1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,440 How to Self-Learn: 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:03,880 Teach Yourself Anything, 3 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:05,160 Become an Expert, 4 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,320 and Memorize Everything (Learning how to Learn Book 20) 5 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:07,720 Written by 6 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:09,840 Peter Hollins, narrated by russell newton. 7 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:14,680 Learning Misconceptions. 8 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,280 Whether you are studying for an important exam or simply working toward your 9 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:19,600 self-development goals, 10 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:24,360 knowing how to learn will be an important determiner of your success. 11 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,840 Perhaps one of the biggest problems with effective learning is not that people 12 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:29,120 lack the memory, 13 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:29,920 skills, 14 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:34,120 or intelligence to learn—it’s that they lack the knowledge of how to do it 15 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:35,320 properly. 16 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,080 Even experienced teachers and professionals can have outdated and unfounded 17 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,600 assumptions about the best way to encourage the human brain to learn as much as 18 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,480 it can. 19 00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:46,440 In this book, 20 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,560 we’ll be looking at ways to shift your attitude toward the learning process 21 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,960 so that you can not only be more effective at reading, 22 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:55,160 taking notes, 23 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:55,840 remembering, 24 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:57,200 and staying organized, 25 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:02,040 but also be more capable of deeper conceptual understanding. 26 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,760 We will consider not only handy tips and tricks, 27 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,160 but also take a closer look at the attitudes, 28 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:08,320 mindsets, 29 00:01:08,320 --> 00:01:14,120 and overall principles that underpin genuine learning. 30 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:14,360 First, 31 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:14,960 though, 32 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,280 we’ll consider what stands in the way of effective learning - the popular 33 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:24,120 misconceptions about what learning is and how it happens. 34 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:28,440 The evidence-based scientific facts tell us that our conventional understanding 35 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:30,560 about learning is sometimes wrong. 36 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:31,480 For example, 37 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:37,080 a study by Simons and Chabris in 2011 found that people believed that the 38 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:42,440 memory “works like a video camera,” whereas there is zero empirical 39 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,200 evidence to support this idea. 40 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,760 Here are some other common myths to drop before we continue to more 41 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:55,200 evidence-based strategies and approaches in the remaining chapters - Myth 1 .- 42 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:56,480 To Learn Better, 43 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,520 Study For A Longer Time. 44 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,040 Wrong! 45 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,440 The phrase “work smarter not harder” comes to mind. 46 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,440 Are you one of those people who looks up at the clock at the end of a grueling 47 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:13,440 study session and considers it a success if a lot of time has passed? 48 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:18,120 Do you write “study two hours” on your to-do list? 49 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,680 This myth is a lot more pervasive than it first appears, 50 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,520 but it may hint at a misunderstanding of how the brain actually works. 51 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:26,880 It sounds obvious, 52 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:32,000 but merely putting in the hours at your desk is not the same as truly grasping 53 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:32,640 material, 54 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:33,720 storing it, 55 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,880 and remembering it for the long term. 56 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,760 Myth 2 .- Students Know Best. 57 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:42,680 In fact, 58 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,240 you may be a poor judge of how well you’re learning, 59 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,760 and not great at self-regulating your study. 60 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,000 Without knowing it, 61 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,280 you may avoid challenging material. 62 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:54,960 Hartwig and Dunlosky (2012) 63 00:02:54,960 --> 00:03:00,480 found that students often choose strategies with zero scientific backing, 64 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,320 and Kornell and Bjork (2007) 65 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:07,880 claim that students’ “intuition” about the best approach is not usually 66 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:09,760 trustworthy. 67 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,600 Maybe you’re going through some vocabulary flip cards or practicing math 68 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:14,600 problems. 69 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,640 You may decide that you’ve practiced enough, 70 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:22,120 but could that just be your laziness talking? 71 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,280 Myth 3 .- If You’Ve Learned It, 72 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,840 You’Ll Remember It. 73 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:28,240 When it comes to memory, 74 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,560 many of us assume that once something is drilled into memory, 75 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:33,280 it stays there. 76 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:38,160 But cognitive researchers and learning scientists have discovered that the 77 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:39,720 memory is a complicated, 78 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,120 dynamic process. 79 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,840 Your natural tendency is actually to forget, 80 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,040 unless you’re actively trying to avoid it. 81 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,680 Some estimates have us forgetting around eighty percent of what we’ve learned 82 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,520 within one or two weeks. 83 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,840 Unless we deliberately do something to mitigate the effects of this 84 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,560 “forgetting curve” we will never properly retain information, 85 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,640 and we can never be said to have properly learned anything. 86 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:06,160 However, 87 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,440 if we don’t understand how memory actually works in the first place, 88 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,080 we may be vainly studying away, 89 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,360 unaware of the fact that we are committing barely any of it to memory. 90 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:20,720 Myth 4 .- To learn something, 91 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,320 drill it over and over again. 92 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,840 Similarly, 93 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:29,840 your ability to recall information in the short term is a poor predictor of how 94 00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:31,880 well you’ll remember it in the longer term (Soderstrom & Bjork, 95 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:32,680 2015), 96 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,120 so you can’t assume you’ve learned something just because you repeated it 97 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:37,760 plenty of times during a study hour. 98 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,680 You’ve probably had this experience before - you rehearse a piece of 99 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,440 information over and over and really do feel like you’ve “got it." 100 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,040 Yet when you take your exam the next day, 101 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:49,520 your mind is blank. 102 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,800 Why? 103 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,960 We’ll explore the answer in later chapters, 104 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,520 as well as consider the value of “interleaved” practice, 105 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:58,920 spacing, 106 00:04:58,920 --> 00:04:59,720 and repetition. 107 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:07,440 Myth 5 .- Reading is more useful than practice tests. 108 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,160 Roediger and Karpicke (2006) 109 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,680 found that it’s the other way around - practice testing is more effective 110 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:15,920 than re-reading material. 111 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,680 This is because when you test yourself, 112 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,760 you’re practicing retrieval, 113 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:27,760 whereas re-reading does not allow you to glean anything new. 114 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:32,680 Myth 6 .- It’s important to set up the perfect study space. 115 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,760 Partly true, 116 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:39,240 but learning researcher Robert Bjork believes that we form stronger 117 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,240 associations (and therefore better memories) 118 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,120 when we learn in diverse locations, 119 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:48,320 rather than the same spot each time. 120 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,120 Myth 7 .- Practice, 121 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:50,640 Practice, 122 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:51,240 Practice. 123 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:56,120 Effective memories are not formed from repetition alone. 124 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:57,920 In the 1960s, 125 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,000 educators believed that rehearsal and repetition were enough, 126 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,520 but today it’s understood that memory is more complicated than that. 127 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,000 While repetition helps a little, 128 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,240 more meaningful data is more easily recalled, 129 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:16,440 meaning that how we repeat and rehearse information matters as much as how 130 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:17,720 often we repeat it. 131 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:26,080 Myth 8 .- Each Of Us Has Our Own “Learning Style.” 132 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:30,200 You’ve probably heard of the idea that some people are more verbal learners, 133 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:30,760 for example, 134 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,400 or that others do better with information presented aurally or visually. 