
How Do We Learn? - severine
http://blog.ncase.me/how-do-we-learn-a-zine/
======
et15
I took a Coursera course titled Learning How to Learn[0] and found it really
helpful as an intro class to this "field". It was also very practical.

[0] [https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-
learn](https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn)

~~~
modernerd
I've also taken this course, but would recommend those new to it just read the
post here, which is a good summary:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/GetMotivated/comments/5950tm/text_i...](https://www.reddit.com/r/GetMotivated/comments/5950tm/text_i_just_finished_the_online_coursera_course/).

~~~
aj_g
Agree. Having done the course, I think a text summary does a good job of
getting to the big ideas (I don't really like learning via video fwiw)

------
bluetwo
If you want to know the answer to this question, you have to look at the
amygdala.

This dual set of brain regions are gatekeepers to long-term memory.

They/it only lets in things it thinks you might need later.

And it grades this need based on emotion.

So, if you want to recall something later, you need a purpose, and if the
purpose ties into something emotional, all the better.

(I know some people are going to fight me on the assertion that emotion
regulates memory, but do a little research before telling me I'm wrong.)

~~~
nojvek
So how does one hack emotions to remember better?

~~~
hakanderyal
Have a look at NLP(neuro linguistic programming) techniques regarding memory.

An example, before you start starting studying a topic, tell yourself,
consciously, why you are going to learn this specific thing, and how you want
to use it. After studying, tell yourself how are you going to use the things
you have just learned, imagine yourself applying them in different scenarios.
Even these two simple exercises helps brain to make those connections GP told
about.

I don't want to get in to the topic of whether NLP has a scientific base, just
want to emphasize that most of these techniques are brought together from
examining how experts relevant to the area do things that made them
successful.

I don't have enough time right now for a longer answer or sources, will try to
expand later.

------
adjagu
I don't mean to be rude and I am truly interested in this topic, but I must
ask, is there a version of this that is readily legible? Fuzzy (out of focus)
light grey text on a white background absolutely results in a headache for me
when trying to read this.

~~~
danial
I didn't have the visual issues so it was enjoyable for me to read.

My spaced repetition system requires that I copy ideas I want to recall. I'm
sharing my summary of the main ideas in case they help you.

\---

# Learning by Building Connection

New ideas have to connect with what’s already there — they cannot be stored,
as if in a filing cabinet.

Throwing facts at people doesn’t work. You have to: * connect ideas to other
ideas and everyday things

* understand an idea in multiple ways (e.g. words, visuals, etc.)

* once you make connections, you have to maintain them

* you don’t need to unlearn connections to make room for new ones

# Maintaining what you learned

Recalling is better for retention than re-reading. Spacing effect shows that
we forget things quickly the first time we see it, but if you exert effort to
recall things spaced over increasing intervals of time, you retain a lot more
than if you were cramming.

# Learning through deep connections

You have to process ideas on a deep level to make them stick. A great way to
learn something at a deeper level is to explain it to someone.

~~~
adjagu
Thank you for your reply and assistance danial.

------
giardini
This seems more like "How Do We Memorize?", as is taught and performed
(poorly) in American schools.

In contrast we learn by _doing_ , by manipulating things or concepts.

~~~
tw1010
That seems like a very engineering-skewed perspective on knowledge. I'm not
sure how that advice could apply to a philosophy or sociology student. If
doing means writing research papers, then that is going to be a hugely
inefficient way to learn all the things they need to learn. They won't have
the resources to write a paper on everything they read. Some of it needs to
just go down the subconscious, rapidly and in large quantity, for quick
reference later on.

~~~
trentmb
> I'm not sure how that advice could apply to a philosophy or sociology
> student.

Do reading assignment, discuss/argue about it in class with a TA or professor
to mediate and clarify stuff, maybe write a paper afterwards.

Engaging with the content is kind of a universal way to learn by doing.

------
vxNsr
It seems he took the main ideas from this book[0] and made a little comic
about it.

