NEW STRATEGY FOR MORE EFFICIENT LEARNING

In 1913, Ebbinghaus demonstrated that spacing learning out over time creates much more efficient learning than cramming a learning task into a single intense session. Now, a new discovery has been made for a specific spaced-learning strategy that so far is the best of all. In reviewing this new design, Kelley and Whatson (2013) point out experiments showing that this kind of spaced learning is optimal for information encoding and for activation of the genes needed to form long-term memory.

And what is the design? The idea begins with the established notion that a given learning task should be “chunked” so that it can be studied in a short time, on the order say of 20 minutes. What is novel about the new design is that a given chunk is studied three times in a single session, with two intervening “rest” periods of 10 minutes in which there is little mental activity. During the rest periods, physical activity, like shooting hoops or cycling, seem to be ideal. The reason for these intervening rest periods is that thinking about new information or performing mental tasks creates interference with the memory-forming processes already under way.

Of course, like most learning tasks, a single session, even with three repetitions within it, is not likely to be sufficient unless you are really adept at mnemonic techniques (Klemm, 2012). After a day or so, this strategy needs to be repeated one or more times.

This is so simple to do and, if replicated in more studies, should become standard practice in schools. However, very few teachers know about this technique and school curricula are not designed to be taught this way. Changing the educational establishment is probably too much to hope for. But this strategy can be used by all students in homework study. Home schoolers and students taking Internet courses can easily use the technique on their own.

If you try this approach, please add comments to this post to let us know how it works for you.

Sources:

Kelley, P. and Whatson, T. (2013). Making long-term memories in minutes: a spaced learning pattern from memory research in education. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 25 September. Doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00589.

Klemm, W. R. (2012). Memory Power 101. New York: Skyhorse Publishing.

24 TIPS on HOW TO STUDY SMART

1.Be good to yourself:

o Keep physically fit and rested.

2.Attitude is all-important:

o Use positive affirmations: "I can pass Maths."

o Provide your own psychological edge, be it a positive attitude or a "lucky pen."

o Be a chronic enthusiast!

3.Used textbooks may provide insights on a course.

4.Sit in the front row:

o if you must sit toward the back of the room, lean forward.

oAttentiveness and concentration increase markedly.

5.Don't miss the first and last minutes of class:

oThey are crucial — important announcements, questions on test, etc.

6.Use a variety of study techniques:

o a. Tape chapters (find out if your textbook has companion pod cast chapters). Listen on way to school, work.

o b. Use index cards for quick review.

oKeep them simple. Throw your highlighter away!

oRemember: frequent review takes facts from short-term memory to long-term memory — learning as opposed to cramming.

7.Study in short bursts:

o(First and last facts are remembered best; therefore, it will accelerate learning.)

8.Review notes immediately after class:

o Even for five minutes.

oSomething magical happens!

9.Review your notes out loud:

oRead your chapters out loud.

10.Appearance raises grades:

o Neatness counts.

o Word processors are a plus.

o If a handwritte assignment is acceptable, use erasable pen.

11.Don't waste time rereading:

o Rely on "pen in hand" .

12.Test professors before they test you:

o Ask questions about what kind of test to expect,

o what material will be covered.

13.Become an expert test taker.

14.Go with initial hunches.

15.Stay with initial hunches.

16.Study according to your biological clock.

o Are you "normal," a night owl, or an early bird?

17.Eliminate stress in your life.

18.EXERCISE is the best antidote.

19.Make extra credit mandatory.

20.Never miss a class:

o This is considered mandatory by "A" students.

21.Be prepared to bail out.

o Don't be afraid to drop a course that is not working for you., BUT be aware of all official dates to withdraw and any vital state legislative restrictions ( Texas has a limit on total number of W hours.)

22.Volunteer to edit a friend's paper.

o Use it as a learning experience.

23.Study smart—not hard!

24.Time management skills and discipline pay off.

Stay mentally, physically and spiritually fit.

FOODS THAT FEED YOUR BRAIN

During exams, many parents give various medicines to their kids that claim to increase their learning power. Let's look at some of the natural brain and mood enhancers.

It's a known fact that the most important meal of the day is your breakfast. Breakfast eaters are likely to achieve higher grades, pay closer attention, participate more in class discussions, and solve more complex academic problems than breakfast skippers.

