(ThyBlackMan.com)If you want to learn something faster, there’s only one way to do so. In this post, we are going to reveal that to you in-depth. But before you unlock that treasure, think about why you want to learn something faster. Do you have an interview or an exam that you want to attend tomorrow? Do you want to remember something for a limited period of time? If your answer to any of these questions is a ‘yes’ then you should probably focus only on the first part of the question – how to learn anything faster. But there’s something more than needs to be addressed along with this question – how to retain what you learn. Retaining knowledge is important because learning and retaining are two sides of the same coin and one must focus on both.
When you only have very little time to complete a task such as remembering something for a test, the only option you have is to try remembering as much information as possible. When you do so, the information doesn’t stick for too long. Even if it helps you pass the test, you won’t be able to retain that knowledge. So, if that’s your goal, you can continue massing that much amount of information together. But if you want to learn something, you will need to retain the knowledge you gain throughout your learning exercise. And to do that, experts recommend learning over time.
There’s a term called ‘spacing effect’ in psychology. The famous psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered spacing effect theory demonstrating that within 24 hours, people forget 80 percent of what they recently learned. He suggested that when learning sessions are spaced out, people tend to learn better and faster. Have you ever wondered why some brand names come in mind when you talk or hear about a certain product? Advertising is one of the major industries that utilize this technique.
Studies have shown long-term benefits of using spaced repetition and presentation of information. Psychologists demonstrated it when they called two groups of students and taught them how to solve math problems. Some students used spaced practice and some used massed or crammed practice. In the second part of the experiment, math problems were mixed randomly and by type, and students were asked to solve them. Interestingly, the students who solved randomly mixed math problems performed better. Psychologists concluded that shuffling and dispersing problems across chapters helped students learn better.
When you remember something for a long time, it helps you in many ways. It is the way something should be learned so that it can be applied when it’s needed. Experts suggest investing 2x the amount of time you spend on learning on execution to become better at something. So, how do they do it? Psychologists recommend utilizing the time that you have between two learning sessions to revise and repeat what you have learned. If you’re learning a new language, practice what you’ve learned so far. Make notes and repeat the same. Do this during that time and you’ll see how fast you’re learning. When you repeat this during the wait time rather than doing revisions all at once, you teach your brain to retain more information in less time.
Coming to the answer of how to learn anything faster, there are many methods and many ways you can choose to gain knowledge by learning faster and retaining the information longer. There are many tools in both physical and digital worlds, which can help you learn at a faster pace and can help you track your progress. You can use any of them if it suits you, but always remember that learning should be practiced over time as learning something requires more than a bunch of information.
Try to read more books and research studies. Most of the answers are hidden in scientific research papers, but unfortunately, only a few people pay attention to the treasure they hold, while others simply scratch the surface.
Staff Writer; Corey Shaw
Have any Tech Tips? News? Hit up our Tech Guru at; CoreyS@ThyBlackMan.com