135 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,840 Despite its popularity in the common imagination, 136 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:40,880 learning styles may be a myth; 137 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:46,120 the American Psychological Association published a report in 2019 stating that 138 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:50,680 belief in individual learning styles may actually get in the way of students’ 139 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:51,120 learning, 140 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:52,360 rather than improve it. 141 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:57,360 If you’re thinking about using only those strategies that fit best with your 142 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:58,560 presumed style of learning, 143 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:04,080 don’t worry - the techniques with the most scientific backing can be used 144 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:05,000 effectively by everyone. 145 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:10,480 Myth 9 - “The left brain does this; 146 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:15,040 the right brain does that ...” In a similar vein, 147 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,800 there is little evidence to suggest any difference between “left-brained” 148 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,360 activities or individuals and “right-brained." 149 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:25,600 The left is purportedly oriented toward math and language, 150 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,040 while the right brain is more about creativity. 151 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,000 The truth is this is a complete myth. 152 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,800 Perhaps the biggest and most damaging myth, 153 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:35,120 however, 154 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:40,040 is the following - Myth 10 .- Students will automatically and intuitively pick 155 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:41,200 the right way to study. 156 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,880 This book is about learning to learn, 157 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,680 which is not something that schools teach. 158 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:52,000 Do not assume that you already know what the best way to learn is. 159 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,680 When you think about it, 160 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,360 you may have some fixed ideas about the natural way to progress with your 161 00:07:57,360 --> 00:07:57,840 studying. 162 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,440 But where did you pick up these ideas? 163 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,040 Do you really have any evidence that they work? 164 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,240 Most likely, 165 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,600 your current approach is one of habit that you never really questioned. 166 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:09,480 However, 167 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,680 not all studying is created equal, 168 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:16,440 and you cannot trust yourself to learn well by accident! 169 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:16,880 Instead, 170 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:21,920 it makes sense to closely consider the evidence-backed techniques out there, 171 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:26,760 and train ourselves to use them rather than default to ingrained habits that 172 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:28,160 may not be helping us. 173 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,440 You picked up this book for a reason. 174 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:32,640 In all likelihood, 175 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:37,200 on some level you are trying to improve the way you currently learn because you 176 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,200 know you could be better—but you’re not sure how yet. 177 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:47,200 One good step to begin with is to ask - Q .- How have you studied and learned 178 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:48,400 new things in the past? 179 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:49,920 For example, 180 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:51,560 did you sit down, 181 00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:53,280 plonk a book on your lap, 182 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,680 and re-read your textbook with a highlighter in one hand? 183 00:08:55,680 --> 00:08:59,240 Did you start automatically making notes, 184 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,000 or did you begin by first drawing up a study timetable of how many hours you 185 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,040 would need to devote? 186 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,360 Q .- Now ask, 187 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,280 how well has this worked for you? 188 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:14,040 Be honest and appraise how well the above technique has actually been serving 189 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:15,280 you. 190 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,920 Do you largely feel like you retain what you learn, 191 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:22,320 that you have a good grasp of new material and that you are using your time and 192 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:22,960 energy well? 193 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,600 If most of us are honest, 194 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,120 we have never even asked ourselves these two questions in the first place! 195 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:33,400 But it can be illuminating to realize that your current approach may not be 196 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:35,480 working as well as you think it is. 197 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,360 This is where this book can help. 198 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,600 Too much study advice out there never challenges the learning myths we buy into 199 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:44,400 as a culture, 200 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,360 and in fact may only reinforce them. 201 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,120 As you read the chapters that follow, 202 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:55,240 try to keep an open mind and try to imagine that your new learning approach 203 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,240 could be quite different from your old one. 204 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,680 If you find yourself reverting to old methods, 205 00:10:00,680 --> 00:10:04,520 remind yourself of the above questions and your answers. 206 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:08,160 It may be comfortable and easy to default to tired old habits, 207 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:08,720 but in the end, 208 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,280 this will not help you fulfil your full potential, 209 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:13,360 be as effective as you can, 210 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,480 and use the time you have most wisely. 211 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,320 Learning Mindsets. 212 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:20,760 Okay, 213 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:25,600 so we’ve thrown our myths and misconceptions about learning out the window. 214 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,600 We’re going to forget the old learning approaches we’ve been taught in 215 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:31,960 school and embrace a smarter approach. 216 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,160 Time to dive into some clever techniques, 217 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:35,440 right? 218 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,640 While this seems like a good idea, 219 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:41,800 it’s far better to understand that self-directed learning is as much about 220 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,960 useful methods as it is about attitude, 221 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:45,840 mood, 222 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:46,600 perception, 223 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:47,080 and feeling. 224 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:48,400 For example, 225 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,040 you could have the most scientifically sound approach, 226 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:52,320 but if you are unmotivated, 227 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:53,400 it doesn’t matter. 228 00:10:53,400 --> 00:11:01,280 Let’s take a look at Six Sigma strategy author Tanmay Vora’s famous “3 Ls 229 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,560 of self-directed learning,” which couldn’t be more different from the 230 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:05,800 approach taught in schools. 231 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,520 (There is in fact one school launched in the 90s, 232 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,680 the Brisbane Independent School, 233 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:14,200 that bases its curriculum around these principles, 234 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,560 but if you weren’t lucky enough to go there, 235 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:18,560 you can always learn their approach below!) 236 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:22,680 Seven characteristics are emphasized in this model - 237 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:24,200 •Playfulness 238 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:25,600 •Autonomy 239 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,960 •Internalized Evaluation 240 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,280 •Openness to Experience 241 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,360 • Intrinsic Motivation. 242 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:33,920 •Self-Acceptance 243 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:40,040 •Flexibility The idea is to develop your own ability to self-direct and 244 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:41,000 self-regulate. 245 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:41,800 In other words, 246 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:43,400 to become your own teacher. 247 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:48,040 A self-directed learner is not just someone who is aping a series of useful 248 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:48,840 techniques; 249 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:49,840 rather, 250 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:51,400 they have learned how to learn, 251 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:52,880 and they do it well. 252 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,080 They take initiative, 253 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:56,160 adapt, 254 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:57,240 persevere, 255 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:58,720 and remain curious. 256 00:11:58,720 --> 00:11:59,680 Basically, 257 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:04,400 they foster an attitude of learning that goes beyond any particular subject or 258 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:04,760 activity. 259 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,920 The exact study techniques you use matter, 260 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,120 but what’s most important is your mindset. 261 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:13,600 With the correct attitude, 262 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:14,800 you pace yourself, 263 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,440 spring back from disappointment or difficulty, 264 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,160 adjust as you go, 265 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:20,520 set your own goals, 266 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:22,920 and feel empowered when you reach them. 267 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:28,000 Your motivation and sense of purpose is stronger because you guide yourself. 268 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:33,520 Compare the following students - Student A .- Wants the teacher to tell them 269 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:34,760 what to learn and how. 270 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,160 Then they hack away at it, 271 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:38,800 at home alone, 272 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,040 wasting time on techniques that don’t get them very far. 273 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,240 They don’t care about anything outside the curriculum. 