Do you have any particular learning method?

[Feral]

I'm currently using a strategy for learning, inspired in the habits of Piotr Wozniak.
I separate my diary routine into periods (creativity, studying and reading, exercise, then I review what I learned during the day.) Altough I've a regular basis for sleeping (I sleep 8hs, between 12PM~2AM), this allow me to improve myself without having to follow an estrict routine (which it's often stressful).
Regarding with techniques it depends on the activities, but about learning from what I've studied or read, I use spaced repetition. At the moment I'm trying to improve my methods by modifying whatever I think It must; And I'm now reading about specific techniques such as the mnemonic, so I can add to my habits whatever I find useful.

I've taken advice from this article, which inspired me to investigate about making a proper way for learning that could suit me.

http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/16-05/gs_intro

And this is the article about Wozniak methods for memorization :
http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/16-05/ff_wozniak
It's quite long, but I think it worth it.

[Supreme American]

Chunking helps me.

[Damião de Góis]

What are you trying to learn?

[Feral]

What are you trying to learn?

I've set my sights on a variety of matters (but, mostly, things related with maths, philosophy, and some arts like painting or writing). I'm interest in learning a little enought of almost everything I can get on my hands, besides of having a more intense interest of some particular stuff (like maths or philosophy, for ex.)

But what I wanted to know are the habits you may have in your daily life and how this influences your activities --especially when studying something.
Personally, I try to synchronize myself with my way of being. Most people I know are or too strict or too loose with the way they manage their lifes, leaving aside their formal education or work. So I try to recognize when I'm most able and willing to do certain stuff in different times of the day. Ie, I prefer to exercise first that anything else, then studying or reading, then doing some creative stuff like drawning or writing, or maybe play some instrument, then, finally, take a review of what I've done in the day (especially about what I've learned). That's why I divide my days in periods but I do not schedule it; this way I wouln't feel stressed by trying to follow and strict schedule, and won't be lazy about doing what I want to do. Not just that, I feel more comfortable by doing it that way, which makes me more willing to realize this activities more happily.
Maybe by knowing the habits you have to organize your daily life, I could improve mines --and vice versa.

[Supreme American]

I've set my sights on a variety of matters (but, mostly, things related with maths, philosophy, and some arts like painting or writing).

With math, I find it best to work out problems by hand repeatedly until I get a mastery of it.

[Damião de Góis]

I've set my sights on a variety of matters (but, mostly, things related with maths, philosophy, and some arts like painting or writing). I'm interest in learning a little enought of almost everything I can get on my hands, besides of having a more intense interest of some particular stuff (like maths or philosophy, for ex.)

But what I wanted to know are the habits you may have in your daily life and how this influences your activities --especially when studying something.
Personally, I try to synchronize myself with my way of being. Most people I know are or too strict or too loose with the way they manage their lifes, leaving aside their formal education or work. So I try to recognize when I'm most able and willing to do certain stuff in different times of the day. Ie, I prefer to exercise first that anything else, then studying or reading, then doing some creative stuff like drawning or writing, or maybe play some instrument, then, finally, take a review of what I've done in the day (especially about what I've learned). That's why I divide my days in periods but I do not schedule it; this way I wouln't feel stressed by trying to follow and strict schedule, and won't be lazy about doing what I want to do. Not just that, I feel more comfortable by doing it that way, which makes me more willing to realize this activities more happily.
Maybe by knowing habits you have to organize your daily life, I could improve mines --and vice versa.

I'm done with school so i have no need to study anything anymore. That only happens at work now but i'm payed to do it, so that should be motivational enough.

When i was in college and i had to study something for an exam i would always do it in group. Staying at home alone studying is a bad idea if you have a computer or TV nearby. So i would go to college to study when there were no classes and it was exams time. I would stay there all day with other people studying. It was very productive.

[rhiannon]

I am a kinesthetic learner with visual coming in close second. I best learn something by just doing it.

[derLowe]

I'm currently using a strategy for learning, inspired in the habits of Piotr Wozniak.
I separate my diary routine into periods (creativity, studying and reading, exercise, then I review what I learned during the day.) Altough I've a regular basis for sleeping (I sleep 8hs, between 12PM~2AM), this allow me to improve myself without having to follow an estrict routine (which it's often stressful).
Regarding with techniques it depends on the activities, but about learning from what I've studied or read, I use spaced repetition. At the moment I'm trying to improve my methods by modifying whatever I think It must; And I'm now reading about specific techniques such as the mnemonic, so I can add to my habits whatever I find useful.

I've taken advice from this article, which inspired me to investigate about making a proper way for learning that could suit me.

http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/16-05/gs_intro

And this is the article about Wozniak methods for memorization :
http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/16-05/ff_wozniak
It's quite long, but I think it worth it.

Total immersion into a subject works for me.

[Tchek]

When I learned spanish or german (and japanese) I used to play videogames set on whatever language I was learning.
Football games with commentary in Spanish or finish a GTA with german subs.
I have rote memory, which means that information tends to be assimilated when it's repeated, which is ideal for videogames.

I love to mix learning with recreational activities...

When I learned guitar, I learned songs in Spanish or Portuguese for exemple (like bossa nova). You learn guitar+language all in one.

[Lithium]

I have something like a photographic memory because I remember things just the way they are written as if I am looking at them directly. But I have to confess that I am very lazy and I like to make improvisations with the material and never write or study it exactly the way it is.

[Minesweeper]

I have something like a photographic memory because I remember things just the way they are written as if I am looking at them directly. But I have to confess that I am very lazy and I like to make improvisations with the material and never write or study it exactly the way it is.

