Cover Letter

I plan to continue revising this project with learning tips and tricks I pick up in the future. The current focii are 1) overcoming procrastination, 2) distributing studying over time, and 3) self-testing. Currently, the only source is the "Learning How to Learn" Coursera course itself, but I will continue adding to this.

Learning

Tips and Tricks (1)

• Make metaphors and analogies with concepts you already understand
• Don't cram -- do a little bit every day (i.e. spaced repetitions)
• Try the Pomodoro technique to overcome procrastination
• Get enough sleep
• Practice-Testing to ensure you're learning the material

Tips and Tricks (2)

• Relax : stress negatively impacts learning
• Deliberately practice
• Use interleaving
• Focus on process rather than product
• Overcome procrastination by changing habits

Tips and Tricks (3)

• Make a weekly list of key tasks
• Keep a planner/journal by day
• Mix up types of tasks (include breaks/leisure!)
• Ready your to-do list the night before

Pomodoro Technique

• 25 minutes of sustained focus
• 5 minutes of rest (or enjoyable activity)

Practice Testing

• Includes self-testing or taking practice exams
• Active learning (vs. passively reading textbook)

Deliberate Practice

• Balance studying easy and difficult things
• Difficulty means that you're learning!

Interleaving

• Jumping between things that require different techniques
• For example:
• Spend some time doing math homework
• Switch gears and practice your instrument or draw

Process vs. Product

• Process : what you're doing
• Product : end result of what you're doing
• Focusing on process more effective (esp. for longer-term things)

Sources

• Oakley & Sejnowski.  "Learning How to Learn".

Changing Habits

• Cue triggers habitual behavior (e.g. cellphone ding)
• Trick to changing habits is to modify reaction to cue
• Can take time to change habits
• Don't forget to reward yourself