Learn faster and retain more than your friends | E3 Bigger Plate

Summary

This video script advocates for a more effective learning approach, particularly for working professionals and students. It critiques the traditional method of learning through rote memorization and suggests adopting inquiry-based learning. This involves starting with a problem, hypothesizing solutions, and then seeking relevant information, which is immediately applied. This method is presented as more aligned with how our brains evolved to learn, making the process more enjoyable, efficient, and effective, leading to better retention and application of knowledge.

Takeaways

• 📚 Traditional learning often involves reading books or watching videos, taking notes, summarizing, and then applying the knowledge.
• 🎓 The method of learning and then writing notes is a product of formal education systems.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Effective learning starts with identifying a problem or question that needs solving, which is more aligned with how our brains evolved to learn.
• 🧠 Our brains are wired to retain information that is purposeful and helps solve problems, making inquiry-based learning more effective.
• 🔄 The process of inquiry-based learning involves creating a question, hypothesizing solutions, learning what's necessary, and then applying it.
• 🚀 This method flips the traditional learning approach by starting with application and working backward, which enhances retention and relevance.
• 💼 For working professionals, this approach is crucial as it directly impacts job performance and career progression.
• 🤔 It's important to clarify the intention and purpose behind learning to increase its relevance and effectiveness.
• 📈 This learning strategy is not just for academic success but also for real-world problem-solving and skill development.
• 🌟 Adopting inquiry-based learning can lead to significant improvements in enjoyment, retention, and the ability to apply knowledge.
• 🌱 Changing learning habits is challenging but rewarding; it requires patience and diligence to master this new approach.

Q & A

What is the traditional method of learning described in the script?

The traditional method of learning described is one where individuals first identify a topic to learn, then read books or watch videos, write notes, review and summarize these notes, memorize the material, and finally apply it in work or through past paper questions.

Why is the traditional learning method considered inefficient according to the script?

The script suggests that the traditional learning method is inefficient because it involves memorizing information through repetition and note-taking without immediate application, which does not align with how our brains naturally learn and retain information.

What alternative learning method is proposed in the script?

The script proposes an alternative method called inquiry-based learning, which starts with identifying a specific problem or question, hypothesizing solutions, and then learning the necessary information to solve the problem, applying it immediately.

How does inquiry-based learning differ from traditional learning?

Inquiry-based learning differs from traditional learning by starting with a problem or question and seeking to learn in a way that is directly relevant to solving that problem, rather than learning information in bulk and then applying it later.

What is the significance of starting learning with a problem in inquiry-based learning?

Starting learning with a problem makes the information learned immediately relevant and purposeful, which helps the brain retain it more effectively without the need for constant revision.

Why is the script suggesting that learning should be more like the way our brains evolved to learn?

The script suggests that learning should mimic how our brains evolved to learn because it is more natural and efficient, allowing for better problem-solving and retention of information.

What is the role of formal education in shaping our current learning methods?

Formal education has shaped our current learning methods by introducing a curriculum-focused, structured approach to learning, which is different from the more organic, problem-solving approach that our brains are naturally suited for.

How can professionals apply the concepts of inquiry-based learning in their work?

Professionals can apply inquiry-based learning by identifying problems they face at work, hypothesizing solutions, and then learning the necessary information to address those problems, integrating the learning with real-world application.

What benefits does the script claim for using inquiry-based learning over traditional methods?

The script claims that inquiry-based learning leads to more enjoyable and efficient studying, better retention of information, improved problem-solving skills, and faster skill development, which can lead to better performance at work or school.

How does the script recommend transitioning from traditional learning to inquiry-based learning?

The script recommends transitioning by creating a clear problem or question first, hypothesizing solutions, and then learning and applying information in a way that directly addresses those problems, iterating and deepening the knowledge over time.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Traditional Study Methods and Their Limitations

This paragraph introduces the common study habits of individuals, particularly working professionals, who learn by reading books or watching videos on a topic, taking extensive notes, summarizing, and memorizing the material before applying it in their work or studies. It suggests that this method, while prevalent, may not be the most efficient and hints at the existence of alternative, more effective ways to learn. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on a more efficient learning method that is backed by research but not widely known or practiced.