274 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,360 When they do poorly on a test, 275 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,680 they blame the teacher for not being better. 276 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:55,120 Student B .- Takes the initiative to make their own study curriculum and works 277 00:12:55,120 --> 00:13:00,320 in collaboration with others to continuously refine it so that they’re using 278 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,160 their time in the best way possible. 279 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:06,920 They keep learning even after an exam and beyond the curriculum, 280 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:08,440 and when something doesn’t work, 281 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,400 they take responsibility for it, 282 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,240 determining a better way forward instead. 283 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,000 Student B is a self-directed learner, 284 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,000 while student A is arguably not learning anything. 285 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,200 Student B can reflect on their process, 286 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:24,920 can use their time efficiently, 287 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:30,120 and is motivated from a sense of personal responsibility and inquisitiveness. 288 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,000 How do you develop such a mindset? 289 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:35,360 Identify Your Goals. 290 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:40,960 You need realistic yet challenging goals that let you know what you’re trying 291 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:42,080 to achieve in the first place. 292 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:48,520 These are not just immediate goals regarding the content itself (“I want to 293 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,480 understand chapter 5”) 294 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:55,080 but broader goals about your development as a student of life (“I want to be 295 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,600 more resilient when receiving critical feedback from others”). 296 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,400 Stay Curious. 297 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,960 Keep asking questions, 298 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,080 and don’t take everything at face value. 299 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,000 Why did X. Y. Z. happen? 300 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,680 What would have happened if you did something different? 301 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:13,600 A lifelong, 302 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:18,240 self-directed learner places curiosity at the center of everything they do. 303 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,960 Challenge Yourself. 304 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:25,920 Growth and learning take place outside your comfort zone. 305 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:30,960 Push yourself to do more—the sense of reward and accomplishment will be 306 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:31,280 greater, 307 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:34,600 and this feeling of meaning will motivate you to carry on. 308 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:39,480 If the goals that others assign to you are on the conservative side, 309 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:40,960 set your own, 310 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:42,120 more ambitious goals. 311 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:43,640 That said, 312 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,800 a goal that is too ambitious will overwhelm you and leave you feeling 313 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:48,440 discouraged. 314 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:49,800 It’s your job, 315 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:50,280 however, 316 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,920 to find the perfect spot in between! 317 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,280 Track Your Progress. 318 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:02,280 You need a way to measure your effectiveness and monitor your progress. 319 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:07,960 Set a standard and regularly ask how you measure up against standard. 320 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:08,800 Again, 321 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,920 you don’t need to wait for others to test or appraise you; 322 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:13,240 you can do it yourself. 323 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:14,400 For example, 324 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,240 set yourself a weekly quiz and keep track of your scores. 325 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,280 Pay Attention To Your Source Of Motivation. 326 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,960 Students may budget their time, 327 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:28,280 and they may juggle their energy levels, 328 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,880 but remember also to be mindful of your degree of motivation and, 329 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,080 more importantly, 330 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,360 where that motivation is coming from. 331 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:36,920 Ideally, 332 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,400 you want to be intrinsically motivated, 333 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:40,280 i.e., 334 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:44,840 have a drive to do something that comes from your own inner determination and 335 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,760 personal values rather than external rewards. 336 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:53,440 Your goals need to genuinely mean something to you or your motivation will 337 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:53,960 fizzle out. 338 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:58,880 Some self-directed students choose to have their mission statement or overall 339 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:03,360 goal hung on a poster above their desk so they’re constantly reminded of 340 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:04,640 their “big why." 341 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,800 Value Progress, 342 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:08,520 Not Perfection. 343 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,480 We cannot guarantee any particular outcome, 344 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,960 but we can always choose our actions in the moment. 345 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:19,560 By focusing on what is in our control as we progress through the learning 346 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:20,160 process, 347 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:21,360 we stay empowered. 348 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:22,480 Furthermore, 349 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,960 avoid comparing yourself against others, 350 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,800 and simply keep asking yourself - am I better than I was before? 351 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,000 Reach Out To Others. 352 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,960 There are limits to sitting alone and learning. 353 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,200 Reach out to others and collaborate, 354 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:40,280 learn together, 355 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:41,560 ask questions, 356 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:42,600 seek feedback, 357 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,520 be challenged and inspired, 358 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,280 and compare your process. 359 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,720 Find those who share your goals and support one another to reach them. 360 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:56,240 This is an aspect of motivation that modern school systems undervalue. 361 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:01,720 Hopefully you’re beginning to see the difference between a superficial and 362 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:02,720 ineffective learner, 363 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:04,720 and a more engaged, 364 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,280 more self-directed genuine learner. 365 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,320 Maybe you think, 366 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:10,800 “I don’t need to be a deep learner; 367 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:12,520 I just want to pass my exam." 368 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:13,160 Well, 369 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,080 the secret is that whatever your learning goals, 370 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:20,560 you will achieve more if you adopt the mindset of those people who have a 371 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:22,360 lifelong love of learning. 372 00:17:22,360 --> 00:17:27,680 One excellent way of taking responsibility for your learning journey is to keep 373 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:28,200 a diary. 374 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:32,200 This “learning journal” can be used to keep tabs on yourself, 375 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:33,560 track your progress, 376 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:35,720 record feelings and developments, 377 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:37,040 ask questions, 378 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:37,880 and strategize. 379 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,400 There are two important things to remember - 380 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:45,400 •Make your journal relevant to You and your learning goals 381 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,480 •Check in with it regularly—for example, 382 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:53,560 at the end of every day or week As your first entry in the learning journal, 383 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,040 write down your primary goal. 384 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,160 Make sure the goal is challenging but still realistic. 385 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:03,960 Also make sure you know how you will track the goal—how will you be sure you 386 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:04,520 have achieved it? 387 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:09,000 Your goal may need to be broken down into smaller sub goals. 388 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:10,520 For example, 389 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:15,480 your main aim may be to “learn Spanish,” but this consists of several 390 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,040 subgoals of passing a particular test, 391 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,960 having a conversation with a native in Spain, 392 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:24,880 or being able to read a certain text with a certain level of fluency. 393 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:25,720 Remember, 394 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:25,960 though, 395 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,520 that these goals are only part of the story. 396 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:32,480 Also include goals that refer to the learning process itself; 397 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:33,480 for example, 398 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,960 you may wish to improve your short-term memory, 399 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,640 be more organized with your study materials, 400 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:40,320 and build better confidence. 401 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:45,040 The more time you take fleshing out your goals in your journal, 402 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:49,160 the better you’ll be able to monitor those goals when you return to your 403 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:50,320 journal periodically, 404 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:51,800 whether that’s once a day, 405 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:52,840 once a week, 406 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,520 or even once a month. 407 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:59,160 Let’s say that at the end of each day you check in with your learning journal. 408 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:04,040 You remind yourself of your main goal and reconnect to your reason for wanting 409 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:04,640 to achieve it. 410 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,600 You look at what you’ve done that day and appraise your progress. 411 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,160 What have you achieved? 412 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,800 What would be done better tomorrow? 413 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:19,040 Maybe you tackle an attitude or mindset problem or maybe you simply tweak a 414 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,680 practical matter by trying a different tactic going forward. 415 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:24,600 Whatever you choose to do with your journal, 416 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:30,040 just remember to make sure it works for You and your learning goals and that 417 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:33,560 you are routinely checking in with it to realign with your goals and monitor 418 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:34,120 your progress. 419 00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:37,200 Don’t be too hard on yourself when you start out. 420 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,760 Remember the seven characteristics of a self-directed learner - 421 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,440 •Playfulness – Make It Fun! 422 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:45,360 Stay Curious. 423 00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:48,880 •Autonomy – take responsibility; 424 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,440 don’t wait for others to give you permission or direction. 425 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:57,800 •Internalized Evaluation – set your own standards, 426 00:19:57,800 --> 00:19:58,960 then follow them. 427 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:04,800 •Openness to Experience – be open to new ways of doing things. 428 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,520 • Intrinsic Motivation. 429 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:12,120 – regularly ask yourself why you are aiming for your goals. 430 00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:19,120 •Self-Acceptance – forgive small missteps and be patient as you figure 431 00:20:19,120 --> 00:20:19,640 things out. 432 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:24,120 •Flexibility – if something doesn’t work, 433 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:25,040 it’s not a problem; 434 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:28,480 just keep asking questions until you find something that does. 435 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:30,520 With practice, 436 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,760 your learning journal can be a powerful tool that helps you take charge of your 437 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,920 learning and develop an optimal mindset. 438 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:41,000 As you encounter techniques in the following pages, 439 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:42,480 you can appraise them, 440 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:43,520 test them, 441 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,000 and evaluate them for yourself in your journal. 442 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,320 If you can do this consistently, 443 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:54,120 congratulations—you are now learning like a self-directed learner does! 444 00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:59,280 Reflective Learning Through The Gibbs Model. 445 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:05,960 The best students in the classroom are those who are the best students outside 446 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:06,560 the classroom. 447 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:13,000 “It is not sufficient simply to have an experience in order to learn. 448 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,000 Without reflecting upon this experience, 449 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,920 it may quickly be forgotten or its learning potential lost. 450 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:24,760 It is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that 451 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,840 generalizations or concepts can be generated, 452 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:33,640 and it is generalizations that allow new situations to be tackled effectively." 453 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:39,280 These are the 1988 words of Graham Gibbs, 454 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,800 the education expert who developed the idea of “reflective learning." 455 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,960 Just like with Tanmay Vora above, 456 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:50,600 the key is autonomous conscious control of the learning process. 457 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:55,160 Gibbs cared about experience as a means to learning, 458 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,240 but he thought that it was only when we reflected on this experience that we 459 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:00,320 truly learned something. 460 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,040 Though this concept may seem abstract, 461 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,400 it likely applies to your current learning goal, 462 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:07,520 whatever it is. 463 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:13,080 Gibbs created his "structured debriefing" process which explained what this 464 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:14,560 reflection actually entailed. 465 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:20,040 It’s a continuous development cycle for a repeatable experience, 466 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:20,800 i.e., 467 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:23,080 we don’t just do it once but repeatedly. 468 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:27,240 It teaches us to reflect and process a particular situation, 469 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:33,080 gaining deeper understanding and arriving at generalizations that enhance 470 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:33,320 learning. 471 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,320 Here are the steps - 1. 472 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:40,600 Describe – Describe what happened in the situation. 473 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,680 Remember the details.  2. 474 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:47,280 Feelings – Discuss feelings about the experience. 475 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:48,400 3. 476 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,000 Evaluation – How did the experience go?  4. 477 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,840 Analysis – Make sense of what happened. 478 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,400 5. 479 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:05,280 Conclusion – Give two conclusions - a general one and a personal one.  6. 480 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:10,720 Action Plan – Sum up everything you need to know and identify how you can 481 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,000 improve next time. 482 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,160 Let’s take a closer look, 483 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:15,160 with examples. 484 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,720 The framework can be applied to minor events you wish to analyze, 485 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,680 or more broadly to your own life as a whole. 486 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:22,280 Or both! 487 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:27,000 The following example shows how the framework applies to a broader life 488 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:27,720 situation. 489 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,200 Describe. 490 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:31,760 What happened? 491 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:33,080 Look at when, 492 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:33,520 who, 493 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:34,120 why, 494 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:34,800 where, 495 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,160 and how it happened. 496 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,160 Be comprehensive but concise, 497 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:40,800 and stick to facts. 498 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:47,440 Example .- I am on a mandatory training course with an internal team at work 499 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:51,880 because the boss wants everyone to prepare for this new software system. 500 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:57,200 I was enrolled so I could then train my subordinates on the protocol next month. 501 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:58,640 On the first day of the course, 502 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:04,320 the instructor graded my practice report as the worst in the group and loudly 503 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:06,080 criticized me in front of my peers. 504 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,480 Feelings. 505 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,080 What were your thoughts, 506 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:12,040 emotions, 507 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:12,760 beliefs, 508 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,360 and values at the time in response to the above? 509 00:24:16,360 --> 00:24:18,920 What about others’ thoughts? 510 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,680 Example .- I was embarrassed and angry, 511 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:23,480 and thought, 512 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,600 “I didn’t even want to be on this course. 513 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:26,240 It’s mandatory!" 514 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,200 I felt this was unfair of the instructor, 515 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:30,680 and I felt picked on. 516 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:35,960 It’s shaken me because I’m normally a top performer at work and looked up 517 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:36,880 to by others. 518 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,640 The instructor seemed irritated with me. 519 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,520 Evaluation. 520 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,360 Look at the negative and the positive. 521 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:47,480 What worked and what didn’t? 522 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,800 How did things get resolved—if they did? 523 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:55,560 Example .- Talking to the instructor after class, 524 00:24:55,560 --> 00:25:00,440 I realized that she didn’t think she had been unkind and was surprised I was 525 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:00,760 upset. 526 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:02,080 Honestly, 527 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,440 my report was not up to scratch, 528 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:07,080 but the instructor could have been gentler. 529 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:08,680 On the other hand, 530 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:13,600 I can at least appreciate that she’s an expert in her field and has taken the 531 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:14,680 time to improve my work. 532 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:15,520 Going forward, 533 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:20,720 I’m trying to put my bruised ego aside and genuinely learn to be better. 534 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,880 Analysis. 535 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:31,040 Use a wider theory or framework to put the event in context and understand it 536 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:31,320 better. 537 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:36,280 Ask Why questions and see if there is any guidance out there about similar 538 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:37,120 situations. 539 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:41,920 Look for possible alternatives and research various options going forward. 540 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:46,200 Example .- Sitting with the problem, 541 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,040 I’ve come to realize that my own reaction was more of a defensive response 542 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:50,440 from me, 543 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:54,160 and I wasn’t being genuinely attacked by the instructor. 