Revision Tips: How to Make Your Revision More TARGETED
Summary
TLDRIn this conversation, the speaker discusses effective learning and revision strategies beyond spaced repetition. They emphasize the importance of higher-order thinking for better retention and retrieval of information. Techniques like teaching, brain dumps, and creating mind maps are highlighted as methods to engage with material at various cognitive levels. The speaker also stresses the significance of understanding when to apply different techniques to address specific learning gaps and challenges.
Takeaways
- 📚 The conversation with Steph revolves around learning and productivity, focusing on effective revision techniques beyond spaced repetition.
- 🔄 Spaced repetition is deemed necessary for certain parts of information encoding but not the only method for effective learning.
- 🤔 The speaker suggests that when information feels irrelevant or difficult to retain, it might be a sign to elevate the learning process with higher-order thinking.
- 🧠 Higher-order thinking is recommended for better knowledge integration and retention, as opposed to lower-order strategies like rote memorization.
- 📉 Lower-order learning strategies have a limited ceiling in terms of effectiveness and should be used only when necessary for certain content.
- 🔑 Techniques like Anki, flashcards, and other memorization methods are acceptable for lower-order learning but have their limitations.
- 📝 The importance of retrieval practice at higher levels of mastery is emphasized for both identifying knowledge gaps and improving thinking skills.
- 👨🏫 Teaching is highlighted as an excellent method for revision, testing multiple levels of understanding and promoting deeper learning.
- 🔄 The effectiveness of teaching as a revision technique depends on the approach taken, requiring a structured and logical flow of information.
- 🧭 The speaker recommends restructuring and reordering information for teaching to ensure a deeper understanding of concepts and their relationships.
- 📈 The ability to choose the right revision technique based on the learning goal and available time is a mark of an intermediate to advanced learner.
- 💡 The script concludes with the idea that challenging oneself with difficult revision techniques is essential to avoid being caught off-guard during exams.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the conversation between the speaker and Steph?
-The main topic of the conversation is about learning and productivity, specifically discussing the effectiveness of different revision techniques beyond spaced repetition.
What is the purpose of discussing spaced repetition in the context of the conversation?
-The purpose is to explore whether there are better ways to revise information and when it is appropriate to use spaced repetition or other memorization techniques.
What does the speaker suggest is an indicator of lower order thinking in learning?
-The speaker suggests that lower order thinking is indicated when one feels that information is not sticking and the brain seems to be 'ejecting' it, signaling that the information is not seen as relevant or understood.
How does the speaker propose to improve retention and retrieval of information when higher order thinking is not possible?
-The speaker proposes using lower order strategies such as Anki, flashcards, and simple repetition when higher order thinking is not possible for certain subjects.
What is the significance of testing at higher levels of mastery according to the speaker?
-Testing at higher levels of mastery is significant because it helps identify gaps in knowledge before exams, and it also aids in higher levels of thinking, allowing for better calibration of one's learning process.
Why does the speaker consider teaching to be a great way of revision?
-Teaching is considered a great way of revision because it tests one at multiple different levels and requires understanding of the importance and relevance of different concepts and their relationships.
What is the difference between a linear teaching approach and a more effective teaching strategy according to the speaker?
-A linear teaching approach may not test at a high level because it requires memorization of a process without linking information together. A more effective strategy involves understanding the importance of relationships and structuring information in a way that emphasizes key points and logical flow.
What is a 'brain dump' and how can it be used as a revision technique?
-A 'brain dump' involves regurgitating everything one knows about a topic, either by writing it out linearly or mapping it out to test connections between concepts. It can be made more effective by prioritizing concepts and relationships.
Why is it important to use the right revision technique based on one's learning gaps and available time?
-Using the right revision technique based on learning gaps and time availability allows for adaptive learning, ensuring that both high and low levels of thinking are addressed effectively, and that the learner can practice retrieval and prioritization as needed.
What does the speaker suggest about the difficulty of certain revision techniques?
-The speaker suggests that the difficulty of a revision technique may not be due to the technique itself but rather the challenge it presents to one's knowledge and comfort level, which is something learners should embrace and control through practice.