05:01

🕵️‍♂️ The Evolution of Learning and the Need for Relevance

Paragraph 2 delves into the challenges faced by professionals trying to learn on the job, highlighting the difficulty of finding time to study amidst work responsibilities. It contrasts the formal education system's structured learning approach with the more organic, problem-solving learning style that humans naturally evolved to use. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of learning with a clear purpose and relevance, introducing the concept of inquiry-based learning, which starts with identifying a problem to solve, making the learning process more meaningful and effective.

10:02

🎯 The Power of Inquiry-Based Learning

This paragraph explains the process of inquiry-based learning, which involves starting with a specific question or problem, aiming to make learning purposeful and relevant. It argues that when learning is tied to solving real problems, the brain is more likely to retain the information because it sees it as useful. The paragraph encourages learners to think about the application of knowledge first, to hypothesize solutions, and then to engage in learning to test those hypotheses. This approach is presented as a more efficient alternative to traditional learning methods, particularly beneficial for professionals where learning directly impacts job performance.

15:02

🔄 The Cycle of Continuous Learning and Improvement

Paragraph 4 continues the discussion on inquiry-based learning, emphasizing the importance of creating a cycle of problem identification, hypothesis formation, learning, and application. It suggests that learning should be the final step, filling in the gaps when information is needed to solve a problem. The paragraph also addresses the issue of separating learning from real-world experience, which is common in traditional educational settings but less effective in professional environments. It encourages integrating learning with daily work experiences to create a more efficient and enjoyable learning process, leading to better retention and application of knowledge.

20:10

👋 Conclusion and Call to Action

The final paragraph serves as a conclusion, summarizing the key points made in the video script about the importance of adopting an inquiry-based learning approach. It encourages viewers to embrace this method, which can lead to more enjoyable, efficient, and effective learning. The paragraph ends with a motivational note, urging viewers to stay efficient in their learning journey.

Keywords

💡Inquiry-based learning

Inquiry-based learning is an educational approach that emphasizes starting with a question or problem to drive the learning process. It is a method that aligns with how our brains evolved to learn, which is by solving problems and seeking out information relevant to those problems. In the video, this concept is presented as a more natural and efficient way to learn compared to traditional rote learning. The script mentions that this method starts with creating a specific question or problem that one is interested in solving, which makes the learning process more purposeful and relevant.

💡Formal education

Formal education refers to the structured learning that typically occurs in educational institutions like schools and universities. The video script critiques formal education for promoting a learning style that may not be the most efficient for adult learning or professional development. It suggests that the method of learning in formal settings, which often involves memorization and repetition, is a relatively modern approach that doesn't always translate well into practical, real-world applications.

💡Relevancy

Relevancy, in the context of the video, refers to the importance or connection of the learning material to the learner's personal goals, interests, or immediate needs. The script argues that increasing the relevancy of what one is learning can significantly enhance the efficiency of learning. It suggests that our brains are more likely to retain information that is purposeful and relevant to solving problems or achieving specific objectives, which is why making learning relevant is the first step towards effective learning.

💡Problem-solving mentality

Problem-solving mentality is an approach to learning that involves identifying problems or challenges and then seeking out the knowledge or skills needed to address them. The video emphasizes the importance of this mentality, suggesting that it is a more organic and evolutionarily optimized way of learning. It is presented as a contrast to the traditional method of learning where information is often acquired without an immediate application or context.

💡Hypothesis

A hypothesis, in the context of the video, is a proposed explanation or solution to a problem that one is testing through learning and application. The script encourages learners to form hypotheses about how they might solve a problem before they delve into the learning process. This approach is part of the inquiry-based learning method, where hypotheses are created, tested, and either accepted or rejected based on their effectiveness in solving the problem at hand.

💡Application

Application, as used in the video, refers to the act of using the knowledge or skills acquired through learning in a practical context. The speaker argues for flipping the traditional learning model, where application typically comes after extensive study and revision, to one where application is immediate and integral to the learning process. This immediate application of knowledge is said to reinforce learning and make it more memorable and relevant.

