Unless you’ve got a computer-grade brain, your memory might need an extra boost. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered on how to learn more efficiently.
If you’ve ever tried cramming information in a single day, chances are, you failed spectacularly.
Most of us know that the key to learning lies in revision, but the question is, ‘How?’.
That’s why spaced repetition is so important.
But before you learn how to memorise things better, you need to learn why you forget so quickly in the first place.
Created by Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century, the Forgetting Curve outlines the rate which we forget newly learned concepts.
Below, the steep curve shows how we forget new facts rapidly, and retain a small percentage at the end of just one day.
What spaced repetition does is to help you learn better by remembering more for longer.
With each round of revision, the forgetting curve becomes gentler. This means, more information gets locked into your longer-term memory.
Follow these 3 tips when using spaced repetition to learn better!
1. Give context to your learning
Reading the cold definition of a concept can sometimes be confusing.
So, you need to create a lower entry point and make the content more accessible.
If you’re learning a new concept:
- Break down long paragraphs into point form
- Think about how it can be applied to your own situation
If you’re already familiar with the concept:
- Scaffold your learning by introducing examples of how it might be applied in other industries
- Explain the concept in your own words
2. Review it once a day
Think of your memory as a muscle.
You wouldn’t expect to get fit from cramming all your workout sessions in a single day, and not exercising after that. Rather, you would spread out each workout over a longer period of time, and be consistent with your efforts.
Also, you need to give your body some rest, so it can recuperate and perform well during your next workout session.
The same can be said about your memory. You need to:
- Review content once a day to refresh memory
- Give your brain a “rest period” before the next repetition
- Be consistent with your revision
3. Use Spaced Repetition Software
There are plenty of online resources to help you learn new concepts.
For example, you might use an intelligent flash card system like Anki or TinyCards to learn better.
And guess what? SmartUp makes use of spaced repetition too! Our microlearning platform teaches complicated concepts in easy-to-follow cards.
Using Quiz and Image cards, SmartUp revises concepts as you learn them in each module.
Learn from our free-to-access community, Be More SmartUp!
To view our library of content on the latest in Deep Tech, Entrepreneurship, and Digital Disruption, visit our free-to-access community, Be More SmartUp!
Simply download SmartUp Learn from the App or Play Store. Log in using your Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn accounts.
Tap on ‘browse all communities’ and access Be More SmartUp on the left dashboard.
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