[0] [https://barbaraoakley.com/books/a-mind-for-
numbers/](https://barbaraoakley.com/books/a-mind-for-numbers/)

~~~
erikpukinskis
She

------
calebm
This mirrors my own experiences very well. I always look for analogies to
understand new ideas (or to explain them).

Also, if I'm driving to a relatively new destination that I've been to before
and think I'll go to more times, I try to remember the way without looking at
the GPS, because I've found that if I look at the GPS every time, I don't end
up remembering the route as well.

------
dlwdlw
There's an interesting subculture around the concept of "Quality" which was
popularized by Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

If Quality is something intrinsic to the observer/universe pair, learning is
maximized along the path of most resonance.

Learning-to-learn tricks can often desensitize you to your "true passion"
(this is assuming it exists) because there isn't a coherent narrative that
allows your experience and skills to compound in a unique way.

Instead you have a collection of brute-force gained skills to solve problems
for other people and by becoming good at this become numb to what "you"
uniquely can see as a problem and create unique solutions to.

Analogies may be the exception because they grow, relying on roots and
branches. An analogy that doesn't feel ham-fisted is naturally connected to
your existing pattern of "you".

------
zappo2938
Sal Khan is a fan of Carol Dweck's Growth Midset.[0]

[0]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKJrB5rOKs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKJrB5rOKs)

------
atticusberg
Any suggestions for further reading? In particular a book geared towards
people who aren’t domain experts would be great

~~~
closed
I've been reading the book Becoming Fluent, and it seems like a great
introduction to the field. It's about how cognitive psychology can help adults
learn a new language.

However, from another angle, it's basically about using the idea of language
learning to teach basic cognitive psychology.

(My phd was in human memory, and I can't stop thinking about ways this book
could be used as part of a cool learning course).

~~~
GolDDranks
It should be noted, however, that learning a language is very different from
many other kinds of learning (understanding complex systems, learning history,
etc.) in that it engages very different patterns in declarative and procedural
memory and possibly involves some specialised networks. I know some very
frustrated scholars of second language acquisition that lament the over-
applying of the general science of human learning to specifics. (Just making a
general point here; the book you are reading sounds like it's specifically
about language indeed.)

~~~
closed
I am probably in what they would consider the over-applying camp ;). When it
comes down to it, I think there's a tendency in many different fields to cast
within-field learning problems as distinct from others, but in general,
researchers in those fields often don't have a ton of experience on learning
in other domains.

RE networks, I agree that there is likely evidence for distinct patterns of
activation in various neuroimaging studies, but having worked in memory +
neuroimaging, I think there's a serious risk that people will take something
like "statistically significant difference in brain activity" and use it as a
substitute for "substantial differences in learning behavior / retention".
(this is a well known problem in imaging).

I'm not too familiar to L2 acquisition research, though, but those are my
impressions from thumbing through some of the field. Would def love to hear
some study recommendations :).

------
ksk
After reading about and learning all about how our biology works and
everything about the brain, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, etc has anyone
put these ideas into practice? It would be impressive if an outsider became an
expert in a field which they knew nothing about.

------
ausjke
how did they do the artistic fonts etc? Do they hand-write first, or is there
some special fonts available?

~~~
modernerd
It's handwritten. Sketchnotes is a good resource for trying this and
developing your own style:

[http://rohdesign.com/sketchnotes/](http://rohdesign.com/sketchnotes/)

[https://www.jetpens.com/blog/sketchnotes-a-guide-to-
visual-n...](https://www.jetpens.com/blog/sketchnotes-a-guide-to-visual-note-
taking/pt/892)

[https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/11/how-to-get-
started-...](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/11/how-to-get-started-with-
sketchnotes/)

~~~
ausjke
very helpful links, will practice with it, thanks!

------
Asdfbla
I never got Zines. Beyond their cutesy art style, they generally don't seem
particularly effective at conveying information in a somewhat concise manner.
And if you don't want to be concise, why use such a very visual medium then
and not just write an article?

~~~
mmjaa
Sir and/or Madam,

I feel the need to inform you that you are, more than likely, quite ill-
informed. Zines are a spectacular human achievement, worthy of your attention
and respect. Or, were it otherwise, how do you explain this godamn amazing
piece of work:

[https://www.alchemistowl.org/pocorgtfo/](https://www.alchemistowl.org/pocorgtfo/)

~~~
dahart
This looks hilarious and interesting. Reminds me of Diagram
[http://thediagram.com/](http://thediagram.com/) but PoC||GTFO seems a lot
more programming specific?

~~~
mmjaa
Yes indeed, PoC||GTFO is very programming specific, down to the point where
the PDF is an executable that can be used to serve .. the PDF. ;). (This
particular zine is famous for such badonkadonk!)

------
bullen
This is why it's important to keep multiple projects going simultaneously.

Each project needs time for the brain to digest in order to make the right
decisions.

You save time by going slow, but async. parallel.

