Boost Your Brain Power with These Learning Practices
As kids return to school this month, the mindmilk team has been thinking a lot about learning in the United States. Most Americans have attended some level of formal schooling. We might even be aware of our different learning styles. After all, no two brains are the same! But do we believe that the current education system provides us with the best, long-term learning methods?
Over the last few decades, researchers have become increasingly interested in incorporating their insights on learning and memory into classrooms around the U.S. One of the greatest findings was provided by cognitive psychologist, Robert Bjork. Stick with us as we learn more about his concept of “desirable difficulties” and how to use its tools to boost our brain power—in classrooms and beyond!
What Does “Desirable Difficulties” Mean?
Robert Bjork coined the term “desirable difficulties” when researching the tasks schools use to help us learn and master different skills and concepts. “Desirable difficulties” describes a set of practices that make learning more challenging, but also more effective. Bjork’s learning methods have been discussed and practiced for the last two decades, receiving positive feedback from influential teachers like Jessica Lahey.
The methods promote learning first, rather than focusing solely on the immediate outcome. The process of learning matters most here. Deep learning involves analyzing new ideas and linking them to concepts you already know. We can use this knowledge for problem solving when we’re faced with new, unfamiliar contexts. Psychology Today wrote about this technique, saying that there's never been a better time or place to bridge the gap between modern scientific knowledge and America’s outdated teaching techniques.
At mindmilk, we talk a lot about our minds and intuition. So it’s important to mention that this learning style is actually counterintuitive to how we interact with learning today. Many of us were taught to follow step-by-step instructions or formulas and to value grades over the love of learning. However, research found that making learning too easy and straightforward can cause a misleading boost in the mind’s retrieval strength. This is because easy learning methods don’t promote deeper processing, which is what encourages long-term retention.
Take A New Approach
These approaches may feel hard at first, but evidence shows that they can lead to deeper learning and better retention. So how should we use them to strengthen our minds? Some examples of ways to introduce challenges into the learning process include:
Vary the settings where learning takes place. Changing up locations where we study, read or learn new skills actually challenges our brains to learn the content more deeply.
Make learning processes less organized. It may surprise you that laying out clear, step-by-step directions can actually decrease retention rates. Challenge your mind to learn something new without following the traditional methods, equations or steps.
Use a more complex typeface. Research has found that reading text in Sans Forgetica (a version of Helvetica sans-serif) is an effective learning aid for competent readers.
Use tests as a training tactic. This learning challenge is often called “retrieval practice.” Testing your recall with tools like flashcards can strengthen your mind’s ability to retrieve and remember information.
How Hard Is Too Hard?
Of course, it is not simply the case that increased difficulty always improves learning. When using these techniques, challenge yourself at a level that is right for your mind. Jessica Lahey, an author and teacher, discusses “productive problem solving” in much of her work.
Lahey says that finding your sweet spot is crucial to improving your learning capabilities to see more successes at school and work. Though it may be tempting to eliminate all challenges in learning, doing so is actually at the detriment of our own minds. Being given direct instructions does not make information stick as much as when you solve a problem on your own. Productive problem solving actually helps us understand concepts more durably over the long term!
Lahey has also found that achieving your dreams can be as simple as setting three goals for yourself each season. Setting difficult, yet achievable goals actually increases our self esteem. Make one of your goals something challenging that you truly want to accomplish. Some examples are learning a new language or how to play an instrument. You can also challenge yourself to remember your dreams by keeping a dream journal.
Boost Your Brain Power
The learning methods we’ve discussed are not just for our children or students. Anyone (of any age) can begin to incorporate “desirable difficulties” into their daily routines. That’s right—even you! Some things you can do to challenge and exercise your mind include:
Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand.
Eat a few bites of your meal with your eyes closed. Describe how each flavor tastes.
Create a flower arrangement. (Without looking at any examples!)
Write a short story or a memoir. Show it to a trusted friend.
Sit in a different spot in your house or favorite restaurant.
Try to remember your dreams by writing them down. Discover what your dreams mean and care for your mind accordingly.
Learn a new dance. It could be something classic like the cha-cha or a fun dance from TikTok.
Try out knitting, crocheting or embroidery. (Super great for holiday gifts!)
Start a garden. Add new plants in, as you master the process.
Read a book about something you’re passionate about. Commit the new things you learned to memory.
We hope this article helps you tap into your mind’s limitless potential! And remember, friend: don’t doubt yourself. And never give up! Keep dreaming.
Love,
mindmilk