How I got a 4.0 GPA with COGNITIVE LOADING (Better than Active Recall) [LOW BACKGROUND MUSIC]

Summary

In this educational video, junior doctor Darren delves into Cognitive Load Theory, a pivotal learning principle essential for developing effective study strategies. He explains the encoding process, the importance of Germane Cognitive Load in retaining information, and the distinction between intrinsic, extraneous, and Germane cognitive loads. Darren shares his personal study techniques used during his undergraduate years, emphasizing the value of pre-lecture preparation, active listening, and note-taking strategies that maximize cognitive load. He also discusses post-lecture review methods, including active recall, to consolidate learning. The video concludes with a practical example of note-taking during a biochemistry lecture, illustrating how to apply these strategies for optimal learning efficiency.

Takeaways

• 📚 **Cognitive Load Theory**: A fundamental learning principle for developing effective study strategies, more crucial than active recall or spaced repetition.
• 🧠 **Encoding Process**: Information moves from working memory to long-term memory through active engagement against the brain's tendency to forget.
• 🔗 **Germane Cognitive Load**: The cognitive effort involved in integrating new information with existing knowledge, leading to better retention and understanding.
• 📈 **Intrinsic Cognitive Load**: The mental effort required to understand a concept, with subjects like calculus having a higher load compared to biology.
• 🚫 **Extraneous Cognitive Load**: The unnecessary mental effort spent on irrelevant aspects of learning, such as confusing lecture slides or poor teaching.
• 👨‍⚕️ **Medical School Example**: Understanding the cause of macrocytic anemia through the lens of cognitive load theory, illustrating how B12 deficiency affects red blood cell development.
• 📅 **Pre-Lecture Preparation**: Reviewing lecture materials the night before to reduce intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load, allowing for a deeper focus during lectures.
• 🎧 **Lecture Recordings**: Using recordings strategically to clarify points during note-taking without relying on them as a substitute for attentive listening.
• ✍️ **Note-Taking Strategies**: Writing concise notes that capture the core idea, promoting active summarization and enhancing long-term learning.
• 🤔 **Active Engagement**: Engaging with the material by predicting the professor's next point, which increases cognitive load and solidifies understanding.
• 📉 **Post-Lecture Review**: Reviewing and clarifying lecture content the same day to consolidate information and save time during exam preparation.
• 🏋️‍♂️ **Balanced Approach**: Balancing study with other activities like exercise and socializing to maintain mental freshness and avoid burnout.

Q & A

What is cognitive load theory?

Cognitive load theory is a learning principle that explains how information is processed and retained in the brain. It involves the cognitive effort associated with grappling with new knowledge and trying to integrate it into existing schemas, which is crucial for developing effective study strategies and improving memory retention.

What are the three main types of cognitive load?

The three main types of cognitive load are intrinsic cognitive load, extraneous cognitive load, and germane cognitive load. Intrinsic cognitive load refers to the mental resources required to understand a concept itself. Extraneous cognitive load involves the processing power needed for irrelevant information. Germane cognitive load is the process of linking new information to existing knowledge.

Why is it important to maximize germane cognitive load during learning?

Maximizing germane cognitive load is important because it involves actively integrating new information with existing knowledge, which enhances learning and memory retention. It helps in creating a more structured and connected memory schema, making it easier to recall information when needed.

How can you reduce intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load during a lecture?

You can reduce intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load by pre-reading lecture materials, which allows you to better follow the flow of ideas during the lecture. This enables you to focus on higher-level cognitive processes and aids in retaining information more effectively.

What is the significance of note-taking in the context of cognitive load theory?

Note-taking is significant as it helps in summarizing and synthesizing information, which in turn maximizes germane cognitive load. By capturing the core ideas in as few words as possible, you are forced to put in effort to understand and distill the key concepts, enhancing learning and long-term memory.

How can you use lecture recordings effectively for studying?

Lecture recordings can be used effectively by syncing them with note-taking software, allowing you to review unclear points or concepts by listening to the exact part of the lecture. This method saves time and ensures that you can focus on the lecture content without the need to re-listen to the entire recording.

What are some strategies to maximize cognitive load during a lecture?

Strategies include asking yourself how the current concept relates to others, predicting what the professor will say next, and considering how the concept might be tested. These strategies engage you with the material, promote active listening, and enhance understanding.