💡Retention

Retention in the video refers to the ability to remember and hold onto information over time. The script suggests that when learning is made relevant through application and problem-solving, information is more likely to be retained. This is because the brain is more efficient at holding onto information that is connected to solving problems or achieving goals, rather than information that is learned passively or in isolation.

💡Revision

Revision, in the context of the video, is the process of reviewing and re-engaging with learned material to reinforce memory and understanding. The traditional learning model often involves extensive revision through repetition and practice. However, the speaker argues that when learning is tied directly to problem-solving and application, the need for repeated revision is reduced because the information is immediately relevant and thus more easily retained.

💡Transferable skill

A transferable skill is a skill or ability that can be applied across different areas or jobs. In the video, the speaker mentions that the ability to learn quickly is a transferable skill that can give individuals an advantage both in academic settings and in their professional lives. The video suggests that adopting an inquiry-based learning approach can help develop this skill by making learning more efficient and connected to real-world problems.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency, as discussed in the video, refers to the effectiveness and economy with which learning is achieved. The speaker advocates for a more efficient approach to learning that minimizes wasted effort and maximizes the retention and application of knowledge. This is contrasted with traditional methods that may involve excessive revision and memorization, which the speaker suggests can be inefficient and lead to burnout.

Highlights

The episode discusses a more effective way to learn for both students and working professionals.

Traditional learning methods are contrasted with a modern approach that starts with problem-solving.

The importance of having a clear purpose for learning is emphasized to make information retention more effective.

The concept of inquiry-based learning is introduced as a method that aligns with how our brains evolved to learn.

The speaker suggests that learning should start with identifying problems and then seeking information to solve them.

The brain is more likely to retain information that is purposeful and relevant to solving problems.

The traditional educational system's learning methods are criticized for being inefficient in professional settings.

The idea of creating a hunger for knowledge before feeding the brain information is presented as a more effective learning strategy.

The speaker explains how to turn work experiences into active learning opportunities by anticipating problems and learning to solve them.

The benefits of inquiry-based learning include improved enjoyment, easier retention, and better problem-solving skills.

The speaker shares anecdotes of students and professionals who have significantly improved their learning and performance using this method.

The necessity of changing the learning framework from traditional to inquiry-based is discussed for long-term success.

The process of changing learning habits is acknowledged as challenging but ultimately rewarding.

The episode concludes with advice to stay efficient in learning and a prompt to apply these methods in daily life.

Transcripts

if you study like the following

then this episode is going to be for you

so let me paint a picture of the

type of person that maybe you study like

or learn it you know if you're a working

professional learning on the job

whatever it is

first of all you figure out what the

topic is that you need to learn about

and then you go and you sit down and you

read a bunch of books or watch

some videos on the topic

and then you write notes on it

as you go as you're reading you're

writing notes constantly

and then you've got a version of what

you've read

but now written out in notes

and you go through to read that again

and learn it and maybe summarize it even

more

and you do that until you've basically

memorized the material

and then you then apply that in your

work

or you'd apply that in a past paper

question if you're a student

so this order of sort of learning

everything you need to learn

writing these notes summarizing these

notes and then applying the information

if that's generally the order that you

follow then

you may be quite surprised that there

are actually

vastly more efficient alternatives to

studying that way so

cue the intro music

[Music]