How does the speaker relate the concept of teaching to the idea of explaining one's thought process during an exam?
-The speaker relates teaching to exam explanations by emphasizing the need for logical articulation of thought processes, which is a skill developed through teaching and is crucial for effectively communicating one's understanding to an examiner.
Outlines
📚 Effective Learning Techniques and Spaced Repetition
The speaker begins a conversation about learning and productivity with Steph, discussing the importance of encoding information and the role of spaced repetition in the learning process. They touch on the idea that spaced repetition is necessary but may not be the most effective for all types of information. The speaker shares insights from a recent workshop about when to use memorization techniques like the method of loci or story method, and when to engage in higher order thinking to improve retention and retrieval. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding when lower order learning is taking place and how to elevate it to higher order thinking for better learning outcomes.
🤔 The Role of Teaching and Brain Dumps in Learning
In the second paragraph, the speaker delves into the effectiveness of teaching as a revision technique, highlighting the importance of structuring information logically to ensure a comprehensive understanding. They discuss the difference between simple memorization and the deeper understanding required for effective teaching, emphasizing the need for logical flow and prioritization of concepts. The speaker introduces the concept of a 'brain dump' as an alternative method to activate similar processes as teaching, suggesting that mapping out information can enhance the effectiveness of this technique. The paragraph concludes with the idea that understanding and applying the right learning technique based on one's weaknesses and time constraints is a hallmark of an intermediate level learner.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Encoding
💡Spaced Repetition
💡Lower Order Learning
💡Higher Order Thinking
💡Memorization Techniques
💡Anki
💡Retrieval Practice
💡Meta-Cognitive Level
💡Teaching
💡Brain Dump
💡Prioritization
Highlights
Discussion about the effectiveness of spaced repetition and its necessity for certain parts of information encoding.
Introduction of the concept of lower order learning and its indication when knowledge is not sticking.
Suggestion to use higher order thinking to improve knowledge integration and retention.
Explanation of when to use memorization techniques like the Method of Loci or story method.
Differentiation between lower and higher order learning strategies and their respective ceilings.
Importance of retrieval practice and revision at higher levels of mastery for effective learning.
Advocacy for using practice questions and past papers for learning, with a focus on leading with uncertainty.
Teaching as a revision method and its effectiveness depending on the approach taken.
The necessity for restructuring and reordering information when teaching for effective learning.
Feynman's technique of teaching concepts to younger audiences as a method for simplifying complex ideas.
Brain dump technique for activating teaching-like processes without actually teaching someone.
Creating mind maps for testing connections and prioritizing concepts as a form of effective revision.
Adapting revision techniques based on time availability and learning gaps.
The intermediate learner's understanding of different techniques and their effects on learning outcomes.
The challenge of explaining one's thought process in a logical manner for exam responses.
Addressing the misconception that certain revision techniques are too hard due to discomfort with the challenge.
The importance of controlling the timing of difficulty in learning to avoid in-exam struggles.
