Cheery Friday Greetings from Learning How to Learn!
In the Friday newsletter from Barb, Terry, and the entire Learning How to Learn team, dated 24.05.24 the latest news was “Ask Barb“, Your New Gateway to Mastering Effective Learning & Teaching Techniques! See announcement below:
We are thrilled to announce the launch of “Ask Barb,” a groundbreaking chatbot designed to bring the expertise and engaging teaching style of Learning How to Learn directly to your fingertips! This specialized chatbot, available to ChatGPT subscribers, is tailored to assist learners, educators, and anyone interested in enhancing their understanding of effective learning practices. Dive into a range of intriguing uses, from exploring unusual learning methods to dissecting complex educational theories or preparing for tests like the rigorous Gaokao in China, the MCAT (for medical school aspirants) in the United States, or the Sri Lankan firefighters’ examination. Whether you’re seeking tips on navigating challenging examinations, exploring the nuances of effective learning strategies, or seeking guidance on educational challenges, “Ask Barb” is here to provide personalized insights in the conversational, friendly style you’ve come to expect from our Cheery Friday emails. While “Ask Barb” isn’t perfect—no tool ever is—it’s a fantastically resourceful companion for anyone looking to enrich their educational journey with a touch of creativity and expert insight.
I decided to set the “Ask Barb” to use and had it create a lesson plan based on this prompt:
Can you write a lesson plan on how to best prepare for an exam?
The result is below. Other prompts I used were;
- do you have any sources I could add to this plan?
- do you have more sources with online links?
- can you make a short summary explaining this; Explain the difference between procedural (automatic) and declarative (conscious) learning using examples. Mention how these systems work together to help us learn efficiently.
After 3 questions, I was told I had reached my limit
See the full lesson plan here:
Grade Level: High School/College
Subject: Study Skills
Duration: 60 minutes
Objectives:
- Students will understand the importance of both procedural and declarative learning.
- Students will learn effective study techniques, including retrieval practice, spaced repetition, and interleaving.
- Students will create a personalized study plan using these techniques.
Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Handouts on study techniques (retrieval practice, spaced repetition, interleaving)
- Sample study schedule template
- Flashcards or flashcard app (recommended: I Do Recall)
- Timer
Introduction (10 minutes):
- Warm-Up Activity: Begin by having a quick discussion about how students currently prepare for exams. Ask them to share their strategies and experiences.
- Objective Overview: Explain the lesson goals, emphasizing the importance of understanding how the brain learns and retains information.
Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
- Procedural vs. Declarative Learning:
- Using examples, explain the difference between procedural (automatic) and declarative (conscious) learning. Mention how these systems work together to help us learn efficiently. See explanations below.
- Discuss how practice helps to develop procedural learning, making skills automatic and freeing up cognitive resources for more complex tasks.
- Effective Study Techniques:
- Retrieval Practice: Describe how actively recalling information strengthens memory and improves learning. Provide examples, such as using flashcards or practice tests.
- Spaced Repetition: Explain how spreading out study sessions over time helps solidify information in long-term memory. Use a timeline to show how to space study sessions.
- Interleaving: Illustrate how mixing different subjects or types of problems during study sessions can improve learning. Show how this can prevent cognitive fatigue and enhance problem-solving skills.
Guided Practice (15 minutes):
- Demonstration of Techniques:
- Use flashcards to demonstrate retrieval practice. Have students answer a few sample questions.
- Create a mini-schedule for spaced repetition, showing how to review material over several days.
- Work through a set of mixed practice problems to show interleaving in action.
- Student Activity:
- Hand out the study schedule template and have students begin to fill it out using the techniques discussed.
- Circulate the room, providing guidance and answering questions as students work on their schedules.
Independent Practice (10 minutes):
- Personalized Study Plan:
- Students finalize their study schedules, incorporating retrieval practice, spaced repetition, and interleaving.
- Encourage students to think about upcoming exams and plan their study sessions accordingly.
- Use of Flashcards/App:
- Introduce the recommended flashcard app, I Do Recall, and explain how it can help with spaced repetition and retrieval practice.
- Allow students time to set up the app and start creating their flashcards.
Closure (10 minutes):
- Review and Reflect:
- Summarize the key points of the lesson. Ask students to share one new technique they plan to use.
- Highlight the importance of starting early and using these techniques consistently.
- Q&A Session:
- Open the floor for any final questions. Provide additional tips and resources as needed.
- Homework:
- Assign students to study for 20 minutes using their new study plan and techniques. Encourage them to log their progress and reflect on what worked well.
Assessment:
- Monitor student participation during activities.
- Review the completed study schedules to ensure understanding and proper application of the techniques.
- Follow-up discussion in the next class to evaluate the effectiveness of the study techniques and adjust plans as needed.
Procedural vs. Declarative Learning
Procedural (Automatic) Learning: Procedural learning involves skills and habits that become automatic through repetition and practice. This type of learning is subconscious and allows us to perform tasks without consciously thinking about them. For example, riding a bike, typing on a keyboard, or playing a musical instrument are skills learned procedurally. Once learned, these tasks can be performed quickly and effortlessly.
Declarative (Conscious) Learning: Declarative learning involves facts and information that we can consciously recall and verbalize. This type of learning is deliberate and requires focused attention. For example, memorizing historical dates, learning vocabulary words, or understanding mathematical concepts are tasks learned declaratively. Declarative knowledge is flexible and can be easily articulated.
How These Systems Work Together: Both procedural and declarative learning systems complement each other to help us learn efficiently. When learning a new skill, we often start with declarative learning, consciously thinking through each step. For instance, when learning to drive, we initially pay close attention to every action, such as steering, braking, and using turn signals. With practice, these actions become procedural, allowing us to drive automatically while focusing on other tasks, like navigating or conversing.
This combination allows us to free up cognitive resources, making it easier to tackle complex problems and learn new information. Procedural learning handles routine tasks, while declarative learning manages new and flexible thinking, creating a balanced and efficient learning process.