Three learning methods put to the test
The human brain performs feats of learning that no supercomputer is capable of. How this works and what different learning methods there are.
It is the most complex organ that nature has created: No computer can achieve what our brain does. This is possible thanks to 100 billion nerve cells. One of the impressive features of our brain is its ability to learn. It is only because it is constantly changing throughout our lives that we are able to learn at all.
This learning takes place at the points where electrical signals are transmitted from one nerve cell to another - the so-called synapses. When we take in information, whether via the eye, ear, nose or skin, the synapses are activated. The more synapses are activated, the more nerve cells are involved and the better we can memorise something.
Repetition ensures that the synapses are activated again and again. This strengthens the connections between the nerve cells. Over time, new connections are formed and the network becomes denser and larger. Scientists have seen this very impressively in people who learn to play a musical instrument, for example. The new nerve cells and their connections are mainly formed in what is known as the hippocampus. This area of the brain is responsible for learning and memory, but also for spatial orientation.
We now know that nerve cells can renew themselves well into old age. Learning yoga or a foreign language, remembering new faces, finding your way to a holiday with the help of a map - we can learn all of these things without any problems, even at an older age. If the paths are already laid out or well-trodden, because we have already done Pilates or learnt Spanish, for example, this is easier. Learning something completely new is more difficult, but is easily possible with a little commitment. If we don't access something for a longer period of time, unused connections are also deleted.
Scientists distinguish between conscious (intentional) and incidental (implicit) learning. There are numerous learning methods that can be used depending on the learning objective. Whether one method is more effective than another depends on numerous factors such as the subject matter, the learner's prior knowledge or motivation and the teacher's expertise in a method.
Three examples of learning methods and how they work:
Episodic learning
We all learn episodically every day, namely from the experiences we have. If you've never flown before, you can read and listen to a lot about travelling by plane. However, episodic learning on the subject only begins the moment you are on the plane yourself. You learn from your experience for the next flight - for example, that you prefer to sit in the aisle rather than at the window. Episodic learning is particularly pronounced in children because they are doing many things for the first time. Episodic learning can also help to avoid making mistakes again: Accidents or unpleasant situations are stored well in episodic memory.
https://youtu.be/mRjuUev3cec
Memorising
It has fallen into disrepute in recent years, but it certainly has its place: memorisation. This involves memorising numbers, formulas, texts and facts using various learning techniques so that you can reproduce them faithfully. This is only possible through frequent repetition. The disadvantage: It does not require an understanding of the content and therefore does not help with understanding contexts. The advantage: If something is repeated often enough at the beginning of learning, it moves from the short-term to the long-term memory and can be recalled there in the long term. This is useful for multiplication tables, spelling rules or irregular verbs. Many an adult can still quote the first verses of a poem that they had to learn at school.
Distributed learning
Studying all the material intensively the day before an exam can work very well in order to do well in the exam. However, what we memorise during this so-called massed learning is quickly lost again.
According to studies, it is significantly more effective to learn with longer breaks of several days, i.e. spread out. Scientists believe that this type of repetition stimulates the brain to remember what was learnt a few days ago, strengthening the corresponding connections in the brain. In other words, instead of going through the facts for Friday's biology exam twice on Thursday, it is better to go through everything once on Monday and once on Thursday.