How does using analogies help with learning and understanding complex concepts?

Analogies help by providing a relatable context to complex concepts, making them easier to understand. They can create a mental framework that links new information to familiar experiences, thereby enhancing cognitive load and aiding in memory retention.

What is the role of active recall in studying and how can it be implemented?

Active recall is an evidence-based study method that involves trying to remember information without looking at the notes. It can be implemented by glancing at a slide or a topic and attempting to recreate the explanation without referring to your notes. This process strengthens memory and understanding of the material.

Why is reviewing material on the same day as the lecture beneficial?

Reviewing on the same day consolidates the information into your long-term memory, saving you time and stress during exam preparation. It also helps in identifying and clarifying any confusion or gaps in understanding while the material is still fresh in your mind.

How can office hours be beneficial for students?

Office hours provide an opportunity to directly ask your professor for clarification on confusing concepts. This can be particularly helpful after you've tried other methods of understanding and still have questions, ensuring a deeper and more accurate grasp of the material.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Cognitive Load Theory and Effective Study Strategies

Darren, a junior doctor, introduces cognitive load theory as a fundamental principle for effective study strategies. He emphasizes the importance of understanding cognitive load for better grades and long-term memory. The video covers three types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane, with a focus on maximizing germane cognitive load during lectures and review sessions. Darren also shares his personal study techniques from undergraduate years that helped him retain information deeply.

05:02

🧠 Application of Germaine Cognitive Load in Medical School

The speaker provides an example from medical school about understanding anemia, particularly macrocytic anemia caused by B12 deficiency. He explains how the process of linking new information to existing knowledge enhances memory retention. The paragraph also discusses strategies used during undergraduate studies, such as reviewing lecture slides the night before to reduce cognitive load and improve comprehension during lectures.

10:04

📚 Optimizing Note-Taking and Engagement During Lectures

The paragraph details the importance of actively engaging with lecture material to maximize cognitive load. It describes a technique of pretending that no lecture recordings exist to force attentiveness. The speaker also shares his method of note-taking, which involves summarizing教授 (professor's) points to enhance learning. He uses technology like OneNote to sync recordings with notes for later clarification and emphasizes the importance of understanding and applying concepts in real-time.

15:05

🔬 Active Participation and Predicting Professors' Thoughts

The speaker talks about his approach to staying engaged during lectures by predicting what the professor will say next, which is a sign of high cognitive load. He uses the example of membrane fluidity to demonstrate how he took notes and applied cognitive load theory. The paragraph encourages students to practice creating their analogies and to relate new information to what they already know.

20:06

📈 Post-Lecture Review and Active Recall Techniques

The paragraph discusses the benefits of reviewing lecture material the same day to consolidate information and save time before exams. The speaker shares his routine of taking a break after the lecture, then reviewing notes and addressing any confusion by listening to recordings, discussing with peers, or attending office hours. He also introduces active recall as a study method, demonstrating how to practice it with an example from biochemistry.

Keywords

💡Cognitive Load Theory

Cognitive Load Theory is a psychological concept that refers to the amount of mental effort being used in working memory during the process of learning. In the video, it is emphasized as a crucial principle for developing effective study strategies. The theory is central to understanding how to manage the mental resources required for learning new information and is directly related to the efficiency of learning and the ability to recall information during tests.

💡Germane Cognitive Load

Germane Cognitive Load is the cognitive effort that is directly involved in learning and understanding new information. It is considered the most beneficial type of cognitive load as it is associated with the integration of new information with existing knowledge structures. In the video, the presenter discusses how to maximize Germane Cognitive Load during lectures and study sessions to enhance learning and memory retention, as exemplified by linking the concept of macrocytic anemia to the role of vitamin B12 in DNA synthesis.

💡Intrinsic Cognitive Load

Intrinsic Cognitive Load refers to the inherent difficulty of the material being learned, which is determined by the complexity of the concepts and the mental resources required to understand them. The video uses calculus as an example of a subject with high Intrinsic Cognitive Load, where solving complex equations demands significant mental effort and concentration, contrasting it with subjects like biology that have a lower intrinsic load, allowing for more cognitive capacity to be allocated to Germane Cognitive Load.

