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Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

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Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

#91

Post by coder-3 »

My current method of learning new languages/frameworks is to read the theory (documentation/book) and write questions as I read. Then, I would try to apply the concept (exercise/project). The next day, I would start by reading the questions I wrote. If I know the answer, I just quickly answer it in my head and move on to the next question. If I don't know the answer, I would look it up. Also do add some sort of tally mark next to questions you have successfully answered so that you don't have to keep reading them each day as your list of questions grows (though it might be worth answering a few times to commit it to long term memory).

I think this incorporates spaced repetition and active recall well enough while not being entirely theoretical.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

#92

Post by glenngillen »

joshgree88 wrote: post #67
carbine wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a wonderful response. Love the notion of reading until something violates your understanding of the world, I’m definitely going to try this. Is there any more satisfying feeling than ingesting a new, worldview-changing idea? I can almost feel my neural pathways being required when it happens.

It's Paiget - cognitive disequilibrium - it's how all learning is achieved - nice article https://teacherlearnstocode.com/2015/03/31/what-to-do-with-d...

Thank you! It’s so great to finally have a label to put on this. Much appreciated.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

#94

Post by barelysapient »

glenngillen wrote: post #26

I’ve a few different approaches I take depending on the task (and if I’m honest, my mood or levels of motivation): - a new programming language, especially something closer to a systems language, I have a standard set of things I’ll try to implement. Read/write a file. Turn a structured object into JSON, parse JSON to an object. Basic script that can be run from CLI, parses flags/args, reads stdin. Send a HTTP reques…

I follow this pattern as well along with one caveat: I refuse to cut and paste code while learning.

I require myself to retype any examples, stack overflows, and so on in the process of learning. Along the way, I get a handle on the patterns of the language. And if I'm learning in an IDE, the autocomplete suggestions start to hint at the other functions within libraries, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

#95

Post by zs234465234165 »

siva7 wrote: post #51
kiba wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anki is a good way to preserve progress made, and even make enormous amount of progress(in the medium and long term), but I don't think it was going to be a complete solution all by itself.

this. i think many people don’t get that spaced repetition isn’t for learning new things the first time.

I am afraid I have to disagree. The very act of creating Anki cards or any flashcards, for that matter, is unparalleled for learning new material. I would consider it similar to the Feynman method in that it forces you to dive deeper into what you do not understand.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

#96

Post by ketzo »

barelysapient wrote: post #94
glenngillen wrote: post #26

I’ve a few different approaches I take depending on the task (and if I’m honest, my mood or levels of motivation): - a new programming language, especially something closer to a systems language, I have a standard set of things I’ll try to implement. Read/write a file. Turn a structured object into JSON, parse JSON to an object. Basic script that can be run from CLI, parses flags/args, reads stdin. Send a HTTP reques…

I follow this pattern as well along with one caveat: I refuse to cut and paste code while learning. I require myself to retype any examples, stack overflows, and so on in the process of learning. Along the way, I get a handle on the patterns of the language. And if I'm learning in an IDE, the autocomplete suggestions start to hint at the other functions within libraries, etc.

Yes, I love this suggestion. Building the literal muscle memory of how to write, I dunno, a for loop, is so critical -- it means you don't have to think for even a second about how to use that tool in the future.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

#97

Post by melbourne_mat »

If we're talking about a skill that can be written down, the following works for me:

- read the manual and summarise as I go

- using the table of contents of my summary, I rewrite the summary in another document

- I repeat this rewriting the summary a bunch of times over multiple days

- this works for text, diagrams and code

For me, the act of trying to recall from minimal input (a topic heading) gets the job done.

It's really just a variation of the techniques already mentioned here.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?

#99

Post by joshka »

Find a good doc / book / whatever, and then read the TOC.

When there is no TOC, instead speed read the headings in a doc - hit page down (spacebar) a bunch of times as fast as you can to get the main keywords / concepts to stick.

For me knowing that a particular concept / tool / technique / thing exists and where it's documented if I need to know more is the primary technique. Go deep on a few fundamental things next, then work out what you want to do with the tool and work on that and the surrounding necessary topics to achieve that task.

Often ramping up fast is akin to finding ways to traverse the knowledge graph of prerequisite knowledge. Knowing how to speed up that is the best meta skill you can develop.

In my 20 odd years as a software developer, I've found it very rare that I'm working on a task where I start with the knowledge to complete it.

That approach works for me - it might for you too?

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