A similar approach has worked for me better than a more split-time approach.
I’m aware of the forgetting curve and I certainly forget a lot of the contents afterwards, but the global structure seems to remain in the brain and changes to the way of thinking or of solving problems after these intense study sessions also seem to remain for longer than the details.
I’ve also tried doing some incremental reading / incremental learning and although the contents stay for longer, I don’t feel the same kind of enlightenment or learning taking place. It feels a bit like wasting time, even if I’m learning.
I don’t know how you’d approach maintenance for skills you acquired but forgot. Sometimes I’ve learnt something which has the skill I want to review as a prerequisite, using the same method, but reviewing the old material as needed, and it sort of did the trick.
Right now, I’m experiencing a miniature version of this. I’m learning about how optogenetics works. This technique depends on an understanding of both neuron action potentials and G Protein Coupled Receptors, which has forced me to review each of those structures. This in turn forces me to review the structures of the various molecules and enzymes involved, which forces mild review of even deeper precursors such as Glutamine-Histidine-Serine structures in active sites of enzymes. I imagine that if you weren’t cramming for an exam, and were genuinely interested in the subject matter, and were consciously trying to develop your “mental movie” to build understanding, this would be the natural approach to take.
In general, I really wonder to what extent our educational system’s need to test and measure students has operationalized “learning” in a way that’s deeply different from what would be optimal for, say, producing competent scientists.
A similar approach has worked for me better than a more split-time approach. I’m aware of the forgetting curve and I certainly forget a lot of the contents afterwards, but the global structure seems to remain in the brain and changes to the way of thinking or of solving problems after these intense study sessions also seem to remain for longer than the details.
I’ve also tried doing some incremental reading / incremental learning and although the contents stay for longer, I don’t feel the same kind of enlightenment or learning taking place. It feels a bit like wasting time, even if I’m learning.
I don’t know how you’d approach maintenance for skills you acquired but forgot. Sometimes I’ve learnt something which has the skill I want to review as a prerequisite, using the same method, but reviewing the old material as needed, and it sort of did the trick.
Right now, I’m experiencing a miniature version of this. I’m learning about how optogenetics works. This technique depends on an understanding of both neuron action potentials and G Protein Coupled Receptors, which has forced me to review each of those structures. This in turn forces me to review the structures of the various molecules and enzymes involved, which forces mild review of even deeper precursors such as Glutamine-Histidine-Serine structures in active sites of enzymes. I imagine that if you weren’t cramming for an exam, and were genuinely interested in the subject matter, and were consciously trying to develop your “mental movie” to build understanding, this would be the natural approach to take.
In general, I really wonder to what extent our educational system’s need to test and measure students has operationalized “learning” in a way that’s deeply different from what would be optimal for, say, producing competent scientists.