A few basic learning strategies can help you in your carreer or business. They also can make you the person who always has something interesting to say. You CAN learn more efficiently. Just use a few of the following techniques until they become habit.
Create Anticipation and Curiosity
You learn more effectively with curiosity and anticipation working for you, but how do you create this state of mind? One way is to end each learning session with a question or two clearly in your mind. This creates the sense of anticipation and curiosity that will help you next time you study. It's like a TV show going to a commercial at an interesting moment in the program. You want to stay tuned, to see what happens next.
Prepare To Learn
When you want to learn new material, expose your mind to it as soon as possible, before you even feel "ready," or have time to study. The first stage of learning is the part where you look at new ideas and say, "huh?" Do this quickly, however, reviewing everything for a few minutes, and your unconscious mind will start "incubating" the new concepts, and finding some way to organize them.
Relate What You Know To The New Knowledge
When you sit down to study new material, relate it to what you already know. Compare and contrast things, saying to yourself, "That's like...," or "How is that different from..." Autoresponders were new to me when I started my newsletters, but the concept sunk in and motivated me when I thought, "It's like someone doing all my addressing and mailing for pennies a day." This prompted the important questions, and I was ready to learn.
Use Your Imagination
Changing your perspective is one of the great learning strategies. For example, study with the idea in mind that you will be teaching what you're learning. As you study something, imagine how you'll teach it. This is a powerful way to get a good grasp on new information.
Also imagine how you'll use what you are learning. There's so much information, and so little of it is the truly "important stuff." But by imagining how you'll use the new information, you tend to automatically focus on the things you really need to know.
Take Breaks
You can learn more by working less. The research shows that we remember best what we study first and last in a given session. So, by taking breaks, you create more "sessions," and increase the number of firsts and lasts. Move around during your breaks, as this can also keep your mind fresh.
Finding Time
What if it took no extra time to learn a new language, take a negotiating course, or study something new and interesting? Start using the dead-time in your day, the time sitting in your car, or on the bus, or in a waiting room. Almost any public library has hundreds of books on tape, and you can even instantly download books on the internet.
This is one of the most under-utilised and easiest learning strategies. If your job is 25 minutes away you spend 200 hours per year sitting in your car going to or from work. Could you learn something useful if you had four hours per week of audio instruction for a year? The only extra time it takes is a few minutes to stop by the library.
Of course, almost nothing works just by reading it. Why not scan the list above and start using one or two of these learning strategies right now?
Tampilkan postingan dengan label learning. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label learning. Tampilkan semua postingan
Senin, 19 Maret 2012
Kamis, 12 Mei 2011
Learning Style - How To Develop Your Own
A person's primary learning style is usually classified as "visual," "auditory," or "kinesthetic." There are tests to see which of these three is used most by yourself, and you can then use this self-knowledge to learn more efficiently. If, for example, your primary way of processing new information is visual, imagining things in your mind is a good way to make them "stick." Writing things down or otherwise physically using information helps those with a kinesthetic style, and listening to taped information is a good way for auditory learners to remember things.
Beyond these, though, a persons learning style is a unique combination of the primary ways of processing information as well as the ways in which various techniques and personal idiosyncrasies are used. For example, if you remember facts better when you study in the morning, then you should study important things in the morning. Also, particular techniques, like the memory technique of linking a set of facts or items in a story, might work well for you, and so should be used as a habitual part of learning.
Learn how you most easily process information, note how other factors affect your ability to learn, and then test various techniques. In this way you can develop a unique learning style that works best for you. The following are some elements you may want to include.
Techniques To Try In Your Learning Style
Take a few breaks. Research shows that we remember best what we studied first and last in a given session. Taking breaks creates more "sessions," and so increases the number of firsts and lasts. Getting up and moving around during your breaks can also keep your mind fresh.
Study with the idea in mind that you will be teaching the same material. As you study something, imagine how you will teach it, even hearing the words you will use. This is a powerful way to get a good grasp on new information.
Think about how you'll use the information. There is so much information to remember, and so little of it is the "important stuff." When you imagine how you'll use the new information, you tend to automatically focus on the things you really need to know.
