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Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

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Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#51

Post by d4rkp4ttern »

Great question. Here is one thing I do, for math/ML related topics, when reading a paper or a textbook or blog.

At various stages of your reading, act as if you’re inventing it — understand what problem is being solved, and before reading on, pause, and really think (with notebook and pen), how YOU would solve it. Try various different angles and really struggle with it for a few hours or a day or a few days. Only after this struggle, continue reading. This way you will have several AHA moments, these will be invaluable for your comprehension and retention. This applies even if your struggle did not get you anywhere (and ESPECIALLY if you failed to get anywhere).

In particular if there is a lemma or theorem, first struggle try to prove it yourself, only then read the proof.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#53

Post by james-revisoai »

My own study tool, studywand.com - I collect youtube videos + pdfs, and learn through regular (AI-generated) quizzing based on the videos/documents. For papers/ideas I add manual flashcards. It's based on my psychology of learning dissertation and Comp Sci undergrad, and I get to label and improve the service as I use it!

I have dog fed myself 8k and growing flashcards over 4 years =)

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#54

Post by thealchemistdev »

For physical tasks; extreme repetition.

For example, I learned to really shred on the electric guitar by loading this[1] custom song into RockSmith.

I followed a given section of the song at 1% speed and only increased it by another percentage if I performed it perfectly 5 time in a row. It was an all-day process, but now, years later, I can play it with hardly any effort.

See the four stages of learning model.

Unconscious Incompetence

Conscious Incompetence

Conscious Competence

Unconscious Competence

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xjJXT0C0X4

Oh, before that, my only experience with the electric guitar was a couple of weeks with the game at the start of the lockdowns.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#55

Post by ptrhvns »

Here's my method:

Plan -> Study -> Practice -> Model

# Plan

Set a small, specific goal. Brainstorm topics which might help. Research if experts agree with topics.

Classify topics: conceptual - deeply understand; factual - memorize, little understanding; procedural - practice, little thought.

Qualities of concepts: three Rs - read, recognize, react; many paths to a good result; highly flexible, agile, interactive; recognizing patterns instantly; overcoming complex obstacles; making smart, timely choices.

Qualities of facts or procedures: ABC - always be correct; few or one path to an ideal result; imagine the performance of a reliable robot.

Find good learning resources for each topic. Try to match topic classification. Try to find all learning modes (see, hear, do). Research thoroughly. Good resources save time. Emphasize or exclude parts based on goal.

Brainstorm obstacles. Find ways to overcome those obstacles.

# Study

Review prerequisites before studying. Break learning resources into chunks.

Prepare to study a chunk: preview relevant exercises and tests; scan major elements of content; generate questions from scan.

Study a chunk: consume content; try to use all learning modes (see, hear, do); take notes, and highlight key parts; answer questions from scan along the way.

Improve chunk retention and comprehension: do free recall (no prompts); consolidate notes and highlights; do active recall (exercises and tests); connect it with other knowledge; try to teach it to an imaginary student; utilize spaced-repetition.

Repeat process with next chunk. Add practice when knowledge can become skill.

# Practice

Structure practice with scrimmages and drills.

Scrimmage: good for concepts; open-ended attempt in a realistic scenario; projects, immersion, simulations; replicate complexity and uncertainty of reality; focus on making a high number of varied reps; aggressively explore and experiment.

Drill: good for facts or procedures; use the REPS method; size: proficiency within 1-3 sessions; repeat and master a chunk before moving on.

The REPS method: R - reaching and repeating; E - engagement; P - purposefulness; S - strong feedback.

Reaching: challenging, ~85% success rate.

Strong feedback: immediate; concise; accurate; direct; actionable.

Common drills: time slice - small sequence in longer one; copycat - copy in irrelevant parts; magnifying glass - one aspect among many.

# Model

Find and steal from experts. Study examples of excellent work. What are the specific, critical elements? How do experts perform differently than I do? Identify process, performance, and results.

Edit: formatting

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#56

Post by csherrell »

thealchemistdev wrote: post #54

For physical tasks; extreme repetition. For example, I learned to really shred on the electric guitar by loading this[1] custom song into RockSmith. I followed a given section of the song at 1% speed and only increased it by another percentage if I performed it perfectly 5 time in a row. It was an all-day process, but now, years later, I can play it with hardly any effort. See the four stages of learning model. Uncon…

My dad is a power tumbling coach and we also have the 5 perfect passes rule. The kids are eager to learn new tricks. They are young and feel like they are indestructible. When they want learn an advanced trick we make them do the base of that trick perfectly 5 times. If it's not perfect, back to 0. They don't like it but the basics have to be muscle memory, subconscious actions before we allow them to move on to the more advanced trick. For physical activities like these repetition is key.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#57

Post by bosch_mind »

throw_away1525 wrote: post #37

The most important thing for me to really cement something is producing (vs consuming). Reading docs, watching videos... those are consuming. Of course you do have to do these things to get started. When most hackers thing of producing they probably think of building something - meaning coding a small project - but for me, to really really learn something, absolutely nothing comes close to teaching it to someone else…

Honestly this. When I learn something and want it to stay in my mind, I used to make videos. Then I’d narrate the videos and listen to myself, see where I actually fall short in understanding. I’d go for a drive and speak out loud in the car “Ok, so leader election in RAFT works like this”.

Very nice way of grasping theory. THEN I implement it all, from scratch.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#58

Post by brudgers »

I just cooked up this description of my system. it's a work in progress, not a formal commitment.

It distinguishes between two types of learning that are easily conflated and two relationships I might have to a subject:

        | Already   | Don't   |
        | Do        | Do      |
  --------------------------------
  Learn |           |         |
  About |           |         |
  --------------------------------
  Learn |           |         |
  To Do |           |         |
  --------------------------------
Most subjects naturally fall into Learn-About/Don't-Do because there is no way of doing them...e.g. The Pax Romana, Hydrogen, Milly Vannilly.

Operating Harbor Freight Sawmills, Applying Category Theory, and Using Vim are also in Learn-about/Don't-do because I don't do them and even though I could learn to do them, I'm probably not going to start doing them any time soon (if ever).

Learn-About/Already-Do is not that different from Learn-To-Do/Already-Do. The main difference is the timeline. Learn-About is in the immediate or short-term future. Learn-To-Do tends to be long term and broad.

Like I said this is a rough sketch and YMMV.

Good luck.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#59

Post by jjice »

jakevoytko wrote: post #16

A shortcut that I use for learning new technologies is to learn their pitfalls and tips. For example: I want to learn the PostGIS PostgreSQL extension. I install the extension and make a sample database with PostGIS datatypes. Then I will make a bunch of the following searches: "postgis gotchas", "postgis tips and tricks", "postgis common mistakes", etc. Open everything you find in a new tab. Then I will edit the sam…

Related to studying the pitfalls and how to avoid them, I really enjoyed SQL Antipatterns by Karwin. Sounds like the same format, but for RDBMSs.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for learning new things?

#60

Post by JestUM »

My way is super weird.

I start with a YT to get comfortable.

Once things start to make sense, I try to extrapolate that feeling or thought and build something immediately (hoping to be wrong or get stuck).

gets stuck

bp:

Back to consuming but with a more specific intent.

Back to building.

goto bp;

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