Day 19: 6 Simple (But Effective) Learning Strategies I’d Give Anyone To Improve Their Learning

The Learning Scientists. Six Strategies for Effective Learning. Materials for Teachers and Students.

I have been working as an educator for 30 years.

These are the 6 simple (but effective) learning strategies I’d share with anyone who wants to learn better:

Strategy #1: Spaced Practice

To improve long-term retention and understanding, you must spread study sessions over time rather than cramming them all at once.

Ten hours of study spread out over five days is more effective than two five-hour days and far better than one ten-hour day. 

Review material after each class but after taking a break (30 minutes minimum). Also, review older material from the previous day and from a week before. 

Strategy #2: Retrieval Practice

The limiting factor for long-term memory is not retention (what is stored) but recall (what can be accessed).

Recall of specific information improves with practice, so outcomes in real situations can be improved by taking practice tests or summarizing the details of a topic from memory and then checking what was and wasn’t remembered.

You can create and use flashcards to recall information and use this strategy.

Strategy #3: Interleaving

One way you can space your practice is to interleave the study of different topics.

Don’t study one idea for too long. When you review the ideas again, switch up the order.

Interleaving fosters the creation of more links between different topics, which in turn improves recall.

Strategy #4: Elaboration

Explaining things to yourself or your classmates as you go through them helps you understand and remember them.

Always check that the way you explain and describe an idea is accurate using your class notes.

An exercise to build this skill is to go through an example program line by line with a class, having a different person explain each line in turn and say why it is there and what it accomplishes.

Strategy #5: Concrete Examples

Use specific examples to understand abstract ideas.

One structured way to do this is the  ADEPT method: give an Analogy, draw a Diagram, present an Example, describe the idea in Plain language, and then give the Technical details. 

Creating your relevant examples will be the most helpful for learning.

Strategy #6: Dual Coding

Present words and images together.

You can read the text of your class notes and material and draw diagrams or concept maps. You can also take the visual used in your class and try to explain it in your own words.

Drawing a diagram without labels and returning it later to label it is an excellent retrieval practice.

You can learn more if you study right

Honestly, I wish someone had told me these 6 things earlier in my career.

But I’m at least glad I can pass them along to you. You can learn more information on each strategy here: https://www.learningscientists.org/downloadable-materials