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A common phenomenon observed while studying is that students tend to forget what they have learnt due to inefficient memory and attention spans. For instance retention memory of formulas, theorems of Math’s, concepts of physics and reactions of chemistry, tend to deteriorate in time due to students developing inefficient learning styles.
TIPS TO PRACTICE EFFICIENT LEARNING
So how can students learn to inculcate efficient learning methods while studying and develop their true potential? There are numerous ways to deal with this problem:
DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE
Confidence is believing in yourself, feeling comfortable in your true self, knowing your self-worth. If you are confident, people believe you, confidence is attractive, brings success, helps to connect well with others and you generally feel happier.
FOCUS ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
If you take out time to think you will realize that you have achieved a lot in life. It does not matter what these achievements are, what matters is that they are really important for you. Think about these achievements and see what they mean for you. Prepare a list and add all the things that you are proud of. The fact that you are focusing on positives will also help you to increase your level of self-confidence.
REWARDS AND SUPPORT
Give yourself rewards as you practice building your self- esteem. It does not matter what the reward is as long as it is something that you value.
START MAKING NOTES
Whatever you read and study, keep on writing it in short points, that you can refer to later on. Whether you are doing Math’s from NCERT, R.D Sharma or Chemistry or Physics, keep on writing all the important things.
TEAMWORK
Teamwork provides all kinds of benefits. When you are in the right kind of group, studying and learning together can provide ample benefits. One study from Science Direct found that through this, students-
- Improves both collaboration and communication skills;
- Were more engaged with other students and the topic;
- Had a deeper understanding of the subject;
- And had long-term retention benefits.
REMOVING STRESS IS IMPORTANT
No matter who you are, stress can be a massive impairment to learning and even recalling information. Most people have experienced the feeling during test time where they blank on an answer. That’s likely due to stress at that moment. But, even stress outside of testing situations is bad.
MUSIC CAN HELP
In studying situations, you’d think you want a nice quiet area to curl up and study. In school, that is typically the library. However, there is been research that shows that a quiet place may not be the most ideal spot. In fact, one study from Stanford found listening to certain music to improve studying. The study uncovered that music activated certain areas in the brain associated with making predictions and paying attention. It also made students more receptive to information.
BEST STUDY TIPS
- No multitasking- Over the years, we have grown used to doing multiple things at once. Texting, reading, and streaming media all at once for example. However, in a studying atmosphere that won’t work. Trying to do multitasking is merely a distraction.
- Think as if you are teaching someone else– prepare your concepts as you have to teach someone. If you will start thinking about how you will explain a particular concept to someone, it will increase your hold on that concept. Even if you do not end up teaching someone, the mere thought you have to can help you to solidify topics.
- Be a good listener- It is important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn will be presented verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the same as listening to what they say. Listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay attention and think about and mentally process what you hear.
- Eat chocolates and enjoy- Eating chocolates in a limited amount can enhance your memory and you are more likely to retain the concepts for a longer time.
- Keep on forming questions in your mind- You need to have questions in your mind as you read. Questions give you a purpose for reading and help you stay focused on the reading assignment. Form questions by changing each chapter heading into a question. Use the words who, what, when, where, why, or how to form questions. For example, for the heading “Uses of Magnets” in a chapter about how science improves lives, you might form the question, “What are some uses of magnets?”
Hopefully, the Efficient Learning tips in this blog will help you to become better- equipped students who are more proactive and effective in their approach to learning.
Keep learning!
All the best!
Also published on Medium.