544 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:58,160 I think I was especially touchy that day because deep down I’m a little 545 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:04,120 nervous about the changes happening at the company and insecure about my own 546 00:26:04,120 --> 00:26:05,560 value to the team in the future. 547 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:06,440 However, 548 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:10,320 being sulky and unwilling to hear feedback won’t help! 549 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,080 Conclusion. 550 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:18,400 The general conclusion is transferable to other situations in life, 551 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:23,520 whereas the specific one is only applicable to the current situation. 552 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,600 Ask yourself - what have I learned? 553 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:28,520 What could I do better next time? 554 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,440 To do better next time, 555 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:31,800 what skills will I need? 556 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:39,320 Example .- My general conclusion is that I need to be less complacent and more 557 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:41,400 open to the fact that I can always learn more, 558 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,440 even if I consider myself accomplished already. 559 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:50,840 My specific conclusion is that I need to immediately put the instructor’s 560 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:54,320 feedback into practice and show her that I can learn and adapt. 561 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:58,520 I think this will go a long way to making me feel more in control. 562 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:01,480 Action plan. 563 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:06,840 Summarize everything you know and figure out a way to put this into action 564 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:07,880 right now. 565 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,400 How can you apply your knowledge and experience? 566 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:17,120 Think about how you can adapt or what you’ll do the next time you encounter 567 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:17,760 this problem. 568 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:25,240 Example .- I will compile a new report incorporating her feedback and ask her 569 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,880 to give me private feedback one-on-one when she has a moment. 570 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:30,200 In the future, 571 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,920 I’m going to try to be a little less serious about these things and thank 572 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:36,720 people who give me constructive advice, 573 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,680 while being aware of my own insecurities putting me on the defensive. 574 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:44,160 As you can see from the above example, 575 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:49,880 Gibbs’ process outlines the process of learning about learning. 576 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:56,520 It’s reflective because it asks us to use metacognition and learn about the 577 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:57,320 way we are learning. 578 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:00,720 This is the hallmark of a self-directed, 579 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:01,600 effective learner. 580 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,760 The process doesn’t have to be this long and drawn out, 581 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:05,000 though. 582 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:05,880 Here’s a simpler, 583 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,960 more concrete example - 1. 584 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:13,160 Describe – I did well on my music exam, 585 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,280 except I failed the sight-reading section. 586 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:16,760 2. 587 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:20,040 Feelings – I’m pretty confused and disappointed; 588 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,800 I thought I understood the theory and process. 589 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:24,520 3. 590 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,840 Evaluation – Examining my approach, 591 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,520 I’ve probably missed a few important details. 592 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,360 4. 593 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:37,840 Analysis – I think I missed these because I joined the class late last year. 594 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,440 5. 595 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,640 Conclusion – General - pay attention! 596 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:48,800 Specific .- Ask for catch-up lessons on this one issue.  6. 597 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:53,200 Action Plan – Get in touch with the teacher tomorrow to chat about remedial 598 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:53,720 lessons. 599 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:57,840 Maybe buy that sight-reading book I saw on Amazon. 600 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:02,600 Dedicate some time every evening this month to polishing up this area. 601 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,640 When it all boils down, 602 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:11,120 the ability to reflect on your own learning process is simply the ability to 603 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:11,880 keep asking, 604 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:15,040 what am I doing and is it working? 605 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:16,920 How can I do things better? 606 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:22,960 The thing that reliably interferes with this reflective process is our own ego. 607 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:27,040 We can’t reflect on a process if we’re unwilling to learn something new 608 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,120 about the situation or ourselves! 609 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:30,160 Now, 610 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:35,560 you may be wondering how exactly this process applies to your specific learning 611 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:36,000 goals. 612 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:38,600 Though it might seem overly general, 613 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:44,120 practicing the skills outlined by Gibbs will improve every aspect of your 614 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:48,800 learning well after you’ve completed an important exam or achieved this or 615 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:49,440 that goal. 616 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:50,640 In time, 617 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,640 these steps may start to become automatic, 618 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,640 and you may incorporate them into your thinking naturally. 619 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:01,360 This is where your learning journal can come in handy. 620 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:02,960 Remember that, 621 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:03,760 according to Gibbs, 622 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,600 any experience is an opportunity for learning, 623 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:08,720 provided you reflect on it! 624 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:09,760 For example, 625 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:14,920 let’s return to the two questions we began with earlier in the chapter .- How 626 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,320 have you studied and learned new things in the past, 627 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:19,800 and how well has that worked for you? 628 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:21,240 Specifically, 629 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:25,280 can you think of a time when things didn’t go according to plan? 630 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:26,920 Now, 631 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:32,080 try to use Gibbs’ framework to help you conduct a kind of post-mortem on this 632 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:33,880 experience and reflect on it. 633 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:38,920 Work through the steps until you arrive at an action plan that inspires you to 634 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,480 do something about what you’ve experienced. 635 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:47,400 You may notice that going through this process slows you down and forces you to 636 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,880 engage more deeply with what is going on in your life, 637 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:54,680 but also what is going on more specifically in your learning journey. 638 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:57,760 It teaches you to be self-directed, 639 00:30:57,760 --> 00:30:59,000 self-aware, 640 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,960 and a responsible learner. 641 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:05,720 It also helps you make meaning of the things you’re learning and make course 642 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:07,760 corrections in your path toward your goal. 643 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:10,640 The next time you are confused, 644 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:11,800 unmotivated, 645 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,320 experiencing failure or disappointment, 646 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,160 or unclear on your next step, 647 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:21,040 pick up your learning journal and quickly run through Gibb’s steps to help 648 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,080 find clarity and a clear way forward. 649 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:28,320 Notice how you feel afterwards—isn’t it empowering to take charge of your 650 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:29,520 own process this way? 651 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:35,560 Understand Cognitive Load And Working Memory. 652 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:43,120 In his 2014 talk at the Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning at the 653 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:44,800 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 654 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:50,520 Bill Cerbin explained a concept you may already be quite familiar with - you 655 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,280 can’t overload your brain! 656 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:58,280 He calls it “cognitive overload,” and it impairs student memory and 657 00:31:58,280 --> 00:31:59,160 learning. 658 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:04,960 The brain has natural and inbuilt limits to the amount of new information it 659 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:05,600 can take in. 660 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,040 If we don’t respect these limits, 661 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,280 we may find ourselves frustrated, 662 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:10,480 exhausted, 663 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:13,480 and no better at remembering anyway. 664 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:17,520 When we talk about learning effectively or efficiently, 665 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:22,280 what we mean is - we want to find ways to reduce cognitive load while at the 666 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:24,800 same time increasing how much we learn. 667 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:26,440 Now, 668 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:30,400 why do people get overwhelmed when learning something new? 669 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,680 Is it - The speed the teacher covers the material? 670 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:36,440 The complexity of the material? 671 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:38,440 The way the information is organized? 672 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:40,000 Actually, 673 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:41,240 according to Cerbin, 674 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:47,400 what creates overwhelm is two things - our cognitive load and our working 675 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:47,720 memory. 