and the topic of today is really about a

more effective way to learn not only if

you're a student

studying at school or university but

also

for working professionals that are

trying to learn

on the job and this is a method of

learning that

there's really a decent amount of

research

on but it's very under the radar not a

lot of people know about this way of

learning and i'm not entirely sure why

but

it may be because a lot of the research

says that it's very dependent

on the ability of the person to actually

teach it to you so if you were lucky

enough to have a really good teacher

who was able to teach you how to

learn in this way effectively and

facilitate this particular process that

i'm about to teach you

then you would probably do a lot better

but then if you didn't then

you would actually do a you you could

actually do worse

and this is an area that i focus in on a

lot

and i feel like i've developed a decent

level of competency and mastery

in teaching and facilitating others

through it and i'm going to try to do

that to you today

so this method of learning that i've

outlined at the beginning

that learn and then write notes and then

revise notes and then apply that

information

this method of learning is actually

relatively modern

in the way that we learn right and it

really comes about from

the creation of formal education in

schools

which is again relatively modern in

human

evolutionary history at least given that

you know the human brain has been

evolving for millions of years

so the only reason that we learn this

way

is because we have something that is

called

formal education where we sit down

and we learn masses of information

usually at a much higher rate than we

would learn outside of school

and we've then assessed on our ability

to recall this information and we're

assessed in

a variety of different ways not only

depending on the subject but depending

on the culture and depending on what

school and depending on what

curriculum and country that you're in

and

we are taught how to learn this way from

a very young age

right we go to school we're five or six

years old when we start school and

when we start we straight away put in

the classroom setting where we're

learning in a very

curriculum-focused syllabus organized

way

and we go through life really learning

this way

all throughout our formal education we

graduate university doing exactly this

and at the end of that what do we

actually

you know do with that information well

we enter into a job we enter into a

career right

and then so that career

doesn't represent itself

in a curriculum or a syllabus it's it's

organic right it's

the learning is everywhere and so for us

who have

been trained by the formal education

system to learn a very specific

structured way

we then feel under-equipped and

we find it more difficult to learn on

the job finding time for the study i

mean

how many of you have found it difficult

if you're working if you're working

professional how many of you have found

that you really should maybe study more

or learn more on the job to get better

at your job or progress through your

career

but you actually struggle to find time

to do the study

right i mean i think that's a very

common problem

especially in areas where the the

knowledge

the actual knowledge is super high that

you need to know like

medical or clinical roles

but even you know in things like you

know business enterprise

marketing things like this there's

always so much to know and then

how fast you can learn is about how good

you get and so

people that have the ability to learn

very quickly

have an enormous advantage not only in

school obviously from a pure grade point

of view as superficial as that

but also later in life where it actually

really starts mattering is that they've

developed a transferable skill

and so we need to think about learning

the way that we our brain is really

meant

to learn so forget about books i want

you to just imagine that books didn't

exist

books were never invented the only

way that you learn is through simply

just experience and gathering

information yourself

you know so if we were to imagine

learning in this way then it would look

extremely

different first of all way back in the

caveman days when our brain was getting

good at this thing called learning that

the human brain is now extremely good at

we were taking in clues from the

environment we were

you know learning in a very organic way

we'd be running

you know along the in the forest or

whatever and we had

we'd hear the sounds around us would see

tracks on the ground we'd see

a type of leaf or a type of berry

somewhere and we'd make a conclusion

about whether or safe or how

we would uh navigate the terrain or or

how to hunt

the particular you know whatever we're

tracking

but the fundamental beginning the

starting point for this whole process

of creating this this mental image of

the environment and

taking in all these clues and you know

being that kind of detective

the fundamental origin of all of that is

that there is a problem to be solved

we don't tend to learn unless we

actually need to learn

to solve a specific problem it's

unlikely that the cave person version of

ourselves

was sitting in the cave next to the fire

one very ancient evening

and then scribbling down and writing

notes on all the different berries that

they

saw that day and trying to memorize the

colors

of them you know it's unlikely that they

were

quizzing each other on the types of

tracks

that you would find so this type of way

that we learn and associate with

learning now where we just have to sit

down and really let's like look at

something and just do it again and again

and

just really put our brain to figuring it

out that actually that type of learning

is actually very artificial

and there is an alternative to doing

that which is to bring it all the way

back to what our

brain evolved to be really good at to

begin with which is

uh some some of the some one aspect of

this at least is called inquiry learning

