Thinking Man's Corner

Article By: Leo H.

Let us consider strategies which can be utilized to overcome lack of focus or inattention. It is important to understand and accept the fact a large portion of the learning process is the responsibility of the student. Teachers, trainers, and instructors can assist in providing a learning environment. They can present information or demonstrate tactics/techniques which are valid and relevant. However, they cannot open the student’s mind nor perform the repetitions required to master a skill. Therein lies the obligation of the student.

Research suggests everyone has a specific learning preference (VARK). Further, recognize humans tend to follow the easiest path when learning new material. Accepting that, realize most instructors are inclined to teach in the method they, themselves, prefer as preparing the class in that fashion is easiest for them. If the student and the teacher are of the same mind, attending class will be a pleasure and in all probability, learning will occur without much effort as a type of rapport will be established from the start. On the other hand, class becomes a wasted experience when the student and instructor do not mesh. In that instance, learning is generally just beyond reach as the mind of the student is elsewhere throughout the training session.

It would stand to reason, to achieve the best possible learning experience, one should choose to attend a class where the greatest compatibility with the instructor exists and a sincere desire to learn exists on the part of the student. Where that is not possible, the student should be prepared to manage the class to the best of their ability. Study whatever material might be available beforehand. Make a list of questions about topics that require greater clarification or where the content, in relation to relevancy, is not well represented. Ask questions concerning lecture material every ten or fifteen minutes to remain focused on lecture content. Talk to other course participants to ensure your understanding of the presented material is in line with theirs. If the class is cognitive in nature, take notes. If psychomotor, keep a journal or write some sort of after-action review for future reference. If you are paying for the class, you should expect to get the biggest bang for your buck possible. If your boss is paying you to attend; they will expect you to maximize the time spent training to your biggest benefit.

Following a system to take your notes for future reference is a much-proven method of achieving success. Correct note taking promotes focus. It provides you with the means of taking something from the class written in a fashion that makes sense to you. It is not merely copying the bullet points from a screen or grabbing a set of handouts which you may or may not later understand. Using the “Five R Study Program” of RECORD, REDUCE, RECITE, REFLECT and REVIEW will provide you with a solid base of data retrieval at a later point in time. Recently, in a conversation regarding a class I had attended over twenty years ago, the other party mentioned the material covered during that class would be of interest to him. I was able to type up a copy of my notes from that time which allowed him to see the class through my eyes. Much of the material was relevant, even to this day.

When RECORDING… Listen to what is being said and then take notes in your own words. Paraphrase what you hear so your notes will make sense to you. Skip a line between ideas and use abbreviations/symbols to allow you to document the lecture faster. However, it is important to use full phrases. While many folks can type faster (and neater) than they can write; it has been shown greater retention is achieved when putting pen to paper as we have a greater mental connection with the words.

If you are the instructor, remember you have learners that will try to copy every slide you present or write every word you utter. Advising them of a Dropbox/Google Drive link or providing handout material that follows the slides will be of great benefit if you really want them to listen/participate to your lecture. The more you can involve the student in the classroom, the greater the retention of the material will be.

When you REDUCE… Look at your notes and reduce the content to more manageable chunks. Use single words and short phrases that serve as a “trigger’ to the larger content. By summarizing your notes, you are forced to perform a comprehension evaluation of the big picture. Things that are not understood to the point you can readily establish relationships with words and phrases that have recognizable worth require greater research to create significant understanding. Taking the time to establish cues and then physically writing them on paper sets the stage for later recall.

Spoken RECITATION of your notes and identified cues better store the material in your retrievable memory. Using a multi-sensory approach to learning improves recall. Seeing the material on the written page… Saying the material out loud in your own words… Hearing yourself repeat key words and phrases, and then visualizing the significance of the material in a manner that has meaning to you, are all factors in building a mental program that promotes understanding and assists you in recalling information later.

Next, you must REFLECT upon your written notes to learn. Considering just why the notes you took are important to you and how they can be applied in your personal or professional life is extremely beneficial to the learning process. The more worth identified, the greater the value of the material.  The greater the identified value, the more attention paid to the content. Thinking beyond the classroom/range promotes a greater interest in the provided material. Don’t just hear the words… Live the content.

Finally, it is important to have a plan to REVIEW the material while it is still fresh in your mind. If we agree with the hypothesis offered by Ebbinghaus (Forgetting Curve), we’ll have to concede that failing to review newly learned material in a timely fashion will result in an increased probability of memory loss. His premise was that each repetition of study increases the interval needed to refresh the material before it becomes lost. Recall requires review.

Review of material within the first 24 hours is believed by many to be the best study option. Re-reading notes and creating a meaningful need to recall the information will reduce the amount of knowledge forgotten. Spending time each day recalling important information is the best method to follow in order to decrease the effects of the “Forgetting Curve.”  The more we… write about… talk about… and think about something… the higher the probability it can be recalled when needed.

“A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library where he can get it if he wants.” – Sherlock Holmes

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