This
is chapter one - Overview of Memletics - from the Memletics
Manual. |
|
Chapter
1 - Acquire an overview of Memletics
Memletics
draws together much of what we know about effective learning
into an easy-to-apply system. This chapter provides you with
an overview before you start learning about the individual parts
of Memletics. This helps you learn Memletics faster. Having
this overview also helps you understand links between the different
parts of Memletics. You will soon begin to see the power of
Memletics comes from both the individual parts and the whole
system.
This chapter
outlines the five parts of Memletics. These parts are the Memletic
State, Memletic Process, Memletic Techniques, Memletic Styles
and Memletic Approach:
- The
Memletic State. How to make sure your brain cells, physical
systems and mental systems are in the best state for learning.
- The
Memletic Process. The steps you take to LEARN the knowledge
needed for your goal.
- The
Memletic Techniques. These techniques improve the speed
and quality of your learning.
- The
Memletic Styles. Use your stronger and secondary learning
preferences to improve your overall learning.
- The
Memletic Approach. Manage the overall learning journey
by prior planning and then tracking along the way.
Dont
worry too much about the details of each part at this point.
In this chapter I just provide an overview of each part of Memletics.
This is because there are many interrelationships between the
five parts of the system. Having a broad understanding first
helps you recognize those linkages as they arise in the following
chapters.
You dont
have to read the chapters in a sequential order. Read this overview
chapter first, and then read the rest of the chapters in an
order that suits you. If you prefer high-level detail first,
progressively getting down into the details, read Approach,
Styles, State, Process, and then Techniques. If you want the
juicy details first, read Techniques, Process, State, Styles
and Approach. Or, just read them as presented. Its up
to you.
Memletic
State is the right state for learning
Memletic
State helps you ensure your cell state, physical state and mental
state are in good condition for learning. Its harder to
learn if your cells, body and mind do not perform well.
Cell state
refers to the state of the cells, primarily neurons, which make
up the brain. Physical state involves the different bodily systems
that support life, such as breathing, blood circulation, sleep
and general bodily health. Mental state involves mental processes
that predominately occur in the mind, such as motivation, concentration,
awareness and attitude.
Good learning
state supports the building of the networks of neurons for the
material you learn. At the same time, positive learning experiences
build neural networks that improve how you learn.
What is
good condition? Lets look at some examples:
- Cell
state. The brain is a cell-based system and relies on
essential materials such as oxygen, water, food and nutrients.
These materials are essential for the proper functioning of
neurons and other key brain cells (see text box page below).
Good cell state requires a good supply of all these during
learning.
- Physical
state: Your physical environment has a big impact on your
body, so fresh air, right temperature, good light and correct
furniture are important. Controlling your breathing and stress
helps good state, as does getting enough rest and sleep. Longer
term, good diet and exercise also have positive effects. Some
dietary supplements can also increase brain performance.
- Mental
state: Clearly defined goals and defined steps for achieving
those goals are essential for motivation. Attention and concentration
are critical for learning. Longer term, good mental health
and mental exercise also improve your overall
learning.
There are
also some negative impacts on state, and I discuss these as
well. For example, excess stress and tension are enemies of
good state.
Memletic
Processthe steps to LEARN
The Memletic
Process provides steps to follow when learning new material.
You use this process at varying levels of detail throughout
your learning. For example, you first use this process at a
high level to understand the overall organization of your material.
You then repeat the process at lower levels of detail until
you are learning individual chunks of knowledge, such as a particular
skill or fact. This approach provides a repeatable process you
can refine to improve your overall learning performance.
The diagram
above shows the five activities of the Memletic Process. These
are:
- Locate.
Firstly you find and prepare content for your learning
goal. This may involve using standard books and manuals, however
it could also involve getting notes from lectures, one-on-one
tutoring sessions, the Internet and other references.
- Explore.
Here you work through and understand your content. There
are some general principles to follow, such as learning to
a level deeper than needed. There are also some approaches
relevant to particular learning styles that you may want to
try.
- Arrange.
Next you select which material you want to memorize, and
prepare it for memorization. You select Memletic Techniques
based on the type of knowledge you want to learn. This book
has over twenty different techniques you can apply to various
forms of content. You then prepare your content for use with
those techniques.
- Reinforce.
You then use those techniques to reinforce knowledge,
skills and behaviors. Further reinforcing techniques help
you lock in that material for the long term.
- eNquire.
Lastly, you review both how well you learned your content,
as well how well you applied Memletics along the way.
Notice how
the first letters of these steps spell out LEARN (eNquire starts
with the N sound).
