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The New Science of Learning: How to Learn in Harmony With Your Brain
Learning to learn is the key skill for tomorrow. This breakthrough book builds the foundation every student needs, from freshman orientation to graduate school
Recent advances in brain science show that most students’ learning strategies are highly inefficient, ineffective or just plain wrong. While all learning requires effort, better learning does not require more effort, but rather effectively aligning how the brain naturally learns with the demands of your studies. This book shows you what is involved in learning new material, how the human brain processes new information, and what it takes for that information to stick with you even after the test.
Taking a small amount of time to read and act upon the material in this book will prove to be one of the best decisions you can make as a learner. What you discover will change the way you learn in college and will be helpful in your personal and professional life. You live in a world where you will have to be a lifelong learner, constantly updating your skills and changing jobs to compete in the global marketplace. Most college students today will have as many as 10-14 different jobs by age 38. Learning how to learn in harmony with your brain is crucial to your long-term success.
This succinct book explains straightforward strategies for changing how you prepare to learn, engage with your course material, and set about improving recall of newly learned material whenever you need it. This is not another book about study skills and time management strategies, but instead an easy-to-read description of the research about how the human brain learns in a way that you can put into practice right away.
Did you know neuroscientists have shown that memories are made while you sleep, and by studying right before sleeping you can make stronger memories for your information? In this book the authors explain the role that sleep, exercise and your senses play in learning; how memory works and what makes the brain pay attention; the importance of your mindset towards learning and pattern recognition; as well as new breakthroughs in brain science that can enhance your ability to learn new information and make later recall (for tests or everyday life) easier.
This book will put you on the path to reaching your full learning potential.
Recent advances in brain science show that most students’ learning strategies are highly inefficient, ineffective or just plain wrong. While all learning requires effort, better learning does not require more effort, but rather effectively aligning how the brain naturally learns with the demands of your studies. This book shows you what is involved in learning new material, how the human brain processes new information, and what it takes for that information to stick with you even after the test.
Taking a small amount of time to read and act upon the material in this book will prove to be one of the best decisions you can make as a learner. What you discover will change the way you learn in college and will be helpful in your personal and professional life. You live in a world where you will have to be a lifelong learner, constantly updating your skills and changing jobs to compete in the global marketplace. Most college students today will have as many as 10-14 different jobs by age 38. Learning how to learn in harmony with your brain is crucial to your long-term success.
This succinct book explains straightforward strategies for changing how you prepare to learn, engage with your course material, and set about improving recall of newly learned material whenever you need it. This is not another book about study skills and time management strategies, but instead an easy-to-read description of the research about how the human brain learns in a way that you can put into practice right away.
Did you know neuroscientists have shown that memories are made while you sleep, and by studying right before sleeping you can make stronger memories for your information? In this book the authors explain the role that sleep, exercise and your senses play in learning; how memory works and what makes the brain pay attention; the importance of your mindset towards learning and pattern recognition; as well as new breakthroughs in brain science that can enhance your ability to learn new information and make later recall (for tests or everyday life) easier.
This book will put you on the path to reaching your full learning potential.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2013
13 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 25, 2014
I'm an economics professor at a small liberal arts college. I've spent as much time studying the literature on teaching and learning (in hopes of becoming a better teacher and learner) as I have on my discipline.
I purchased this book and devoured it in one sitting. It should be required reading for every college student and every college professor.
**************** For students *****************
You're in college to LEARN, and you're going to be in college for several years. Yet you come to college with little to no knowledge about HOW to learn or HOW to study. And sadly, nobody in college will teach you these essential skills. You'll read your textbook (maybe), take notes in class, review your notes before the test. Maybe this will be sufficient to get a decent grade. But it won't result in much learning. So you'll end up with a piece of paper that says you have an education, but not with much actual education.
And you NEED that education if you want to thrive in this increasingly competitive knowledge-based and information-based economy.
This short book can help you really learn and retain information. The book says it's not hard, you just have to know what to do. I disagree: it's hard to change habits, and the bad news is that you'll need to change some habits if you really want to learn. Habits like time management, to insure you have enough time for sleep, for exercise, and for studying outside of class; this is hard, because it means making tough choices about how you use your time. Another habit that needs to go: "multitasking." Your generation is better than any previous generation at task-switching, which you think of as multitasking. But true learning requires FOCUS. That means shutting out distractions (like the 'ding' your phone makes when people text you). It is hard to put away the phone for a whole hour if you've never done it. But you must, if you really want to learn.
