In December, one of my supervisors (Dr Martin Bekker) for My MastersMy Masters
I am currently doing my masters by research in electrical and information engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. I am fortunate to be supervised by Professor Ken Nixon and Dr Martin Be... recommended that I check out Learning how to learn by Professor Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski. It was during my holiday and it seemed like some high quality but low effort content so I picked it up. And how grateful I am that I did!
The course content is relatively straightforward but super valuable. In the first week, some of the core concepts covered include some definitions of learning and how to tap into learning tools and techniques like focused vs diffused states of mind or taking advantage of the Pomodoro technique to just get going with something challenging. The second week dives into detail about another learning technique called "chunking". We do this with any complex idea or new problem that our brain faces where we break it up into manageable pieces. The course proposes ways of forming chunks efficiently and reliably. In week three, Dr Oakley unpacks procrastination and why it's such a critical habit to break although it's a normal response to challenging wok.
All of these concepts and ideas are backed by real learning and neuroscience research and it's a great pleasure to listen to. One of my biggest takeaways thus far with the course has been a reinforcement of Growth Mindset practices and how no matter the challenge or situation, there is always a path forward to learn how to face it even if it feels insurmountable at first.