Dont
feel like you have to stick rigidly to these activities. They
sometimes overlap. For example, when you explore content you
start to form ideas on the techniques to use to memorize it.
You start to reinforce material when you explore and arrange
it. You may need to rearrange some material during the reinforcing
process, as it may not be suitable for the particular technique
you chose. Your mind naturally connects topics, associates information
and does its own reviews as you progress. Letting it do so helps
the whole memorizing process.
Memletic
Techniques lock in knowledge
You mainly
use the Memletic Techniques during the reinforcing activity
of the Memletic Process. The techniques are the primary methods
of reinforcing the knowledge you need to remember for the long
term.
You can
use many techniques in your learning activities. Ive grouped
these into six main categories, based on the underlying principles
of how the techniques work.
These categories
are:
- Associate.
Associate new knowledge with knowledge thats already
in your memory. These techniques are great for facts and procedures.
- Visualize.
Use your minds eye to recreate sensory
abilities, experiences, ideas and views in your mind. Visualization
can be creative, for example for experiences that have not
happened yet. You can use it to rehearse new procedures and
skills, and as well use it to strengthen other techniques.
- Verbalize.
Your internal self-talk influences your behavior. Using
verbal techniques such as assertions (or assertions), scripting
and a mental firewall you can alter your internal
self-talk to align with your learning objectives.
- Simulate.
Simulation reinforces a behavior or skill using external
tools. Basic simulation can involve just cardboard cutouts
or household items, while PC based simulation is becoming
more and more advanced. Role-playing is also another form
of simulation.
- Perform.
There are specific techniques to improve skill performance.
Some of these techniques involve understanding the theory
behind learning and performing skills. Other Perform techniques
help change existing behaviors, as well as improve performance
of already learned skills.
- Repeat.
While Memletics aims to reduce rote repetition, rote learning
is still a common and sometimes useful technique. Flashcards
are also useful, however some newer software can significantly
improve the way you learn and retain new material.
Ive
listed the techniques in each of these categories in the following
table:
Associate |
- General
association
- First
letter mnemonics
- Acrostic
mnemonics
- Linked
lists
- Peg
words
|
- Peg
events
- Mental
journey or story
- Roman
Rooms
- Chunking
|
Visualize |
- General
visualization
- Creative
visualization
|
- Mental
rehearsal
- Strengthening
techniques
|
Verbalize |
- General
verbalization
- Assertions
|
- Mental
firewall
- Scripting
|
Simulate |
- Basic
simulation
- PC
simulation
|
- Advanced
simulation
- Role-playing
|
Perform |
- Three
stage skill learning
- Part
task training
- Performance
variation
- Overlearning
|
|
Repeat |
|
- Scheduled
review
- Programmed
repetition
|
As well
as the techniques, I also discuss some common reasons why techniques
may not work as well as you expect at the end of the techniques
chapter.
An
Overview of Neurons Basic Brain Cells
Neurons
are the fundamental cells that support memory. The majority
of memory is represented via large networks of neurons
within the brain, sometimes called neural networks. The
neurons connect to other neurons via synapses. Synapses
are like a tiny telephone exchange between two or more
neurons.
There
are four main components of the typical neuron:
The
dendrites. These receive signals from other neurons.
The
cell body. This manages the overall cell function
and maintenance.
The
axon. This transmits the signal to another area. This
other area may be as close as a hair-width away, or sometimes
up to three feet (one meter) away.
The
pre-synaptic terminal. This is the bulge at the tip
of the axon. It passes the neuron signal on to the dendrites
of other neurons.
The
signals that flow through the neurons and axons are very
small changes in the electrical charge of cell components.
The changes are achieved via the flow of various molecules
and chemical compounds into and out of the cells.
In
the synapse, the pre-synaptic terminal of the transmitting
neuron and the dendrite of the receiving neuron do not
touch. The signal passes from one neuron to another by
the release of certain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
The amount of neurotransmitter released depends on the
strength of the signal received at the pre-synaptic terminal,
as well as the number of times its been triggered
recently. Therefore, the overall strength of the signal
passed from one neuron to another depends on the strength
of the first trigger, moderated by how often the same
signal has passed through that synapse.
Now,
Ive simplified the structure of the neural network
to give you an idea of the basics. If you want an idea
of how complex the brain is, consider these statistics.
Researchers estimate there are up to roughly 1011 neurons
in your brain alone (not considering the rest of the nervous
system). Thats perhaps 100,000,000,000, or one hundred
billion neurons. If each neuron just stored a 1 or 0 like
a computer, you would have around 93 gigabits of storage.
