Learning Process for Students

We can classify entire learning process into 3 parts:

1. I/P (from Books or Classes to Brain)
2. Remembering things
3. O/P (from Mindmap to appropriate format)

1. I/P (from Books or Classes to Brain)

This part deals with how to read n understand. Since most of subjects we learn are deductive, we are trained to study every thing logically or vertically.

If you are a research student, I would suggest :

1. Prepare Knowledge book/base (using techniques described in part 2).

2. Read Edward DeBono's Lateral Thinking and use techniques mentioned in that book to think creatively. Yes, Creative works are not always accidental but they can be developed if assumptions are challenged.

Remember, It takes an unusual mind to analyze the obvious. Eg, I consider Einstein to be great not because he could solve complex equations (infact in that period, there were Mathematicians and Physicist capable of solving more complex equations). I think he is great because he challenged the obvious assumption of time being non-relative wrt frame of reference.

2. Remembering things

Use following techniques:

1. Mindmap

Use Association(with real life example), Exaggeration, Sex (or probably your GF name/attribute - It difficult to not remember your spouse, and if you have associated an idea/concept with her, I think you will never forget that concept), colors, images/sketches etc... (Read Tony Buzan's book for more detail).

But most important fact is arrangement of ideas in Mindmap (It should reflect your thinking process).

2. Mnemonics

(Eg. Remembering 2nd/3rd row of Periodic table::

Lisa and Beny Both Came to Nine instead Of Five

Sodium(Na) and Magnesium(Mg) All Sick People Sat Closely)

(Neglect Ne and Ar)

IMP:: Simplicity of above two concept is its power.

3. O/P (from Mindmap to appropriate format)

Remember not to take Lisa as Lithium (Sounds funny!! But if above process was fed in Computers, Machine Learning Algorithms would do that). They are two seperate entities in real world but are associated to provide us an aid to remember them.

If you are communicating your ideas to audience/person, you might consider reading NLP books (Frankly I have not studied it in detail. I saw a NLP book in my friend's mom's Library and I read few pages while I was waiting). It suggest that your communication is successful if at the end of communication, mind map in your head is similar to mindmap in receiver's head. Therefore we use PPT during presentation (Actually, most ppts are hierarchical minmaps).

Note, I have not discussed concentration and relaxation techniques. (Pranayam, Meditation are useful) (See Megaliving by Robin Sharma)

I have assumed that most of the readers of this post are Students (especially from Rationalist/Deductive branch of studies eg. Physics, Maths, Biology, CS etc... and not Arts or Literature students).