Understanding Your Learning Process and Procastination

Let's start by saying that any ability you acquire in your life is a Chunk, or is made up of Chunks, understanding this concept, is key if you want to learn anything better and more consciously. People usually learn stuff in their lives but don't get to a level of consciousness that allows them to understand how they learn, and apply that same method to other fields of knowledge. That is why is important to Understand Chunking.

Can you remember when you where trying to learn how to ride a bike? Can you remember all this long and tough process? Cuts, bruises, crashes, falls to the ground, biting the dust all day long? That is what usually happens when you try to learn anything, be it physical or mental, you have to build up a set of neural patterns (call them thoughts) that will allow you to master any activity.

This example is used so you understand what Chunking is. By definition Chunking is the summary of bits of information with an understanding that makes those bits glue together.

As we already got to know, in working memory there are four slots of chunks available, so when you are learning a new set of skills or you are trying to chunk, those four slots will be used, thus won't be available for another activity. So, when you a kid is learning to ride a bike, or when you are learning how to drive, your ability to other different things than focus on riding a bike or driving a car will be impaired until you chunk that ability, like in this image.

 Once you learn how to ride a bike all the different slots that were busy with each of the tasks that imply learning how to ride a bike will be come available, because "Riding a Bike" will become one single Chunk, thus as you chunk your learning becomes more efficient and effective.

When you are learning a new set of knowledge make sure to be patient while you chunk all the information, remember all the strengthening and consolidation of new knowledge happens in diffuse mode, so give yourself time so you can master a new topic. If you want some tips in order to chunk, these are the steps needed to chunk any knowledge (say thanks to Dr. Barbara Oakley).

1. Focused Attention: When you are learning something new, you have to use the focused mode to start learning the new set of skills, pay hard attention when the moment arrives of learning. Once you have learned, give some time in diffuse mode.
2. Understanding: Make sure you understand what you are learning, this will help you glue together all the bits of information and give you a picture of what you are doing.
3. Build Context Through Practice: Make sure you have a big image of what you are learning so you know how everything fits in the "big picture", this is always acquired through practice.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Happy chunking!!!

PS: Procrastination coming up in the next entry!! I was procrastinating so I did not have time! Gosh!