There are various techniques and devices designed to accelerate and enhance learning, including using mnemonic devices and spaced repetition, but Life Hack offers some tips for fast-tracking your education process and better retention of information.
Try Mindfulness in Accelerated Learning:
Being mindful goes far beyond sitting cross-legged on a yoga pillow with eyes closed - there's scientific proof it improves learning results by decreasing anxiety levels and providing the clarity needed for successful Learning.
Close your eyes and listen closely, to identify as many sounds as possible. Lower the frequency of your breathing; focus on hearing instead of overthinking.
Get some Sleep to Increase Learning:
Studies also point towards the connection between lack of sleep and academic results and memory problems, so ensuring adequate restful slumber each night and sticking with consistent bedtime/wakeup times every day as the keystones for improving grades and job performance. To accomplish this goal, plan out how many hours are essential per night; set out an individual sleep plan, make sure all necessary schedule changes occur accordingly, and then enjoy better grades/work performance than before!
Eat Right:
Consuming too many processed foods high in saturated fat and refined sugar -- instead of eating fresh fruits and vegetables as your main sources of nutrition -- won't do your brain any good. Consumption of such meals has been linked with poor learning outcomes; studies show unhealthy diets with plenty of saturated fat and refined sugar negatively impact the formation of the Hippocampus - an organ within your brain with key roles for short-term memory integration, long-term storage capabilities, and spatial memory storage - necessary for rapid learning effectiveness and rapid memory performance.
Engaging in exercises:
One effective strategy to accelerate and enhance learning is making sure to engage in regular physical exercise throughout the week, just as getting enough sleep does. Exercise strengthens the hippocampus which in turn will enable your mind to more readily retain information.
One study with rats demonstrated that adding exercise after over one year of inactivity reversed hippocampal degeneration by roughly 50 percent, meaning even if you haven't exercised in a while it is still not too late - aim to include at least three aerobic workout sessions lasting 30 minutes each in your week to protect the health of the hippocampus and preserve brain power!
One Task At A Time:
People often think they can multitask effectively. We hear this often enough; people assume they can listen to music while scrolling TikTok while simultaneously watching an online lecture on genetics from an instructor on genetics. But this approach to learning faster and smarter will likely fail you; to ensure maximum efficiency when studying new material quickly and smarter it would be wiser simply to close all tabs at the same time and do one thing at a time - for optimal success and results.
One way of understanding this phenomenon is the cognitive bottleneck theory, which states that we cannot respond consciously to all sensory input at once - for instance television and online lectures as well as music while talking to friends - all at the same time. Due to cognitive limitations, some inputs do not reach conscious thought, and this results in what's known as an "information bottleneck."
One study confirmed the theory of cognitive bottleneck, meaning students did not retain as much information or learn efficiently when trying to multitask simultaneously. Therefore, please keep it simple, eliminate distractions, and tackle one task at a time!
Don't Worry About Learning Styles:
While reading up on learning styles may help improve the way that you study and retain information, scientific evidence does not support how knowing one improves learning results.
Learning methods were first created by educator Neil Fleming in the 1990s and have grown increasingly popular over time, though their theory still needs improvement. Understanding your preferred learning style - visual, audio, or kinesthetic input; reading/writing combination, etc. - will be useful, however remembering they're only personal preferences!
Do not force yourself into learning everything exclusively using one style; rather, focus more on matching your learning style to the challenge you are facing. For instance, memorizing vocabulary for an exam might require mixing reading, writing, and visual learning into your approach; when learning a foreign language it would make more sense to stick with voice patterns and movement patterns as this way you won't become over-dependent on any one learning method and form. Do not stress over learning styles so much - instead, try out all possible types!
Use spaced repetition:
Spaced repetition can help improve learning by testing yourself to see whether you know something or not.
Spaced repetition is effective in many scientific studies, aiding with memory retention and problem-solving skills, leading to significant increases in long-term learning gains. EDX offers one such system; you can find information online about creating physical EDX flashcard systems that creates digital EDX systems automatically for you and provides you the best Edx Coupons & Promo Codes so you can study easily.
Playful Learning:
By turning any activity into a game, we can accelerate and enhance learning processes more rapidly and enjoyably. Adding game elements such as points, competition, rewards, or goals into play helps accelerate and streamline this process of play; an example being turning household chores into an exciting competition against time or competing to clean a room faster is just an example of motivation!
Thinking:
For faster and smarter learning, making thinking part of your process can help accelerate results. According to one study, students asked to reflect upon their progress outperformed those without this feature in their approach to education.
So if you want to speed up and improve your learning processes more effectively, take time periodically to assess how you are faring and set realistic goals for yourself. Ask yourself whether your current plan is effective; why or why not; and where are there still challenges; This way you won't keep repeating unhelpful practices; instead you will be able to make necessary modifications to optimize learning outcomes and accelerate progress.
Seek Feedback:
Want to take your Learning further? Incorporating feedback from others as well as self-reflection may prove very fruitful in achieving more visible benefits from their Learning experience. Find someone you trust who will provide honest and constructive criticism that helps create the ideal plan to improve it!