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The Science of Rapid Skill Acquisition: Advanced Methods to Learn, remember, and Master New Skills and Information by Peter Hollins

– This is a self-published book that has no copyright date, citations, or index. It does have a summary guide at the end. The content rings true to me and fits well with other books summarized on this blog. Give it a shot. It’s a easy read.

1. Learn with Rapid Skill Acquisition

• Information on almost any topic is almost instantly accessible cheap or even free. We just need to learn how to learn. Traditional schools mostly engage students in passive learning, which is inefficient. You need to start with goals that are important to you. These goals will either help you on the job, gain you a new job, help you with your life outside of work, or give you a new hobby.

2. Strategic Planning

• You need to start with a well constructed plan. Most new skills can be broken into sub skills. You need to determine which sub skills are the most important and focus on them first. For example, if you want to learn another language you need to learn the most common words first. As you gather learning resources and weed some out, make sure they follow this idea. It may be easy to find written material, so be sure to also search for videos and ways you can learn actively.
• Reading or listening to a lecture may provide 5% TO 10% retention. Audio/visual content can take that up to 20%. Demonstrations are more like 30% and group discussions may take it to 50%. Real-life experience takes it to 75% and teaching others is at the top with 90%.

3. It’s Just Practice

• Practice needs to be deliberate. This kind of practice is focused. Try to catch yourself from being mindless or sloppy. Determine the proper amount of time for the skill you are working on. You should interleave the practice of several skills rather than doing just one for a long period of time. Such practice should be repeated over time, perhaps daily. Doing some practice each day is much better than cramming. Try to work on recalling or self-testing rather than rereading if you can.
• Problem-based learning is more effective as it deals with the real world. It requires that you determine what you need to know that you don’t know yet and devise a plan to learn it. This lends itself to group work. As you work you need quality feedback from someone who knows more than you do like a mentor or a coach. You also need to learn how to self access. There are 10 questions here that can help with that. Be sure to schedule your learning and Peter recommends five-minute breaks every 25 minutes.

4. Deep Comprehension

• One way to deepen your comprehension is to engage in elaborate interrogation. This can be likened to a child asking endless “why” questions. As you interrogate yourself, you can discover gaps or blind spots. One kind of elaborate interrogation described here is the Feynman Technique. The keys to it are to simplify how you explain something and creating analogies.
• As your learning progresses, you will go through the six steps of Bloom’s Taxonomy. They are remember, apply, understand, evaluate, analyze, and create. If you fully understand something you can use it to create something brand new. Curiosity isn’t required to learn something, but it makes learning easier. It can be the simple joy of learning something new. It can be apprehension due to lack of knowledge. It can be the stress you feel when you gain knowledge that is stressful. It can be the curiosity you feel while getting to know other people, or it can be the knowledge you gain while engaging in thrill seeking experiences.

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Beyond Books: Fun-Fueled Learning Techniques for Kids by Emily Graham

Every parent dreams of their child embracing the joy of learning with open arms
and a curious heart. To turn this dream into reality, creative approaches are
essential in making education enjoyable and engaging. By integrating fun into
educational activities, parents can ignite a passion for learning that lasts a
lifetime. These methods enrich a child's academic journey and strengthen the
bond between parent and child through shared discovery.

Setting Goals Together for Progress and Fun

Engage your child in setting specific, achievable learning goals to foster a sense
of ownership and excitement in their educational journey. Discuss areas they're
keen to improve, from increasing their reading volume to acquiring a new skill,
and break these larger ambitions into smaller, manageable tasks. Celebrate each
achievement to maintain high spirits and motivation. This cooperative approach
transforms learning into an enjoyable shared quest, instilling in your child a sense
of purpose and accomplishment.

Group Learning for a Fun, Social Experience

Transform learning into a communal activity involving peers or family members,
making the experience more engaging and interactive. Organize study groups,
family trivia nights, or collaborative projects, introducing healthy competition and
social interaction into the learning process. This collective environment makes
learning fun and allows children to explore different viewpoints and build social
skills.

Let Your Passion for Learning Be an Example

Show your child the thrill of learning by engaging in new subjects and displaying
genuine enthusiasm for knowledge. Pursuing an online accounting degree
enhances your business acumen and teaches you crucial skills like reading
financial statements, auditing, and applying generally accepted accounting
principles. This approach demonstrates lifelong learning and highlights how
education can open new doors. The flexibility of earning a degree online also
exemplifies how learning can adapt to fit your life, making it a practical choice for
busy parents.

Create Time for Reading Every Day

Incorporate daily reading into your routine to instill a lasting appreciation for
literature in your child. Choose a regular time for this activity, such as after dinner
or before bedtime, and encourage your child to select books that pique their
interest. This practice not only improves comprehension and vocabulary but also
stimulates the imagination. Engage in reading and discussing the content to
deepen their understanding and enhance the connection to the material.

Hands-On Activities to Spark Creativity

Use hands-on activities like arts and crafts, construction projects, or science
experiments to make learning more tangible and engaging. These interactive
experiences minimize passive screen time and encourage active participation,
enhancing understanding of complex concepts. Whether it's using baking to
explain measurements or constructing models to discuss geometry, these
creative endeavors foster critical thinking and learning joy. Such activities make
educational content memorable by connecting it to real-world applications.

Explore Museums, Nature Trails, and Cultural Events

Enhance your child's education with trips to museums, science centers, and
nature trails that offer hands-on learning about various subjects. These outings
expose them to new ideas and cultures and provide exciting, real-world
educational experiences. Observing a prehistoric fossil at a museum or exploring
local flora and fauna on a trail, such experiences deepen understanding and
inspire ongoing curiosity. These adventures encourage a lifelong love of learning
by connecting classroom lessons to the broader world.

Ask Thoughtful Questions to Foster Critical Thinking

Encourage your child's critical thinking and imagination by asking open-ended
questions that require thoughtful responses. Avoid simple yes-or-no inquiries;
ask how they might solve a problem or predict an outcome in a story. These
discussions promote more profound engagement with learning materials and
enhance reasoning abilities. By challenging your child to consider various
perspectives and solutions, you help them develop essential analytical skills.
Fostering a love of learning in children is a rewarding endeavor that goes beyond
traditional schooling. When parents introduce innovative and enjoyable learning
strategies, they help their children see the endless possibilities that knowledge
can bring. This prepares them for academic success and instills a lifelong
curiosity and a robust love for discovery. Ultimately, these experiences enrich the
family's dynamic and contribute to a child's growth and happiness.

Emily Graham
Emily is the creator of MightyMoms.net. She believes being a mom is one of the hardest jobs around and wanted to create a support system for moms from all walks of life. On her site, she offers a wide range of info tailored for busy moms — from how to reduce stress to creative ways to spend time together as a family. You can email her at emilygraham@mightymoms.net. She lives in Arizona.

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