sixth form: how to learn
how to learn - 10 questions...
1. do you listen?
If you want to help yourself learn you need to pay attention and you need to listen. Is it that easy?
If only it was! This is just your basic, yet essential, foundation cornerstone for learning. However, knowing a little more about cognitive science and how your brain works could help you understand how you learn.
This in turn will help you understand why paying attention and listening really does give you the best chance of success.
2. do you understand how you learn?
Can you explain how each of the following help you learn?
- Neurons
- Dendrites
- Axons
- Synapses (pronounced sigh-naps)
If the answer is 'no', you need to watch this video!
3. do you understand the significance of the learning in lessons?
In every lesson your neuron pathways can be made stronger if you focus on what you are thinking. This is why many lessons begin with 'starters' to jump start and deepen those re-connections in your brain and why your teachers may focus upon learning objectives. During your lessons can you spot any of the following? They all help explain how you learn.
- Encoding (taking in and processing new information). This can be done in a variety of ways.
- Consolidating or embedding your learning where you do a lot of deliberate practice (see what it does to your brain here).
- Elaboration to deepen and challenge your working memory. In this part of the lesson you are often asked a lot of questions, told stories, given contrasts or concrete examples to help you understand the meaning of what you are studying.
- Retrieval practice activities. This is where your teacher helps you re-apply your learning in new challenging situations, for example dual coding tasks. Retrieval tasks will begin to help you store this new information into your long term memory.
4. do you know what you want to achieve?
why don't students like school?
Daniel T. Willingham, a psychologist who specialises in cognitive psychology and neuroscience wrote this book for teachers to help us teach you. He thought the three ideas outlined below were very important for us all to understand. The third one is key for preparing for your End of Unit Assessments, but without understanding the importance and influence of the first two the positive impact of any revision could be hampered.
environment
This is where you begin your learning. What have you been taught already? What do you know? Are you actively listening in every lesson? Are there any distractions? Your starting point is really important. Sometimes if you don't listen you can miss the basic knowledge and then you cannot make those re-connections and kick start deeper learning. If that is you - what can you do about it?
working memory
This is what you are using now! You are using your working memory all day everyday and it needs to be focussed and challenged for the most effective learning to take place. However, it does have limited storage capacity. Sometimes it also needs to have time to unfocus; ultimately you want to move your memories and learning from here into your long-term memory.
long term memory
You want to learn effective methods to help you do this which is what we will focus on next. Retrieval methods are instrumental in this process and you can learn more about these in the fourth 'big learning idea,' how to remember. Your aim for life learning is to embed as much as you can into your long-term memory. You are playing the long-game in School.
5. are you using the best techniques to help you learn?
chunking
Chunking is a method which we have already recommended in our third 'big learning idea', 'how to improve' so it must be good! Watch this video if you want to understand why it helps your working memory.
6 habits
Can you predict what they are before watching the video?
6. are you using the right techniques for each subject?
7. are you reflecting upon your own learning?
We need to question what we are told. Here is some of the research behind the effectiveness of note-taking: hand-written vs typed. You decide.
We need to understand why giving up isn't the answer. Here are some ideas behind why struggling is good!
8. have you accepted any of the following learning myths?
If you are going to learn how to learn you need to be aware of the learning myths out there. How many of these myths (there are 6) did you actually believe?
9. do you suffer from cognitive overload?
1. Don't give yourself and everyone around you working memory cognitive overload, yet make sure there is enough incentive to learn.
2. Keep it simple. Give yourself the space to look at the core content - what is the core learning?
3. Remember the medium you use should fit what you are trying to learn. Dual coding where you use audio and visual is often helpful.
This video by the BBC gives top tips for when you are presenting.
10. are you becoming an expert learner?
the result?
As you begin to understand how to learn your schemas will strengthen. If you seek to become an independent learner you can only help yourself become an expert learner. It will take time, repeated practice and a lot of effort, but the long-time results are worth it aren't they?
uplifting learning Movies
Karate Kid
PG Certificate
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eddie the eagle
PG Certificate
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school of rock
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Uplifting
motivational quotes for learning
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