#learning techniques

Are Supercomputers Smarter Than the Human Brain?

This article delves into the intricacies of this comparison, examining the capabilities, strengths, and limitations of both the human brain and supercomputers.

Yeah, of course! My learning/note taking style is sort of a bastardized version of visual note taking combined with some more conventional note taking mixed in.

While things I list out are useful, learning styles are really dependent on you! I struggled academically for most of my childhood and until my science teacher in middle school actually sat down with me and helped me learned a note taking method that suited me. I was encouraged to draw what I was learning in class to help me remember the material better. So don't take my method as like the only way to study but take tips from it to help you learn better!

Between more conventional notes, I typically do a little doodle that's about, related, or inspired by what I'm learning!

This is my go-to method but it doesn't normally always work. In classes that are really info dense I tend to have a hard time doodling about it and I find all that information typically stressful. Instead, I occasionally draw what I want to doodle to help calm me down and prevent myself from getting overwhelmed.

Another thing I use a lot is abbreviations in writing. Sometimes, rewriting the same word over and over again is frustrating so I tend to use abbreviations instead. For example, socioeconomic status can easily be shortened to SES, social to just S, physical to just physio, etc. I also simplify conjunctions and some verbs to make the process of writing them over and over again easier! With to w/ and without to w/o, between to b/w. Here's an example of how that looks when I take notes:

I also try not to write everything on a slide- main ideas or focal points are typically added into my notes. Unless it's like really dense material and I have time to write it all down, then I try my best so later I can go over it again (or typically, I go to the professor and ask them questions about it).

These are just what I do in class- I do work on these notes afterwards. I type up my notes and revise them after class(sometimes immediately after but normally over the course of a week). I like thinking it as taking my notes and turning them from gibberish to something easily understandable. This helps me share my notes with other people without them getting confused and allows me to easily study my notes, make study flash cards, and easily search definitions or ideas later on.

1. Develops Curiosity to Learn

“It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education”- Albert Einstein

Many think that inquiry-based learning takes you away from your curriculum. Instead, it makes your mind curious to understand the core of the concept through real-life examples. Start the day with a quick activity or play a video or documentary to fuel them with information that may ignite questions.

2. Builds Skills

It motivates to develop the brain-based skills that may help students to think out of the box. In this competitive world, you need to have different abilities that make you stand out. It enables in improving the mental capability for reasoning, planning, problem-solving, abstract thinking catering into building a better personality.

3. Boosts Better Understanding

In this type of learning method, the student is at the centre of learning. He/she comes with an open question, investigates the methods and finds solutions accordingly. They have a detailed insight into the principles of learning.

4. Makes them Explorers

Learning is accomplished according to the children’s choice. They choose their style of learning and find a solution to questions which gives them a sense of ownership. They are experts of their own creations that help in enhancing their learning skills. This helps in building confidence and improves self-learning.

5. Promotes Student Engagement

As someone with ADHD and Autism, I didnt learn anything in my online courses. It's not suited for me.

I need in-person help and tutoring services.

I need physical papers and textbooks.

I need to sit in a learning environment (not my room). I am not motivated if I'm in the same environment I use for pleasure activities like youtube, minecraft, or sleeping.

I need to be away from my family that makes lots of noise and walks through the house frequently

I need to be around other students and teachers for my mental wellbeing.

I need to be supervised when working.

I can use laptops for making quizlets, but I remember it more taking notes in a notebook.

I like moving from classroom to classroom as a way to de-stress between learning.

I do not like staring at monitors for 6+ hours a day when it comes to attention required high focused learning.

If I see a wall of text on my laptop, my brain simply does not absorb any of the information and will resist reading it.

I recently came across this Tumblr called #studyblr where people supposedly posts asthetically pleasing images of their binders and stationaries while listening to music. Not just instrumental. You want us to believe you're studying!

I don't get it, if you're so busy arranging your stuff around and clicking it's picture just to get "in the zone", when do you actually study?

Seems like you'd get a lot more work done if you actually studied rather than taking pictures of you studying. #nohate but I believe studying is like meditation and I believe we can all agree that you aren't really meditating if half of your focus is on getting the right angle! Unless of course you're India's PM who had TV cameras installed in three different angles in a cave who want us to believe he was meditating right before election results!