Beast Mode Study Part I: The Power Duo
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Beast Mode Study
Just as study is a way to remember topics, concepts, lessons the art of effective study, study itself, is also something that can be learned. And just as every new challenge has a learning curve, which is sometimes excruciating, so does learning how to study have its own exhausting trials. Once you get it though, – once it all clicks - look out world!
There are tons of tips out there, but we can narrow it down to science backed, provably effective methods. Over the next few episodes I’ll share the most powerful methods of study, divided into bite sized chunks. The point of this is that, like course study itself, to try and consume everything at once will only leave us feeling bloated, heady and ready for a nap.
Method 1: SPACED REPETITION
Psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus was famous for studying his own memory and concepting what is called ‘The Forgetting Curve’.
After we form a memory, over time we forget bits and pieces of the information used to create it. This is the Forgetting Curve.
We can retain information by working on retrieving it at first often, then every once in a while, just as we begin to forget it. The problem of course is that we consume so much information that to use fact repeating exercises for everything would cause our heads to explode. Possibly literally.
This is where the ‘Spaced Repetition’ steps up to the plate.
A few years ago my Training Provider was being audited by an auditor who, when in conversation I mentioned how I used the concept of spaced repetition (I hadn’t come across that as a named, researched method at the time,) to help my students to lock in knowledge of individual units and concepts, was taken aback and not in a good way. She actually scolded me believe it or not! To paraphrase her, “If you are having to repeat your lessons then I guess you didn’t teach them well enough in the first place and you shouldn’t have passed the student the first time!” I explained “Just because they pass an assessment the first time doesn’t mean that the knowledge is now locked in forever. Revisiting lessons is an excellent way to retain memory of the learning.” She still didn’t get it sadly. Still, I refused to be a tick and flick Trainer and I continued to successfully employ this method.
Spaced repetition is a very effective learning method. It is about increasing the intervals between memory retrieval. It’s not tautology or broken record rote learning. It’s basically checking back in on a lesson every so often (shorter intervals at first and then longer intervals as the cemented learning sets). How many parents have been asked by their kids for help with their homework only to discover that a lot of what they themselves learned in High School, is know a struggle to recall?
Cramming is the antithesis to spaced repetition. Yes, some students will swear by it but often, if not an anomaly, it can’t actually be compared to the superior method of spaced repetition, if you haven’t given that a proper crack. By proper crack I mean to the point where a student hits and breaks past that painful learning curve. Beyond that learning curve is a sun-soaked beach where dancing unicorns serve beverages and tasty morsels. I promise.
Studies show that studying for 8 hours over a 2-week block generally produces superior performance and results compared to one 8 hour study session. It’s also better for retention beyond any exams and final papers.
TIPS:
- In your study schedule, make time for purposefully reviewing (and not just re-reading which I’ll talk about in a moment,) older material even if you have already been assessed on it.
-Check out study Apps that can help with review. Try Anki. That’s A-N-K-I. Anki is the Japanese word for memorisation. It’s a great free, open-source App for this purpose as Anki was designed around the method of spaced repetition.
-Simply re-reading notes is a less-effective strategy. Re-reading will just remind you of what you believe you already now. You’ll switch off in no time. What can be done instead is to test yourself. This is called ‘Active Recall’ and when combined with spaced repetition creates a power duo.
So let’s go there now.
Method 2: ACTIVE RECALL
Active recall is using what’s called the Testing Effect to its full potential.
Straight out of Wiki of the pedia it says: “The testing effect is the finding that long-term memory is often increased when some of the learning period is devoted to retrieving the to-be-remembered information. The effect is also sometimes referred to as retrieval practice, practice testing, or test-enhanced learning.”
Again, while wary of sounding like a broken record, not the Michael Phelps kind but you know, the lp kind, it is important to bang on about this; there WILL be a learning curve. An ugly, discouraging learning curve BUT the improvements in your learning power will make it all worth it.
As the name suggests, active recall uses active learning methods as opposed to easier, passive methods.
There are many ways that you can utilise active recall and it’s an opportunity to get creative. For example, you could study something, then put away your notes and;
- Record yourself recalling everything that you remember
-Sketch out things that you recall from said topic
- Write down as many bullet points as you can
Then pick up your notes and compare for accuracy. This is an important step. Accuracy of recall must be verified so that the wrong info isn’t reinforced. Clustering the different components of the studied topic is also important. If you isolate points then comprehension can be lost.
So to recap!
Spaced repetition and active recall! What a power duo! Revisit lessons and use pro-active methods of recalling what has been taught.
Albert Einstein has been attributed with the quote that I’ll leave you with today:
“Never regard study as a duty, but as an enviable opportunity to learn.”
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