Studying for exams and really effectively learning something can be hard work. Sometimes it feels like the effort you are putting in is not paying off. This page has some really useful strategies from The Learning Scientists, who use cognitive science research to support students and teachers. You can find much more information on the six strategies below (and lots of resources) on their site:
Spaced practice is the exact opposite of cramming. When you cram, you study for a long, intense period of time close to an exam. When you space your learning, you take that same amount of study time, and spread it out across a much longer period of time. (The Learning Scientists).
The term elaboration can be used to mean a lot of different things. However, when we are talking about studying using elaboration, it involves explaining and describing ideas with many details. (The Learning Scientists).
Abstract ideas can be vague and hard to grasp. Moreover, human memory is designed to remember concrete information better than abstract information. To really nail down an abstract idea, you need to solidify it in your mind. You can do this by being specific and concrete. (The Learning Scientists).
Retrieval practice involves recreating something you’ve learned in the past from your memory, and thinking about it right now. In other words, a while after you’ve learned something by reading it in a book or hearing it in a class or from a teacher, you need to bring it to mind (or “retrieve” it). (The Learning Scientists).
You shouldn’t study one idea, topic, or type of problem for too long. Instead, you should change it up often. Interleaving like this may seem harder than studying one type of material for a long time, but this is actually more helpful in the long run. (The Learning Scientists).
Dual coding is the process of combining verbal materials with visual materials. There are many ways to visually represent material, such as with infographics, timelines, cartoon strips, diagrams, and graphic organizers. (The Learning Scientists).
