While it has its place, true mastery comes from active learning, a process where you engage with information, as opposed to just receiving it.
By doing so, you build stronger recall, including the ability to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter you review. To help explain active learning, we’ve compiled a brief overview of some effective active learning strategies which you can start using today.
1) Summarise: Condense and Synthesise
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to actively engage with new information is to summarise it in your own words. After reading a chapter, a section, or even a single paragraph, pause and try to explain the main points without looking back at the text. This forces you to name the core concepts and discard less important details.
How to do it: Use a notebook or a scrap piece of paper. After reading a section, write a summary of what you've just learned. Aim for a few sentences or a short paragraph. You can also try summarising a topic out loud to a friend or even to yourself.
2. Question: Challenge the Information
Don't just accept information as it's presented. Question it. Asking questions helps you think critically and connect new information to what you already know. Questions can range from "What is the main idea here?" to "Why is this important?" and "How does this relate to X?"
How to do it: As you read, jot down questions in the margins of your book or in a separate document. For example, if you're learning about the water cycle, you might ask, "Why do clouds form?" or "What happens to the water after it evaporates?" Then, try to find the answers as you continue reading.
3. Explain: Teach to Learn
Perhaps the most powerful active learning strategy is to explain a concept to someone else. This is often called the "Feynman Technique," named after Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. When you try to teach a topic, you'll quickly discover where the gaps in your own knowledge are. The process of simplifying a complex idea so that someone else can understand it solidifies your own comprehension.
How to do it: Find a study partner, a family member, or even a pet and try to explain a concept to them from scratch. If you find yourself using jargon or stumbling over an explanation, you've found a spot where you need to go back and review. You can also try writing a blog post or creating a video on a topic you're learning about.
With the above in mind, it is also important to remember that active learning strategies aren't just about memorisation; they're about building a robust framework of understanding. By summarising, questioning, and explaining, you move information from short-term to long-term memory.
This will help you to retain information easier, as opposed to just continue absorbing knowledge, enabling you to build a solid foundation of understanding.
So next time you sit down to learn something new, remember to be an active participant in your own education.