💡Extraneous Cognitive Load

Extraneous Cognitive Load is the cognitive effort that arises from external factors unrelated to the core learning material, such as poor presentation or confusing instructions. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as a type of load that can be reduced by improving the quality of study materials and lectures. Reducing Extraneous Cognitive Load allows students to allocate more cognitive resources to the material itself, thus improving learning outcomes.

💡Active Recall

Active Recall is a learning technique where learners actively try to remember information without looking at the material. This method is shown in the video to be a powerful tool for strengthening memory and understanding. The presenter uses active recall during his study process by attempting to recreate what was taught in class from memory, which helps in solidifying concepts and preparing for exams.

💡Spaced Repetition

Spaced Repetition is a memorization technique where material is reviewed over increasing intervals of time to enhance long-term memory. Although not the main focus of the video, it is mentioned as an important concept in learning strategies. The video suggests that while Spaced Repetition is helpful, Cognitive Load Theory is more foundational and affects the overall effectiveness of learning strategies, including Spaced Repetition.

💡Note-taking

Note-taking is a study technique where learners write down key points from lectures or readings to aid in understanding and memory. In the video, the presenter discusses strategies for effective note-taking, such as summarizing core ideas in few words to maximize Germane Cognitive Load. He also mentions using technology like OneNote to synchronize notes with lecture recordings for later review and clarification.

💡Membrane Fluidity

Membrane Fluidity is a concept from biochemistry that refers to the ability of lipids in a biological membrane to move freely. It is used in the video as an example to demonstrate how understanding the relationship between the structure of phospholipids and membrane fluidity can be aided by analogies and active engagement with the material. This concept is tied to the broader theme of the video by illustrating how understanding complex subjects can be facilitated through effective learning strategies.

💡Analogy

An analogy is a comparison between two things that are usually different in most respects but alike in the aspect being compared. In the context of the video, analogies are used as a learning tool to help students better understand complex concepts by relating them to more familiar ideas. The presenter uses an analogy to explain membrane fluidity, likening phospholipids to people standing in a room, to illustrate the concept of space allowing for movement.

💡Office Hours

Office Hours are designated times when professors are available to meet with students to discuss course material, answer questions, and provide additional guidance. In the video, the presenter suggests attending office hours as a resource for clarifying confusing concepts after attempting to understand them through self-study and peer discussion. Office Hours are presented as a valuable opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the material and to prevent misunderstandings during exam preparation.

💡Undergraduate Studies

Undergraduate Studies refer to the level of higher education prior to a graduate degree, typically where students earn a bachelor's degree. The video's presenter reflects on his strategies and experiences during his undergraduate years, emphasizing the importance of understanding Cognitive Load Theory and applying effective study techniques to succeed academically. The context of undergraduate studies provides a relatable backdrop for the video's advice, as it is a critical period for developing strong study habits and intellectual growth.

Highlights

Cognitive Load Theory is crucial for developing effective study strategies and improving grades.

The likelihood of recalling information is directly related to the level of germane cognitive load during encoding and review.

Cognitive load refers to the amount of information that working memory can hold at any given time.

Intrinsic cognitive load is the mental effort required to understand a concept, with subjects like calculus having a high load.

Extraneous cognitive load involves mental effort not directly related to learning material, such as unclear presentation.

Germain cognitive load is about linking new information to existing knowledge to enhance memory retention.

An example of applying germain cognitive load is understanding the cause of macrocytic anemia through B12 deficiency.

Reviewing lecture slides before class reduces intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load, allowing for better focus during lectures.

Using lecture recordings strategically can enhance learning by focusing on summarizing key concepts rather than transcribing.

Note-taking should involve capturing core ideas in few words to maximize germane cognitive load and learning.

Predicting what the professor will say next during a lecture is a good way to engage with the material and check understanding.

Active recall, such as trying to recreate the professor's explanation without notes, is an effective study method.

Reviewing and clarifying concepts on the same day as the lecture saves time and stress during exam season.

Office hours can be a valuable resource for gaining clarity on confusing concepts.

Using analogies during lectures can aid in understanding complex concepts and reducing cognitive load.

Engaging with the material by asking how new information relates to known concepts is key for deep learning.

The presenter used a 4.0 GPA goal to motivate their study strategies during undergrad.

There are non-study related factors that can also contribute to becoming smarter, which are covered in subsequent videos.