Habitually compare and contrast things. Tell yourself, "That's like...," or "How is that different from..." The concept of the e-mail newsletter auto-responder was new to me, but I really started to understand how to use it when I thought, "It's like having someone to do all my addressing and mailing for pennies a day." I started to ask all the other important questions.
To sum up, learn how your mind processes new information. Then try various learning techniques and make the ones that work for you into habits. Oh, and take those personal idiosyncrasies into account too. This is how you develop an effective learning style of your own.
Beyond these, though, a persons learning style is a unique combination of the primary ways of processing information as well as the ways in which various techniques and personal idiosyncrasies are used. For example, if you remember facts better when you study in the morning, then you should study important things in the morning. Also, particular techniques, like the memory technique of linking a set of facts or items in a story, might work well for you, and so should be used as a habitual part of learning.
Learn how you most easily process information, note how other factors affect your ability to learn, and then test various techniques. In this way you can develop a unique learning style that works best for you. The following are some elements you may want to include.
Techniques To Try In Your Learning Style
Take a few breaks. Research shows that we remember best what we studied first and last in a given session. Taking breaks creates more "sessions," and so increases the number of firsts and lasts. Getting up and moving around during your breaks can also keep your mind fresh.
Study with the idea in mind that you will be teaching the same material. As you study something, imagine how you will teach it, even hearing the words you will use. This is a powerful way to get a good grasp on new information.
Think about how you'll use the information. There is so much information to remember, and so little of it is the "important stuff." When you imagine how you'll use the new information, you tend to automatically focus on the things you really need to know.
Habitually compare and contrast things. Tell yourself, "That's like...," or "How is that different from..." The concept of the e-mail newsletter auto-responder was new to me, but I really started to understand how to use it when I thought, "It's like having someone to do all my addressing and mailing for pennies a day." I started to ask all the other important questions.
To sum up, learn how your mind processes new information. Then try various learning techniques and make the ones that work for you into habits. Oh, and take those personal idiosyncrasies into account too. This is how you develop an effective learning style of your own.
Sabtu, 22 Mei 2010
Being a Continuous Learner
When people ask me what business I’m in, I often say, “I’m in the learning business.” It sounds intriguing, and it is certainly true. But, truth be told, we are all in the learning business.
Why?
Because as humans, we are learning machines. We are most alive and functioning closest to our potential when we are learning, adapting, adjusting, and finding new ways, approaches and techniques to improve our lives (or the lives of others) in some way.
I believe in the above statements. They are as true as any other statement I could write here. But rather than talking about the philosophy of humankind, let me get much more pragmatic.
Change and Learning
Change is all around us. Some say the rate of change is increasing, but whether that is true or not, this is definitely a fact in our business lives. Products change, Customers change, process and policies change. We are put on a new team, we are entering new markets, and we have set new goals. In all parts of our daily professional lives change surrounds us.
In order for us to cope with that change, we need to be willing and able to change. And learning is a key component in developing that ability.
So when I talk about continuous learning or life long learning, I’m not suggesting everyone needs to take a course at their local college, or go back to school for a new degree. Continuous learning is an attitude and a set of behaviors that allow us to succeed in our ever-changing environment, and is the best lever we have to turn who we are today into who we want to be tomorrow. Change requires learning and conversely, there is no learning without change.
So if life long learning doesn’t necessarily mean the “professional college student” and doesn’t require us to be the person who was always asking questions in every class we ever attended, what are the behaviors that make up a true continuous or life long learner?
I’m glad you asked.
The Behaviors
There are some common threads among those who actively are learning and growing as professionals (and humans). Life-long, continuous learners:
· Have a beginner’s mindset. If you approach anything with the mindset of an expert, you will learn nothing. With the expert’s mind, you are looking for confirmation and validation of what you already know. A beginner on the other hand, looks constantly for one new tidbit, one or more ways to expand on their current expertise. In other words, expert or not, they don’t think that way, because they know that only with a open, beginners mind, can they benefit from the learning opportunity.
· Make connections. Peter Drucker, the famous and influential management thinker wrote, “To make knowledge productive we will have to learn to see both forest and tree. We will have to learn to connect.” Continuous learners do that. They continue to think about what they have learned in one part of their life and how it relates to and connects with challenges, problems, opportunities and situations that occur in other parts of their life.
