Hello to all readers! Today, I would like to take a break from the technical content we've been discussing for several months and shift the focus to something that could be beneficial for many people, including those in technical fields like data, as well as students who can use these processes to enhance their learning skills. Let's get started!

 

I personally believe that “every step in life is a learning opportunity”, especially in the field of data science, where continuous learning (lifelong learning) is essential due to the rapidly changing social and scientific landscape. Knowledge acquisition is no longer confined to the classroom; with the advent of communication technologies, online courses, and various content available on the internet, we have unprecedented access to new knowledge around us.

 

However, in this age where the world is driven by vast amounts of data, the key to success is not about who knows more, but rather how we learn (learning how to learn) so that we can effectively gather knowledge and apply it to maximize its utility.

 

The most crucial aspect of the learning process often begins with asking questions, which fosters critical thinking skills in individuals. This is also central to data work. If we do not ask questions, it may indicate that we have not fully contemplated or grasped the essence of what we are learning. This aligns with the child-centered education system that encourages students to ask questions and engage in analytical thinking based on the knowledge they are studying.

 

Paul Harris, a child psychologist from Harvard, estimated that during childhood, specifically between the ages of 2-5, we tend to ask around 40,000 questions about the world around us. Interestingly, as we grow older, we tend to ask fewer questions. It would not be good if our learning process diminishes as we age.

 

Deborah Meier, an education reformer who received the MacArthur ‘Genius’ Award, initiated the development of schools in the deteriorating areas of New York City. What’s interesting is her philosophy of development, which is to create schools that encourage children to learn through questioning. She utilized five types of questions to foster learning habits (5 Habits of Mind) or SPECS, which include:

  • Significance (why it is important) - Why is what we are learning important?
  • Perspective (what is the point of view) - What are the various perspectives on what we are learning?
  • Evidence (how do you know) - What proof or evidence supports the facts of what we are learning?
  • Connection (how does it apply) - How can we apply what we are learning?
  • Supposition (what if it were different) - What would happen if what we are learning were different?

 

While we are in the learning phase, we can use the SPECS questions to deepen our understanding of the material we are studying. Additionally, there are other questions we can use as well, as outlined in this link. There are also various tips derived from studying how the brain works to aid in learning and problem-solving, focusing on content management, learning duration, and rest to help the brain retain and utilize knowledge effectively. Some of these tips I have gathered from “Learning how to learn” by Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski, and another part from Siraj, which explains machine learning in a more understandable way, including:

 

1. Recall – When we are reading or studying, merely reading or listening may not help us retain the content well. Therefore, we need to review and summarize the key points of what we have learned, and teaching or sharing information with others can significantly enhance our retention and application of the knowledge.

 

2. Chunking & Alternative – Enhancing problem-solving skills by breaking information into sets or parts, similar to practicing music, and diversifying problem-solving methods to discover new techniques for future challenges.

 

3. Spaced Repetition – Knowing how to space out time and intervals for reviewing and memorizing lessons. For example, learning new vocabulary by writing it on flashcards and reviewing it daily, and if we forget or struggle to remember, we should increase the frequency of our reviews.

 

4. Analogy – When encountering new or unfamiliar information, we can use analogy techniques to enhance our understanding. For instance, comparing the flight of an airplane to that of a bird or the functioning of the eye to that of a camera. This technique is known as transfer learning, which involves applying existing knowledge to new situations that may share similar characteristics.

 

5. Eat your frogs first – Tackling difficult problems first at the beginning of the day when the mind is still fresh.

 

6. Search Scan Speedup Summarize – This is an applied technique I named from learning from Siraj.

 

It consists of:

6.1 Search - Refers to searching for content of interest (using keywords like tutorial, introduction, … for dummies) online to gather information and study various content presentation formats such as blogs, podcasts, videos, and discussion forums to gain diverse perspectives and new ideas.

6.2 Scan - Refers to browsing content from multiple sources to find data sets that can be explained in the most understandable way, possibly including reading summaries of that content, such as research abstracts, diagrams from articles, and summary paragraphs in blogs to help grasp the key points and get an overview of the content more quickly.

6.3 Speed-up viewing - Refers to expanding the scope of content intake quickly. For example, when watching videos, start by watching at fast forward speeds of 1.5x, 2x, or 3x to train the mind to process information more broadly and in larger quantities within a limited time.

6.4 Summarize - Refers to summarizing the key points of what has been learned to organize thoughts leading to better understanding and quicker retention of various content.

7. ELI5 (Explain Like I’m 5) – For complex or difficult technical information, we can add “eli5” in our online search process, such as AI eli5, to receive explanations from various sources, like Reddit, which is popular among those in the technology field.

8. Handwritten Note – Research has shown that taking notes by hand is more effective for learning than typing on a keyboard. Although writing may be slower than typing, we need to process summaries before writing them down, including using various note-taking techniques to facilitate easier learning and retention, as outlined in this link: Cornell note-taking system.

9. Loci method – From world memory champions who train their memory using imagination, linking what they want to remember with their surroundings. For example, remembering a shopping list by associating items with things seen along the path they walk, such as remembering a loaf of bread at the mailbox or an apple at the traffic light. When it’s time to buy those items, they visualize the path they need to walk past the mailbox and traffic light.

10. Learning Opportunities – There are numerous online learning resources such as Coursera, EdX, Khan Academy, FutureLearn, Udacity, and PlusAcumen, which offer online courses focused on social enterprise content, and Brilliant, which teaches math and technical content in a more understandable way. We can learn new things and even reskill for new career opportunities in the future.

11. Rest – Knowing how to rest and take breaks from learning appropriately. Our brains operate in two thinking modes: focused mode and diffuse mode. When we are solving problems while working, our brains function in focused mode. However, during relaxation—like taking a shower, walking, sleeping, or not thinking at all—our brains switch to diffuse mode, similar to rewiring the brain. This is akin to the saying ‘sleep on it’, which was a technique used by Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison. Taking breaks or stepping back can help our brains solve problems on their own. For instance, when we try to tackle difficult and complex lessons and review those problems before sleeping, we often wake up with new solutions or ideas. This process shows how our brains alternate between these two modes.

 

In conclusion, I sincerely hope that as we step into a data-driven society, we all start by supporting students in their ability to ask questions, think critically, and learn effectively. If we succeed in this, we could produce quality professionals in various fields much more quickly, without waiting for the lengthy 16-20 years of traditional education from kindergarten to university. When everyone continues to ask questions, never stops learning, and recognizes that learning can happen at any time, it is certain that cultivating effective thinking for creativity and problem-solving will benefit personal development, society, and the nation in the future.