676 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:53,960 Working memory is what allows us to hold on to a limited amount of brand-new 677 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:55,440 information as we encounter it, 678 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:56,960 for a short period of time. 679 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:00,040 It’s like the workspace of our conscious mind. 680 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:06,040 What we ordinarily think of as thinking and processing is really happening in 681 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,720 our working memory brain centers. 682 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:14,040 The trick here is that working memory is actually very limited and can only 683 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,280 hold a small of information at a time. 684 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:21,480 Imagine that your working memory is what you can hold in your cupped hands. 685 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:26,480 Anything over and above this quantity just falls out of your grasp—i.e., 686 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:32,560 information that outstrips your working memory will simply not be grasped in 687 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:33,440 any meaningful way. 688 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:39,040 The metaphor that Cerbin uses is that of a bottle - imagine that our memory is 689 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:39,800 a wine bottle. 690 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:44,680 Your long-term memory storage is the main body of the bottle, 691 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:50,520 but your working memory is the narrower spout—only so much can enter at one 692 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:50,920 time. 693 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:54,200 Before memories can enter long-term memory, 694 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:57,760 they need to be processed through the “bottleneck” of working memory. 695 00:33:57,760 --> 00:33:58,760 Now, 696 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:03,480 cognitive load refers to the “mental resources” needed to accomplish any 697 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:06,400 particular task or process some new information. 698 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:10,360 New tasks carry a bigger load than familiar ones; 699 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,640 bigger tasks have greater loads than smaller ones, 700 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:17,760 and complex tasks have a higher load than simple ones. 701 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:24,360 Cognitive overload occurs when the cognitive load of a task exceeds our working 702 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:26,400 memory’s natural limitations. 703 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:27,040 In other words, 704 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:30,040 it’s like trying to shove too much into a narrow bottleneck, 705 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:34,720 or struggling to grasp too much in two cupped hands. 706 00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:39,600 You’ll know you’re in cognitive overload when you start making errors, 707 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:40,920 getting confused, 708 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:43,040 feeling overwhelmed or anxious, 709 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:46,080 or even wanting to give up in frustration. 710 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:50,400 So what can we take from this understanding? 711 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:51,280 Well, 712 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:53,840 obviously - your brain has limits. 713 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:55,000 It’s not a machine. 714 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:59,040 There is an optimal range of new information it can take in, 715 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:00,760 and beyond that point, 716 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:02,320 learning decreases. 717 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:07,840 But does that mean we are trapped forever to take in new information limited to 718 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,080 a few small pieces of information at a time? 719 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:11,200 Luckily, 720 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:11,840 no! 721 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:17,520 Understanding that our working memory has limits means we can artificially 722 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:18,840 extend these limits. 723 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:20,000 So, 724 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:22,960 your working memory is pretty puny, 725 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:27,960 but you have almost unlimited tools at your disposal to extend that working 726 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:28,480 memory. 727 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:33,880 An easy example - if someone asked you to remember a list of twenty random 728 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:34,200 words, 729 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:39,120 you probably would max out your working memory and do poorly on the task. 730 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:42,760 But by simply writing down the words to retrieve later, 731 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:45,440 you completely ease the cognitive load, 732 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:49,320 since the pen and paper serve as artificial extensions of your own working 733 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:49,680 memory. 734 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:52,080 So to learn more, 735 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,320 we have two choices - 1. 736 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:58,400 Expand our natural working memory 2. 737 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:05,080 Work with tools that help lower our cognitive load We can achieve much, 738 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:08,280 much more if we focus our efforts on number 2. 739 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:10,760 In any learning situation, 740 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:15,360 there are three sources of cognitive load that make demands on our limited 741 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:21,600 working memory - Essential load – the effort you need to learn a task or do 742 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:22,320 something new, 743 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:24,560 on an essential and superficial level. 744 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:30,440 Generative load – deeper processing to make sense of the new material, 745 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,000 including integrating and understanding. 746 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:34,760 This is more than just remembering; 747 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,280 it’s understanding and comprehending, 748 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:41,160 knowing why you do the tasks in the essential load. 749 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:49,360 Extraneous load – the effort of processing material irrelevant or unrelated 750 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:50,240 to the main task. 751 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:52,640 This could be interruptions, 752 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:53,960 distractions, 753 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:57,200 or poor explanations/teaching material. 754 00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,360 If we want to reduce cognitive load, 755 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:02,600 we need to be aware of the different types. 756 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,920 Generative load is more difficult, 757 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:09,480 but the payoff is greater because it accompanies greater recall and 758 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:10,280 comprehension, 759 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:12,200 so we don’t want to reduce it. 760 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:17,960 But extraneous load is completely unnecessary and needs to be reduced entirely. 761 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:22,680 The ways to reduce cognitive load will be discussed in later chapters, 762 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:23,160 but for now, 763 00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:25,760 it’s enough to understand that your brain does, 764 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:26,440 in fact, 765 00:37:26,440 --> 00:37:31,320 have limits and that you undermine your learning when you disrespect these 766 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:31,800 limits. 767 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:32,440 In essence, 768 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:37,520 every one of the techniques we will discuss in some way lowers cognitive load, 769 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:41,920 but the most important thing at first is to simply be aware that it’s 770 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:42,360 happening, 771 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:43,360 and why. 772 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:52,280 Tip 1 .- Respect your limitations and take enough rest You can squeeze the 773 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,920 whole ocean through that bottleneck—if you’re patient enough! 774 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:57,040 Similarly, 775 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:02,000 the best learning takes place when we are able to pace ourselves and process 776 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,920 new information at a realistic speed. 777 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,800 This means taking time to stop, 778 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:08,880 have a break, 779 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:11,480 replenish our cognitive resources, 780 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,800 and come back to the task later. 781 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:20,000 Being fatigued or sleep deprived will make your working memory even smaller 782 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:20,640 than it normally is, 783 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:25,040 so make sure you build in plenty of breaks and get quality sleep every night. 784 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:26,600 Other than that, 785 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:32,200 notice whenever you start to feel overwhelmed or confused and ask if you need 786 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:35,960 to dial things back and take in the new information one bite at a time. 787 00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:42,040 Remember that rushing or forcing more new information that your working memory 788 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:46,920 can handle is just increasing the overload—it’s not making it any easier 789 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:48,720 for your brain to process anything. 790 00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:52,520 Tip 2 .- Condense, 791 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:53,320 chunk, 792 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:59,000 and generalize At least when information is still new, 793 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,320 try to lower its complexity, 794 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:02,880 slow down its delivery, 795 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:04,640 and keep it well organized. 796 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:08,000 It may be a helpful first step to just condense, 797 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:09,240 generalize, 798 00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:13,480 and summarize what you need to learn so you can gain an overview. 799 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:14,280 For example, 800 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,560 you could skim a text before diving into it. 801 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:22,000 We’ll delve into “chunking information” in more detail later on, 802 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:27,760 but this is nothing more than breaking big overwhelming blocks of data into 803 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:28,440 smaller, 804 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:29,960 more manageable chunks. 