Learning how to Learn

In her talk about “Learning how to Learn” Prof. Barbara Oakley mentions two different modes of learning process:

1. Focus Mode: You know how to deal with the problem and you deliberately deal with it.
2. Diffuse Mode: There is a problem which is new to you so to find a new solution you need to relax with the purpose of finding or developing a new way of thinking – a solution.

Focus mode is like attacking to a problem with all appropriate solutions at hand (in mind).

Diffuse mode is like taking the guard and going one step backwards to seek for a new way of tactic (short term) and strategy (long term) to deliberately think for a solution in a relaxed mode.

Procrastination is when you have a problem and react to it either by doing something else which is relatively less important but on which you can easily focus OR by doing something totally irrelevant. In either case you actually relieve your brain from the pain caused by the problem for which you have no solution yet.

Now to overcome procrastination you need to TRAIN your brain for consciously switching between focus & diffuse modes back and forward.

You can not be a sprinter and a marathon runner or a racer and a hiker at the same time.

Practice focusing as long as you can and then relaxing as long as you do not forget the problem which is waiting for to be solved by you.

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Dr. Marty Lobdell gives a talk about Study Less and Study Smart. Here are some important points which I have collected from this talk:

1. Study in CHUNKed sessions with breaks at the end. Train extending sessions with reinforcement.
2. Have a dedicated study AREA & TIME in which you can focus and diffuse.
3. Recognition is not equal to being able to recall. Test yourself for recalling ideas you have learned and use your own words. There are two sort of information:
• Facts: Discrete piece of information for short term use: What is that? Who is that? 
•  Concepts: Information for long term use: How does it function? What does it do?
4. Take notes which help you recall.
5. Teach to others what you have learned.
6. Read textbooks (or other resources) effectively and use SQ3R:
• Survey: go thorugh and skim
• Question: raise questions and think about details
• Read: Read with purpose and intention
• Recite: Try to recall what you have learned
• Review: To collect or recall some details