Transcripts

friends welcome back to the channel if

you're new here my name is Darren and

I'm a junior doctor at McMaster

University today we are going to be

going over cognitive load Theory which

is the most important learning principle

that you need to understand if you want

to develop effective study strategies

and get better grades

better than active recall better than

space repetition not saying that those

Concepts aren't important but really

cognitive load theory is at the core of

any effective learning strategy so in

addition to going over cognitive loading

I'm also going to tell you about what I

did in undergrad both before during and

after lecture to maximize the efficiency

of my learning and really grasp Concepts

so deeply that I still remember them to

this very day as usual time stamps Down

Below in the video description but

without any further Ado I'm going to

hand it off to Dr chai for a brief

introduction on cognitive loading to

understand the theory of cognitive

loading we must first review the basics

of the encoding process as new

information makes its way into the

working memory we actively fight against

the brain's natural tendency to forget

such learned information in doing so

this information Works its way from the

working memory into the long-term memory

where it is hopefully able to be

recalled upon when needed on testing we

know from studies that the likelihood

that such information is accurately

recalled is directly related to the

level of germane cognitive load

implemented both at the time of encoding

and subsequent review

put quite simply it is the cognitive

discomfort associated with grappling

with this novel knowledge and attempting

to link it into existing schemas that

produces lasting memory effects

cognitive load in general refers to the

amount of information that you can hold

in your working memory at any given

point in time now as a student there are

three main types of cognitive load that

you need to understand if you want to do

better in school the first is intrinsic

cognitive load the second is extraneous

cognitive load and the third and most

important is Germain cognitive load now

most of this video is going to be

focused on how we can maximize Germain

cognitive load both in lecture and when

you're reviewing for your exams but just

to help you guys understand the bigger

picture I think it's important to go

over both intrinsic and extraneous

cognitive load as well intrinsic

cognitive load refers to the amount of

mental resources that need to be applied

to even grasp the concept itself some

subjects are more intrinsically

demanding in terms of cognitive load

than others so for example example

calculus is one of those subjects that

has a relatively High intrinsic

cognitive load there's not much else you

can do when you're solving differential

equations and if someone distracts you

in the middle of a problem set that can

be quite annoying because you have to

sort of pick up where you left off and

sort of figure out where you were in the

middle of that problem and all the

different variables calculus High

intrinsic cognitive load contrast

calculus with a subject like biology

that has a relatively lower intrinsic

cognitive load not saying that it's easy

by any means but it does have a lower

intrinsic cognitive load because if

you'll notice when you're in lecture

your friend can sort of make a joke and

you can turn to them have a mini

conversation and tune right back into

the lecture and generally speaking you

can do that a couple of times and not

lose sight of the bigger picture you can

still follow along with what the

professor is trying to say now not

recommending you actually do that

because it's actually in subjects with

low intrinsic cognitive load that you

want to try and maximize Germain

cognitive load but we'll get there

extraneous cognitive load very quickly

is essentially any processing power that

you need to apply that isn't directly

related to the material itself so this

can be kind of an annoying part of

learning because if your professor is

not the greatest teacher they may have

grammar and spelling mistakes on their

slides or maybe their figures don't make

a whole lot of sense or maybe their

slides don't match up with what they're

actually saying and the timing is just

way off those are all factors that

contribute to extraneous cognitive load

because you're having to devote mental

energy to even follow along with what's

being said Jermaine cognitive load

refers to the process of taking in new

information and trying to link it to

information that you already know so in

instead of having this isolated fat just

lying around in your working memory you

actively integrate it with other

information that you already know to be

true so you're less likely to forget it

because you see the relevance of it as

it relates to what you already know to

give you guys an example of what I would

have used Germaine cognitive load in

medical school I remember when I was

learning about the various different

types of anemia essentially anemia is a

condition where you have less red blood

cells in your bloodstream so there's

less oxygen delivered to various

different parts of your body and

therefore people feel tired they're pale

and generally it's just not a good thing

to have the real interesting part is

when we were learning about the

different types of anemia and

specifically macrocytic anemia which is

just a fancy way of saying that yes

there were less red blood cells but the

red blood cells that were there were

larger than known than normal macro

acidic essentially

don't ask me I didn't come up with the

names essentially we learned that the

most common cause of macrocytic anemia

was B12 deficiency and obviously as

medical students we were kind of

scratching our heads we weren't really

sure like why exactly does a lack of B12

either from the diet or an inability to

absorb B12 why does that lead to larger

red blood cells and the answer we got

