Learning how to learn

Summary of findings

• Time off is as important as focused time. Your new neurons will be saved more efficiently if you: exercise, learn new skills (i.e. learn how plumbing work) or new environments (take a new route to home). Give yourself a break in a maximally "rich" environment (run on the beach while listening to music).


One study of rats discovered that rats who were in rich environment had neurons connection 2x stronger than rats in bare cages. Rich environments is about surrounding yourself with people, rich scenery, participating in stimulating events or exercising. The same applies to humans. Terrence Sejnowski, neuroscientist and co author of this course, in between research sessions goes for runs on the beach while listening to music. This is his way of benefiting from entering rich environment or triggering a maximally diffuse mode.


• Spaced repetition. You need to methodically repeat the material to retain it. Check Anki cards App.

Other

• Learning is about actively going through material. Reading the book is not learning, you have to actively rephrase the findings to someone, test yourself, put it in context with the things you know (chunk) See Testing Effect
• Through a Peasant's Reasoning Grasp the subject through a multitude of perspectives and to try learn more by practicing. Learning with your own tempo. Try to understand it "in your way", with your set of references. Validate from different perspectives if you actually understand it. Learn slower, less automatic, in more depth. This might feel slower but is actually more effective.