Lesson 1 – Learning How To Learn
Learning How To Learn…
What’s this all learning stuff about anyway? You are probably pretty sure you know all about how to learn already. After all, you just need to read through the course material and it will all be fine, right? In fact it’s not like that at all. Most of us have been out of school for a while and we probably really didn’t learn how to learn in school anyway. We covered a lot of stuff there, sure, but most of us didn’t really learn all that much of it, now did we? After all, how much do we really remember about all that good stuff?
Learning is actually an easy process, but it is a process and we need to work our way through it the right way from start to finish, just like anything else, if it is going to be effective and work out for the better. Think of this lesson as a recipe; a recipe for your success in taking this course. If you follow the recipe, carefully including all the ingredients, in the right amounts and in the right order, you will end up with a winning dish. If you don’t include everything, following the recipe carefully, it may not turn out as expected and it won’t likely be a prize winner — unless you are already skilled at the pinch and dash method of cooking. If you are already that skilled with HTML you may not actually need this course. Otherwise, press on…
Learning well is a lot like following a recipe. It is a structured procedure. There is science involved here. Take the time to read this lesson carefully and put into practice the things I will share here and you will do much better with this course, and any other learning you do too. I guarantee it!
The first thing you need to do is get a notebook so you can take notes as you go through the course. This is a very important part of learning. In order to write notes about what you are reading your brain has to go through several different processes and it is this involved brain activity which leads to good learning; both memorizing and understanding. You will learn, understand, and remember, many times more from the lessons you cover if you will take the time to make good notes as you go through the lessons. The notebook should be the kind that has a spiral-type binding so pages can flip over and the notebook can lie flat on the table or desk beside you. A typical school lesson book or a stenographer’s pad are good choices, easily found, and they are relatively cheap. A suitable notebook and a good pen or pencil are your first learning tools.
As you work your way through this course jot down brief notes about the things you read. You may never go back to these notes again but it is the process, not the content, that is important here. Start a fresh page for each lesson and put the lesson title at the top of that page. Point form is fine for the notes, or use complete sentences and short paragraphs, whichever you prefer, but do write enough so that your notes make sense. Write down each point, each detail, each new thing you study. Write clearly. After all, you might just want to refer to these notes later as well.
Work at your own speed but don’t rush through the lessons. Work carefully and go back over anything you don’t fully understand. If you still can’t grasp a concept or figure out what something is all about, email me (steve@mainstreetmallonline.com) to ask for further explanation. Don’t try to do too much at once either. If you begin to tire, or your thoughts start to wonder, get away from the course and come back to it later.
The most important thing you need to do is to actually read the course as you go through it. That sounds pretty obvious but most adults simply don’t read. At best they skim through material and at worst their mind wonders and the text trails off to something like blah blah blah blah… If you don’t actually read the words and make good notes you simply won’t learn. If you do read the words and make good notes you will learn in spite of yourself. This whole learning thing is really just that simple; that easy!
I also guarantee that there is nothing overly technical in this course, nothing you can’t read and understand. If you make the effort to read and make notes you will find at the end of the course you have learned more than you ever thought possible. The problem is that often, when we encounter something new for the first time, we tend to think of it as technical or geeky and our eyes glaze over. We give up reading. This is quite normal but it doesn’t lead to good learning. You need to push yourself a little to overcome the inertia that has built up over the time since we have been in school. To over come the bad habits that have set in. So, read — actually read — every word. If something doesn’t make sense, go back and read it again, and a third or fourth time if required. If you still have problems, ask! It will work for you if you do it.
Next, your learning environment is important. This course is presented online so you must be at your computer. That will limit you somewhat, but control the things you can. Try to work during a quiet time. Kids running around you, dogs barking, TVs or radios blaring, or other similar distractions will not help you learn. Soft, low-volume, non-distracting music is fine, but wearing your iPod while working through this course is probably not a good idea. You will be able to concentrate on learning if your environment is right. Otherwise you are mostly wasting your time.
If possible, a comfortable but back-supporting chair is best. Sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor is better than not. You’ve heard these things before. If you have kids in school you may have even said the same thing to them. There is truth in it. Quiet, pleasant, comfortable surroundings that allow you to focus your effort without distraction will produce much better results. If you really want to get value from this course then you will want to do these few things that will positively affect your learning. It’s really not all that much but it will make a big difference.
What Have We Learned…
In this first lesson we have learned:
- Learning is a process and we need to follow the indicated steps.
- Learning can be easy and fun if we let it be.
- Environment and tools are important to our success in learning.
Knowing how to learn is the important first step in this, or any other, course. Your next lesson is available whenever you are. Use the menu at the top of each page to return to the home page, to move ahead to the next lesson, or to access additional features on this site.
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