You can learn anything by doing this ...

Scientists say that a simple strategy can help people learn anything, from languages to mathematics. Testing yourself on the material is more effective than studying and re-studying the material, such as reading and rereading language vocabulary (Psychological Science, November 11, 2015). Psychologists call it the ‘testing effect.’

A 2003 study by Henry L. Roediger III and Jeffrey D. Karpicke confirmed that testing makes information stay in the brain. Researcher Mark Wheeler conducted the experiment in which participants reviewed a list of 40 words five times. Another group of participants reviewed it once and took four recall tests. Then all participants took a general test five minutes later or one week later.

The results showed that participants who read the list of 40 words five times performed much better on the general test five minutes later. But participants who read the list of words once and took four recall tests performed much better on the general test one week later.

In other words, testing helped to boost long-term memory.

In a 2014 study Carola Wiklund-Hornqvist recruited 83 students in an undergraduate psychology course. The participants studied a series of psychological concepts for four minutes. Half the participants continued to study the concepts while each fact was presented on a computer screen for 15 seconds. The other half took six tests in which they had to come up with the concept descibed on a computer screen, and then they would see the correct answer. Then all participants – of both groups – took a general recall test. They did the same test 18 days later and 5 weeks later.

The results showed that participants who did the six test (test series) performed better on all three tests – immediate, 18 days, and 5 weeks – than those who only studied the concepts. Therefore the most efficient strategy for remembering something – from concepts to language – is to practice recalling it. In other words, learn something and test yourself repeatedly – immediately and in time intervals afterwards. It seems to be a lot more effective than drilling facts by looking at them or reading them. So study something, then test yourself, study, test yourself, test yourself, test yourself, and test yourself again.

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/scientists-say-this-ridiculously-simple-strategy-can-help-you-learn-anything.html

Comments

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

Flaws in the Glass, a self-portrait by Patrick White: book review

The manuscript, Flaws in the Glass (1981), is Patrick Victor Martindale White’s autobiography. White, born in 1912 in England, migrated to Sydney, Australia, when he was six months old. For three years, at the age of 20, he studied French and German literature at King’s College at the University of Cambridge in England. Throughout his life, he published 12 novels. In 1957 he won the inaugural Miles Franklin Literary Award for Voss, published in 1956. In 1961, Riders in the Chariot became a best-seller, winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award. In 1973, he was the first Australian author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Eye of the Storm, despite many critics describing his works as ‘un-Australian’ and himself as ‘Australia’s most unreadable novelist.’ In 1979, The Twyborn Affair was short-listed for the Booker Prize, but he withdrew it from the competition to give younger writers the opportunity to win the award. His autobiography, Flaws in the Glass...

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog