Over the last several years of studying how to study, one of the central focuses has been on managing the cognitive burden. Three main approaches recur again and again:
Using visualization and the phonological loop to examine key information and maintain it in working memory
Elaborative rehearsal to build and retrieve long-term memories
Note-taking, information storage, and other external tools to supplement memory
I’ve noticed significant progress in my abilities in each of these individual areas, but synthesizing them is even more important.
When I lean on one of these approaches excessively, its shortcomings become rapidly apparent.
Excessive use of external notes results in blankly staring at the page, as memory shuts off. Learning does not happen, and it becomes impossible to figure out how to proceed with problem-solving, or to use the notes you have effectively.
Excessive elaborative rehearsal can become dangerous if the information you need is just not there. At best, you’ll get stuck and waste time. At worst, you’ll invent inaccurate memories and store those instead. However, I think this is the most useful and most neglected of these mental tools. It’s what real learning feels like.
Excessive maintenance rehearsal is a little like excessive note-taking: you wind up focusing so hard on keeping individual tidbits of information top-of-mind that you can’t make progress, and become anxious about shifting focus in a similar way to how you’d feel if you were trying not to forget a telephone number.
I think the next step is to learn how to fluidly move between these three modes. Looking at an equation on the page, it should become easy to “flash it” into working memory, then “rummage around” in long-term memory to build it in or retrieve additional memories relevant to the problem at hand. Right now, each mode of focus (external vision, maintenance rehearsal/working memory, elaborative rehearsal/long-term memory) tends to be “self-reinforcing.” The more I scan notes, the more I scan notes, and the less connection I have with my memories. I want to try building in more of a series of cues so that there’s more of a natural back and forth between paying attention to the external inputs and paying attention to my working and long-term memory.
Over the last several years of studying how to study, one of the central focuses has been on managing the cognitive burden. Three main approaches recur again and again:
Using visualization and the phonological loop to examine key information and maintain it in working memory
Elaborative rehearsal to build and retrieve long-term memories
Note-taking, information storage, and other external tools to supplement memory
I’ve noticed significant progress in my abilities in each of these individual areas, but synthesizing them is even more important.
When I lean on one of these approaches excessively, its shortcomings become rapidly apparent.
Excessive use of external notes results in blankly staring at the page, as memory shuts off. Learning does not happen, and it becomes impossible to figure out how to proceed with problem-solving, or to use the notes you have effectively.
Excessive elaborative rehearsal can become dangerous if the information you need is just not there. At best, you’ll get stuck and waste time. At worst, you’ll invent inaccurate memories and store those instead. However, I think this is the most useful and most neglected of these mental tools. It’s what real learning feels like.
Excessive maintenance rehearsal is a little like excessive note-taking: you wind up focusing so hard on keeping individual tidbits of information top-of-mind that you can’t make progress, and become anxious about shifting focus in a similar way to how you’d feel if you were trying not to forget a telephone number.
I think the next step is to learn how to fluidly move between these three modes. Looking at an equation on the page, it should become easy to “flash it” into working memory, then “rummage around” in long-term memory to build it in or retrieve additional memories relevant to the problem at hand. Right now, each mode of focus (external vision, maintenance rehearsal/working memory, elaborative rehearsal/long-term memory) tends to be “self-reinforcing.” The more I scan notes, the more I scan notes, and the less connection I have with my memories. I want to try building in more of a series of cues so that there’s more of a natural back and forth between paying attention to the external inputs and paying attention to my working and long-term memory.