· Are flexible and adaptable. Learning requires change, so continuous learners realize that they must be willing to adapt and change if they want to grow.
· Are always learning something. Continuous learners learn new things “just because.” They’ve always wanted to play guitar, so they take lessons. They want to ride a unicycle, so they try it. They learn how to quilt. They learn a new language. These people don’t invest the time required just so they can play “Love Me Tender” or say “good morning” in Chinese. They also do it because they realize that our brains are like muscles. The more we exercise them the stronger they will be.
· Are continuously curious. One of the most powerful learning questions we use is “Why?” Why is the question of the curious. Continuous learners remain curious about people, places, important and mundane things as well. By cultivating their curiosity they are adding to their knowledge and perspective, while exercising an important part of our learning brain at the same time.
· Learn in multiple ways. In school we learned in a relatively limited number of ways, which unfortunately leaves some people with a limited view of learning. Continuous learns know that they can learn by reading, by listening, by trying, through others, with a mentor, etc. (etc.!)
· Teach others. Something magical happens when you teach someone something – you suddenly understand it better yourself. Continuous learners teach others not just to help the other person (or to show them how much they know) but because they know it helps them deepen their mastery of their own learning.
How to Use This List
Now that you have read this far I hope you are convinced of how valuable it can be to be a more active learner. You have also read a list of characteristics. Now that you have read that list of characteristics, I’d like you to read it again. As you read it ask yourself these questions:
· How well do I stack up against these behaviors?
· Which ones would I like to get better at?
· Who do I know that is exceptionally good at each of these characteristics?
· How can I learn these traits and habits from those I know who are better at them than I?
Your answers to these four questions (and the action that you take) will put you on the road to being a more continuous and life-long learner.
Enjoy your journey.
Why?
Because as humans, we are learning machines. We are most alive and functioning closest to our potential when we are learning, adapting, adjusting, and finding new ways, approaches and techniques to improve our lives (or the lives of others) in some way.
I believe in the above statements. They are as true as any other statement I could write here. But rather than talking about the philosophy of humankind, let me get much more pragmatic.
Change and Learning
Change is all around us. Some say the rate of change is increasing, but whether that is true or not, this is definitely a fact in our business lives. Products change, Customers change, process and policies change. We are put on a new team, we are entering new markets, and we have set new goals. In all parts of our daily professional lives change surrounds us.
In order for us to cope with that change, we need to be willing and able to change. And learning is a key component in developing that ability.
So when I talk about continuous learning or life long learning, I’m not suggesting everyone needs to take a course at their local college, or go back to school for a new degree. Continuous learning is an attitude and a set of behaviors that allow us to succeed in our ever-changing environment, and is the best lever we have to turn who we are today into who we want to be tomorrow. Change requires learning and conversely, there is no learning without change.
So if life long learning doesn’t necessarily mean the “professional college student” and doesn’t require us to be the person who was always asking questions in every class we ever attended, what are the behaviors that make up a true continuous or life long learner?
I’m glad you asked.
The Behaviors
There are some common threads among those who actively are learning and growing as professionals (and humans). Life-long, continuous learners:
· Have a beginner’s mindset. If you approach anything with the mindset of an expert, you will learn nothing. With the expert’s mind, you are looking for confirmation and validation of what you already know. A beginner on the other hand, looks constantly for one new tidbit, one or more ways to expand on their current expertise. In other words, expert or not, they don’t think that way, because they know that only with a open, beginners mind, can they benefit from the learning opportunity.
· Make connections. Peter Drucker, the famous and influential management thinker wrote, “To make knowledge productive we will have to learn to see both forest and tree. We will have to learn to connect.” Continuous learners do that. They continue to think about what they have learned in one part of their life and how it relates to and connects with challenges, problems, opportunities and situations that occur in other parts of their life.
· Are flexible and adaptable. Learning requires change, so continuous learners realize that they must be willing to adapt and change if they want to grow.