Transcripts
welcome to my conversation with Steph
wish who's going to ask me a bunch of
questions about learning or productivity
which I don't know exactly what we're
going to be talked about today but every
time I'm traveling it seems that this is
a good way of making some content
because I'm usually too busy and I don't
have a studio to set up everything but
at least I can keep providing you some
value when I'm on the road so yeah Steph
what are we talking about today all
right so we've been talking a lot about
encoding on the channel recently and
we've touched a little bit more on Space
repetition in one of our recent videos
so I think a lot of people are wondering
if not space repetition then what are
some better ways to do revision
so it's like we've talked about the
encoding process now what's next after
it's all being encoded so space
repetition is still going to be
necessary it's just that it's only
necessary for some parts of the
information I was actually doing a
workshop today and this topic kind of
came up the idea of when is it
appropriate to use something like space
repetition or memorization technique
like metablo Kai or link method or story
method or anything like that and
whenever you feel that you're entering
into that sort of lower order learning
kind of mindset that low order thinking
so again that's that type of mindset
where you think that's not going to
stick I need to just repeat this again
and again I can you can almost feel it
sort of leaking out of your brain that
is your brain telling you this is not
something that's relevant I don't get
this it's not going to stick I don't see
why I need to hold on to it and you're
feeling your brain almost ejecting it
that's kind of what we're feeling so
that's lower order thinking and that's
sort of the indicator for your brain
that things could be taken up a notch so
when we feel like that the first thing
is well you know can we reduce that by
flicking it up a gear using some of a
higher order thinking so that we are
able to integrate that knowledge more
and therefore improve our retention and
improve our retrieval of it if that's
not possible which for some subjects is
as high as 30 of the content for some
subjects as low as you know less than
five percent of the content uh we do
need to learn it using lower order
strategies so lower order strategies
including something like Anki and flash
cards and just the repetition and things
like that I'm pretty sure the last time
I was in a hotel room talking to you
this is also the topic that we talked
about yeah so that's one aspect it
doesn't really matter which memorization
technique we're using to fill that
purpose as long as it gets the job done
it's going to be fine like lower order
has a pretty low ceiling in terms of its
effect so any any technique that hits
that ceiling it's going to be fine so
flashcard's okay you know Memory Palace
method of loci Link method story method
you know power system tables all of
these things are going to be perfectly
fine and there's lots of other videos
you know available to to look at that so
that's going to be totally okay it's
important that you retrieve and do
revision at higher levels of Mastery not
only because of the fact that that is
how we're tested and therefore or we
want to find gaps in our knowledge there
before the exam hits but also because of
the fact that testing at higher levels
of Mastery also helps us with the higher
levels of thinking in itself it kind of
allows us to calibrate our sense of
learning so in the initial encoding part
if we're not really sure whether we
thought about it at a high level and
whether we encoded it properly when you
test at that high level we can calibrate
that feeling like oh yeah I thought I
did it well and it turns out yes it did
work or Oh I thought I did a well but it
didn't quite work and then that allows
us to be more in tune with our learning
at that meta-cognitive level so other
techniques that you could use outside of
memorization is you know using you know
your practice questions and past paper
questions and things like that but again
like what I talked about in previous
videos I talked about on the live
coaching session right and then also the
the USMLE video about how we can take a
question and how we can create an answer
sheet how we can lead with uncertainty
rather than needing to rely on answers
and work explanations and things like
that so that's one area that we can
extend it out a lot of people often say
that teaching is a great way of revision
and it is teaching is a fantastic way of
revision because it tests you at
multiple different levels but it also
depends on how you're actually teaching
it for example if I'm teaching you
something and I just start from wherever
I feel like I want to start and I just
go like in a single linear order
starting from start to finish going over
like just whatever I can think of almost
just ranting that is not testing at a
very high level right so why is that why
do you think that that's not testing at
a very high level right I think because
when you're just going linearly you sort
of have to memorize the entire process
it has to go from a after B is after
that is C and you're not really linking
together and information is isolated
you're not finding out how are different
concepts related to one another
yep so that's that's true but it's
actually it's even a level beyond that
right because in order for you to teach
effectively you need to know where to
start and what to go to next and what
the next point is so what that requires
is more than just understanding that
things are related because that's kind
of that mid to high level understanding
that there are relationships but the
level above that is understanding why
those relationships are important and
how they are important and what contexts
they're important and so when you're
trying to teach something and if you're
trying to teach something well you try
to figure out what is important and what
paths do I need to emphasize and what
parts do I need to start with and then
what parts can I fade away and what path
