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Who is the author of Learn Better?

The author of Learn Better is Ulrich Boser.

Personal Development

Learn Better Book Summary - Learn Better Book explained in key points

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Name: Learn Better
Rating: 4.3 (444 reviews)
Author: Ulrich Boser

Ulrich Boser

Mastering the Skills for Success in Life, Business, and School, or, How to Become an Expert in Just About Anything

4.3 (444 ratings)

17 mins

Brief summary

Learn Better by Ulrich Boser is a guide on how to learn effectively. The book provides practical insights and useful tips for developing effective study habits, retaining information, and mastering complex skills.

Topics

Learning Skills

Table of Contents

Learn Better
Summary of 7 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Learn to learn better.

To become a master in your field, you either have to be a born genius, have an outstanding memory or, at the very least, be willing to bury your head in the books for years. Right? Well, not quite. Actually, everyone can become efficient learners. You don’t have to be the next Newton or have a photographic memory; all you need is a specific set of learning methods.

Apply these methods and you’ll be on your way to becoming an expert in any subject.

In these blinks you’ll be walked through the six steps you need to take to master the art of learning. As well as helping you enjoy the learning process, they’ll show you how to excel in areas where you usually perform poorly.

You’ll also learn

how you can build the desire to learn any topic, even statistics;
how Craigslist can make you learn better; and
what “a giant, throbbing, thirty-foot-wide buttocks” has to do with learning.

Learning is easy. You just need the right tools and strategies.

For years it was assumed that learning ability was dependent on innate intelligence. But now experts have begun to show that this isn’t the case. With just a few strategies and tools, you can drastically improve your learning.

The biggest finding is that, by employing learning strategies, you can dramatically improve your outcomes.

In the 1980s, Anastasia Kitsantas conducted an experiment at an all-girls school. She split the girls into three teams and taught them to play darts. The members of "Team Performance” were told that they would win by hitting the bull’s eye; those of "Team Learning Method” were taught throwing strategies, such as keeping their arms close to their bodies; and the girls in "Team Conventional Wisdom” were simply told to do their best. In the end, not only did "Team Learning Method” outperform the others; its members also had the most fun!

There’s another useful learning tool called self-quizzing. This learning strategy involves repeatedly recalling and testing yourself on what you’ve been taught. It’s a technique designed to help new ideas stick in your long-term memory.

In fact, research has shown that self-quizzing is 50 percent more effective than some other learning strategies.

A 2006 Washington University study demonstrated just this. Researchers Jeffrey Karpicke and Henry Roediger gave a text to two groups of participants. The first group read it four times. The second group only read it once, but they practiced recalling it three times over.

When Karpicke and Roediger tested them all a few days later, they found that the passage had stuck significantly more in the minds of the group members who’d performed self-quizzing.

A final method for improving learning is using earplugs to block out external noise.

The author used this technique as an 11-year-old. He’d been having trouble focusing on his math problems, and found that judicious use of earplugs really helped him concentrate.

So those are some great practical tips to get you going. Now let’s dive in a little deeper with the six steps to better learning.

If you can find meaning in your study, your learning is going to get better, fast.

We've seen how effective some learning strategies can be, as well as how they can make learning more fun. But learning can be made more effective still by using the six steps of learning.

The first step is all about value. If you can make the skills or knowledge you're learning valuable and meaningful, you’ll be much more driven to take initiative and persevere.

You’ll need to set small, specific goals to master a skill, but first you’ll want to be sure of the basics.

The story goes that Isaac Newton suddenly grasped the law of universal gravitation after an apple fell on his head. But you can’t rely on such eureka moments in real life.

Learning breakthroughs come from setting targets. And that’s what step two is all about: breaking up larger goals into smaller goals, or targets, that you can focus on one at a time.

When it comes to learning, the importance of feedback can’t be overemphasized.

Have you ever practiced a presentation in front of a friend before the big day? It’s a common thing to do, and with good reason. Being evaluated by an audience is a fantastic way to improve.

That’s why the third step is to develop – that is, to hone your skills by getting feedback. After all, when you’re learning, you often don’t know in what areas you need to improve. Someone else’s perspective is bound to help in the long run, even if it feels like it’s slowing you down at the time.

You can improve your learning by immersing yourself in your field and making things visual.

You might think that renowned writers, artists or scientists were born to succeed in their respective fields. But, in reality, geniuses are forged in the crucible of continuous learning.

That’s step four in a nutshell – you’ve got to extend the knowledge you already possess. In other words, if you aspire to reach the highest echelons, you’ll have to constantly improve your understanding of a given topic.

Understanding relationships between concepts and practicing different approaches to a skill makes for better learning.

It’s said that the best way to master a new skill is to practice it over and over again. But the problem is that practice alone isn’t actually all that efficient.

This is where step five comes in – you’ve got to relate. In other words, you have to develop an understanding of the relationship between concepts.

We can eliminate overconfidence by reviewing our knowledge.

Have you ever found yourself driving around in circles for hours, just because you’re convinced you know how to get somewhere and are unwilling to ask for directions?

The sixth and final step encourages you to review your knowledge – to rethink – and thus prevent exactly this sort of mistake.

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What is Learn Better about?

Learn Better (2017) upends traditional approaches to learning skills and obtaining knowledge. Learning was once thought to depend entirely on the innate ability and intelligence of the learner. Rote learning was the order of the day. We now know there are much more effective ways to learn. In fact, there are six simple steps to better learning.

Learn Better Review

Learn Better (2017) by Ulrich Boser is a book that explores the science of learning and provides valuable insights on how to improve our learning process. Here's why this book is worth reading:

Through research-backed strategies, the book shows readers how to optimize their learning, making it an essential guide for anyone aspiring to learn more effectively.
The author combines personal stories, interviews, and practical examples to bring the concepts to life, making the book engaging and relatable.
With its practical tips and actionable advice, the book ensures that learning is never dull, offering a refreshing approach that keeps readers motivated and invested.

Best quote from Learn Better

Tracking outcomes can be embarrassing. Yet, this type of focused awareness boosts outcomes. Increased awareness about our performance makes us better at just about everything.

—Ulrich Boser

Who should read Learn Better?

Anybody with learning difficulties
Teachers, professors and students
Anyone who needs to master a skill

About the Author

Ulrich Boser has worked as an editor, writer, reporter and education researcher. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Slate, Wired and Newsweek. As a child, he was categorized as a “slow learner” by his teachers, which sparked his later interest in the science of learning. His other books include The Gardner Heist, Learn Better and The Leap.

Categories with Learn Better

Personal Development Education

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