· Are always learning something. Continuous learners learn new things “just because.” They’ve always wanted to play guitar, so they take lessons. They want to ride a unicycle, so they try it. They learn how to quilt. They learn a new language. These people don’t invest the time required just so they can play “Love Me Tender” or say “good morning” in Chinese. They also do it because they realize that our brains are like muscles. The more we exercise them the stronger they will be.
· Are continuously curious. One of the most powerful learning questions we use is “Why?” Why is the question of the curious. Continuous learners remain curious about people, places, important and mundane things as well. By cultivating their curiosity they are adding to their knowledge and perspective, while exercising an important part of our learning brain at the same time.
· Learn in multiple ways. In school we learned in a relatively limited number of ways, which unfortunately leaves some people with a limited view of learning. Continuous learns know that they can learn by reading, by listening, by trying, through others, with a mentor, etc. (etc.!)
· Teach others. Something magical happens when you teach someone something – you suddenly understand it better yourself. Continuous learners teach others not just to help the other person (or to show them how much they know) but because they know it helps them deepen their mastery of their own learning.
How to Use This List
Now that you have read this far I hope you are convinced of how valuable it can be to be a more active learner. You have also read a list of characteristics. Now that you have read that list of characteristics, I’d like you to read it again. As you read it ask yourself these questions:
· How well do I stack up against these behaviors?
· Which ones would I like to get better at?
· Who do I know that is exceptionally good at each of these characteristics?
· How can I learn these traits and habits from those I know who are better at them than I?
Your answers to these four questions (and the action that you take) will put you on the road to being a more continuous and life-long learner.
Enjoy your journey.
Kamis, 20 Mei 2010
Becoming A Student Of Life
One of the habits that has served me well throughout my life is keeping the mind-set of a student. I've always had an insatiable curiosity about a wide variety of topics, and I'm usually reading several books during the same time period. I've read about some really fascinating things, like quantum physics, and some really cheesy things, like romance novels. Truth be told, I've enjoyed them all!
It occurred to me the other day that it doesn't matter what I'm learning about, as long as I'm consistently learning. I'm like a sponge that gets dry and shriveled if I don't absorb something on a regular basis. My life then becomes boring and stagnant, and I feel sluggish and uninspired.
If this describes your life right now, you can turn it around pretty easily. Adopt the attitude of a student, and watch how it infuses you with joy, excitement, and motivation.
Being a student of life isn't just about reading books and learning as much as you can on various subjects. That can certainly be part of it, but it's more about the way you see the world around you and the way you handle your daily experiences.
Here are five tips to help you become a student of life:
1) Develop Awareness. - Most of us spend our days rushing blindly from one activity to another without ever noticing our surroundings. If we can instead slow down a little bit and just look around us, we'd SEE so much more in life. Take time to notice that beautiful sunset on the drive home. Step outside during the day and feel the sunshine on your face, and indulge in some deep, cleansing breaths. Become aware of your own spiritual self, and your connection to all living things. Give yourself the gift of just being, noticing, and breathing.
2) Keep an Open Mind. - Rather than assuming you know all about something already, approach each situation with an attitude of curiosity. Question everything. Explore new ideas, thoughts, and subjects you've always wanted to learn about. This goes for the people around you too. Don't assume you know what they're all about based on their appearance or some preconceived notion. Ask questions, get to know them better. Be willing to release any judgments you may have, and instead seek truth.
3) Keep an Open Heart. - Express deep gratitude for your life, and all of the experiences you have - even the not so pleasant ones. Be willing to be vulnerable in your connections with others, and allow yourself to feel. Too often we are afraid of our emotions and try to numb them or run away from them. Instead, let your emotions be your teachers. Listen to them, and honor them. They will teach you a lot about yourself.
4) Look for the Lesson. - In every experience, ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Sometimes the lesson is obvious, and sometimes you'll have to search for it. With every lesson, allow it to become a part of you and make you a better, stronger, happier person. Though we all make mistakes and stumble, the goal is to make new mistakes, rather than repeating the same ones over and over again. As long as we are making progress, we're doing great! Use your own awareness to overcome challenges and keep moving forward.
5) Enjoy the Journey. - Most of us take life so seriously! Yes, it does have its serious moments. But overall this is supposed to be a pleasant experience, and we can make it that way by simply choosing to. Don't worry so much about whether you're making as much progress as you should, and don't get frustrated when things don't always work out as planned. Instead take a lighter attitude and understand that it's all just a journey and the point is to relax and enjoy.
