`Learning is an achievement, when done by self it becomes an
achievement. Teachers, students and parents wonder about learning. The
frequent questions asked are
- Is it achievable?
- How is it achievable?
- Why is it difficult?
Learning is not a process to build talent. Each and every one of us learn some things
fast while others slow. Some have the
ability to read and remember words while others have ability to remember
incidents better than words. Some have
more practical approach to learning. It is now understood better than ever that
individual tastes differ when it comes to learning. It is scientifically
also understood that when learnt concepts’ move back and forth between working memory and long-term storage, the more is the ability to recall and, builds more
divergent thought process.
How can one throw their learning towards this swing to achieve long term learning?
Considering a typical slow learner of a class, it is
astonishing sometimes that the learner, who is considered ‘slow’, surprises us
now and then with their fast understanding. It is observed that they learn certain aspects
faster than others. The label ‘slow
learner’ does not indicate that they ‘do not learn’. The very fact learning happens slowly can also
be the fault of the instructor or the context of learning. Some other varied reasons
that affect learning can be – interest, time, teaching or the abstractness of
the curriculum. Learner’s learning
variation is not a constant with time. The multi-fold variation in the learning
curves as studied in researches
validate the same.
Then, what should be the strategy for a long-term learning?
Learning researches may have produced astonishing
results. The learning cycle to remember
however follows a simple cyclic process.
Before looking into the details of the cycle we need to reflect
on a basic query of
‘why do we need learning?’
‘Learning is to remember’.
Facts without meaning are difficult to remember. However, teaching students’ connection of
facts may not be possible within set classroom scenarios. Today, though many other possibilities to
look into application of knowledge is available. Learning happens only when the learner applies
and analysis the learnt as required. Spaced learning is an emerging method for
learning and remembering.
The site given below provides a step by step approach to
remember forever also gives a graphical scenario on spaced learning – www.ncase.me/remember
This website also shows a progressive building of memory with
the time required to recall and remember. The use of ‘flash cards’ to recall
and recollect is also emphasized here.
The graph clearly shows small gaps between recall for a long-term learning.
Another research work on the spaced time approach which combines
various strategies to remember is the ‘ANSWER’
method to recall and remember. The video
gives a clear explanation of the same:
Thus, the key to learning looks as simple as the given
points to follow
- Space learning
- Maintain key notes
- Build connections
- Explain connections to oneself
- Recall
Though the methods have been proven through long research
studies, it is individual’s pace of learning which enable them to work out a
schedule and a plan to learn. The major
difference between remembering and forgetting being ‘practice’. It is the simplest of the terms which make
the most difficult to practice. After all, ‘the process of learning is also the
process which of habit forming. ‘
