10 Tips For Efficient Learning

Learning is a lifelong skill. From birth and throughout life, a person goes on a journey of acquiring knowledge. How this knowledge is gained varies from one individual to another because each one is created unique. There are some people who make little or no effort to learn and yet they do well in school. Others spend endless hours over their books but do not excel at all. Genes may have something to do with this, but more than the hereditary factor, it is the attitude towards learning that increases one’s ability to perform well. How one efficiently studies makes a capable learner. Here are a few tips to make the most out of learning: 1. Take care of your health People, like machines, also need downtimes. Stress and fatigue due to studying for long periods of time render the brain less effective to absorb data. Hence, adequate rest should be taken. A healthy mind needs a healthy body - see to it that proper nutrition and regular exercise is always maintained. 2. Develop a passion for learning One should have a thirst for knowledge in order for learning to take place. Attending classes every day, reading and studying for hours, and accomplishing assignments do not guarantee positive results if you do not have that craving or focus to learn. Self-esteem somehow triggers this passion. The higher your self-confidence is, the more challenged you will become to learn faster. 3. Find a study environment that is conducive Elements in the environment play an important role in one’s quest for learning. A specific study area with ample lighting, privacy, and complete supplies and reference materials are but some essentials for a smooth and stress-free study time. A set routine should also be imposed. Assign a specific time during the day for study. Don’t just "fit it in" your schedule or else you’ll have no time at all. 4. Set goals and targets In order for each learning experience to be realistic, it is wise to set goals for yourself - goals that are measurable, achievable, time-bound, and flexible. Prepare weekly schedules, taking note of deadlines. For example, to get high grades, extra effort must be taken in studying and preparing for exams. 5. Take breaks in between study sessions The brain needs to be recharged once in a while as this is when it absorbs all data obtained from studying. Overexertion causes it to repel information and makes studying futile. Do not go on a study marathon. Instead, study in short but frequent sessions and take breathers in between. 6. Engage in study groups Two heads are better than one – so goes the cliché. Learning with a group is synergetic. You get to share your opinions, ideas, and views, and at the same time it is a venue for clarifying mind-boggling matters. It is also more interesting and challenging because you gain different perspectives or outlooks. 7. Understand concepts instead of memorizing details Most of the time, students pass exams and quizzes with flying colors. But after a while, their knowledge of the subject matter would already slip their minds. This is mainly due to a wrong approach to learning – that of memorization. Memorization is only short-term "disguised learning". If one develops the habit of understanding concepts rather than focusing on details, the learning process will flow smoothly and will have a long-term impact. 8. Use shortcuts Applying shortcuts to your study habits maximize your learning skills. You accomplish more when you abbreviate in note-taking, when you focus your notes around ideas instead of taking them down verbatim, and when you put everything straight into your computer. In this day and age, we need to pack a lot of information into a very limited timeframe. 9. Manage your time wisely Learning is an ongoing skill. Hand in hand with your goal-setting is allotting and managing your time for things to be done – projects to work on, homework to finish, and term papers and theses to submit. Time properly managed is time well spent. Even your time for socializing should be taken into consideration. Remember – all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! 10. Reward yourself It is important to make the learning experience enjoyable whenever possible. Try out things that may spark that craving within you to learn – listening to music, perhaps, or engaging in a delightful snack – whatever may inspire you. Continuous hours of studying will not only make you weary but also make you lose interest. The above tips show that devoting long hours to study does not necessarily yield productive results. Studying efficiently and effectively are the key factors to learning better.

Study Skills: Top 10 Revising Mistakes (Part I)

