Learning Techniques: Methods for Students
Table of Contents: That's what you'll find in this article
Learning Techniques: Why learning is so hard sometimes
The basics for learning techniques and successful learning
With these learning techniques, the knowledge remains in the head
These articles are interesting for other readers:
Learning Techniques: Why learning is so hard sometimes
For hours you sit in front of the desk or in the library, look at documents, leaf through documents, try to understand explanations and store knowledge - only to find that you have forgotten most of the next day. A tremendously frustrating feeling when progress is not made and instead you are faced with the same tasks that you can not solve even the fifth time, even though you've learned so many times before.
All the worse, if next door a classmate or a fellow student sits to whom everything seems to fly. A look at the transcripts seems to him enough and he has everything in mind, what it takes for the solution. And, of course, he can still remember it days or weeks later, while you yourself have the feeling that with each new piece of information that you read, you are erasing existing knowledge elsewhere .
While this is an explanation of why learning is harder for you, there are other factors besides individual speed that can make it so difficult for you to keep something.
They do not think long term
Well, everyone has heard before: You learn for life, not for school ... There is a lot of truth in it, but it is often ignored and overlooked. Instead, it is always thought of the exam. The main thing is to score as good as possible, after which the learning is no longer needed anyway.
However, it is precisely this thinking that makes it difficult, because the Zeigarnik effect is that we better remember things that are not yet complete. With the attitude that you will need the knowledge for a long time to come, it stays better and longer in the memory, as if you think only until the next test.
You do not concentrate enough
A seemingly simple, but very common reason, why the learning success fails: Lack of concentration . Although it's being looked at the records, attention keeps popping up because there are so many distractions that are more interesting than the boring learning material.
If you do not focus on what you want to learn, you should not be surprised if he has forgotten almost everything and instead remembers more about the things he has done on the side.
They learn the wrong thing
This is not to say that you are learning about the topic or misunderstanding the information. Especially in this day and age, however, many pupils and students suffer from a very positive development. Knowledge and information are always and everywhere accessible. One click is enough and you can see everything - but unfortunately that is not true for the later exam situation.
It is a big problem to remember only the place where information is to be found but not the actual information. Outside of school or university it may be enough to look up quickly, but it does not bring you through exams. Therefore, really focus on the knowledge and not where the knowledge stands.
The basics for learning techniques and successful learning
Learning Techniques for Pupils Methods Learn Better Exercises Psychology DefinitionThe learning techniques we present below will help you to learn better, to keep your knowledge for the long term, to reproduce it and to do it better in exams. However, in addition to the techniques and learning tips, there are still some fundamental aspects and prerequisites on which learning success depends. In other words, learning techniques help, but are not the only way - and how effective the learning techniques are depends on whether the foundations are met.
Create a learning plan
Even the best learning techniques will not do you much anymore if you completely lose track and have to learn a sheer endless list of content in no time. To make sure that you do not get this far, you should create a learning plan at an early stage and then have the discipline to adhere to it.
This is even more important as studies show that pressure has a negative impact on learning. Although short-term learning has an effect if you want to get knowledge into your head as quickly as possible, the greater the pressure, the harder it will be to gain true understanding. At best, only a few pieces of information are learned by heart.
Make sure you have the right environment
In order to learn successfully, you should create a suitable environment that is geared towards this goal. Above all, this includes a solid learning place, usually at the desk at home. If it is easier for you, you can also study in the library or elsewhere, but it should be clear that when you are in this place, your brain is in learning mode and ready to take information.
Fixed times can also help to complement the learning environment. This will make it easier for you to integrate learning into your daily routine. You should also avoid distractions and disruptions in your learning environment. Try reading e-mails later, putting your smartphone aside and just having the documents you really need on the table.
Develop the right attitude
Researchers agree that attitude is an important factor in learning success. Above all, the emotions that connect you with learning and also with the exam, decide whether you really learn something or forget everything in no time.
If you combine negative emotions with learning, for example because you are afraid of the exam or believe that you can not survive anyway, it will be even harder for you to save information in the long term and retrieve what you have learned. On the other hand, a positive attitude on the other hand helps to better understand and retain even difficult and complex topics.
Recognize your learning type
Not every person learns the same. What matters is how you personally process information in the best way possible. Do you keep something if you have read it a few times? Or does it help you to hear the knowledge, for example in the lecture? Others benefit the most when you talk to others about it.