1. Consume more complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide energy and as the brain uses around a fifth of the body's energy requirements, they are very essential for proper mental functioning.

->Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest, so they release their energy gradually, providing ongoing energy and stamina.

->Foods with the best brain carbohydrates include: Fruits, cereals and grains, vegetables and legumes, oatmeal, bran, spaghetti, rice and dairy products.

->Minimize the intake of simple carbohydrates. These are digested quickly and cause too much sugar to be released into the bloodstream. This is countered by the release of insulin. The brain is thus alternately flooded and starved of essential glucose, which may lead to dizziness, anxiety, headaches, thirst, mental confusion and sleepiness.

2. Encourage grazing. Children's behavior often deteriorates three to four hours after a meal. To smooth out the blood-sugar mood swings, let your child nibble on nutritious foods throughout the day. Pack these snacks for school and carry with you when you are away from home.

3. Perk up your proteins. Proteins in the diet affect brain performance because they provide the amino acids from which neurotransmitters are made. These are biochemical messengers that carry signals from one brain cell to another.

High protein, low carbohydrate foods that are likely to jumpstart the brain are seafood, soy, meat, eggs, and dairy.

4. Feed your brain the right fats. Both growing and aging brains need nutritious fats. The best source for the right kind of fats is fish. Because of the fatty acids they contain, fish is known as the best kind of brain food.

5. Consider vitamin supplements. Here are some of the vitamins which have been shown to affect behaviour and learning:

->Vitamin C is required by the brain to make neurotransmitters. In fact, the brain has a special vitamin C "pump" that draws extra vitamin C out of the blood and concentrates it in the brain. Sources of Vitamin C include tomato, orange, sweet lime, amla and sprouted pulses.

->Vitamin B12 is vital for maintaining healthy brain tissue.

->Vitamin B6 deficiency causes hyper-irritability and fatigue.

Flesh foods (non-veg) are good sources of Vitamin B.

Folic acid deficiency affects neurotransmitter functioning, resulting in symptoms associated with depression.

6. Insure enough iron. The symptoms of iron deficiency include irritability and diminished mental alertness. Iron rich foods include greens, jaggery, dates, egg yolk etc

TIPS FOR GETTING BETTER SLEEP

Do you have trouble falling asleep, or toss and turn in the middle of the night? Awaken too early, or find yourself not feeling refreshed in the morning? You are not alone: millions of people struggle with falling and staying asleep.

Unless you’re suffering from a serious sleep disorder, simply improving your daytime habits and creating a better sleep environment can set the stage for good sleep. By developing a good bedtime routine and designing a plan that works with your individual needs, you can avoid common pitfalls and make simple changes that bring you consistently better sleep.

Better Sleep Tips I: Improving your daytime habits

How can what you do during the day affect your sleep at night? Better sleep starts with good daytime habits, from when (and how often) you exercise to what you eat and drink.

Regular day exercise can help sleep

Regular exercise, aside from many other wonderful health benefits, usually makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep better. You don’t have to be a star athlete to reap the benefits-- as little as twenty to thirty minutes of activity helps. And you don’t need to do all 30 minutes in one session: break it up into five minutes here, ten minutes there. A brisk walk, a bicycle ride or a run is time well spent. However, be sure to schedule your exercise in the morning or early afternoon. Exercising too late in the day actually stimulates the body, raising its temperature. That’s the opposite of what you want near bedtime, because a cooler body temperature is associated with sleep. Don’t feel glued to the couch in the evening, though. Exercise such as relaxation yoga or simple stretching shouldn’t hurt.

Get some light to set your body clock

We all have an internal body clock that helps regulate sleep. This clock is sensitive to light and dark. Light tells your body clock to move to the active daytime phase. When you get up, open the shades or go outside to get some sunlight. If that’s not possible, turn on the lights to make your environment bright.

Napping can interfere with sleep

Perhaps the English had the right idea in having teatime in the late afternoon when you naturally get sleepy. Some people can take a short afternoon nap and still sleep well at night. However, if you are having trouble sleeping at night, try to eliminate napping. If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon, and sleep no longer than about thirty minutes.

Alcohol, caffeine, smoking

->Alcohol reduces overall quality of sleep. Many people think that a nightcap before bed will help them sleep. While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your sleep quality, waking you up later in the night. To avoid this effect, stay away from alcohol in the last few hours before bed.

->Caffeine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it! If you rely on coffee, tea or caffeinated soda to keep you going during the day, consider eliminating caffeine after lunch or cutting back your overall intake.

->Smoking. Smoking causes sleep troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is a stimulant, which disrupts sleep. Additionally, smokers actually experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep.

Better Sleep Tips II: Creating a better sleep environment

The key to better sleep might be as simple as making some minor changes to your bedroom. Take a careful look around your sleep environment to see what might be disrupting your sleep.

Your Bed

->Is your bed large enough? Do you have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably in bed, or are you cramped? Having a bedmate makes this even more important- both of you should have plenty of room to stretch out. Consider getting a larger bed if you don’t have enough space.

->Your mattress, pillows and bedding. Waking up with a cramp in your back or a sore neck? You may want to experiment with different levels of mattress firmness and pillows that provide more support. If your mattress is too hard, you can add a foam topper for additional softness. Experiment with different types of pillows – feather, synthetic, and special pillows for side, back or stomach sleepers. Consider your bedding—scratchy sheets might be making you uncomfortable in the middle of the night, or your comforter might not be keeping you warm enough. Consider soft, breathable cotton sheets. Flannel sheets may be cozy for the winter months.

Your Room

Ideally, to maximize sleep, your room should be quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature and ventilation.

Keep the noise level down. Too much noise- loud outside conversations, televisions blaring, traffic noise - can make it difficult to sleep well. When the source of outside noise can’t be eliminated, sometimes it can be masked. A fan or white noise machine can help block outside noise. Some people enjoy recordings of soothing sounds such as waves, waterfalls or rain. Earplugs may also help, although you want to make sure they don’t block out important noises like an alarm clock if you use one.

Keep your room dark during sleep hours. Early morning light can send your body clock the wrong signal that it is time to wake up. Or perhaps there is a streetlamp shining right in your window at night. Heavy shades can help block light from windows, or you can try an eye mask to cover your eyes.

Room temperature and ventilation. Who can sleep in a hot stuffy room? Or for that matter, a cold drafty one? If you can, experiment with the room temperature. Most people sleep best in a slightly cooler room. Make sure that you have adequate ventilation as well - a fan can help keep the air moving. You also might want to check your windows and doors to make sure that drafts are not interfering with sleep.

Reserve your bed for sleeping. Do you sometimes balance your checkbook propped up on your pillows? Or jot down some notes for tomorrow’s meeting? It might feel relaxing to do tasks like these on a comfortable bed. However, if you associate your bed with events like work or errands, it will only make it harder to wind down at night.

Better Sleep Tips III: Preparing for Sleep

Keep a regular bedtime schedule, including weekends

Time of day serves as a powerful cue to your body clock that it is time to sleep and awaken. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, and it will be easier and easier to fall asleep. However tempting it may be, try not to break this routine on weekends when you may want to stay up much later or sleep in. Your overall sleep will be better if you don’t.

In setting your bedtime, pay attention to the cues your body is giving you. When do you feel sleepy? Set your bedtime for when you normally feel tired, within reason – you may not want to make your bedtime 2am if you have to work at 8am! If you regularly go to bed when you don’t feel sleepy, not only is it harder to fall asleep, but you may start worrying about not sleeping, which can end up keeping you up longer! If you want to change your bedtime, try doing it in small daily increments, such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day.

Foods that help you sleep

Maybe a rich, hearty dinner, topped off with a big slice of chocolate cake might seem like the perfect way to end the day, but it’s wise not to eat a large meal within two hours of bed. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods as bedtime snacks.

However, a light snack before bed, especially one which contains the amino acid tryptophan, can help promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan-containing foods with carbohydrates, it helps calm the brain and allow you to sleep better. For even better sleep, add some calcium to your dinner or nighttime snack. Calcium helps the brain use and process tryptophan. On the other hand, you might want to avoid eating too much protein before bedtime - protein-rich foods contain tyrosine, an amino acid that stimulates brain activity. Experiment with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks.