was actually really interesting because

it's an example of where germane

cognitive load allowed me to hold on to

this information even to this very day

when I haven't reviewed it in a number

of years essentially B12 is a cofactor

for DNA synthesis and if you recall from

grade 11 or 12 biology DNA synthesis

occurs during the S phase of the cell

cycle so with less B12 around DNA

synthesis takes longer to actually

finish which allows the rest of the

cytoplasm and the organelles to continue

growing during the S phase so by the

time that d DNA is actually ready to be

to be split and form two different cells

the rest of the cell has actually grown

so much so that's why you get macrocytic

or large red blood cells and there's

less of them because you have B12

deficiency leading to a prolonged S

phase of the cell cycle which allows the

cell to grow more than it normally would

prior to division now that you guys have

an understanding of cognitive load

Theory I'm going to use the rest of the

time in this video to go over actual

strategies that I used in undergrad both

before during and after lecture to

maximize my germane cognitive load and

Ace basically every single one of my

classes so make sure you stick around

when I was an undergrad I made it a

priority to go over my next day's worth

of slides the night before the actual

class and the reason this was such an

effective study strategy was that it

allowed me to reduce the level of

intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load

that I experienced during the lecture

which in general just allowed me to

better follow the flow of ideas that the

professors were presenting and it

allowed me to focus on higher level

cognitive processes which aided in

germane cognitive load thus aided in me

retaining the information better and

understanding the information more

deeply even just 5-10 minutes a night

reviewing the lecture slides getting a

basic idea of the information that's

going to be presented the next day and

learning some of those basic definitions

is going to allow you to free up that

working memory so that you can focus on

higher level Concepts in the actual

lecture itself now unfortunately I know

that this is a study strategy that most

students won't actually Implement

because without the the impending doom

of an exam looming in the next few days

it can be difficult to actually want to

pull out your laptop and study but

speaking from personal experience I can

tell you that this study strategy is

completely life-changing in terms of

your ability to hold on to that

information the first time you hear it

and honestly you'll find that if you do

this you won't actually need to study as

hard when it comes to exam season

because you'll already have understood

the concept the first time you heard it

in the actual lecture itself there are a

number of different strategies I use

both heading in just preparing myself

mentally to absorb all the information

there are strategies I use when

listening to what the professor is

saying that allow me to maximize my

germane cognitive load and of course I

don't think this would be a full study

video if I didn't talk about these

strategies that I use when I'm actually

taking my notes

in this day and age most professors are

making their lecture recordings

available online and this can actually

be a little bit of a double-edged sword

because as I'm sure you all know the

Temptation there is the tune out and

justify it by saying oh I'm just gonna

listen to the lecture recording

afterwards I know because I've been

there myself now of course this is not

the ideal situation because that

Temptation actually hits at a point in

the lecture where the levels of

intrinsic and germane cognitive load are

typically at its highest because the

mental discomfort of continuing to pay

attention at that point in time is the

most uncomfortable thing it's it's

difficult it requires energy and so the

Temptation there is the tune out the

trick then that I played with myself in

undergrad was to literally walk into the

lecture pretending that recording

devices do not exist and of course

logically if you follow Follow That kind

of mental trick I'm playing with myself

then if recording devices don't exist I

better be paying damn close attention

because I'm never gonna get another

chance to hear what the professor is

saying again now of course after the

lecture I don't keep that same mindset I

do actually use the recordings as a

regular part of my review but I do so in

a very specific way if you're using a

note-taking software like OneNote it

actually has a Nifty feature that you

can record what the professor is saying

with their permission of course and that

recording will actually sync up with the

exact time that you're typing your notes

and so when I'm taking my notes I'm

actually trying to capture the core idea

of what is being said by the professor

in as few words as possible and the

reason I do that of course is to

maximize your main cognitive load

because when you're summarizing and

synthesizing information rather than

transcribing you're having to

put in effort to summarize that

information and and putting in that

effort to synthesize it and distill it

into the key Concepts is what's going to

enhance your learning in the long run

now of course if I need to go back and

clarify something that the professor

said or an unclear note that I took I

have the play button literally right

beside the note I took and so I just

click on the play button and hear what

the professor was saying at that point

in time of course you can skip around in

the recording just to sort of get more

context or more clarity but that being

said as soon as I discovered this

function of OneNote I rarely ever

re-listen to the whole lecture all the

way through again I would just go back

to certain points and clarify what

specific notes meant this saved me a ton

of time in undergrad I cannot recommend

this function enough

[Music]

now it's not like I always knew how to

take good notes in fact if you go back

to some of my notes from first

University you'll find that they are

excessively verbose and unnecessarily

detailed as compared to my notes from

second and third year university

what happened was over time I eventually

learned the questions that I should be

asking myself in the middle of lecture

to be able to take those really succinct

core ideas from the lecture and type

them down in as few words as possible

the first question that I would always

ask myself is how is this concept that

is being presented to me right now

related to other Concepts that have been

covered in the course once again that's

an example of Germaine cognitive load

because you're taking the idea that's

being presented in front of you and

you're sort of hanging it on the tree of

knowledge it's not just an isolated Leaf

of knowledge if we're going to follow

through with that analogy it's part of a

bigger memory structure the second

question I would ask in the middle of

the lecture is how is the professor

possibly going to test me on this

concept given that I know it's a

multiple choice exam there are only so

many types of questions you can ask in a

multiple choice format and sometimes the

professor can actually be saying

something that is not actually amenable

to the testing style of the course and

so you can sort of filter out

information that way as well but that's

something that I will be careful with

because it's more of a high level idea

and you sort of fine tune that ability

when you go through your different

courses and see how your professors

think and are actually testing you on

your exams the third and most important

question that I would ask myself in the

middle of the lecture is what is the

professor about to say a true indicator

of your level of Germaine cognitive load

in the middle lecture is your ability to

finish your professor's thought process

before they actually vocalize it and

finish their ideas themselves now this

concept is most obvious in a class like

math where you can literally just follow

out the equation and before the

professor is even written out the next

line you're sort of trying to solve it

yourself being engaged in the material

and whatnot but it can also apply in a

subject like biology oftentimes in my

lectures I'd be listening to what the

professor is saying and I could tell he

was building up an idea by putting out a

set of premises in front that lead to a

logical conclusion so the fact that I

was so engaged in lecture oftentimes I

would find myself saying oh you know

what like given all these factors you

know this must be the logical conclusion

and so to test myself I would actually

write down what I thought the professor

was going to say and see if that lined

up with what they actually said the idea

is not necessarily to get it correct

because this isn't the exam yet you're

still in the middle of a lecture but the

fact that you're going to be engaged

enough to try and predict what the

professor is about to say even just that

mental exercise is going to make sure

that you're paying attention and

following along now if you get the

answer wrong you write down something

that the professor says isn't true based

on the experiment that they described in

biology or the the answer is wrong based

on the the series of equations that you

had written down that doesn't actually

matter because then you just correct it

and the thing is you won't make that

same mistake again when it comes to the

actual exam because you've already

corrected the thought process that led

you to that error in the middle of the

lecture itself

[Music]

