Learning How to Learn

Technology is constantly changing. Programming languages change, content management services change, and it can often feel overwhelming. Even within WordPress, new updates can change the way your site might work. Because of this, in our office, we like to focus on the process of learning itself, and we encourage our faculty and students to do the same.

Traditional Learning

Learning new skills in WordPress may seem daunting because you might be accustomed to the traditional education model. This model includes a teacher who gives information to the student, the student is responsible for taking notes, asking questions, and practicing the skill individually. While you can make great gains by talking to an expert and asking thoughtful questions, this option might not always be available due to time.

A New Approach

Managing your website often takes backseat to teaching classes, taking classes, research, writing, and all the other work that comprises the majority of your day. Because of that, sometimes it’s hard to find time to take a class or schedule a training meeting. Consider trying new technique to make learning quick and efficient.

4 Techniques for Self-Education

1. Take handwritten notes of everything you learn

You may choose to learn via the wealth of WordPress and Divi tutorials on the internet. While it may seem antiquated, studies show that writing by hand allows you to absorb more content. In part, this is because taking notes by hand makes you more selective about what you write. Because of this, you engage further with what you are hearing. A few tips include:

• Rather than writing down everything you hear, focus on what you think is most important.
• Shorten recurring terms
• Write more notes for subjects you’re struggling with

2. Don’t cram

Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Focus on small, digestible bits of information that you can fit into your busy schedule. When you take on more than one thing at a time, you can’t process and internalize new information. According to the learning model, “the four stages of competence,”:

• Stage 1 When you’re not aware of what you don’t know
• Stage 2 The point where you begin to grasp the extent of what you don’t understand
• Stage 3 When you first begin to be competent in the skill or tast you’re learning
• Stage 4 The point where you understand something so well, you don’t need to think about its execution.

To attain mastery at stage four, you need to devote time to learning and practice. That’s why it’s important to focus in on what you are learning instead of spreading yourself too thin by studying a variety of topics.

3. Pretend you’re teaching someone else

When you attempt to teach someone, even if it’s just imaginary, you are forced to synthesize what you have learned in order to simplify it for your audience. This in turn helps you better understand the subject. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Try to explain the subject as if the person didn’t know anything about it
• Pay attention to any questions, as this might help you
• Note any area that you have trouble explaining.

4. Test yourself on what you learned

Set goals for yourself and test yourself based on these. Here’s how to approach this method:

• -Limit yourself to a standard number of question
• -Make sure your text covers your goals
• Have someone more experienced evaluate your goals