we are aware of the consequences of these habits on learning outcomes.

The science of learning helps us understand why certain learning practices, conditions, and behaviors can lead to poor outcomes and impede our progress in acquiring and retaining knowledge. There are various cognitive, psychological, and neurological factors that contribute to ineffective learning.

The first is the forgetting curve, formulated by Hermann Ebbinghaus, that details the rapid decline of memory retention over time when information is not reinforced. This theory highlights the importance of spaced repetition and active retrieval to combat our natural tendency to forget.

The second is Cognitive Load Theory, which states that when we are presented with an excess of information and complex tasks, our working memory is overloaded and it leads to reduced learning. Let’s now look at some other rules of study that impede our progress and stall our learning, and should therefore be consciously avoid.

Passive Consumption One of the most ineffective learning methods is to treat learning as a passive consumption where we do not actively participate in learning for ourselves and we merely read or listen without understanding. Active learning strategies such as focus on rephrasing, taking notes, self-testing, summarization, and teaching others will greatly help us come out of the passive mode of learning.

Memorizing without Understanding The second unproductive learning practice is to memorize without any real grasp of the concepts or subject material. Cramming or learning large amounts of information in a short period of time overloads the brain. This is a superficial way to learn and will not lead to long-term understanding of topics. Cramming doesn't allow for proper processing of information and often results in quickly forgetting after the exam.

Procrastination When we procrastinate or delay the study until last day before exams, we create unnecessary stress and rely on cramming to get through. Delaying studying until the end hampers comprehension and retention. It also creates unnecessary stress.

Multitasking When we divide our attention on multiple tasks such as calls, browsing internet, social media and other distractions, it hinders our concentration and comprehension.

Lack of Review Neglecting to review previously learned material contributes to forgetting. Regular review is essential for long-term retention.

No Focus on Well-Being Neglecting proper sleep, nutrition, and physical activity, negatively impacts cognitive function and learning.

Distractions Studying in environments with constant interruptions, noise, or clutter disrupts concentration and thus the learning process. Avoid studying in front of the television and keep your mobile and other distracting gadgets away.

State of Mind Lack of motivation, lack of interest in the subject matter, or a negative mindset can hugely impact learning outcomes by reducing our attention, focus, and effort.

Keeping Unorganized Notes Most of us take notes while studying or in the classroom as the teacher teaches. Taking notes, mainly in a class, is a rushed affair. There could be a lot of these quick notes written in different copies or even on pieces of paper. What you need to do is to organize these materials as soon as you get the time, preferably the same day or next. You can find your own way of keeping your notes structured, for example, using mind maps, highlighting or color-coding, having designated notebooks for each subject, and so on.

“I'll start studying the night before the exam." Procrastination leads to rushed learning.

“I'll just read through the textbook without taking notes or engaging." This will dilute your understanding.

“I'll study while watching TV or using social media." Such acts impact the quality of your learning.

"I'll memorize the information without understanding it." Rote memorization without comprehension doesn't lead to meaningful learning or the ability to apply knowledge.

"I'll study for hours without breaks." Prolonged study without breaks decreases concentration and retention power.

“I won't review anything after I've studied it.” Without regular review, you're likely to forget material shortly after learning it.

“I won't bother with practice problems or exercises.” Practice problems reinforce understanding and application of concepts.

“I'll study whenever I feel like it.” A lack of consistency and structure can lead to conflicting and ineffective study outcomes.

Remember, the goal is to cultivate positive and effective study habits that enhance your learning experience and promote deeper understanding and retention of material. Recognizing and utilizing “good” rules and avoiding “bad” study practices can significantly improve learning outcomes. We can make informed decisions about our learning strategies, adopt evidence-based practices, and create environments that foster effective learning and knowledge retention.

Learning is a life-long process. The key is to be mindful of our learning progress and excited about achieving the learning goals.

We have now covered our entire course. Let's do a quick recap, shall we?

We started with deep concentration, a state where you are so intensely focused on a task that you forget about everything else and lose track of time. When in deep concentration, a person is not aware of themselves as separate from the activity. We discussed how the five key factors—goals, challenges, control, engagement, and enjoyment—determine your success in achieving deep concentration.

Second, we discovered the magical world of spaced repetition and the Leitner System. Like a skillful magician who remembers memories at just the right moments, we harness the power of spaced intervals to strengthen our learning. By strategically reviewing information at spaced intervals, we engrave knowledge into our minds with ease! The Leitner System acted as our trusted assistant, sorting flashcards, and ensuring that we focus on the most challenging concepts for maximum retention.

Next, we embarked on a voyage of metacognition. Our conversation was about exploring the planning, monitoring, and evaluation stages. Imagining ourselves as the architects of our own learning journeys and setting clear goals in the planning stage is the key. Then we turn into detectives and carefully observe our learning techniques and chapters in the monitoring stage. And finally, we act as judges and review our learning performance in the evaluation stage. By honing our metacognitive skills, we developed a deep understanding of ourselves as learners and navigate the seas of knowledge with purpose. Thus, making us more aware of our strengths, weaknesses. and our preferred ways of learning.

We then introduced students to the concept of gamified learning and its benefits. In this interactive approach to learning, we saw how incorporating game-like elements in our learning can help in problem-solving, increasing engagement, retention, and provide continuous feedback.

Lastly, we embraced the transformative force of the growth mindset. We embarked on a journey of personal growth and development. We learned to embrace challenges, persevere through setbacks, and see failures as stepping stones to success instead of hurdles. With the growth mindset as our compass, we conquered cognitive biases, unleashed our full potential, and transformed ourselves into resilient, adaptable learners.

And with that we now bring our journey of exploring different learning techniques to a close.

After mastering these six modules, it is safe to say that you have conquered the sea of deep concentration, harnessed the power of metacognition, sailed with spaced repetition, and adopted the growth mindset as your guiding star.

Armed with binaural beats, the Feynman technique, and active recall, you are now equipped with an arsenal of learning hacks to conquer any challenge that comes your way.

Embed these techniques consciously in your daily routine. And do it in a joyful and engaging manner.

Have a fun learning journey ahead.