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Learning How To Learn (https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn) and Barbara Oakley's book A Mi

by otras 7y ago

Learning How To Learn (https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn) and Barbara Oakley's book A Mind For Numbers. Completely changed my approach to studying and learning, and my academic efforts after taking it were tremendously better than before. Also related: highly recommend Anki. It feels like magic when the spaced repetition works!

ajhamada 7y ago
Exactly, This is the skillset that you will need for life.
valgor 7y ago
Is it necessary to go through the entire Learning How to Learn course or is there a TL;DR somewhere?
- pmohun 7y ago
  This comment is probably the most common reaction, and also the reason the course exists.
- iserlohnmage 7y ago
  It's worthwhile. Try it.
- psv1 7y ago
  I didn't find it useful at all. Not that it was bad - it's just that there was barely anything new for me and the content lacked depth. It all felt like obvious stuff. It seems to get a lot of praise though so clearly some people find value in it.
- sn9 7y ago
  The course is really short. Like 4 hours. You could spend an hour per week and be done with it. Or just consume it over the course of a few days.
- huehehue 7y ago
  I don't remember who posted it or if it's the same course, but https://workflowy.com/s/E9HW.jGUYboLrGj https://workflowy.com/s/E9HW.jGUYboLrGj
  - ambivalents 7y ago
    Whoa cool these are the notes I put together. I'm glad someone remembered :)
mpascale00 7y ago
If there's one thing in life you want to know before anything else, it's how to get better at things! :) We have a whole field of science that deals with human behavior, wouldn't it be useful if we had that as a basic part of school?
tapanjk 7y ago
> Barbara Oakley's book A Mind For Numbers Thank you for the recommendation! I am looking forward to reading the book. It is good know that someone who started off their education assuming they cannot do well in STEM subjects, can actually pick up the skills much later in their carrier, is refreshing. I belong to the camp that I did well in STEM subjects through formal education but then lost touch with math later on. Am looking forward to regaining this skill.
rezeroed 7y ago
Which tools do you use for anki? Make your own decks?
- PenguinCoder 7y ago
  This is what I do. I make all my own decks, which obviously helps reinforce the material. Anki on desktop to create decks and cards, and Anki on mobile to review when I'm bored. Combined with appropriate material and labs, I have taken and passed 5 or 6 certification exams and countless college courses. I also use Anki for work things that I feel are important to remember 'off the cuff'.
- Arubis 7y ago
  The act of creating a deck is part of the practice. A really great illustration of this is (the book, haven't tried the app) Fluent Forever as referenced at https://fluent-forever.com/ https://fluent-forever.com/.
Valk3_ 7y ago
What would you say are your biggest take-aways from that course?
- algaeontoast 7y ago
  I’d recommend asking Tim Ferris.
  - Arubis 7y ago
    Mr. Ferris certainly has a lot to say about the process of learning, but I haven't run across him saying anything about this particular course.
    - algaeontoast 7y ago
      This was a joke. Tim Ferris still promotes a “life hack” of paying other people to read books for you and provide a summary. Of course, this entirely detracts from the entire reason to read a book or any complex piece of information that might affect people differently depending on biases and past experience (so anyone who’s interested enough to read said information / content).
- otras 7y ago
  Here are a few: * Diffuse mode vs. focus mode. After focusing hard on a problem, letting your brain wander can do wonders for coming up with insights and ideas. The classic example is coming up with something in the shower after working on it throughout the day. I've focused much more on giving myself some of the non-focused time after focused periods (ex. going for a walk/run/swim, taking a nap or shower, etc). I've started doing this more for work, as well. * How memory works (short-term vs. long-term) and along those lines, spaced repetition. All through undergrad I would cram, but spacing it out (with the help of Anki for flashcard-focused topics) really does wonders. * Importance of actively quizzing yourself, practice, and working through problems as you're learning something.

by otras 7y ago

ajhamada 7y ago

Exactly, This is the skillset that you will need for life.

valgor 7y ago

Is it necessary to go through the entire Learning How to Learn course or is there a TL;DR somewhere?

pmohun 7y ago
This comment is probably the most common reaction, and also the reason the course exists.
iserlohnmage 7y ago
It's worthwhile. Try it.
psv1 7y ago
I didn't find it useful at all. Not that it was bad - it's just that there was barely anything new for me and the content lacked depth. It all felt like obvious stuff. It seems to get a lot of praise though so clearly some people find value in it.
sn9 7y ago
The course is really short. Like 4 hours. You could spend an hour per week and be done with it. Or just consume it over the course of a few days.
huehehue 7y ago
I don't remember who posted it or if it's the same course, but https://workflowy.com/s/E9HW.jGUYboLrGj https://workflowy.com/s/E9HW.jGUYboLrGj
- ambivalents 7y ago
  Whoa cool these are the notes I put together. I'm glad someone remembered :)

mpascale00 7y ago

If there's one thing in life you want to know before anything else, it's how to get better at things! :) We have a whole field of science that deals with human behavior, wouldn't it be useful if we had that as a basic part of school?

tapanjk 7y ago

> Barbara Oakley's book A Mind For Numbers Thank you for the recommendation! I am looking forward to reading the book. It is good know that someone who started off their education assuming they cannot do well in STEM subjects, can actually pick up the skills much later in their carrier, is refreshing. I belong to the camp that I did well in STEM subjects through formal education but then lost touch with math later on. Am looking forward to regaining this skill.

rezeroed 7y ago

Which tools do you use for anki? Make your own decks?

PenguinCoder 7y ago
This is what I do. I make all my own decks, which obviously helps reinforce the material. Anki on desktop to create decks and cards, and Anki on mobile to review when I'm bored. Combined with appropriate material and labs, I have taken and passed 5 or 6 certification exams and countless college courses. I also use Anki for work things that I feel are important to remember 'off the cuff'.
Arubis 7y ago
The act of creating a deck is part of the practice. A really great illustration of this is (the book, haven't tried the app) Fluent Forever as referenced at https://fluent-forever.com/ https://fluent-forever.com/.

Valk3_ 7y ago

What would you say are your biggest take-aways from that course?

algaeontoast 7y ago
I’d recommend asking Tim Ferris.
- Arubis 7y ago
  Mr. Ferris certainly has a lot to say about the process of learning, but I haven't run across him saying anything about this particular course.
  - algaeontoast 7y ago
    This was a joke. Tim Ferris still promotes a “life hack” of paying other people to read books for you and provide a summary. Of course, this entirely detracts from the entire reason to read a book or any complex piece of information that might affect people differently depending on biases and past experience (so anyone who’s interested enough to read said information / content).
otras 7y ago
Here are a few: * Diffuse mode vs. focus mode. After focusing hard on a problem, letting your brain wander can do wonders for coming up with insights and ideas. The classic example is coming up with something in the shower after working on it throughout the day. I've focused much more on giving myself some of the non-focused time after focused periods (ex. going for a walk/run/swim, taking a nap or shower, etc). I've started doing this more for work, as well. * How memory works (short-term vs. long-term) and along those lines, spaced repetition. All through undergrad I would cram, but spacing it out (with the help of Anki for flashcard-focused topics) really does wonders. * Importance of actively quizzing yourself, practice, and working through problems as you're learning something.