or inquiry based learning

and the thing with inquiry based

learning is that it starts with the

inquiry

as the name obviously suggests so the

way that inquiry-based learning

actually works is that we start with

creating a specific question or problem

that we're interested to solve

we want to have a purpose for our

learning and when our learning has a

purpose

that means that the information that we

take in is in itself purposeful and our

brain

wants to keep information that's

purposeful it doesn't want to keep

information that's not purposeful

because

there are so many things that you learn

in a day that's not purposeful

you know if you memorized every single

license plate that you saw on your drive

to work you would

just explode by the time you reached the

first traffic light

however our brain does retain stuff that

is really useful for it and it's useful

for it in terms of solving problems that

are relevant for

that you know it deems relevant so the

first step towards effective learning

and fast learning is to increase the

relevancy of

what you're taking in and consuming

without having to go through the

you know process of sitting and just

smashing it into our brain through

repetition and reading it and writing it

again and just

really just you know putting all of our

mental energy into the

learning process actually we can we can

make that a lot easier and a lot faster

purely by saying okay what is the

purpose behind the topic that we're

going to learn right now

why do i need to know this if you're in

school

think beyond just the curriculum and the

exam why do i need to know this beyond

just the curriculum

and the exam how does this help me in

either my life or my career development

and if there is really nothing else then

well how does this help me understand

other parts of the topic that maybe do

have relevance or

how does it just help me get the

particular grade that i need

in order to you know get into the

university degree that i want

and you know if that's relevant enough

for you

the idea is that it doesn't even almost

matter how you make it relevant you just

need to make it relevant

somehow and if it's truly not relevant

to you at all

in any way then why are you actually

learning it

right so at some point

it's definitely going to be relevant in

some way shape or form it's going to be

relevant otherwise

you wouldn't actually learn it to begin

with right there's a reason that you're

not sitting here

probably right now going through uh

you know like your phone contacts and

memorizing every single person's

email birthday and phone number off by

heart you know

like why are you not learning that well

it's because it's just not relevant okay

so what you are learning is probably

going to be relevant if you're working

professional even more so that's you

know directly relevant but before you

actually start learning it

be very clear about the intention and

the goal and the purpose behind it

think about how you want to apply the

information first

and be very clear about how you want to

apply it

how what you are going to learn is going

to change the way that you apply that

information

and the impact that that's going to have

and really be

clear super crystal clear about the

problem and how you're trying to solve

the problem

and all the different components of the

problem and all the variations of that

problem and all the other types of

problems that

you know that are similar that could be

solved like this

after you've thought of the problem then

think of your own hypothesis

how do you think the solution might look

how do you

how do you think that your groups of

similar related problems

might be solved in one fell swoop you

know create a process of that trying to

discover and setting up

basic logic and reasoning to begin with

and then now you have a series of

hypotheses that you're going to test

you can either accept or reject them and

so when you're learning the information

actually comes into your brain and

immediately is consolidated because

straight away it's relevant to solving

one or two or ten

different problems so what we do

normally when we learn is we learn and

bulk first and then

after a series of rounds of revisions we

then start applying that information

through

past questions or practice exams or or

working in real life and you know

getting hands-on experience with it

what we're going to do is we're actually

flipping that on its head we're saying

what type of problems and experiences

and questions

could i put you know do i need to

actually answer do i feel that i'm not

equipped to answer right now

and then we delve on that a little bit

more so that part is super visceral and

clear

and then we work our way backwards to

think about okay well like

let's think about using the knowledge

that i do have am i really sure i can't

tackle this am i really missing the

information

how can i use what i already know to try

to do my best to solve it

and then we're really entering into that

problem-solving mentality

which is a very organic evolutionarily

optimized type of mentality

and now we're ready to learn and then we

can learn

but the differences between learning the

first way and this way is that this

time when we're learning the information

doesn't need to be constantly revised

because we're jumping to a higher level

of learning straight away we're jumping

to the application of that that

information

so we're applying the information

immediately

that means that our brain finds it

relevant and it's going to hold on to

that so we're actually not going to even

forget it so

because we're not forgetting it we don't

need to revise it again and again

okay so this is something that i think

is

important for especially professionals

where your learning actually dictates

how good you're going to get at your job

and how quickly and easily you can

progress through it

and how much sacrifice you need to put

in your life to study

and so often i'll see people who are you

know working and trying to learn and

they're struggling to balance the two of