805 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:31,440 For example, 806 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:35,160 you could see a giant essay in front of you and break it down into paragraphs, 807 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:39,680 committing only to understanding the main point of each paragraph at a time. 808 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:40,280 Later, 809 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,200 you can try to put all these ideas together, 810 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:45,840 but first just extract smaller chunks. 811 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:55,680 Tip 3 .- Eliminate extraneous load by cutting away the inessential This sounds 812 00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:56,120 obvious, 813 00:39:56,120 --> 00:40:00,400 but many of us deliberately overwhelm ourselves when we try to process too many 814 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:01,240 things at once, 815 00:40:01,240 --> 00:40:05,360 especially things that are not essential to our understanding. 816 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:10,360 Cut down on distractions by turning off T. V. and radio, 817 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:12,800 putting your phone in another room, 818 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:16,600 and making sure nobody is bothering you while you’re studying. 819 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:20,480 Sit somewhere quiet and comfortable with minimal distractions. 820 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:23,240 Make sure that you’re not overly tired or hungry, 821 00:40:23,240 --> 00:40:28,000 or unconsciously waiting for an upcoming appointment that weakens your 822 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:29,000 attention and focus. 823 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:30,240 For now, 824 00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:34,880 we will simply be aware that we can never learn beyond the limits of our 825 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:35,600 working memory. 826 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:36,960 Knowing this, 827 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:37,400 however, 828 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:42,400 empowers us to find smart ways around these limits without exhausting ourselves 829 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:44,840 or jeopardizing our learning. 830 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:48,720 Gamification. 831 00:40:48,720 --> 00:40:55,600 Gamification. for learning means you incorporate gaming mechanics to boost 832 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:55,960 learning. 833 00:40:55,960 --> 00:41:00,200 Gamification is important because it not only enhances learning, 834 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:04,080 it also increases motivation levels and promotes engagement. 835 00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:06,000 When you make things a game, 836 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:09,560 you encourage yourself to explore things in different ways; 837 00:41:09,560 --> 00:41:10,520 plus, 838 00:41:10,520 --> 00:41:12,120 you boost your motivation. 839 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:17,680 This is why gamification has been used extensively by software designers and 840 00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:22,200 marketers—the idea is to create a way of engaging with information that is, 841 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:23,680 for lack of a better word, 842 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:24,720 addictive! 843 00:41:24,720 --> 00:41:27,520 To gamify your learning experience, 844 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:32,360 you can simply learn to include essential game elements into your study routine. 845 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:34,240 Conventionally, 846 00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:39,160 technology is seen as a distraction and the opposite of hard work and learning, 847 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:45,080 but we can adjust our mindset and see that gamifying our work with technology 848 00:41:45,080 --> 00:41:49,440 is actually a way to leverage our engagement to make us better, 849 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:50,960 more efficient learners. 850 00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:54,680 Gamification. improves your problem-solving skills, 851 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:56,680 boosts your critical thinking, 852 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,160 helps you sustain attention and motivation, 853 00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:04,360 and may even enhance your collaboration with others and your social awareness 854 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:05,680 if you “game” with others. 855 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:11,080 Here are a few golden rules to keep in mind when trying to gamify your own 856 00:42:11,080 --> 00:42:13,880 study approach - 1. 857 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:16,800 Make things genuinely fun! 858 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,680 Endorphins help with recall and learning. 859 00:42:20,680 --> 00:42:22,240 2. 860 00:42:22,240 --> 00:42:25,560 The hippocampus plays a big role in memory, 861 00:42:25,560 --> 00:42:30,600 and its function is linked to dopamine release and the emotional sensation of 862 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:30,840 reward, 863 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:35,440 so make sure your learning feels meaningful to you and connects with you on an 864 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:36,120 emotional level. 865 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:38,160 3. 866 00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:41,600 Remember that the brain is built for connections, 867 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:42,640 relationships, 868 00:42:42,640 --> 00:42:43,520 and stories, 869 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:46,360 rather than dry and detached facts. 870 00:42:46,360 --> 00:42:49,920 How can you gamify your learning process? 871 00:42:49,920 --> 00:42:54,800 You probably already have an intuitive sense of what this might look like, 872 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:57,400 especially if you’re a gamer of any kind! 873 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:04,720 Here are some ideas - Give yourself tiny rewards Some learning tasks are 874 00:43:04,720 --> 00:43:08,520 difficult because the reward is so far off in the distance. 875 00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:13,120 You work and work and work and yet you don’t feel as though much has changed, 876 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:16,280 and all that results is that you’re tired. 877 00:43:16,280 --> 00:43:22,200 Change things up by making sure you receive tiny rewards at more regular 878 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:22,760 intervals. 879 00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:27,960 These rewards will stimulate the release of neurotransmitters in the brain that 880 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:32,520 boost motivation and strengthen the feeling that the action you’ve just 881 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:33,640 performed is a good one. 882 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:35,920 Give yourself points, 883 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:36,640 badges, 884 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:37,560 prizes, 885 00:43:37,560 --> 00:43:42,120 or tokens of achievement when you achieve a small step on your path. 886 00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:45,560 Not only will this make you feel like you’ve made progress, 887 00:43:45,560 --> 00:43:49,560 but it will also inspire you to race to earn the next one. 888 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:51,520 For a simple example, 889 00:43:51,520 --> 00:43:57,400 imagine you allow yourself to eat one jelly bean per page of challenging text 890 00:43:57,400 --> 00:43:57,760 you read. 891 00:43:57,760 --> 00:44:00,680 A jelly bean is just a silly thing, 892 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:02,480 and if you really wanted to, 893 00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:04,280 you could gobble the whole bag. 894 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:05,960 But by turning it into a game, 895 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:10,120 you set a fun challenge for yourself and see how far you can go. 896 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:18,440 Set up a progress indicator Closely related to this technique is to 897 00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:23,120 deliberately set up markers that let your brain know it’s making progress on 898 00:44:23,120 --> 00:44:23,600 its journey. 899 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:26,960 This alone will be perceived as a reward. 900 00:44:26,960 --> 00:44:28,520 Though small, 901 00:44:28,520 --> 00:44:33,320 this feeling of achievement and actually getting somewhere is highly 902 00:44:33,320 --> 00:44:33,960 motivational. 903 00:44:33,960 --> 00:44:39,800 You can set up a “progress bar” for yourself in many ways - have a poster 904 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:41,320 on which you cross out days, 905 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:42,520 challenges, 906 00:44:42,520 --> 00:44:43,360 or tasks, 907 00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:47,640 or something cumulative where you can watch your daily growth toward a goal, 908 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:52,560 like a jar you add a coin or marble to after each completed task. 909 00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:57,400 Consider creating a collage that represents your goal, 910 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:02,480 and literally draw a line that gets longer and longer the closer you get to 911 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:03,320 that end point. 912 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:09,760 Simply seeing the cumulative effect of your progress encourages you because you 913 00:45:09,760 --> 00:45:12,320 don’t want to “break your streak” or lose momentum. 914 00:45:12,320 --> 00:45:16,240 Here’s one place your learning journal can be put to use. 915 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:20,640 Simply going back to the goals you set for yourself a week or month before and 916 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:25,280 seeing how far you’ve come gives you a feeling of pride and accomplishment 917 00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:29,800 that makes you want to keep going. 918 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:35,760 Add an element of competition In keeping with the idea of making learning more 919 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:36,960 collaborative and social, 920 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:40,760 see what you can do to playfully vie against your peers. 921 00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:41,400 Naturally, 922 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:43,960 you don’t want to take this too far! 923 00:45:43,960 --> 00:45:45,800 When there’s a task to be done, 924 00:45:45,800 --> 00:45:49,920 you could break into teams or groups and compete against one another. 925 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:54,280 Another way to bring in some competition is to have a “leader board” system 926 00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:58,440 where the top performer gets to occupy a special place on a notice board that 927 00:45:58,440 --> 00:45:59,400 announces their rank. 928 00:45:59,400 --> 00:46:03,120 This not only encourages others to see if they can do better, 929 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:07,400 but it also encourages the reigning champion to keep on their toes. 930 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:14,480 Create low-stakes challenges Not everyone responds to competition, 931 00:46:14,480 --> 00:46:15,760 time limits, 932 00:46:15,760 --> 00:46:17,320 or rewards the same way. 933 00:46:17,320 --> 00:46:18,280 Sometimes, 934 00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:19,920 and for some subjects, 935 00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:23,920 what works best is to have a task where you are trying your very best but 936 00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:27,280 without any penalty if you fail or do it wrong. 937 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:32,360 Low-stakes challenges encourage open minds and creative, 938 00:46:32,360 --> 00:46:34,240 out-of-the-box solutions. 939 00:46:34,240 --> 00:46:35,840 For example, 940 00:46:35,840 --> 00:46:42,920 one particularly fun but beneficial activity is to deliberately choose to do a 941 00:46:42,920 --> 00:46:45,040 task as wrong as possible. 942 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:51,520 Or challenge yourself to completely immerse in a present problem and follow a 943 00:46:51,520 --> 00:46:53,720 bad course of action to its logical conclusion. 944 00:46:53,720 --> 00:46:58,840 The game here is that eventually you start seeing a real solution. 