Learn Better

1. Value: Motivation stems from finding personal meaning in learning.

Value is the ultimate fuel of our drive to learn.

Meaning drives motivation. Learning is most effective when individuals find personal relevance and value in the subject matter. This intrinsic motivation fuels the desire to acquire new skills and knowledge. Jason Wolfson's Lego sculptures exemplify this, as his passion for Alice in Wonderland and Dr. Who transformed simple bricks into meaningful art.

Learn Crafting. To cultivate motivation, individuals should engage in "learn crafting," tailoring their learning experiences to align with their interests and values. Chris Hulleman's statistics intervention demonstrates this, where students who wrote about the relevance of statistics to their lives showed increased motivation and performance.

Social connections. Social connections also play a crucial role in creating a sense of value. Programs like Posse, which provide students with a supportive network, significantly improve graduation rates. By fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose, social ties enhance motivation and engagement in learning.

2. Target: Effective learning requires clear goals and focused plans.

When you’re learning, you can’t make it up as you go along. You can change the plan as you go along, but you always need a plan.

Targeted learning. Effective learning is not accidental; it requires a deliberate approach with clear goals and focused plans. Bob Slavin's Success for All program exemplifies this, where targeted instruction and dedicated tutoring significantly improve student outcomes.

Short-term memory. The limitations of short-term memory underscore the need for focused learning. Breaking down complex information into digestible chunks and avoiding multitasking are crucial for effective knowledge acquisition.

Knowledge management. Learning often boils down to knowledge management, involving setting goals, creating plans, and acquiring background skills. By targeting expertise and managing the learning process, individuals can maximize their learning outcomes.

3. Develop: Deliberate practice and targeted feedback are essential for skill improvement.

If you think about information meaningfully, you are much more likely to remember that information than if you think about it at a superficial, meaningless level.

Deliberate practice. Skill development requires more than just repetition; it demands deliberate practice with targeted feedback. Tom Sato's muay thai training illustrates this, where focused attention on each step of the punch led to significant improvement.

Feedback. Effective feedback is crucial for identifying and correcting errors. Mark Bernstein's practice of recording surgical errors demonstrates how monitoring and feedback can dramatically reduce mistakes.

Mental doing. Learning is a generative activity that requires active engagement and mental effort. Rich Mayer's research emphasizes the importance of producing knowledge, such as self-quizzing and self-explaining, for deeper understanding and retention.

4. Extend: Applying knowledge in new contexts deepens understanding.

When you’re creating your own shit, man, even the sky ain’t the limit.

Knowledge extension. To achieve mastery, it's essential to extend knowledge beyond the basics and apply it in new contexts. Jackson Pollock's evolution of drip painting exemplifies this, as he expanded on the technique to create increasingly complex and expressive works.

Riffs. Playing riffs, or improvising on existing knowledge, is a powerful way to deepen understanding. Miles Davis's approach to modal jazz demonstrates this, as he encouraged musicians to explore new scales and melodies, leading to innovative musical expressions.

Concrete application. Applying knowledge in concrete ways enhances understanding and retention. Visiting Jackson Pollock's studio provided a visceral understanding of his art, while engaging in hands-on projects like building a kite or creating a soap company fosters deeper learning.

5. Relate: Connecting new information to existing knowledge enhances retention.

Memory is the residue of thought.

Relational thinking. Expertise is characterized by a deep understanding of relationships and connections within a field. Stephen Chew's classroom experiment demonstrates that people who engage in richer forms of processing, making more valuable ties to the material, remember significantly more.

Mental templates. The brain creates mental templates to store experiences in long-term memory, bundling new information with previous knowledge. This process is exemplified by mnemonics, which link new information to familiar concepts, making it easier to recall.

Social diversity. Social diversity promotes richer forms of thinking by exposing individuals to diverse perspectives and challenging their assumptions. By engaging with people from different backgrounds, learners can develop a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the world.

6. Rethink: Continuous evaluation and reflection refine expertise.

What would I eliminate if I had a magic wand? Overconfidence.

Combating overconfidence. Overconfidence can hinder learning by preventing individuals from seeking feedback and engaging in deliberate practice. To combat this, it's essential to cultivate humility and recognize the limits of one's knowledge.

Deliberate reflection. Reflection is a crucial component of the learning process, allowing individuals to evaluate their understanding and identify areas for improvement. By engaging in self-assessment and seeking external feedback, learners can refine their expertise and avoid complacency.

Embrace uncertainty. Effective learning requires a willingness to embrace uncertainty and challenge existing beliefs. By questioning assumptions and seeking out diverse perspectives, individuals can develop a more nuanced and adaptable understanding of the world.

7. Short-Term Memory: The Brain's Bottleneck

You’re going to learn neither. It’s cognitive overload.

Limited capacity. Short-term memory, the brain's "sketch pad," has a limited capacity, making it crucial to manage cognitive load during learning. Phone numbers overwhelm it, hence the need for chunking. Multitasking, music, and cluttered presentations all impede learning by overloading this system.

Strategic presentation. Effective learning requires presenting information in manageable doses, using short sentences and minimizing distractions. Even anxieties can hijack short-term memory, hindering focus and comprehension.

External distractions. External distractions, like nearby laptop use, can also compromise short-term memory, highlighting the importance of creating focused learning environments. By understanding and respecting the limitations of short-term memory, we can optimize learning outcomes.

8. The Knowledge Effect: Prior Knowledge is the Bedrock of Learning

Memory is the residue of thought.

Building on the known. New information is best understood when connected to existing knowledge. Tutoring excels because it tailors instruction to a student's current understanding. Without prior knowledge, new concepts remain abstract and difficult to grasp.

Mental templates. The brain creates mental templates, bundling new information with previous knowledge to facilitate understanding. Mnemonics work by attaching new data to familiar memories.

Knowledge is power. Mastery of foundational concepts is essential for acquiring more complex skills. A strong understanding of basic facts and principles enables deeper learning and application.

9. The Value of Educators: Mentors Accelerate Learning

When you’re learning, you’re going to need someone who’s going to support you developing.

Guidance is key. While self-directed learning has its place, effective instruction often requires guidance from educators. The MET study revealed that "academic press" (challenging students) and "academic support" (motivation) are key drivers of student outcomes.

Cognitive coaches. Teachers should act as "cognitive coaches," breaking down complex topics and providing support for students to practice thinking skills. This approach emphasizes active engagement and personalized feedback.

Peer support. Mentors and peers provide emotional support and guidance, fostering a sense of belonging and motivation. Social connections and collaborative learning environments enhance the learning experience.

Last updated: March 11, 2025