Most students spend their study time reading notes and textbooks, but research by psychologists as well as laboratory studies of actual students shows that this method is terrifying and extremely inefficient for learning.

This is the result of a study conducted at the University of Washington in St. Louis. Henry Rudiger and Mark McDaniel have spent a total of more than 80 years studying and learning, and recently published their findings in collaboration with novelist Peter Brown in Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. They brought.

Using other learning strategies, such as using flashcards, charts, and self-examinations, are better and more efficient ways to read content. As the study over time and the combination of different topics with each other is very effective in the study.

McDaniel points to eight smarter learning and study methods he has developed over the years in his research on students and faculty:

1. You should not just reread your notes and tips

We find in surveys that most students say they usually re-read their notes and books while reading. Most students say that this study method is their first strategy to learn more.

But when a student reads a chapter of a book for the second time; There will be no progress in learning.

Our studies and research show that an information retrieval method does not produce sustainable learning. A study of students at the University of Washington shows students who read a chapter of a book; For students who only read that chapter once; They made no progress.

When you read something for the first time, you get a lot of understanding, but when you read it for the second time; There is a mentality that I know this; Therefore, no in-depth study will be performed and no new information will enter the brain for processing.

Reading has a cross-cutting effect and creates the illusion that you know all this well.

2. Ask yourself a lot of questions

A good alternative is to re-read, read the material once, and then answer questions about it or solve problems at the end of the chapter. Ask questions yourself and answer them yourself. This is a great way to get content and deep learning.

Even if you do not answer these questions accurately or incorrectly; Again, a deep understanding of what you do not know or do not understand correctly; will give. This will help you to look for something you do not know or need to study better and more effectively.

By asking questions and then answering, you will gain a better understanding of the content, leading to more lasting learning and a stronger memory. So instead of re-reading the material, spend your time asking and answering questions.

3. Connect new information to what you already know

Another strategy is to study new information and concepts in the second round of study and seek to make a connection between them and your previous knowledge.

For example, if you want to learn about how neurons transmit electricity; You know that the fat sheath surrounds the neurons, which is called the myelin sheath. This myelin sheath helps transfer electricity faster.

Now it is enough to compare neurons and electricity to hoses and water. Water passes quickly through the hose, but if there is a hole; It will leak out and no longer have the speed of the past. This is exactly what happens to us in old age. Myelin sheaths are damaged and transmission slows down.

4- Try to visualize the content

One of the best methods of deep learning is visualization, diagramming and visual drawing of information and content. Also, classical conditional diagrams help to better understand the content.

Anything that stimulates your active learning; By itself, it will create more understanding and be effective in long-term memory.

Illustration or diagramming and instruction based on classical conditioning methods engage the learner’s mind more in the material and cause it to move away from passivity or superficial mental reading.

5- Use flash cards

Flashcards are another alternative to reading; In particular, it is an effective way to retest what you have created.

Research and studies on students have identified people who have used flashcards; They were smarter in remembering and retrieving content.

Flashcards allow information to be properly stored in memory and then the mind to work more easily at the time of extraction. Flashcards are a much better way to repeat reading.

6- Do not study intensively; Reduce the study interval

Many students gather all the material for the exam night and then read and repeat over and over again from one evening to the next.

Do not wait until the last moment and give the information to the mind over a longer period of time. Memorizing information for a short period of one day will make you not remember some things during the exam session, and certainly a year later nothing will remain in your mind.

Many students have this problem and have to go back to the material of the past year to remember things.

It is a good idea to study a little one day and then give up. Then, the next day, go back to reading the next material and leave. Two days later, start reading again and keep a distance between your studies.

7- Teachers should put a distance between lessons and integrate the materials together

Effective learning does not depend only on students. Teachers and professors must also provide the right context for deep learning.

At university, a first day course is usually taught; The next material is taught on the second day as well as the next material in the coming days without any retrieval or return to the previous material.

The important point is that teachers and professors should remind and retrieve previous material for students in the coming days, or look for ways to relate old and new material.

Taking weekly quizzes from the previous material is a great idea in this regard. The next task can be to solve the problem and practice periodically with an emphasis on reviewing past lessons. Giving homework is another way to browse and retrieve content.

8. We do not have something called a mathematical mind

There are two models of thinking about learning among Rich students.

A consistent learning mindset that says I have some talent for math or physics or chemistry or something. So, if I do not study much, I can still pass the exam well or with a little study and effort I can have the best learning. This way of thinking about learning is not positive and productive at all.

The second way of thinking is growth thinking, and he says I need to devote more time, effort and energy to learning and growing. This way of learning leads to the development of talents and increased learning and memory capacities for students.

Students’ mindsets about how to learn can be very effective as a result of work and cause them to learn more or, conversely, not learn effectively at all.

It is the duty of teachers and professors to talk to students to develop a learning mindset and to constantly strive to learn more.

Students do not have to be fixed at one point and need to always look for better and smarter ways to learn, retrieve, and teach new material.