Foods that can interfere with sleep

Some food and drinks that can interfere with your sleep, including:

a)Too much food, especially fatty, rich food. These take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up. Spicy or acidic foods in the evening can cause stomach trouble and heartburn, which worsens as you are laying down

b)Too much liquid. Drinking lots of fluid may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night.

c)Alcohol. Although it may initially make you feel sleepy, alcohol can interfere with sleep and cause frequent awakenings. Also some people are also sensitive to tyrosine, found in certain red wines

d)Caffeine. Avoid food and drinks that contain caffeine, and that doesn’t just mean coffee. Hidden sources of caffeine include chocolate, caffeinated sodas, and teas.

If you suspect a food or drink is keeping you up, try eliminating it for a few days to see if sleep improves.

Develop a relaxing bedtime routine

A consistent, relaxing routine before bed sends a signal to your brain that it is time to wind down, making it easier to fall asleep.

Start by keeping a consistent bedtime as much as possible. Then, think about what relaxes you. It might be a warm bath, soft music or some quiet reading. Relaxation techniques, such as yoga, visualization or muscle relaxation not only tell your body it is time for sleep but also help relieve anxiety.

Avoid bright light or activities which cause stress and anxiety

Worry, Anxiety and Sleep

With busy schedules and family lives, it’s hard to leave the worries of daily life behind when it is time to sleep. Worrying and anxiety trigger the “fight or flight” mechanism in the body, releasing chemicals that prepare us to be alert and ready for action. That not only makes it difficult to fall asleep, but can wake you up frequently in the night as well. Stop stress and worry from disrupting your rest by:

->Making the time before sleep a time of peace and quiet. As much as possible, avoid things that may trigger worry or anxiety before bed, like upsetting news or gory television shows.

->Quiet your mind. There are many things you can do to help your brain wind down and prepare for sleep. Relaxation techniques set the stage for quieting the mind. Make some simple preparations for the next day, like a to-do list or laying out the next day’s clothes and shoes. Some people find jotting down a list of worries makes them more manageable.

Quality sleep is important to your health. Make a commitment to yourself – don’t “rest” until you find the solution to your sleep problems!

TIPS FOR MAINTAINING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Highly successful people exhibit an impeccable attitude of positive behavior and there is nothing these people cant achieve in their life. There is absolutely nothing they cannot aspire to be and there is simply nothing they cannot possess! These people are the masters of positive attitude, a self realized energy that propels them towards the path of greatness. You can do whatever you want if you have the power of positive attitude. How you steer your life, depends on how you adjust your attitude; a positive attitude will help you develop a successful career, while a negative attitude will create more problems in your personal life.

Attitude is a state of your mind; it also tests your patience and stress. If you handle your stress with optimism and hope, youll come out of the clutches of despair and hopelessness. A positive attitude will also ensure that you stay optimistic in whatever do you do and perform in your life. Optimists are effective in countering any form of stress or problem to emerge as ultimate winners, while a pessimist is likely to deny the existence of problem and run away from the source of problem as well. An optimist invariably becomes successful in achieving his cherished goals, while a pessimist can never hope to become successful, because of his negative attitude.

More often the trait of positive attitude is developed from the time we are adolescent A person shows a high degree of positive attitude, if he/she grows in an environment, that is highly positive and immensely hopeful. People with a positive attitude always look at things very positively and respond to any tricky situation with positive answers like, Yes, I can do it, It is achievable, It is perfectly possible and I am capable. While negatively inclined people always complain about people and situations and are always pessimistic in what ever they think and do.

If you have been showing an extreme negative attitude in your life and always expecting failure and tragedies, it is now the right time to alter the way you think and behave. It is also a correct time to get rid of those negative thoughts and behavior and achieve cherished goals for a happy life. Here are some of the suggested ways to get rid of those bad, negative feelings and develop right attitude and positive mindset, in their place:

1. When you see the signs of a negative attitude or feelings creeping in your mind, say STOP; instead start visualizing those vividly beautiful pictures of success and contentment.

2. Experts suggest a novel way of stopping negative thoughts from your mind. Though this method is a bit difficult to master, you can try them at your own leisure. Thought stopping process involves two basic stages: a driving mechanism to shoo away all those negative feelings and perceptions and an infiltration mechanism whereby your negative mind is infiltrated with positive thoughts and feelings.

