How can you learn more efficiently? (with Scott Young)
Dec 25, 2024
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Scott Young, bestselling author of 'Ultralearning' and an expert in accelerated learning techniques, shares insights on efficient learning strategies. He critiques traditional education, emphasizing the limits of memorization and advocating for practical skills. Discover the importance of 'transfer of learning' and how to overcome learning plateaus. Young also explores optimizing language learning through conversation and immersion, while highlighting the power of constructive feedback and active recall for mastering new skills.
Effective learning requires breaking down complex skills into manageable parts, a method schools often implement well for foundational education.
Rote memorization often leads to disengagement as students struggle to connect learned material to real-world applications, highlighting the need for contextual learning.
Emotional barriers like anxiety can significantly impede learning, necessitating supportive environments and techniques to foster confidence in skill development.
Deep dives
Effective Learning Techniques in Schools
Schools effectively break down complex skills into manageable parts, which is crucial for foundational learning. For example, learning to read involves recognizing letters, associating sounds, and efficiently blending these elements into words. This systematic approach helps students comprehend intricate subjects that they may take for granted as easy. Furthermore, schools provide an environment focused on learning, contrasting with workplaces that prioritize productivity, thereby allowing students ample time to acquire new skills.
Challenges of Schooling Approaches
Schools often struggle with outdated formats that fail to connect learning with real-world applications, resulting in disengagement. Students are frequently required to memorize information without understanding its relevance, such as dates in history or art pieces in class. This rote learning can lead to forgetting much of the material learned over time, raising questions about the effectiveness of these teaching methods. In contrast, self-directed learning allows individuals to choose subjects that genuinely interest them, leading to more meaningful and applicable education.
The Dual Nature of Memorization
Memorization plays a complex role in learning; it can be beneficial yet overemphasized in certain educational contexts. On one hand, having a solid memory base allows for better understanding and retention of new information. On the other hand, learning facts in isolation, without context or application, can lead to ineffective retention. This paradoxical nature indicates the need for a balanced approach where memorization is linked to understanding to enhance long-term learning outcomes.
The Importance of Direct Practice
Direct practice, or engaging in activities that closely mirror real-life applications, is essential for skill acquisition. For example, practicing conversations in a foreign language is more productive than passively studying vocabulary. Exposure to real-world scenarios accelerates learning and builds confidence in using new skills. This principle applies to various disciplines, indicating that tailored, relevant practice can significantly enhance the learning process.
Navigating Learning Plateaus
Experiencing a plateau is common in the learning process and can stem from various factors, such as stagnation in practice techniques or inherent challenges in the skill itself. Frustration may arise when expected progress slows down, but it’s crucial to recognize that this doesn’t indicate failure. Instead, refining methods or seeking expert guidance can help overcome these hurdles. Patience and a willingness to adjust learning strategies are key to navigating these plateaus effectively.
Emotional Factors in Learning
Emotional barriers like anxiety or fear can greatly hinder the learning process and are often overlooked in discussions of educational strategies. These emotions can prevent individuals from fully engaging in practice, ultimately limiting their skill development. Techniques such as exposure therapy can be effective in reducing anxiety and fostering a more confident approach to learning new skills. Creating a supportive environment that encourages experimentation and gradual exposure can help mitigate these emotional challenges.
What do schools do well and not so well? In what contexts is memorization most effective? What's the value in teaching something that will probably be forgotten by most students after graduation? How should educators balance time spent on building skills versus acquiring knowledge? Why do students so often fail to apply the skills learned in school (e.g., fractions, solving for unknown quantities, etc.) to problems encountered in everyday life? What is "transfer of learning"? What is educational "directness"? How can we learn languages more efficiently? How does review compare to other forms of study or exam prep? How can we forget less of what we read? Is it really true that "practice makes perfect"? How can we best set ourselves up emotionally for optimal learning? What should people do when they hit plateaus in their learning?
Scott H. Young is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Ultralearning, a podcast host, computer programmer, and an avid reader. Since 2006, he has published weekly essays to help people learn and think better. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Pocket, and Business Insider, on the BBC, and at TEDx among other outlets. He doesn't promise to have all the answers, just a place to start. He lives in Vancouver, Canada. Follow him on Twitter at @scotthyoung, email him at personal@scotthyoung.com, or read his blog posts on his website, scotthyoung.com/blog.