Me too.:)

That means we understand the material we learn, not memorize and repeat like parrots.:wink

Memorizing something exactly the way it is without understanding it is hardest and easiest to forget.

[Insuperable]

The best method is to simply sit down and learn
Works like a charm

[Supreme American]

I have something like a photographic memory because I remember things just the way they are written as if I am looking at them directly. But I have to confess that I am very lazy and I like to make improvisations with the material and never write or study it exactly the way it is.

I have some of that, I wish I had more.

[Feral]

Me too.:)

That means we understand the material we learn, not memorize and repeat like parrots.:wink

Memorizing something exactly the way it is without understanding it is hardest and easiest to forget.

Intense memorizing makes harder to recall memories for the simple fact that they were intensly rooted. The more intense the memory is, deeper it will be rooted, and more dificult will be to recall, but also to forget. That's why it will easier for you to recal something you've memorized a few moments ago (for ex.: a number) but then you probably lose that memory moments later, than something in your life far more important.
Or something like that I've read. :P

[TravisW]

A lot depends on what I am learning. If it's something akin to rote memorization or getting a portion of music under my fingers on the guitar (both surprisingly similar), I work with the text (or, in the case of music, with a metronome) until I not only stop making progress, but I actually start doing worse. Then I sleep. Sleep emphasizes rote learning (at least for me).

If it's a skill, there is no greater learning than doing, even if doing it poorly. If it is a concept, I meditate on it while I linger between awakedness and sleep. The point between awakedness and sleep is sort of my "magic area" for creative thought.

[Ville]

There is obvious difference between memorizing and learning. As learning requires 1) deep understanding of the internals and 2) positioning that understanding within a larger hence more comprehensive picture – no memorizing techniques will be of use here.

If you want to master a certain area, you need to develop and then refine your own modus operandi.

[safinator]

Sure, studying full immersion before the exam.

[Breedingvariety]

Desire to understand a subject has always been the driver to learn. Often the drive to learn would get me nowhere until I reject mainstream teachings.

[Siegfried]

I wish I did. I have a big test tomorrow and the information comes in through one ear and comes out the other. It makes sense, but my brain shuts it out since it seems irrelevant to it.

[Osprey]

Practical Application performed there and then helps learning.
Also, repetitive pacing up and down helps in rote memorization.
Finding a pattern in things to learn helps them be remembered in a form of a key to the pattern.

[Supreme American]

I wish I did. I have a big test tomorrow and the information comes in through one ear and comes out the other. It makes sense, but my brain shuts it out since it seems irrelevant to it.

I would suggest part of that is disinterest in the material.

[silver_surfer]

I have different strategies for different subjects like for math I understand the theorem and concept and then practice solving problems related to it. Same with phy and chem. For biology just a read through the chapters was enough for understanding. I find history and geography always. Well its all depend on how you manage time. Even though I believe in last minute study I still manage to score good in exams because of good grasping power and memory.

[Svipdag]

I have developed a method of study which I have recommended to my students for over 30 years.
Printed material: Read it 3 times, the first to note what parts you do NOT understand. Second, re-read working on each point of confusion or incomprehension, using additional sources, asking questions of the teacher, etc. untll each point of confusion is clarified. Finally, re-read all of it to fit the new information and understanding into the context of the whole.

Lectures: Don't just hear, THINK ! Try to understand the point of the lecture. What is he driving at ? What are the implications of what he has said ? Most lectures contain much redundancy and repetition; what is this being used to emphasise ? You cannot take down every word which the lecturer says. You're not supposed to. You're supposed to get the point and express it in a form which you can understand.

Your notes will, necessarily be brief, hardly more than mnemonic devices to remind you of what the lecturer said and what you understood it to mean.Such notes don't keep well. As soon as possible, write them out in as much detail as you need to study
from them. Add whatever you feel will be useful to understanding them. While the material is still fresh in your mind, WRITE IT OUT !

This is a lot of work. HOWEVER, those of my students who used it, for the most part, found it very effective, as did I when I was a graduate student.

[Prisoner Of Ice]

Read your whole texbook before the first class even starts. Then you have some idea what's going on during classes.

[blklady2013]

I like interacting with the concept in as many different ways as possible. I'll need to see symbols that help me visualize it. I'll need to hear someone talk about it. I'd like to speak to someone else about it to summarize the concept in my own words. I'll need to write it down. Walk away from it for a bit, and then find a practical application for it. Also teaching someone else is a great way to flesh out the little details you're fuzzy about, because as you recall what the concept is about for someone else's benefit, it'll force you to get a deeper understanding of the details you hadn't mastered previously...

[Svipdag]

Read your whole texbook before the first class even starts. Then you have some idea what's going on during classes.

A very good idea, IF you have time. In many courses, the textbook, unless it was used last year, isn't available early enough.

[gregorius]

I just close myself from the outworld for a couple of days and learn nonstop, No fancy faggish tricks or whatever just spartan methode

[Svipdag]

I just close myself from the outworld for a couple of days and learn nonstop, No fancy faggish tricks or whatever just spartan methode

There's nothing faggish about studying systematically. If you can't make sense out of your lecture notes, you've wasted your time taking them.If you stop and work it out each time you hit a snag, you're wasting time; the answer to your problem might be on the next page. Try, at least, to get an idea of what the whole thing is about before concentrating on particular points.Be sure to read whatever it may be, text, notes, whatever, one last time both to be sure you haven't missed anything, and to tie all the loose ends together.