If your learners know, you can align your learning process it and improve results.
With these learning techniques, the knowledge remains in the head
Almost every student and student knows problems with learning. Nevertheless, only a few come up with the idea of dealing with the various learning techniques. Instead, there is bitching and cursing because it just does not work. It also helps at first, because a little bit of frustration can be reduced, but in the long term, it does not change that you need better methods of learning.
We have put together a list with many different learning techniques for you . Remember, not everyone will work just as well for you. Choose the ones that suit you and use them in the learning phase. Some learning techniques also need a bit of practice before you can use the full potential. So do not be put off if it does not work perfectly on the first try.
mind map
The Mindmap is a classic that is still effective and enjoys great popularity. However, the usefulness of this learning technique is highly dependent on the topic. Extensive and complex topics and relationships in particular can be graphically processed and understood in this way.
Start with the central core theme in the middle and work your way out from there step by step - or better branch by branch. This gives you a clear and clearly structured presentation, from which you can see all the important information and especially the connections with just one glance.
understanding
It's a learning technique that sounds almost trivial, but can be immensely valuable to students. Above all, knowledge remains in the memory and can also be correctly reproduced if a deeper understanding is developed. It is not enough just to memorize data and facts - understanding first assembles information and ensures that you can apply knowledge as well.
Method of loci
Behind the loci method hides a learning technique that many people have already heard of, as it has been popularized by memory experts and memory specialists. Essentially, it's about linking places or lenses with information. Go in front of your inner eye a route that you know by heart, such as a walk through your apartment. In different places you then mentally record the information that you want to remember later.
If you then think this way again, remember all the facts that are stored there. This is a useful learning technique especially if you need to remember information in a specific order.
memory Palace
A very related learning technique to the loci method is the so-called memory palace. However, this requires not only a good memory, but also a strong imagination. Basically you build from all the learning content that you want to remember in your mind a corresponding building. In doing so, you can proceed in a similar way to a mind map, except that you do not connect two-dimensionally with lines, but instead create a real building.
Start with the foundation on which the Memorial Palace stands. Here is the topic. The load-bearing walls or pillars are formed by the most important information. Finally, form the roof with additional information and details. If you manage to visualize this memorial palace and recall it over and over again, all the information is accessible.
index cards
For index cards, you probably first think of learning classical vocabulary , which has already plagued many generations of students. But as a learning technique, the little cards can do even more and can be used in other areas. For example, you'll be well-suited to creating short and concise summaries and internalizing them.
Listings
Lists are a very simple learning technique, but they can be of great value right at the beginning and guide the learning process in the right direction. The main goal of the listings is to bring structure into the content and to provide a better overview. Once properly structured and organized, it is often easier to approach the information piece by piece and then really understand it. In other words, do not try to climb the mountain in one go, but proceed in clearly divided stages.
repeat
The more often you learn something, the better it will stay in your memory. Repetitions are the nuts and bolts of learning techniques. However, it always depends on how you use the repetitions to maximize your learning. Of course, you also learn something when you memorize repeatedly - but it does not contribute to a better understanding.
It makes sense, therefore, to combine repetition with other learning techniques, rather than focusing solely on repeating the same tasks or reading the same document seven times.
SQR3
Behind this rather cryptic abbreviation hides an effective learning technique to better understand complex texts, often with a scientific background. The acronym stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. This technique was developed by the educator Francis Robinson. He proposes to study only the table of contents of a text and to consider what it is about and what questions should be answered.
Only in the third step Read is actually read. Subsequently, it should be reproduced again, what content the text had. What were keywords? A short written summary is also recommended.
visualization
Dry information is easier to learn when paired with colorful and eye-catching images. If you succeed in not only storing knowledge as data and facts, but also assign a memorable image to every aspect, you will be able to remember it much easier.
Alphabet Method
A helpful supplement to the visualization is the learning technique of the alphabet method. For this technique, every letter in the alphabet gets an image. For example, the M could stand for a mother, the D for a dachshund, or the Q for a jellyfish. This is also used in mnemonics, where in this way long combinations of letters are imprinted.
You could, for example, memorize the letter series KBDVMH with a little story: A child plays on a tree with a dachshund and a bird. When the mother arrives, the child has to go back to the house.
No comments