Sometimes, we can include both the expanded and compressed versions—as in this post. In a talk, we can provide digital handouts that expand or compress topics (well-constructed powerpoints do this, although they’re often badly made). And in print, we can link to websites, perhaps via QR code, to make it more convenient to go deeper or shallower. These options seem massively underused compared to what would be optimal for efficient learning.
When I take notes, I like to make a multirow table with two columns. On the left, I put 1-2 word bolded summaries of each topic. On the right, I put detailed mechanistic information. I think there’s a lot of room for improvement in using the flexibility computers offer in managing text to present summaries at varied levels of detail, permitting users to toggle between them as necessary.
In particular, I’d love to have a “3D text editor.” This would give you more options for how to manage text. Some examples would include making it convenient to add various formats of hovertext, “click to expand/summarize” features that let you increase or decrease the complexity of the information presented, and more options for annotations (such as multimedia annotations that can be flexibly linked to individual multiscale chunks of text, but also to things like word groups any time they appear int he text).
This is good for some formats; I think in verbal communication I like to track this because the key variable I’m optimising on is listener attention/time; giving both loses a lot. I find it can be useful to save the gears-level stuff for the cruxes and try to keep the rest brief.
Sometimes, we can include both the expanded and compressed versions—as in this post. In a talk, we can provide digital handouts that expand or compress topics (well-constructed powerpoints do this, although they’re often badly made). And in print, we can link to websites, perhaps via QR code, to make it more convenient to go deeper or shallower. These options seem massively underused compared to what would be optimal for efficient learning.
When I take notes, I like to make a multirow table with two columns. On the left, I put 1-2 word bolded summaries of each topic. On the right, I put detailed mechanistic information. I think there’s a lot of room for improvement in using the flexibility computers offer in managing text to present summaries at varied levels of detail, permitting users to toggle between them as necessary.
In particular, I’d love to have a “3D text editor.” This would give you more options for how to manage text. Some examples would include making it convenient to add various formats of hovertext, “click to expand/summarize” features that let you increase or decrease the complexity of the information presented, and more options for annotations (such as multimedia annotations that can be flexibly linked to individual multiscale chunks of text, but also to things like word groups any time they appear int he text).
This is good for some formats; I think in verbal communication I like to track this because the key variable I’m optimising on is listener attention/time; giving both loses a lot. I find it can be useful to save the gears-level stuff for the cruxes and try to keep the rest brief.