Strategies for Learning

Estimated Time: 2 hours

In this section, we will focus on strategies for learning, including:

• Note Taking
• Learning Diary
• Focus and Diffuse Modes
• Pomodoro Technique
• Chunking
• Deliberate Practice
• Active Recall and Retrieval/Testing
• Spaced Repetition

Note-taking (Capture & Create Method)

Capture: The first step is to capture information as quickly and comprehensively as possible. This involves actively listening, observing, and gathering relevant data. Some techniques to aid in capturing information include:

• Abbreviations and symbols: Use abbreviations and symbols to quickly jot down key points or concepts.
• Mind mapping: Create visual diagrams to connect ideas and show relationships between different concepts.
• Dictation or voice recording: Use voice-to-text tools or recording devices to capture information verbatim, especially during lectures or meetings.
• Keyword highlighting: Identify important keywords or phrases and highlight or underline them for easy reference.

Create: Once the information has been captured, the next step is to create organized and meaningful notes. This involves reviewing and processing the captured information to transform it into a more coherent format. Here are some strategies for creating notes:

• Structured outlines: Organize the captured information into a logical and hierarchical structure, using headings, subheadings, and bullet points.
• Summarization: Condense the captured information into concise summaries, focusing on the main ideas and key supporting details.
• Visual aids: Utilize charts, graphs, diagrams, or tables to illustrate complex concepts or relationships between different pieces of information.
• Personalization: Add personal insights, reflections, or additional examples to enhance understanding and make the notes more relatable.

Keeping a Learning Diary

The process of keeping a learning diary is simple. On the first page, draw up a daily diary and record in summary form what days and times you were engaged in your learning. Then for each study session or activity, keep a record of:

• The practical details - what, when, where, and how you studied
• The study methods and the various skills you used
• Your feelings about the methods of studying you used
• A note on the effectiveness of each session
• Comment on how you might change your practice to be more effective next time.

Focused and Diffuse Modes

The concepts of focused and diffuse thinking are part of the broader framework known as the "learning mode" or "diffuse mode" of thinking, introduced by Dr. Barbara Oakley. These thinking modes play a crucial role in learning and problem-solving. Here's how a student can leverage focused and diffuse thinking to enhance their learning:

Focused thinking: This thinking mode involves concentrated and deliberate attention on a specific task or concept. Here's how to use it effectively:

• Set specific learning goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve or understand in a study session. This helps direct your focus and gives you a sense of purpose.
• Eliminate distractions: Create an environment free from distractions, such as turning off notifications on your devices or finding a quiet study space. This allows you to maintain sustained attention on the task at hand.
• Break down complex tasks: If you're tackling a complex subject or task, break it down into smaller, manageable parts. This helps you maintain focus on one aspect at a time and prevents overwhelm.
• Use active learning strategies: Engage actively with the material, such as by taking notes, asking questions, or summarizing key points in your own words. This encourages deeper processing and understanding.

Diffuse thinking: This thinking mode involves a more relaxed and unfocused state of mind that allows for broader connections and creativity. Here's how to incorporate diffuse thinking into your learning process:

• Take breaks and relax: After a focused study session, take breaks to relax and let your mind wander. Engage in activities that help you unwind, such as going for a walk, practicing mindfulness, or engaging in a hobby.
• Engage in spaced repetition: Instead of cramming information all at once, space out your study sessions and allow for intervals between them. This gives your brain time to consolidate and process the information in the diffuse mode.
• Engage in unrelated activities: While in the diffuse mode, engage in activities that are unrelated to your immediate study material. This can include listening to music, reading unrelated articles, or exploring different topics. This allows your mind to make broader connections and discover new perspectives.
• Use visualization techniques: Spend time visualizing the concepts you have learned and their connections. Create mental images, mind maps, or diagrams to explore relationships and foster creativity.

Alternating between modes: Both focused and diffuse thinking have their roles in the learning process. It's important to alternate between these modes strategically:

• Focused-to-diffuse transition: After a focused study session, transition into diffuse mode by engaging in relaxation techniques or unrelated activities. This allows your brain to make connections and strengthen memory consolidation.
• Diffuse-to-focused transition: When you feel refreshed and ready to resume focused thinking, transition back by setting specific goals and returning to the task at hand. This helps maintain productivity and deepen understanding.

More on the Pomodoro Technique

Chunking

Chunking is a cognitive technique that involves breaking down information into smaller, more manageable units or "chunks." By organizing information in this way, you can improve your learning and retention abilities. Here's how to use this approach to enhance your learning process using the example of loops in programming:

