Learning, and what some have learned about learning.

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FBeyer
Posts: 1069
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 3:25 am

Learning, and what some have learned about learning.

Post by FBeyer »

I have become very interested in learning and didactics the last couple of years and I came across this link today.
Digging into the tips themselves and the accompanying links has been quite enlightening.

http://jchyip.blogspot.dk/2013/08/the-m ... ew=classic
Simulations cause people to exercise their strengths; deliberate practise needs to address weaknesses
This one in particular blew my mind. It is such a fundamental insight that I am very embarrassed that I didn't think of this myself :oops:

BRUTE
Posts: 3797
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 5:20 pm

Re: Learning, and what some have learned about learning.

Post by BRUTE »

in general, brute has been pretty disappointed with the "learning to learn" books and other media. it seems they mostly spout nice one-liners that have very little relevance to other learners' situations.

in this spirit, here's brute's experience regarding learning things:
- it's hard for humans to learn things they don't actually want to learn, but merely think they want to learn
- volume of meaningful reference experiences is necessary and the foundation
- reference experiences only "stick" if there's something to "stick to": this is where guidance and personal teaching comes in
- lessons and principles need to be abstracted from reference experience by the individual learner, not taught
- what can be taught is basically what to look for in the reference experiences
- there are very strict biological (neurological?) limits to speed of learning, just like with muscular training
- basic performance can often be learned within only a handful of repetitions/reference experiences, while true mastery will take years
- there are no real "hacks" or "tricks"

Dragline
Posts: 4436
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:50 am

Re: Learning, and what some have learned about learning.

Post by Dragline »

Yes, the so-called "Ten Thousand Hour Rule" is really just a popular myth.

You don't really learn anything if you just keep repeating what you can already do. "Deliberate practice" actually means focusing on weaknesses and trying to improve in a specific way.

See http://www.prospectingmimeticfractals.c ... -is-enough

And also this from jacob's blog: http://earlyretirementextreme.com/bette ... urves.html

Scott 2
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Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:34 pm

Re: Learning, and what some have learned about learning.

Post by Scott 2 »

The biggest mistake I make is confusing the accumulation of information with real learning. Knowledge of a skill is not the same thing as having a skill.

I used to be a voracious reader. This recognition broke me of the habit. Now I read only enough to recognize people who understand and are applying the current body of knowledge on a topic. Then I go learn from them, ideally by doing whatever it is with them.

Riggerjack
Posts: 3182
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:09 am

Re: Learning, and what some have learned about learning.

Post by Riggerjack »

The surest way of cementing knowledge that I have found is to try teaching it.

Teaching forces me to realign the way I thought, and usually, a pupil will ask a question forcing me to think from a different perspective. This exposes the unknown unknowns, and really locks down the knowns.

Unfortunately, this takes effort and pupils, both of which demand time...

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jennypenny
Posts: 6851
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm

Re: Learning, and what some have learned about learning.

Post by jennypenny »

FBeyer wrote:I have become very interested in learning and didactics the last couple of years and I came across this link today.
Digging into the tips themselves and the accompanying links has been quite enlightening.

http://jchyip.blogspot.dk/2013/08/the-m ... ew=classic
Simulations cause people to exercise their strengths; deliberate practise needs to address weaknesses
This one in particular blew my mind. It is such a fundamental insight that I am very embarrassed that I didn't think of this myself :oops:
I also think it's important not only to address weaknesses, but to give them the best of your time. Tackling a problem once you've completed everything else is the wrong approach. Dive right in when you're fresh.

Once I learned that lesson, I started learning everything much faster. I also stopped procrastinating on the easy stuff to put off the hard stuff.

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