now I'm a firm believer that although it

is helpful to understand these Concepts

intellectually they won't be of very

much help to you if you're not able to

apply them in your day-to-day life

so for this next section of the video

I'm going to actually pretend to be your

biology professor and I'm going to take

an excerpt from one of my second year

biochemistry classes and explain it in a

way that it was explained to me when I

was in my second year of undergrad so

there's going to be relevant for most

science students and I want you to

actually take notes during this next

section of the video because at the end

of this section I'm going to show you

what I actually wrote down when I was in

second year of undergrad and you can

compare the notes that you take with the

notes that I took when I was in this

class myself all right folks So today

we're going to be talking about membrane

fluidity and specifically the

relationship between phospholipid

structure and the fluidity of the

membrane in short the more unsaturated

phospholipids there are in the

phospholipid bilayer the more fluid the

membrane is now to understand why this

is the case picture each phospholipid

like a person standing in a room if if

we're all standing in a room with our

legs kicked out to one side then

naturally our upper bodies are going to

have more space between one another thus

we're able to sort of move our upper

limbs more at will if you contrast this

by us all standing in a room together

literally just straight like a pencil

shoulder to shoulder we're not going to

have much room to move around so if you

think of it that way that helps

understand why more unsaturated fatty

acids in the phospholipid bilayer

contributes to Greater membrane fluidity

because it essentially allows more space

between each phospholipid for those

different molecules to move around now I

recognize that was a bit of an unfair

exercise because of course my note is

going to be much more succinct since I

had the context of getting to know this

professor over multiple lessons and

learning the types of ideas and Concepts

that he found important that being said

here's what I wrote

now of course if what you wrote is more

verbose than what I wrote that is okay

the point of this exercise is to get you

practicing and to work on those

strategies that will allow you to take

succinct notes when you're able to do

that not only does that prove that you

truly truly understand the concepts

being presented to you but it's going to

save you hours and hours of time when

you go to review for your final exams

the other thing you'll notice about that

example is that I actually aided you in

the process of Germaine cognitive load

by using an analogy as silly as it was

it helped you better grasp the idea more

so than if I had not provided that

additional explanation that being said

not all your professors are going to be

able to provide those analogies for you

in real time so really as a student it's

your job to be actively engaged in

lecture thinking about those analogies

that can help you make sense of

different concepts that are being

presented to you and once again always

asking the question of how this new

information is relay related to

something I already know

now that you guys are experts in taking

notes during class and the types of

cognitive processes you should be

engaging in as you're listening to your

professor speak I'm now going to go over

the types of review that I do the same

day that I hear the lecture in order to

consolidate the information into my

brain and save me hours down the line

now I know most students unfortunately

are going to be hesitant to do any

additional review the same day as their

lecture but I promise you if you use

these strategies and put in that

additional 5-10 minutes a night just

going over what you learn the same day

you're going to save yourself hours and

hours of study time not to mention hours

and hours of stressing over things you

don't know when it does come time for

your exams essentially all I do is I

take a quick break so I don't go

straight from the lecture to the library

but I might go to the gym hang out with

some friends and then after I'm done

relaxing after I've decompressed I go

and I look at my notes from that same

day's worth of classes first of all I

see were there any questions that I

wrote down to myself that I needed to

have answered or questions beside notes

I took which meant that I was confused

about something the professor said and

is there anything here that I don't

fully understand if there is something

that I still don't fully understand

after reviewing my notes I just listen

to the recording that I took during the

lecture and I listened to what the

professor was saying at that point in

time

if I'm still confused about what the

concept was what the professor was

trying to get at I'll probably ask a

friend and if that answer isn't

satisfactory to me then I'll probably

post the question in the Facebook group

because not only will that help me but

that will help other students taking the

course as well

sometimes you're still not able to get a

satisfactory answer even after going

through all those steps and that's when

I say okay you know what I guess I'm

just gonna have to go to office hours

and that can be really helpful because

after you've exhausted all those sort of

lower effort resources to try and

understand the concept you can always

just walk into your professor's office

and and literally ask them what did you

mean when you said this in lecture and

by doing that you'll be able to gain

full clarity on whatever concept you

were confused about and you won't be

stressed during the actual exam season

because you know that it's not a matter

of learning it again for the first time

it's just a matter of reviewing the

information that you already know

if you really want to take your game to

the next level in your after lecture

reviews you can even throw in some

active recall which is another

evidence-based study method that I'm

sure you've heard all about already if

you're on YouTube at this point but

essentially what I would do is I'd look

at the slide and rather than reading my

notes and saying oh yeah I understand

that I would just try and recreate what

the professor was explaining on that

slide without actually looking at my

notes so I might glance at the slide and

be like Oh yeah this is something about

membrane fluidity what was the professor

talking about here oh yeah that's right

it's the relationship between membrane

fluidity and the number of unsaturated

fatty acids what was that relationship

again oh yeah that's right it was

directly proportional because of such

and such reason so in that way you get

that active recall and and once you've

solidified that concept you're able to

recall it without actually having to

read it off your notes there were

literally sometimes in undergrad where I

was so confident that by the time it

came to exam season like do I even have

to study now I'm sure you can tell from

the video but I've obviously put a lot

of thought into the science behind how

learning works because I knew when I was

an undergrad I had to get a 4.0 GPA or

as close to that as possible to give

myself the best chance of getting into

medical school

that being said although this video

covers specific cognitive processes

learning theory and different study

strategies that you can use in your

day-to-day life there are also other

things that are not directly related to

studying that I learned about in

undergrad which definitely made me

smarter and are scientifically proven to

make people smarter in general so if

you're interested in learning about

those different types of ideas go ahead

and click the next video in the top

right hand corner and I hope to see you

again soon