can I de-prioritize or put later in my
teaching and that often requires us to
restructure information and reorder
information so you know teaching is a
method that already a lot of people are
using and they find good effect with but
some people use teaching and they don't
actually find good effect with it and
it's not that the teaching as a
technique is wrong it's that the way
that we teach it makes a big difference
on how it forces us to think about
things just like the type of question a
practice question asks us changes the
way that we think about that particular
thing a more difficult question makes us
think at a higher level so when we're
teaching we don't have that cue so we
need to hold ourselves to that standard
so figure out what the most logical
possible flow is one of the great like
feynman's sort of you know he talked
about this a lot is the idea of like
sort of teaching something to a
five-year-old or teaching something to a
10 year old but it's not in just
teaching something to a five-year-old
that there is the value right you can't
just like use five-year-old words and
like teach the entire topic for like an
hour the idea is that you're able to
package something simply and concisely
but comprehensively and accurately
there's no way you can be both simple
comprehensive and concise without
knowing exactly what it is that we're
honing in on and we're trying to pin
onto and so teaching to a five-year-old
or a 10 year old is a good kind of
approach to take so that's a that's a
good technique and then you can take it
up another level so you could do that
and then you could do you know the level
beyond that which might be like you know
teach it to a you know a 15 year old and
you can continue up until you get to the
desired level that you want to get to so
yeah so something like teaching will be
a great technique as well you can
alternatively activate similar types of
processes as you would when you're
teaching even without teaching so a
common method is called a brain dump and
a brain dump involves just sort of
regurgitating everything that you know
about something and you can just write
it out you know linearly in a linear
brain dump is still effective make it
even more effective at the higher levels
by not only writing everything out but
then also mapping it out so now you're
testing on the connections and things or
you could say well I'm going to create a
map of only the most important ideas and
you can force yourself to prioritize the
concepts and prioritize certain
relationships and the good thing about
having a range of different options and
knowing this will test me at this high
level whereas this will test me at this
low level is that you can use the
technique that is right for where your
gaps are and where your weaknesses are
and you can use the technique that you
have the time for like doing a basic map
of just the main ideas of a topic if I
only take 15 minutes and that's testing
at a very high level because it's
requiring strict prioritization about
the knowledge so that's something that
you could fit in when you don't have
much time to study but it's still
effective revision and retrieval
practice for that higher level of
thinking it's not going to be very good
for the low levels but it's going to at
least hit some of the high level and
we've got a little bit more time maybe
on the bus you can you know do your
flashcards for some of the low-level
stuff and you can bridge the gap between
the two by fleshing out that mind map
later or you can do the teaching and so
you can fill your time adaptively
depending on what's available and so the
Hallmark of someone that is at least an
intermediate level learner is they
understand how different techniques
produce different effects and they can
use the right technique to produce the
right effect
I think that no one's of knowing when to
use each technique to achieve the
particular result that you want it's
something that not a lot of people
appreciate and what you say about the
explanation and prioritization and
thinking of where to even start
explaining really resonates with me
because I was just having a teaching
session with some of my tutoring
students and I find that when you're
actually answering your exam questions
as well you need to be able to
articulate your line of thinking in a
way that is logical and easy for the
examiner to award your points one thing
is that some people will say that you
know they're not going to do a certain
type of revision or something because
it's too hard to do but I mean it's like
what about it is hard like is your
revision technique like do a one-handed
handstand on like a you know balancing
board and then like you know recite it
like is it hard because you can't do
that or is it hard because it's
challenging your knowledge in a way that
you're not comfortable with so you've
got to ask yourself well am I going to
be challenged this way eventually and
the answer is yes then you need to be in
control of when that difficulty happens
you know you don't want that difficulty
to occur for the very first time
mid-exam obviously you know that's kind
of the worst case scenario yeah that's
the whole meme of like studying well in
advance studying just before the exam
and studying
yeah exactly yeah so studying in the
exam is um you know it's a Bittersweet
moment because you always think like man
this exam would actually be quite fun if
I wasn't actually getting assist on it
if it wasn't actually weighted but it's
not a great feeling to have so placing
that burden on yourself at an earlier
stage of the process you know it goes a
long way
[Music]
oh
[Music]
please
[Music]
Ver Más Videos Relacionados
Study More Efficiently With These 2 Basic Steps
Revision Strategy to Score 700+ in NEET | Effective Strategy 100% | PhysicsWallah
Gimana Cara Belajar Paling Efektif? (Active Recall)
Every EFFECTIVE Learning Method Explained in 11 Minutes
How to Make the PERFECT Revision Timetable with Spaced Repetition
Rotina de estudos: a melhor estratégia da neurociência
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)