TLDR;
This video outlines six levels of thinking that are crucial for effective learning and achieving academic success. It emphasizes that many students get stuck in the lower levels, leading to frustration and wasted effort. The video advocates for a strategic approach to learning, focusing on higher-order thinking skills to enhance understanding, retention, and overall performance.
- Six levels of thinking for effective learning
- Students often stuck in lower levels
- Higher-order thinking skills enhance understanding and retention
- Strategic approach for academic success
Intro [0:00]
The video introduces six levels of thinking that are essential for students and learners of all ages to master. Each level corresponds to a different level of academic results. Many students struggle because they are stuck in the initial levels of thinking, which leads to stress and frustration. Learning to think deliberately at the right level is crucial for achieving top academic results.
Level 1 [1:14]
Level 1 is about memorization, involving repetitive actions like rereading and rewriting, often making learners feel drowsy. This level, called "Remember," focuses on rote learning and repeating flashcards. The result of this level is the ability to "Regurgitate," which involves listing, defining, and stating facts. This method is common in high school but becomes less useful in university and professional life. Despite being called "remember," it's not an effective way to retain information.
Level 2 [2:16]
Level 2 involves comprehending what you are learning rather than just memorizing it. This level is called "Understand," where the intention is to grasp the material. At this level, the result is the ability to "Explain," which allows answering questions that require demonstrating an understanding of concepts or processes. These types of questions make up the bulk of assessments until later in university.
Level 3 [4:00]
Level 3 is about applying learned knowledge to solve problems. This level is called "Apply," and it involves using what you've learned to tackle both simple and advanced problems. Simple problems involve directly using a learned concept or formula, while advanced problems require strategic thinking and combining multiple concepts. At this level, the result is the ability to solve simple, one-to-one problems.
Level 4 [5:43]
Level 4 thinking involves comparing and contrasting information to find similarities and differences. This level is called "Analyze," and it requires looking at information in relation to other pieces of information. Techniques like Venn diagrams, tables, and mind maps are helpful. The result of this level is the ability to make comparisons. Using AI tools like ChatGPT to generate comparison-based questions can be a useful study technique.
Level 5 [9:20]
Level 5 thinking is about making judgments and prioritizing information. This level is called "Evaluate," and it involves asking "so what?" and "why does it matter?" The result of this level is the ability to prioritize. Level 5 requires forming conclusions and justifying them, using knowledge to make decisions. It involves jumping between lectures, textbooks, and Google searches to understand the material's importance and fit.
Level 6 [12:11]
Level 6 is about creating a hypothesis and synthesizing new information from existing knowledge. This level is called "Create," and it involves generating answers for something that doesn't already exist in your knowledge. It requires identifying a gap and creating a potential answer based on what you know. This level is less important for most people unless they are at the highest levels of education or in advanced professions.
How to Get to Level 5 and 6 [13:36]
There are two methods to reach levels 5 and 6. The first is to start at the bottom and go through each level from the bottom to top. However, this is time-consuming, and most people don't have enough time to reach level 5. The better way is to start at level 5 and move down. This works because the brain processes information and forms memory more strongly at level 5 than at level 1.
Putting it all together [16:16]
When starting to study, focus on evaluating to understand and analyze the material. This approach pays off by improving memory and retention.