Effective Learning

[Music in My Heart]

In the past I have made several posts about HOW to learn and HOW to study. These were formed from my personal experience of going from a C+ student to an A student who, even years later can discuss, topics that I haven't reviewed... That is, one who "owns" the material.

This link, which discusses a recent book, hits on much of what I discovered myself and which formed the basis of becoming a successful learner and not just a successful student.

How Does the Brain Learn Best? Smart Studying Strategies | MindShift

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Great article.

Having a method for lifelong learning; in my case objectivity; had helped me succeed, especially in nursing school and for the boards and beyond.

One of the methods of using eclectic music while reading and gathering information on new information for my practice has helped me during my studies; I continue to use this method for whenever I research and obtain new information.

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

Haha, I was going to mention that NPR (KQED) had a segment on memory. People got to start quizzing themselves to learn! Thanks for the article.

[smf0903]

That is a great article. I hear so many other students talk about "holing up" to study 2 days prior to an exam and then are upset/surprised when they do poorly on said exam. I have learned (for my own purposes!) that listening to white noise while I study helps me a LOT. And reading is like listening to lectures; the more you go over it, the more you pick up things you missed the first go-'round. And I talk...a lot lol. Even if it's to no one, I talk like I am explaining the material to someone. If I can't explain it out loud then I don't understand it well enough.

I guess we are lucky (?) in that our instructors constantly reiterate the value of taking in info in small chunks and taking frequent breaks while studying. Must be the EBP mentality of the nursing staff

[Spangle Brown]

Physically making flashcards works for learning on many different levels. Searching for the info to put on the card, the writing the information down, then the visual of seeing it. Then later the recall and if you say it and hear it, your hitting alot of different learning ways.

In a Student for Sucess class I was in, we were taught you can study all day. That isn't the issue. But you have to do it in chunks. Take breaks, change subjects, etc. The brain gets tired, changing up things helps. I noticed that is very true. Some times I would just relax and do a mential review of what I learned. To see what vocab, ideas I remembered. What I didn't, next time I studied I would check it out again. I noticed that I would recall things better if I did such mini reviews. The attempt at recall was a mini study time. NO stress, just going over a few things.

[staceym]

Great article, thanks!