TLDR;
This video explains three effective study techniques grounded in how the brain learns and stores information: testing yourself, interleaving subjects, and spacing out review sessions. These methods enhance memory retention by actively engaging the brain in retrieving and integrating knowledge, leading to better long-term learning compared to passive methods like rereading.
- Testing yourself with flashcards and quizzes actively retrieves knowledge, strengthening memory.
- Interleaving mixes subjects during study sessions, forcing the brain to retrieve information and understand differences, improving retention.
- Spacing review across multiple days allows the brain to consolidate knowledge during rest and sleep, crucial for long-term storage.
Introduction [0:07]
Medical residents must learn and remember numerous techniques to save lives. A 2006 study divided surgical residents learning to suture arteries into two groups, providing the same materials but altering the study method for one group. A month later, the group with the modified study method performed significantly better in surgeries. The video will discuss the secret to their success and two other effective study techniques applicable in various learning environments.
How the Brain Learns and Stores Information [1:02]
When introduced to a new concept, like heart anatomy, the memory is temporarily encoded in the hippocampus. Repeatedly reactivating these neurons strengthens connections, stabilizing the memory. Gradually, this knowledge is stored long-term in the neocortex. This transfer from short-term to long-term storage occurs between study sessions and during sleep, integrating new knowledge with existing concepts. Each time heart anatomy is recalled, the long-term memory is reactivated, making it susceptible to updates and strengthening.
Technique 1: Testing Yourself [2:20]
Testing yourself with flashcards and quizzes actively retrieves knowledge, updating and strengthening the memory. Students often prefer rereading and highlighting, but these create a false sense of competence because the information is readily available. Testing accurately gauges what you know, and making mistakes during testing can improve long-term learning. When struggling for an answer, you activate relevant knowledge, and the correct answer integrates better with what you already know.
Technique 2: Interleaving [3:10]
When using flashcards, mixing the deck with multiple subjects is beneficial. Interleaving, or mixing concepts in a single session, leads to better retention than focusing on one skill or topic at a time. This method forces the brain to temporarily forget and then retrieve information, strengthening memory. It also helps in finding connections across topics and understanding their differences.
Technique 3: Spacing [3:46]
Spacing review across multiple days allows for rest and sleep between sessions. During this "offline" time, the brain actively stores and integrates knowledge in the neocortex. Cramming the night before an exam might seem logical for freshness, but the information won’t stick long-term. The medical residents who spread their surgery training over four weeks performed better than those who crammed it into a single day.
Conclusion [4:32]
These study techniques work because they are designed with the brain in mind. They complement and reinforce the brain's processes for sorting, storing, and managing information.