Building Knowledge

One of my students wanted to know how we learn - what's going on when we read something or hear something and then remember it later? You might be disappointed to learn that coming back to the information again and again is very important:

The internet is changing the way we remember things, though. School used to be filled with facts to memorize: dates, scientific laws, names, but those things are less important now that you can look them all up in seconds with your phone. So what IS important? How things work. It's far harder to Google an entire concept, especially if the results are full of vocabulary that you don't know. Sure, you can look up those words, but that really lengthens the process - that's why vocabulary will always be important, because it gives you the tools you need to understand a bigger process.

Just like letters are the building blocks to words! (source)

Here are some more important facts about your ability to learn:

• Being tested improves your ability to remember (source has some study tips)
• Memory improves when you get plenty of physical activity (I discussed this in an earlier blog post about brraaaiiinnnns)
• You should avoid stress and especially drugs/alcohol
• Get plenty of sleep!
• You HAVE to practice using your brain :) (source for last 3)

So use it or lose it people!