it

and a big part of it is just because

they're taking that university method of

learning that they got so used to

and just trying to apply that in their

um you know real life

actual workplace environment and it's

just it's so inefficient that

there's no time to do it because you

just you just

know that you don't if you're working

professionally and you're listening to

this i don't need to explain how

inefficient

and time-consuming it is so the the

order needs to be create the problem

identify the problems be really clear on

the problems hypothesize the solutions

and then do the learning and then

iterate on that create the solutions

apply them create the solutions apply

them

and then you your learning is always the

final step it's the thing that

fills in the blanks when you really need

it so you're creating

hunger first you're making your brain

really hungry to know certain types of

information

and then once it's hungry then you're

feeding it the right information

you're not doing it the other way around

where you just feed it mindlessly first

you overfill it it struggles to digest

it it ends up vomiting some out and

diarrheaing the other part of it out and

then what you're left with is this like

very partially digested mess of stuff

that

you don't even know why you ate it in

the first place

and then over time yes you might slowly

digest it but

there's a lot of pain and also you know

you like are now gonna have to

re-eat your vomit and diarrhea so if

that image wasn't

very pleasant for you this is what i

think about you and the way that you

study

so there's a big need to change that

because there are benefits

to your daily life even you know don't

have time to exercise because you're so

stressed out about needing to study

well do the study more efficiently so

think about it this way right like

when you're at work you're constantly

bombarded by experiences you can turn

those experiences into

more active learning opportunities so

the night before you go to work think

about all the problems that you may face

the next day

and think about the ways that you might

try to solve that do a little bit of

learning around

informing you on the way that you might

solve those problems and this might only

take you 30 minutes

okay or 20 minutes or 10 minutes if you

don't have enough time

and then the next day when you're

actually going through the day now you

can

check were these truly the problems that

i faced or not

and then you can apply the learning that

you may

you um consumed and you can try to apply

that solve the problem the way that you

hypo

hypothesized did it work or did it not

and then if it didn't work well that's

learning and if it did work that's

learning too and it's consolidating

and at the end of that day now you have

this experience through which you've

applied the information and then you can

deepen the knowledge more

you can build on a new set of problems a

more advanced more technical set of

problems that you weren't even able to

think of

before the experience but now that

you've had the experience you can think

oh

now i can think of even more specific

questions to ask myself even more issues

that i wasn't able to anticipate and

then you can hypothesize them again and

you can do more learning so

there should always be a cycle of

learning that is based around

a creation and identification of

problems

and that's where it should start but

it's often not

a lot of the time people will say okay

i'm learning the stuff at work but when

i go home what i'm going to be studying

is something that's not even you know

related to that

so the experience and the learning are

actually separated

and it's actively separated purely

because it's always been separated at

school and it's always been separated

in university as well and there are a

lot of different methods and systems

that you can use for studying

that actually incorporate this and most

of the learning systems that i teach

for my students you know as young as 14

years old

all the way through to the professionals

that i work with that are in their 30s

40s and 50s

it's based on this type of inquiry first

truly problem-solving mentality and you

know what my students and clients say is

that they always say

that learning for them has become so

much more enjoyable studying it's so

much more fun it doesn't seem like a

chore anymore

they're able to retain information so

much more easily without even trying

they're finding it easier to get to a

depth of knowledge

they feel that the information is more

connected and it's easier to

recall and use the information and

they're getting better grades they're

getting better

at their skills development they're

getting appreciation from their

bosses and managers who are commenting

on how

quickly they're improving and how much

um you know faster their skills are

developing compared to you know other

people that are normally at that level

uh they're seen as like the study guru

by their friends i've had

students who were interviewed by their

school because the school couldn't just

figure out

how they were doing so well by putting

in so little effort

and this is all the result of just

fundamentally switching that framework

and it's not easy to change straight

away

but it's definitely well worth it and

again it's you know a new skill

so as with any new skill don't expect

that you're going to be great at it

immediately you know this is a reason

why i actually

have coaching clients because people

want to get good at this and they find

it difficult to do it themselves

so it's something that you need to be a

little bit diligent and patient about

don't expect to

bring about this enormous change

overnight slowly

work towards it measure your progress

like i talked about in the previous

episode

in the right ways and just diligently

turn it through

and over time you will you'll be able to

see it from my

perspective and see how much of a

life-changing difference

that this can make so that's a tip for

this episode

until next time stay efficient

[Music]

you