945 00:46:58,840 --> 00:47:06,480 Turn things into a story The most absorbing games are typically those that 946 00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:08,560 follow a clear and understandable narrative. 947 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:11,320 You know exactly where you’re going and why. 948 00:47:11,320 --> 00:47:15,440 You may discover that your interest in a task is greater when you have a strong 949 00:47:15,440 --> 00:47:19,480 sense of how your actions fit into a greater narrative context. 950 00:47:19,480 --> 00:47:22,880 If you have a particularly stubborn challenge you’re facing, 951 00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:28,000 conceptualize it as a “boss” at your current level that you have to defeat. 952 00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:34,640 Keep it dynamic and unexpected The best games are fun, 953 00:47:34,640 --> 00:47:37,360 and the worst ones are boring, 954 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:38,000 predictable, 955 00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:38,800 and plodding. 956 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:41,800 Bring in an element of surprise into your study. 957 00:47:41,800 --> 00:47:42,840 For example, 958 00:47:42,840 --> 00:47:46,520 invite a friend to challenge you to an unknown problem, 959 00:47:46,520 --> 00:47:51,080 or put a selection of written problems in a bag and randomly draw one from the 960 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:51,480 pile. 961 00:47:51,480 --> 00:47:53,480 To make it more fun, 962 00:47:53,480 --> 00:47:59,040 mix in a few genuinely difficult tasks along with some freebies or prizes that 963 00:47:59,040 --> 00:48:00,960 allow you to have a reward or bonus. 964 00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:05,920 This recreates the addictive feeling of “spinning the wheel” to see the 965 00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:06,360 outcome. 966 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:11,720 Only allow yourself to dip into the bag again when you’ve solved the previous 967 00:48:11,720 --> 00:48:12,640 problem correctly. 968 00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:17,320 Intrinsic Motivation. 969 00:48:17,320 --> 00:48:20,120 In reading all the above, 970 00:48:20,120 --> 00:48:25,480 you may be wondering if gamification really works—don’t people quickly tire 971 00:48:25,480 --> 00:48:26,720 of chasing carrots? 972 00:48:26,720 --> 00:48:29,800 Research has suggested (Yeager & Bundick, 973 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:30,640 2009) 974 00:48:30,640 --> 00:48:33,480 that when people learn not simply for external reward but because they 975 00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:36,200 genuinely find the activity interesting and gratifying, 976 00:48:36,200 --> 00:48:42,480 they are more effective and better at overcoming challenges. Gamification. is 977 00:48:42,480 --> 00:48:43,960 based on external reward, 978 00:48:43,960 --> 00:48:49,560 but it may be that operating out of intrinsic purpose and desire is more 979 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:51,200 effective. 980 00:48:51,200 --> 00:48:55,440 Author Daniel Pink explains how intrinsic motivation may be more effective at 981 00:48:55,440 --> 00:48:59,640 keeping us engaged in learning in the long run than extrinsic motivation. 982 00:48:59,640 --> 00:49:00,960 According to him, 983 00:49:00,960 --> 00:49:05,320 three key components of internal motivation—mastery, 984 00:49:05,320 --> 00:49:06,400 autonomy, 985 00:49:06,400 --> 00:49:11,840 and purpose—are what makes it more satisfying and effective than merely being 986 00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:14,880 driven to do something because of outside rewards. 987 00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:21,480 Mastery means we keep trying again and again until we gain complete control 988 00:49:21,480 --> 00:49:22,080 over a task. 989 00:49:22,080 --> 00:49:23,960 We need specific, 990 00:49:23,960 --> 00:49:24,800 clear, 991 00:49:24,800 --> 00:49:26,640 and demonstrable goals. 992 00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:31,320 We need a clear objective to aim for and feedback that helps us adjust along 993 00:49:31,320 --> 00:49:31,800 the way. 994 00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:38,120 Autonomy means we get to choose what we do on our learning path (i.e., 995 00:49:38,120 --> 00:49:39,920 we are self-directed, 996 00:49:39,920 --> 00:49:41,200 as described above). 997 00:49:41,200 --> 00:49:43,120 As a self-directed learner, 998 00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:49,000 your challenge may be to recognize all the choices available to you and own 999 00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:50,600 them. 1000 00:49:50,600 --> 00:49:52,600 Purpose means we act with a reason. 1001 00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:55,320 There is some point to our learning, 1002 00:49:55,320 --> 00:49:57,760 and it’s worthwhile to us personally. 1003 00:49:57,760 --> 00:50:01,560 Our actions need to feel relevant and important. 1004 00:50:01,560 --> 00:50:05,920 Does this mean that gamification is really not a great way to boost our 1005 00:50:05,920 --> 00:50:06,400 learning? 1006 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:07,200 Well, 1007 00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:08,960 it’s not either/or. 1008 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:11,840 A great strategy is to use both. 1009 00:50:11,840 --> 00:50:13,640 In a general sense, 1010 00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:18,000 pay attention to whether your study program is providing you with mastery, 1011 00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:18,720 autonomy, 1012 00:50:18,720 --> 00:50:19,480 and purpose, 1013 00:50:19,480 --> 00:50:23,560 but that doesn’t mean you can’t also further encourage yourself with 1014 00:50:23,560 --> 00:50:26,240 gamification tricks in specific moments. 1015 00:50:26,240 --> 00:50:27,480 For example, 1016 00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:31,960 you may have the goal of learning to play the traditional Irish harp, 1017 00:50:31,960 --> 00:50:33,160 the cláirseach. 1018 00:50:33,160 --> 00:50:38,240 Mastery .- Every day you set up tasks that allow you to practice, 1019 00:50:38,240 --> 00:50:39,640 refine your skills, 1020 00:50:39,640 --> 00:50:43,080 and try again until you perfect certain abilities. 1021 00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:47,120 Autonomy .- You chose this instrument, 1022 00:50:47,120 --> 00:50:50,800 and you created your own study goals and schedule. 1023 00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:54,640 You decided on the pace and tone of your lessons and the favorite pieces 1024 00:50:54,640 --> 00:50:55,240 you’d practice. 1025 00:50:55,240 --> 00:50:58,800 Purpose .- Most importantly, 1026 00:50:58,800 --> 00:51:02,800 you never forget why you’re learning the instrument in the first place. 1027 00:51:02,800 --> 00:51:08,480 You draw on your love of the music and knowing you participate in a proud 1028 00:51:08,480 --> 00:51:10,960 shared cultural and familial heritage, 1029 00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:13,760 which deeply satisfies you on a personal level. 1030 00:51:13,760 --> 00:51:15,080 However, 1031 00:51:15,080 --> 00:51:15,680 on a day-to-day level, 1032 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:19,440 playing the cláirseach is hard and boring work! 1033 00:51:19,440 --> 00:51:24,520 You need to do taxing and difficult scales and fingering exercises. 1034 00:51:24,520 --> 00:51:25,080 So, 1035 00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:28,600 you use gamification to help you get through some of the slog. 1036 00:51:28,600 --> 00:51:30,320 For example, 1037 00:51:30,320 --> 00:51:34,440 you create a little chart on your wall onto which you stick a golden star every 1038 00:51:34,440 --> 00:51:36,280 time you complete an hour session. 1039 00:51:36,280 --> 00:51:40,840 Seeing the growing line of stars gives you a temporary boost in flagging 1040 00:51:40,840 --> 00:51:41,400 motivation. 1041 00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:45,200 If you are routinely finding that you need to bully, 1042 00:51:45,200 --> 00:51:46,320 coerce, 1043 00:51:46,320 --> 00:51:46,840 beg, 1044 00:51:46,840 --> 00:51:49,560 or trick yourself into doing learning tasks, 1045 00:51:49,560 --> 00:51:52,640 it may point to a lack of intrinsic motivation. 1046 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:53,360 After all, 1047 00:51:53,360 --> 00:51:55,560 no flashing smartphone app, 1048 00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:56,360 sticker, 1049 00:51:56,360 --> 00:52:00,120 or badge is going to replace your genuine disinterest. 1050 00:52:00,120 --> 00:52:01,760 If this is you, 1051 00:52:01,760 --> 00:52:06,800 ask yourself - Have I given myself enough opportunity to develop real mastery 1052 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:07,960 and build competence? 1053 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:11,320 Am I taking full responsibility for my learning journey, 1054 00:52:11,320 --> 00:52:13,720 or is someone else in control? 1055 00:52:13,720 --> 00:52:18,400 Am I energized by a deeper reason for doing any of it? 1056 00:52:18,400 --> 00:52:21,720 If you’re having difficulty with these questions, 1057 00:52:21,720 --> 00:52:28,240 then your first task is to resolve them before using the temporary Band-Aid of 1058 00:52:28,240 --> 00:52:29,000 gamification. 1059 00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:31,880 Takeaways - 1060 00:52:31,880 --> 00:52:37,600 •The evidence-based scientific facts tell us that our conventional 1061 00:52:37,600 --> 00:52:39,600 understanding about learning is sometimes wrong. 1062 00:52:39,600 --> 00:52:43,240 It’s a good idea to be clear about the study approaches you’ve used so far 1063 00:52:43,240 --> 00:52:47,160 and be honest about how well those are actually serving you. 1064 00:52:47,160 --> 00:52:49,680 It may be time to try something completely new! 1065 00:52:49,680 --> 00:52:55,200 •Self-directed learning is as much about useful methods as it is about 1066 00:52:55,200 --> 00:52:55,720 attitude, 1067 00:52:55,720 --> 00:52:56,520 mood, 1068 00:52:56,520 --> 00:52:57,800 perception, 1069 00:52:57,800 --> 00:52:58,800 and feeling. 1070 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:03,120 It is important to cultivate the right mindset when it comes to learning. 1071 00:53:03,120 --> 00:53:06,720 A self-directed learner is ideally playful, 1072 00:53:06,720 --> 00:53:08,040 autonomous, 1073 00:53:08,040 --> 00:53:09,680 open to experience, 1074 00:53:09,680 --> 00:53:10,640 flexible, 1075 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:11,960 self-accepting, 1076 00:53:11,960 --> 00:53:15,880 and capable of internal evaluation and motivation. 1077 00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:17,840 Identify your goals, 1078 00:53:17,840 --> 00:53:19,040 stay curious, 1079 00:53:19,040 --> 00:53:20,520 challenge yourself, 1080 00:53:20,520 --> 00:53:21,560 track your progress, 1081 00:53:21,560 --> 00:53:24,080 be intrinsically motivated, 1082 00:53:24,080 --> 00:53:25,040 collaborate with others, 1083 00:53:25,040 --> 00:53:28,360 and keep a “study journal” to actively reflect on your progress. 1084 00:53:28,360 --> 00:53:31,080 •According to Gibbs, 1085 00:53:31,080 --> 00:53:36,520 it is only when we actively reflect on our experiences that we truly learn. 1086 00:53:36,520 --> 00:53:42,640 We can use his “structured debriefing process” - describe the factual 1087 00:53:42,640 --> 00:53:42,880 situation, 1088 00:53:42,880 --> 00:53:44,960 describe our feelings about it, 1089 00:53:44,960 --> 00:53:46,920 evaluate the experience, 1090 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:48,600 make an analysis, 1091 00:53:48,600 --> 00:53:52,440 arrive at two conclusions (one general, 1092 00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:53,440 one specific), 1093 00:53:53,440 --> 00:53:56,200 and formulate an action plan for next time. 1094 00:53:56,200 --> 00:54:02,800 •The brain has natural and inbuilt limits to the amount of new information it 1095 00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:03,240 can take in, 1096 00:54:03,240 --> 00:54:05,800 and we cannot overload it. 1097 00:54:05,800 --> 00:54:07,680 Long-term memory is the bottle, 1098 00:54:07,680 --> 00:54:10,080 and short-term memory is the narrow spout. 1099 00:54:10,080 --> 00:54:13,520 We can lower cognitive load by condensing, 1100 00:54:13,520 --> 00:54:15,160 limiting distractions, 1101 00:54:15,160 --> 00:54:16,640 and having enough breaks. 1102 00:54:16,640 --> 00:54:23,040 • Gamification. means incorporating gaming mechanics into learning to boost 1103 00:54:23,040 --> 00:54:24,520 motivation and engagement. 1104 00:54:24,520 --> 00:54:25,200 Remember, 1105 00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:25,400 though, 1106 00:54:25,400 --> 00:54:28,640 that internal motivation is ultimately more powerful, 1107 00:54:28,640 --> 00:54:31,880 so try to include elements of mastery, 1108 00:54:31,880 --> 00:54:33,000 autonomy, 1109 00:54:33,000 --> 00:54:35,280 and purpose in your learning. 1110 00:54:35,280 --> 00:54:39,800 This has been 1111 00:54:39,800 --> 00:54:41,360 How to Self-Learn: 1112 00:54:41,360 --> 00:54:42,800 Teach Yourself Anything, 1113 00:54:42,800 --> 00:54:43,960 Become an Expert, 1114 00:54:43,960 --> 00:54:51,920 and Memorize Everything (Learning how to Learn Book 20) Written by 1115 00:54:51,920 --> 00:54:58,480 Peter Hollins, narrated by russell newton.