But thats not all. Each neuron typically has between
1,000 and 10,000 synapses. The combinations of the synapses
control whether a signal is passed on or not. Multiply
out those numbers, and you have purely staggering storage
and processing abilities all within the space the size
of your head.
|
Memletic
Styles personalize your learning
The Memletic
Styles recognize that each of us prefers to learn in different
ways. There are many variations on this theme and different
ways to describe these preferences, however the Memletic Styles
uses the seven shown in the diagram as its basis. These seven
Learning Styles are:
- Visual.
You use pictures, images, visualization, and spatial arrangements.
- Aural.
You use voice, sounds and music.
- Verbal.
You use words and writing.
- Physical.
You use your body, hands, and sense of touch.
- Logical.
You use logic, reasoning and systems.
- Social.
You prefer to learn with groups or other people.
- Solitary.
You prefer to work alone and use self-study.
All of these
styles are effective learning styles. Your favored use of particular
styles does not make you a more or less effective learner. Current
school approaches tend to focus on only two of these. This bias
may have influenced how you view your own learning abilities.
Ill talk more about this in the Memletic Styles chapter
when we discuss learning styles in detail.
Memletic
Approachthe path to your goals
The Memletic
Approach is a series of tasks that you can use to approach and
manage any learning journey. The time you spend in this activity
varies according to the length and importance of your goals.
The four
tasks of the Memletic Approach are:
- Target.
Choose and clarify your goal. Targeting your goal involves
understanding your reasons, exploring your goal and setting
your objectives.
- Plan.
Decide your approach. Do prior research, plan your course
map, and work out time and cost estimates.
- Track.
Track your progress. This involves regularly (but not
too regularly) checking your progress and adjusting where
necessary.
- Do
it. Enjoy it for life. This one is self-explanatory!
I mentioned
in the preface that Memletics grew from my flight training experiences.
Memletics is now a system you can apply to a wide range of learning
activities. In this section I outline my thoughts on some of
those activities. I do this for two reasons:
- If you
are already do some of these activities, to encourage you
to see ways you can apply Memletics to your current goals.
- If you
are looking for a new goal, to give you ideas of what activities
you may want to try.
Lets
look at how you can apply Memletics during major life phases,
as well as some specific activities.
Using Memletics
during major life phases
Here are
a few points on using Memletics during major life phasesearly
years, formal education, employment and later years.
- Early
years. Your children can benefit from your understanding
and use of Memletics. Children find many of the techniques
such as association and visualization easier than adults.
This can give them a good head start in their schooling and
life education.
- Formal
education. School, college, and university are great places
to apply Memletics. Often applying some structure to study
can make a big difference. Understanding and using these techniques
can help you learn faster. This could allow you to spend more
time increasing the quality of your education through extra
study, or allow you to spend more time outside school. Your
choice!
- Employment.
You may not realize just how many opportunities for better
learning there are in the workplace. Examples include job
hunting skills, learning new roles and skills, and continuing
training. You may want to consider using Memletics to help
you change your career or learn new skills after redundancy
or a layoff. I list some more specific examples below.
- Later
years. One of the major concerns of older individuals
is the onset of age-related mental decline or dementia, and
potential diseases such as Alzheimers disease. Good
Memletic fitness helps keep your mind and body active, helping
to ward off or reduce the impact of these brain problems.
Also, as retirees typically live longer, they have more time
available for recreational activities. Memletics can also
help here. See further below for examples.
Specific
activities
Lets
look at more specific examples of where you can apply Memletics.
Ive listed four types of activities: personal skill development,
professional training, recreational activities, and sports.
Im sure there are others out there as well. If you think
of more, feel free to post them on the website.
Personal
skill development
Regardless
of your occupation, you are likely to benefit from improved
personal skills. You can apply many of the techniques to develop
your skills in areas such as:
- Communication
- Presentation
- Negotiation
- Leadership
- Time
management
- Etiquette
- Networking
- Stress,
conflict and anger management
- Interviewing
- Learning
other languages
|
Selling
and marketing
Consulting
Coaching
and mentoring
Management
Creativity
Problem
solving
Training
others
Relationships
Planning
Financial
Management
|
If you are
looking for a topic to start learning Memletics, these are often
good places to start. Even if your work role does not need these
skills directly, you can still gain many benefits from developing
these skills. Consider selling and consulting. When you are
searching for a job, you are selling your time. Or, when taking
on an assignment from your boss, consulting skills can help
you better understand your assignment and deliver to requirements.
This results in you being more valuable, and hopefully more
rewarded (if not, use your selling skills to find another buyer
of your time)!
Professional
training
There are
a wide range of professions that can benefit from Memletic training.
These include the flight, medical and legal professions.