Revising as a study skill strengthens the memory of the learned material. As such, the principles and skills used in studying are also applied in revising. It may seem like an easy process at first because the subject matter has already been taken up, but then it is only through revising that a person perceives more underlying ideas never seen before - and this arouses critical thinking. Revising is also how most people prepare for examinations, from where a considerable percentage of grades come from. Therefore, in order for revising to effectively serve its purpose, do not fall into the trap of committing the following mistakes: Not enough planning Planning is the initial step in revising, as in any undertaking. This is where you identify the topics to be studied based on the course outline or syllabus provided at the start of the term. A workable timetable should likewise be prepared to determine the amount of time to be allotted for each subject matter. There are some who take the course outline for granted and thus also overlook setting up a time frame. What happens then is that time intended for revising runs out, and some important topics are missed. Scheduling weekly revisions is fair enough, but spending short periods of time daily for study is more effective. Not paying attention to course objectives Like the syllabus, course objectives are also explained at the beginning of the school term to guide students on what they expect to achieve from the curriculum. Lacking this awareness leads to a waste of time on revising less important topics. Not managing time properly For students, the ultimate goal is to be able to graduate and get a degree. To realize that, several years are dedicated to serious study. Oftentimes, due to voluminous workload – assignments, quizzes, examinations, projects, theses, case analyses – the essence of time management is either neglected or ignored. Each day is taken as it comes, so to speak. Before you know it, a lot of precious time has already been put to waste because time was not managed properly. Cramming Cramming stems from failure to plan what to revise, how to revise, and when to revise. Not only is absorbed information lodged in the short-term memory, it also stresses the mind and the body. Because cramming usually takes place on the night before an examination day, there is that foregone opportunity to make clarifications with or ask questions to the instructor. It is best to distribute revision time several days or weeks before an examination takes place. Not having an effective note-taking system Textbooks provide the basic knowledge required in a particular subject. The instructor, however, augments this with lectures. Not everybody exhibits a positive attitude towards lectures, and this may affect note-taking habits. At worst, one may not take down notes. If and when he does, he might just be scribbling irrelevant information. As a result of this, he will have a difficult time revising because of incomplete material.

Study Skills: Top 10 Revising Mistakes (Part II)

Not having a study environment that is conducive The emergence of high-technology gadgets such as cellular phones, i-pods, mp3 players, and others has put a strain on the studying habits of the young generation. These have become their constant companions and at times even “study buddies”. Studying requires full concentration and revising with these “distractions” lessens the amount of information retained in the memory. Not being equipped with the appropriate study materials and references may also be a cause of distraction. Not revising previous examinations When test papers are returned, they are filed for safekeeping, tucked inside lockers, or even thrown in the trash can (these are usually the “low-grade” ones) – completely forgotten. Students would reason out that they are already graded and recorded and therefore would be of no use anymore. This should not be so. There are details in the graded test papers worthy of your attention and may be beneficial for future examinations. Take notice if the questions came from the textbook or the lecture so that you would know where to focus your revision on. Also be on the watch for tricky questions. Not listening well in class Listening is a mental form of taking notes. Information is directly passed to the mind through the auditory organ. If you do not listen attentively, you will miss out on pertinent matters. This being the case, you will also be left with few resources to work on when you revise. In order to listen well, you should avoid distractions of any kind. Some students make the mistake of not paying attention, thinking that they can always "catch up" by reading the textbook. However, many professors like "tweaking" the lesson to add their own version or to put in personal insights, which are likely to come up in the exams. Not forming a study group Not all share the same passion for learning. Try as they may, reading, listening to lectures, or taking down notes are just not their cup of tea. A study group in this case is a welcome solution. You get to share whatever little knowledge you may have, and in return receive more than you can handle. This may also pave the way to pay attention to your revising manners so that you may contribute more to the group and make the interactive factor more interesting. Not having a fit mind and body More time spent in partying and socializing robs a person of sleep time, and less sleep time means less study time. Excessive caffeine and junk food intake (as what most students are into), on the other hand, is not good for the health. High-protein meals taken frequently in small portions help energize the body better. Sufficient rest and a proper diet, coupled with regular exercise ensure a smooth and stress-free study time. Mistakes are not to be ashamed of. Neither are they to be taken for granted. They are considered tools for learning because they bring awareness towards what has been done wrong, and therefore become bases for positive actions in the future. This is an excerpt from Mark Patterson's award-winning book "Secrets of LazySmart Students" - every student's guide to getting better marks by working smarter instead of harder. Mark's book will give you incredible tips for time management, self-motivation, will teach you how to kick the procrastination habit and doing great in any exam or written assignment. Check out his book here: https://paydotcom.com/r/9770/bangawking000/25555698/