• Identify fundamental concepts and break down large topics
  • Identify the types of loops: Begin by identifying the different types of loops you need to learn, such as for loops and while loops. Each type of loop can be considered a separate chunk of information.
• Master one chunk at a time
  • Understand the syntax and structure: Focus on understanding the syntax and structure of each type of loop individually. Learn how to write the loop header, specify the loop condition, and control the loop flow.
  • Learn the purpose and use cases: Explore the purpose and various use cases for each type of loop. Understand when and why you would choose one type of loop over another. This will help you grasp the context and applicability of each loop.
• Practice active recall
  • Practice with simple examples: Start by practicing with simple examples of each loop type. Write code snippets that demonstrate the basic functionality and behavior of the loops. Experiment with different loop conditions and iterate through different data structures.
• Apply your knowledge
  • Apply loops to solve problems: Practice using loops to solve programming problems or exercises. Look for coding challenges that require the use of loops and apply your knowledge to devise solutions.
• Manage cognitive load: Be mindful of the amount of information you are trying to process at once. Chunking reduces cognitive load by breaking information into smaller, manageable parts. Avoid overwhelming yourself with too much information in one sitting.
• Connect chunks and extend your knowledge
  • Work on nested loops: Once you have a good understanding of each loop type, move on to understanding nested loops. Chunk this topic separately and focus on how to effectively use loops within loops. Practice writing nested loop examples to reinforce your understanding.
  • Analyze and debug loop-related issues: As you practice using loops, you may encounter errors or unexpected results. When this happens, analyze the code, identify the issues, and debug them. Use your knowledge of loops to understand why the error occurred and how to fix it.
  • Explore loop control statements: Expand your understanding by exploring loop control statements such as break and continue. Chunk this topic separately and learn how these statements can modify the flow of loops and optimize their behavior.
• Review and reinforce your knowledge: Regularly review the different loop types, their syntax, and use cases. Use spaced repetition techniques to reinforce your understanding and prevent forgetting.

Deliberate Practice

How do the very best become who they are? How do great writers, sports people, artists, scientists, creators, and other stars emerge?

It is easy to dismiss those whose talents stand out as being gifted or having better circumstances. However, while some people’s circumstances might contribute to their excellent results, there is more to it than just circumstances of privilege or advantage.

If you are familiar with basketball, you have probably heard about Steph Curry. He is a multiple Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winner, one of the very best shooters at the basketball game, and also one of the highest-paid athletes. Watching the way he performs, you might conclude that his talent is the reason for his outstanding performance. However, according to him, “There's one thing that all great shooters have in common, and that's complete control over their mechanics,” he says. “That's not something you're born with—you have to practice it.” (Source: Masterclass.com). Steph Curry and many others reveal to us how important practice is to learning and mastery.

The end goal of learning is not only to be informed but to improve our growth and mastery. To become not only a great learner but equally a highly valuable programmer or computer scientist, you have to develop the habit and skill of deliberate practice.

It is important to know that deliberate practice is not doing something repeatedly. It is a practice that is intentional and rooted in the goal of growth and progress. Deliberate practice helps you to move from being at a novice level in a skill to becoming an expert at that skill. Deliberate practice involves intentional practice, feedback, and improvement in other to correct mistakes and deepen mastery and proficiency. Here are some components of deliberate practice

• Practice should be done towards a clear goal or expert-level performance
• There should be time for reflection (metacognition) - thinking about the practice activity itself and the outcomes
• There should be feedback from someone who has better mastery, such as a coach or another expert

These components, among others, separate deliberate practice from regular practice.

One thought about deliberate practice is that there has to be a very specific skill that you are practicing in order to give it the necessary focus. For example, a basketball player might focus on practicing and developing his shooting skills. As a software developer, that might mean focusing on a particular programming language. To engage in deliberate practice:

• Find out your current skill/knowledge level and the gaps that you have. When you assess your current level with the perspective of becoming an expert, you can recognize the gaps and the areas for improvement.
• Set clear and SMART goals that stretch you. What do you want to be able to do in a set period of time that you are not currently able to do? Identify a specific area of practice.
• Focus on this area of practice over time and give regular, consistent attention to it
• Take time to reflect on your progress and your strategies and analyze the impact that your current approach is resulting in.
• Get regular feedback. As you work on your area of growth and practice, get feedback from a coach, your teacher, or someone who can show you the gaps in your performance in order to find ways to improve continuously.

Active Recall and Retrieval/Testing

When we learn something, either in class or by self-study, it can either get stored in our short-term or long-term memory. Ideally, we want what we learn to get stored in our long-term memory to be able to use that over time. Our short-term memory might make it easier to recognize something we have learned in the short term but not necessarily recall it over the long term. Going back to our previous study on the neuroplasticity of the brain, we will remember that learning new information and skills requires our brains to build new connections. Recall strategies help us to do just that.

Recall can either be passive or active with passive recall happening when what is learned is passively reviewed, such as reading something multiple times over. However, active recall involves more intentional activities that stimulate the brain and engage you in bringing up and encoding the information for longer-term storage and recall.

• List of the strategies from the video.
  • Pre-test
  • Stop and Recite
  • In-Class Questions
  • Immediate Review
  • Toggles
  • Mind Maps
  • Teaching
  • Flashcards
  • Enumeration
  • Occlusions
  • Problem Sets
  • Practice tests

Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice, which is also called practice testing, similar to recall, is the act of bringing back information to mind. During study, we encounter new information, and because we learn by making connections, it is important to be able to retrieve prior learnings in order to make connections to new concepts and ideas.

Here are some techniques for retrieval of learning:

• Direct verbal questioning
• Self-questioning
• Writing notes from memory
• Using flashcards
• Writing essays
• Group discussion

Spaced Repetition

Discussion: Learning Strategies