- Flight
training. One reason I started flight training was to
understand and develop my skills using various memory and
learning techniques Id read about. Ive mentioned
elsewhere that I believe flying is a great activity in which
to develop your Memletic fitness.
- Medicine.
There are many parallels between the medical and flight
professions. The key one is that you are often solely responsible
for the lives of others. Whether you are a doctor, nurse,
physiotherapist or psychologist, your use of Memletics can
help you learn and refine skills and as well help pass on
useful knowledge to others. Indeed, some of the research for
this book came directly from the medical fields. For example,
the effectiveness of various relaxation techniques and the
impact on anxiety has been researched for use in many medical
contexts. One area is pain control.
- Law.
While law may not involve the responsibility for a human
life, it often involves the responsibility for the livelihood
of clients. The win or loss of a case may depend on the good
functioning of your memory, the ability to learn key skills
such as communication and persuasion, and the ability to resolve
challenges quickly (such as managing false assumptions). There
are also parallels between flight training and law. For example,
I know of an experienced flight training author and ex-accident
investigator who helps legal organizations reduce their insurance
costs by applying the same principles of pilot error management
in a legal context.
Recreational
activities
If you are
looking for a new activity outside work, why not try some recreational
activities. These are another way to learn more about Memletics,
while developing your skills at something not directly related
to your occupation. Some examples include:
- Photography
and Video
- Sailing
- Four
wheel driving
- Hiking
and Orienteering
- Flying
(recreationally)
- Woodwork,
metalwork
- Martial
arts, yoga, tai chi
- Wine
appreciation
- Astronomy
- Fishing,
bird-watching
|
Travel
(the wider the better)
Creative
activitiespainting, drawing, writing etc.
Home
renovations and interior design
Gardening
and landscaping
Cooking
Dancing,
theatre, performance
Music
and singing
Historical
and genealogy studies
|
These are
just a sample. There are more out there. These activities are
also conducive to higher motivation as they have direct benefits
for you (and potentially your family) rather than your employer!
Sports
and competition
Many of
the techniques in this book have already been applied in a sporting
context. Visualization, relaxation, concentration and modeling
can lead to superior sporting performance. Books like The
Inner Game of Tennis and The Inner Game of Golf
helped launch visualization into mainstream sports as well as
wider use. While you may not be aiming to compete on an international
level, sports and other competitive activities are a great way
to also develop your Memletic fitness. Here are just a few examples:
- Archery
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Biathlon
- Bowling
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Diving
- Fencing
|
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Hockey
Netball
Polo
Racquetball
Rowing
Running
Rugby
|
Shooting
Skating
Skiing
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Surfing
Swimming
Table
Tennis
Tennis
|
Track
& Field
Triathlon
Volleyball
Water
Polo
Water-skiing
Weight-lifting
Windsurfing
Wrestling
|
Others
Here are
a few others applications that dont fit into the categories
above.
- Driving.
You may already know how to drive. Why not try a more
advanced driving course. Are you comfortable you could handle
a loss of control in wet weather? You may also want to try
some of the principles of Memletics while teaching your son,
daughter or others to drive.
- Dating.
Yes, dating. While I havent specifically tried it
myself, Im sure that many of the principles of Memletics
could help you out in the dating game. Keep in mind that just
being in Memletic State (healthy, fit, active mind etc.) may
be more likely to help you along than learning specific pickup
lines or other similar techniques.
- General
living. Whether its learning to be a better domestic
partner, or developing other life skills not mentioned here,
Memletics can help you along.
Chapter
summary
In this
overview youve started to develop an understanding of
Memletics. Youve seen that Memletic State helps you develop
the best condition for learning. You now know the Memletic Process
is five steps to faster LEARNing. Youve seen the broad
categories of the Memletic Techniques. You realize the Memletic
Styles adapt how you use Memletics according to your learning
styles. You know about the Memletic Approach and that it helps
you tackle any learning goal.
As Memletics
is a practical system, rather than theory, Ive also given
you some examples of where you can apply Memletics. We looked
at how you can apply Memletics in various life phases. We also
looked at specific applications in careers, education, recreation,
sport and more.
Ive
taken you through this overview of Memletics because there are
many links between the individual parts of Memletics. Having
this broad understanding helps you recognize those links as
you start learning Memletics in depth. This is exactly what
you are about to do in the next five chapters. We begin with
Memletic State.
While Memletics
may seem overwhelming at first, you dont need to use every
part to have the system start working for you. You can choose
the techniques and adapt Memletics to what feels right for you.
Later in the book Ill give you some more suggestions on
how to start learning Memletics. For now, just read, absorb
and enjoy!
|