
Things Every Learner Needs to Know About Effective Learning - patelmiteshb
https://thestempedia.com/blog/things-every-learner-needs-to-know-about-effective-learning/
======
thatoldfool
This doesn't really say anything about effective learning, it kind of just
talks around it.

As an elementary school teacher and a MSc Psych student, I can tell you that
spaced repetition is the best way for learning facts. And it's not just my
fancy - here's one of the many studies that prove it:

"Practice tests, spaced practice, and successive relearning: Tips for
classroom use and for guiding students’ learning."
[http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-13426-004](http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-13426-004)

You can google the paper and get it free online.

While we're at it, learning styles are not a real thing:
[https://digest.bps.org.uk/2018/04/03/another-nail-in-the-
cof...](https://digest.bps.org.uk/2018/04/03/another-nail-in-the-coffin-for-
learning-styles-students-did-not-benefit-from-studying-according-to-their-
supposed-learning-style/)

If you need more proof, just read the papers in the references.

If someone asked me what the two most important things for an average person
to know about learning, it would be that 1. Ebbinghaus's "Forgetting Curve" is
real, and you will forget most things that you learn within 30 days if you
don't review them properly and 2. Spaced repetition, especially aided by
software such as Anki, is the best way for the average person to learn and
retain large amounts of information.

[https://apps.ankiweb.net/](https://apps.ankiweb.net/)

Now, if one is keen, you can upgrade you learning with the use of mnemonics,
both mental and visual, and drawing things helps immensely:
[https://digest.bps.org.uk/2018/11/22/the-act-of-drawing-
some...](https://digest.bps.org.uk/2018/11/22/the-act-of-drawing-something-
has-a-massive-benefit-for-memory-compared-with-writing-it-down/)

But for the average person that won't put in the extra effort, 1. Ebbinghaus's
Forgetting Curve and 2. Spaced Repetition are probably the most important
things to know about.

~~~
burtonator
I think you guys might like this personal research tool I launched about a
month ago:

[https://getpolarized.io/](https://getpolarized.io/)

It's actually designed for this use case around spaced repetition and it's
designed to be a knowledge manager AROUND spaced repetition tools.

I should have cloud sync support in the next release (1-2 weeks) which will
allow you to keep your data in the cloud and sync it between machines.
Initially it will just support Firebase but I have plans to support other
cloud providers via plugins.

I'd also like to support end to end encryption so that you don't have to worry
about people reading your data.

There's a huge Hacker News about Polar here:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18219960](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18219960)

It also supports PDFs, text and area highlights, comments, flashcards and sync
with Anki.

The initial response after our release has been amazing. The user base is
really engaged with thousands of monthly active users and contributors.

Anyway. Take it for a spin. It's free and Open Source.

~~~
thatoldfool
It seems that Polar might be a natural complement to Zotero, or at least it
would be cool if the two could talk to each other; right now, I use the
Zotfile plugin to extra PDF annotations, but I would much prefer to use Polar
to do my studying.

If I had imagine a way in which the two could work together, it would be for
Polar to be able to read from the Zotero library.

Are you guys on speaking terms with the Zotero team?

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keiferski
Impossible to read on mobile. Try this link instead:

[https://thestempedia.com/blog/things-every-learner-needs-
to-...](https://thestempedia.com/blog/things-every-learner-needs-to-know-
about-effective-learning/amp/)

~~~
patelmiteshb
Hello Keiferski, Please use updated link for AMP
[https://thestempedia.com/blog/things-every-learner-needs-
to-...](https://thestempedia.com/blog/things-every-learner-needs-to-know-
about-effective-learning/amp/)

~~~
keiferski
Fixed.

------
carlospwk
Impossible to read on an iPad.

~~~
jonsen
Safari reader is there to help you.

------
phyrex
I just sent a screenshot of this page to my friends as an example on how awful
modern websites are. There is one gigantic banner about their black friday
sale that covers the top, a cookie notice that covers the lower left, a
floating "can I help you?" window that covers the a third of the screen on the
right on my 12" screen, and a blocking "Black Friday Deal is ON" banner that
blocks all of the middle. I don't see a single character of content.

~~~
logotype
Agreed. Checked the site, closed some stupid dialogue, scrolling a bit and
then a full page ad, then the chat dialogue opened. It’s crazy how many sites
like this there are. Total crap. I didn’t bother to read the content.

