Learning

Steps to success in learning.

You should render the material to be learnt meaningful, if you want to make learning effective. Look at the four sets of words in the following four columns:

1	2	3	4
MDOU	PEN	CROW	RAJU
WKPG	CAMEL	PARROT	MARRIED
FLPNNY	COAL	KITE	USHA
RBAGYE	PEAK	DOVE	YESTERDAY

If you try to learn the words in the four columns and try to remember them, you will find that the first column is a real challenge to anyone, since they are nonsense syllables. The second column seems easy, since the words have some meaning. The third column is easier, as the names are from the same family. The fourth is of course is the easiest. By just glancing it once, you will be able to repeat the words, as they represent a simple idea.

Many of us often fail to master certain lessons, since the words do not convey a clear idea into our minds. The learning process involves getting at the meaning of the words and the idea they convey. Perhaps we may be able to make the idea an extension of something we know already. In fact, good teaching attempts such conversion of the text into intelligible ideas before the pupils.

The famous Chinese philosopher Confucious (BC 551-479) said, “I hear I forget, I see I remember, I do I understand”. Some of the modern psychologists tell that we remember

20% of what we read

30% of what we hear

40% of what we see

50% of what we say

60% of what we do

90% of what we read, hear, say, and do thing in our memory; so we have to keep in mind the use of multiple methods.

There has to be motivation for any learning. You should remember the benefits that come to you as a consequence of learning. This feeling would be a motivating influence that propels you in your learning efforts.