3. Self talk and positive affirmations are known scientific mind principles which can help you develop positive mindset. Develop your own self talk and affirmation statement and start talking to yourself on a regular basis.

4. Another unusual method is to create sticky notes with positive statements like, I can do it, I am capable, Success is mine and I have a purpose, and to stick them up on your car dashboard, study table, personal diary, study room cupboard and dining places, where you can see the message everyday and night.

5. Get acquainted with highly successful people with tangible achievements. Right association and acquaintance will make things easy for you to develop positive attitude.

6. Start reading all those positive self help books and magazine. Attend to self help workshops and seminars.

Positive thoughts can only be instilled by you and not by anyone else. It is an internal mechanism and thus it needs your effort and dedication. It may take considerably long time, but it is priceless when you achieve it.

MANTRAS FOR SUCCESS

Success can only be achieved if one makes the right kind of endeavour at the right time and in the right direction.Listed below are 7 success mantras which you should follow:

1. Communication Skills Most of what goes on as business in an organisation is, in fact, communication. Anything that is not communication is probably dependent on something to initiate communication or keep it going. This is why one needs to master the art of communication both verbal as well as written.

2. Influencing Abilities Considered more of a leadership trait, it comprises of persuading and negotiating skills. Persuasion means convincing and encouraging people to do, as against being pushy and aggressive. It is a very powerful tool, especially in conflicting situations in professional as well as personal life.

3. Managing Skills It means managing things, people and of course, managing yourself, that is, your time, resources and money. To be able to achieve success one needs to prepare and train themselves in the art of effective management. Basically you need to get the knack of getting things done.

4. Problem Solving It means knowing how to recognize and define problems, implement solutions and track and evaluate results. Effective problem solving skills will help to become the backbone of any team, which in turn will help in career prospects.

5. Creative Thinking It is said that intelligence is central to both the right and left modes of the brain. But the majority of people give more importance only to the logical approach in problem solving. What is really required is a blend of logical and lateral thinking processes together to generate new ideas and solutions, seeing things in the 'round' and having an open mind.

6. Social Skills It means one's ability to relate to people, having insights, helping others and facilitating. Interdependence today is of greater value than independence. Thus it becomes that much more important for you to take a genuine interest in people with whom you work and spent time, emotion and money on them.

7. Managing Money If in spite of possessing all the above mentioned skills you fail to achieve success it may be because you are poor in the number game! You must have your figures, statistics and accounts in place. You must be shrewd in the money matters.

BOOST YOUR SELF ESTEEM

Are you the kind of person who values yourself on the basis of good grades, good looks or by the number of friends you have? What happens when you’re not blessed with good grades? Does that mean that you are not a good human being? Most of the times, we assess and evaluate ourselves on the basis of such external factors that contribute to a plunging self esteem.

What Is Self Esteem?

a)In psychological terms, it is self worth. It has nothing to do with ego. Even egoistic people are known to have poor self esteem.

b)It is an opinion that you have about yourself, in terms of goals in life, weaknesses and strengths.

c)Self esteem gradually evolves right from childhood -- from playing with other kids, meeting elders, winning a prize or losing a match.

What Is Positive Self Esteem?

a) Where you can hold your ground in adverse conditions.

b) It’s about accepting certain truths of life such as life or death, success or failure.

c) Not getting affected by life’s ups and downs and the ability to move on.

d) Being self confident and having immense faith in oneself.

e) Find constant ways to improve oneself, be it a hobby class or reading etc.

How To Boost Your Self Esteem

a)Know your limitations, but focus on your strengths.

b)Don’t waste time on self-pity and worthlessness.

c)Don’t waste time on jealousy. Improve on yourself.

d)Everyone makes mistakes, so you need not punish yourself.

e)Keep some ‘me-time’ for yourself daily. Do something you enjoy like painting, reading or watching cartoons.

f)Use criticism to your favour. If your work gets criticized, don’t fret -- find your mistakes and improve on them.

g) Get enough sleep, eat well, get regular exercises and pray daily if you are religious.

h)Keep a pet; they love you unconditionally and will boost your spirits after a long day at work.