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The COVID-19 pandemic transformed education around the world. Schools and colleges shut down for months and people embraced online education. This shift to virtual learning came with its challenges. Many teachers had to learn how to conduct classes on video calls and students had to adapt to taking lessons at home.
Over the months it became clear that no matter what the obstacles, people want to learn and grow. They want to drive change in their lives by learning effectively.
Read on to explore the meaning of effective learning and what it entails.
Meaning Of Effective Learning
In a nutshell, effective learning is a holistic approach to education, whereby you actively engage in an activity and make connections between disparate ideas in your mind. Effective learning comes from being open-minded about the learning process. You retain information, recall it whenever needed and apply the knowledge to various situations. An effective or efficient learner is not afraid of making mistakes and asks for help when needed.
Traits Of An Effective Learner
Some of us learn and memorize things faster than others, but it doesn’t mean that the ability to learn new things quickly is innate. Anyone can become an efficient learner by cultivating specific habits.
Let’s look at some of the common attributes of an effective learner:
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Self-Directed: Can organize thoughts and make decisions independently.
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Inquisitive: Is committed to gaining a deeper understanding and is willing to research, question and analyze.
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Compassionate: Is empathetic and shows respect and care for others. Exhibits a strong sense of justice and fairness.
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Collaborative: Is capable of accepting different viewpoints. Solves problems by communicating, sharing resources and remaining focused on a common objective.
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Passionate: Is enthusiastic about learning and engaging in discussions and activities. Exhibits motivation and drive.
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Creative: Is motivated to look at problems from a fresh perspective. Generates new ideas and improves on old ones to solve problems in new ways.
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Risk-Taking: Is unafraid of taking risks and trying new things. Learns from failures.
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Balanced: Knows how to establish healthy boundaries and focus on priorities.
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Self-Aware: Recognizes strengths and weaknesses. Isn’t afraid to ask for help when needed.
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Reflective: Takes time to reflect on the effective learning process and identify the next steps of action.
How To Become An Effective Learner
Businesses today emphasize the need for effective learning and development. Higher-skilled employees work with greater efficiency. This benefits the organization. There are various ways in which you can adopt and practice effective learning. Here are some of the best ways to memorize faster and learn more efficiently:
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Use Different Platforms Of Learning
You can use various learning techniques to gain a deeper understanding of ideas and concepts. For example, you can read about a topic, listen to a podcast about it and watch video tutorials. You can even visualize the information and create mental maps, talk to someone about it or simply take notes.
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Teach What You Learn
The best way to remember something is to teach it to someone else. Explaining something to someone helps you make sense of the available information because you use your own words to convey the information. You can teach in multiple ways—use a whiteboard to explain, make a presentation or create an instructive podcast.
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Utilize Past Knowledge
To become an efficient learner, you need to use relational learning. This means connecting your existing knowledge with new information. When you make connections between different sets of information, you can grasp complicated concepts more easily. For example, chefs often use their knowledge of recipes to create new dishes.
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Gain Practical Experience
Learning typically involves reading textbooks, attending lectures and making notes. While reading and writing are effective learning methods, they may not be enough for you to apply your knowledge. For example, if you’re trying to learn a new language, don’t just memorize it. Strike up conversations with speakers of the language. Apply what you’ve learned, and you’ll go a long way!
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Stop Multitasking
Several studies show that multitasking is counterproductive. You may be tempted to work on different priorities and meet multiple objectives. But it only hampers your productivity and motivation. The more you switch between tasks, the more complicated it gets. It’s best to focus on one thing at a time.
Harappa Education’s Learning Expertly course will teach you how to upgrade your knowledge and skills strategically. The Learning Transfer framework will help you apply your learnings and knowledge from one situation to another. Sign up for the course to learn how to become a self-motivated learner!
Explore topics such as Learning From Experience, the Learning Process, Kolb's Learning Styles & the Stages of Learning – Learn Unlearn and Relearn from Harappa Diaries and achieve your set goals.
