As the amount of material to be learned in school increases, every student faces a serious challenge: they need to learn how to learn. But what does this mean, and how does it happen?

In April, we explored this topic with the high school mentors of E-tanoda. Here’s how they described the essence of effective learning:

"Effective learning is when you learn things in a relatively short amount of time."

"Getting closer to the set goal, feeling that the time spent was worth it."

"When I can apply the knowledge I have acquired and see the connections in the given topic."

"It happens in a relatively short time, the learned material stays in my mind for a long time, and it can be recalled (possibly utilized) later."

In this article, we would like to share some scientifically proven effective methods that bring us closer to making all this a reality.

Learning Styles

An average student encounters numerous learning techniques. Sometimes they take notes while listening to the teacher’s lecture, prepare a poster about the Visegrád Castle, or discuss the problem of water wastage in a team. With a little self-examination, we can quickly find out which methods work best. There are individual differences in the effective way of learning: different students benefit from different learning styles—the way of receiving and processing information is unique to each person. Some remember the material most accurately by hearing it, others by reading, and some retain information better when they talk about it.

These questions can help recognize our learning style:

1. I often repeat the lesson out loud to myself. (Auditory learning style)

2. It is easier to learn if there are pictures or diagrams in the book. (Visual learning style)

3. If I write down the text I need to learn, I remember it more easily than just seeing or hearing it. (Kinesthetic learning style)

4. If I discuss the material with someone, I learn it faster. (Social learning style)

5. I often find the solution to a math problem but can’t explain or prove how I arrived at the solution. (Impulsive learning style)

6. It is very distracting to hear people talking around me while I am studying. (Quiet learning style)

7. I memorize the rules word for word. (Mechanical learning style)

Knowing our style, we can choose the appropriate learning technique and save time. Mixed methods also occur, for example, drawing diagrams is not only a visual but also a kinesthetic stimulus. Using multiple modalities can yield even better results.

Understanding

Everything starts with understanding. Most of us have surely experienced thinking we understood the material in class, but then couldn’t solve the math problem in the test. A self-check question can help ensure we have truly grasped everything. It’s worth asking ourselves: how would I explain this to a five-year-old? If we can summarize the essence briefly and clearly, it means we truly understood the material.

The Two Most Effective Learning Techniques: Testing and Spaced Repetition

As the saying goes, repetition is the father of learning. However, the most effective method is not re-reading the textbook but actively testing our knowledge. We can do this with flashcards, verbally recalling the material, or trying to write notes from memory. Various methods are available, which should be adapted to our learning style and the type of subject. For science subjects, practice problems are essential, while for history, verbal recall or note-taking might be more appropriate.

Research supports that material stays most accurately in memory if we revisit and review it at increasing intervals, just before we would forget it without repetition. This way, we can break the forgetting curve and ensure knowledge retention. It’s advisable to revisit flashcards or take a knowledge test a week later, then again after two weeks. If preparing for an exam, we can even create a review schedule outlining what we want to review each day.

The active recall technique can be used not only for repetition but also for acquiring new material. Carefully read the following passage, then put the text aside. Try to summarize the information out loud or write notes, draw a mind map of everything you remember. Forcing our brain to recall information helps better retention than just reading the text.

"People have been trying for millennia to determine the value of π more accurately. In ancient Egypt, π emerged as a mathematical problem when calculating the area of a circle. People living along the Nile initially used three, but later realized that this number is not exactly three but slightly more. The Egyptians used 3.1605 as the value of π, while the Babylonians used 3.125. The greatest mathematician of antiquity, Archimedes, also dealt with this number—he discovered the relationship between the area and circumference of a circle. In 1596, Ludolph van Ceulen calculated its value to 20, then 36 digits (hence π is also called Ludolph’s number)."

Teaching

The high school mentors of E-tanoda not only focus on the success of their own learning but also face the challenges of teaching during tutoring sessions. The goal of mentoring is to transfer certain competencies: the student should know English, be able to perform algebraic operations, and write correctly. In the training, we covered that knowledge, skills, and attitudes together form a competency, and the volunteers defined what they want to impart to their mentees by the end of the semester.

Knowledge: Understands and can apply various theorems in math problems. Can summarize the properties of plane figures.

Skill: Uses the acquired knowledge, and possibly solves one or two more thought-provoking problems.

Attitude: Strives to find the solution and doesn’t give up at the first difficulty.

Knowledge: Clearly recognizes problematic letters, doesn’t mix up letters containing y.

Skill: Reads short texts more confidently.

Attitude: Becomes more persistent if a word is not read correctly at first.

For more information on evidence-based learning methods: YouTube Video.

Szitó, I. (2005): Developing Learning Strategies. School Psychology 2. ELTE Faculty of Education and Psychology, Teacher Training and Continuing Education Center, Budapest. 51-53. Dunlosky J, Rawson KA, Marsh EJ, Nathan MJ, Willingham DT. Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology. Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2013 Jan;14(1):4-58. doi: 10.1177/1529100612453266. PMID: 26173288.

Author: Róza Sára Somlai