Imagine that you're a beautiful white sponge, and you come across these brilliant pools of colored liquid. There's a red pool of passion, a pink pool of love, a yellow pool of knowledge, a green pool of gratitude, and a purple pool of fun. Go ahead and dip your sponge toe into each of these pools, and your color will begin to change. Rather than being a plain white sponge, you are now a beautiful, multi-colored sponge, filled with passion, love, knowledge, gratitude, and fun.
Unfortunately, there are also a few pools of black, brackish stuff like negative self-talk, fear, regrets, etc. If you accidentally absorb some of this and it begins to taint your colors, don't worry about it too much. Just focus on revisiting the pretty, colorful pools and absorbing more good stuff. It will dilute the negative stuff, and eventually get rid of it all together. :-)
It occurred to me the other day that it doesn't matter what I'm learning about, as long as I'm consistently learning. I'm like a sponge that gets dry and shriveled if I don't absorb something on a regular basis. My life then becomes boring and stagnant, and I feel sluggish and uninspired.
If this describes your life right now, you can turn it around pretty easily. Adopt the attitude of a student, and watch how it infuses you with joy, excitement, and motivation.
Being a student of life isn't just about reading books and learning as much as you can on various subjects. That can certainly be part of it, but it's more about the way you see the world around you and the way you handle your daily experiences.
Here are five tips to help you become a student of life:
1) Develop Awareness. - Most of us spend our days rushing blindly from one activity to another without ever noticing our surroundings. If we can instead slow down a little bit and just look around us, we'd SEE so much more in life. Take time to notice that beautiful sunset on the drive home. Step outside during the day and feel the sunshine on your face, and indulge in some deep, cleansing breaths. Become aware of your own spiritual self, and your connection to all living things. Give yourself the gift of just being, noticing, and breathing.
2) Keep an Open Mind. - Rather than assuming you know all about something already, approach each situation with an attitude of curiosity. Question everything. Explore new ideas, thoughts, and subjects you've always wanted to learn about. This goes for the people around you too. Don't assume you know what they're all about based on their appearance or some preconceived notion. Ask questions, get to know them better. Be willing to release any judgments you may have, and instead seek truth.
3) Keep an Open Heart. - Express deep gratitude for your life, and all of the experiences you have - even the not so pleasant ones. Be willing to be vulnerable in your connections with others, and allow yourself to feel. Too often we are afraid of our emotions and try to numb them or run away from them. Instead, let your emotions be your teachers. Listen to them, and honor them. They will teach you a lot about yourself.
4) Look for the Lesson. - In every experience, ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Sometimes the lesson is obvious, and sometimes you'll have to search for it. With every lesson, allow it to become a part of you and make you a better, stronger, happier person. Though we all make mistakes and stumble, the goal is to make new mistakes, rather than repeating the same ones over and over again. As long as we are making progress, we're doing great! Use your own awareness to overcome challenges and keep moving forward.
5) Enjoy the Journey. - Most of us take life so seriously! Yes, it does have its serious moments. But overall this is supposed to be a pleasant experience, and we can make it that way by simply choosing to. Don't worry so much about whether you're making as much progress as you should, and don't get frustrated when things don't always work out as planned. Instead take a lighter attitude and understand that it's all just a journey and the point is to relax and enjoy.
Imagine that you're a beautiful white sponge, and you come across these brilliant pools of colored liquid. There's a red pool of passion, a pink pool of love, a yellow pool of knowledge, a green pool of gratitude, and a purple pool of fun. Go ahead and dip your sponge toe into each of these pools, and your color will begin to change. Rather than being a plain white sponge, you are now a beautiful, multi-colored sponge, filled with passion, love, knowledge, gratitude, and fun.
Unfortunately, there are also a few pools of black, brackish stuff like negative self-talk, fear, regrets, etc. If you accidentally absorb some of this and it begins to taint your colors, don't worry about it too much. Just focus on revisiting the pretty, colorful pools and absorbing more good stuff. It will dilute the negative stuff, and eventually get rid of it all together. :-)
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