This book explains these points, and many others, in much detail. The book is easy to read, with short chapters (and the book overall is short). Everything in the book is supported by research (with lots of citations).
Think about the incredible investment you're making in college: years of your life that could otherwise be spent in a paid job, not to mention thousands of dollars on tuition and other costs. If you want to get an excellent return on this investment, you really need to learn how to study, and learn how to learn. Sadly, your college will provide you very minimal training in these critical skills. You must pick them up on your own. If you do, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO REALLY AMAZING THINGS (the least of which includes earning a high G.P.A.). It's true. Even if you THINK of yourself as a C student, you CAN be an A student. You just need to learn how to learn. (And, importantly, to follow through and implement what you learn.)
You really can do this. Reading this excellent, short, information-packed, affordable book is a great way to start.
**************** For college professors *****************
Most of us have received excellent training in our respective disciplines, but little to no training in the principles of effective teaching. We don't really know HOW students learn. We assume they learn the way WE learned when we were in college; therefore, we teach the way that, when we were students, worked best for us.
This is a bad assumption. As future college professors, our learning styles as college students were atypical, and teaching to these learning styles will not work for most students.
If we really want to be good teachers, we need to understand how students learn - and not just students that will eventually become professors.
That's where this book can help. Reading it won't take much of your time. It's rich with information that can help us do our jobs more effectively, can help us understand the way students learn so we can better design our classes and assignments for better outcomes. This information is based on research, which the authors document thoroughly.
I can't recommend the book highly enough. Again, every college student and every professor should read it.
I purchased this book and devoured it in one sitting. It should be required reading for every college student and every college professor.
**************** For students *****************
You're in college to LEARN, and you're going to be in college for several years. Yet you come to college with little to no knowledge about HOW to learn or HOW to study. And sadly, nobody in college will teach you these essential skills. You'll read your textbook (maybe), take notes in class, review your notes before the test. Maybe this will be sufficient to get a decent grade. But it won't result in much learning. So you'll end up with a piece of paper that says you have an education, but not with much actual education.
And you NEED that education if you want to thrive in this increasingly competitive knowledge-based and information-based economy.
This short book can help you really learn and retain information. The book says it's not hard, you just have to know what to do. I disagree: it's hard to change habits, and the bad news is that you'll need to change some habits if you really want to learn. Habits like time management, to insure you have enough time for sleep, for exercise, and for studying outside of class; this is hard, because it means making tough choices about how you use your time. Another habit that needs to go: "multitasking." Your generation is better than any previous generation at task-switching, which you think of as multitasking. But true learning requires FOCUS. That means shutting out distractions (like the 'ding' your phone makes when people text you). It is hard to put away the phone for a whole hour if you've never done it. But you must, if you really want to learn.
This book explains these points, and many others, in much detail. The book is easy to read, with short chapters (and the book overall is short). Everything in the book is supported by research (with lots of citations).
Think about the incredible investment you're making in college: years of your life that could otherwise be spent in a paid job, not to mention thousands of dollars on tuition and other costs. If you want to get an excellent return on this investment, you really need to learn how to study, and learn how to learn. Sadly, your college will provide you very minimal training in these critical skills. You must pick them up on your own. If you do, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DO REALLY AMAZING THINGS (the least of which includes earning a high G.P.A.). It's true. Even if you THINK of yourself as a C student, you CAN be an A student. You just need to learn how to learn. (And, importantly, to follow through and implement what you learn.)
You really can do this. Reading this excellent, short, information-packed, affordable book is a great way to start.
**************** For college professors *****************
Most of us have received excellent training in our respective disciplines, but little to no training in the principles of effective teaching. We don't really know HOW students learn. We assume they learn the way WE learned when we were in college; therefore, we teach the way that, when we were students, worked best for us.
This is a bad assumption. As future college professors, our learning styles as college students were atypical, and teaching to these learning styles will not work for most students.
If we really want to be good teachers, we need to understand how students learn - and not just students that will eventually become professors.
That's where this book can help. Reading it won't take much of your time. It's rich with information that can help us do our jobs more effectively, can help us understand the way students learn so we can better design our classes and assignments for better outcomes. This information is based on research, which the authors document thoroughly.
I can't recommend the book highly enough. Again, every college student and every professor should read it.
February 13, 2019
*Second edition
Im a student,first year,read 2 books on the theme of effective and efficient learning.
This book was great for me.
the book dont give you specific instructions to follow for strategy,he represents the probably best theme or direction to follow for the base line.
he does it with science, but i quite disappointed the authors didn't gave the statistics and just % (without telling you what is the total population).
Any way, I've read/heard some of the thing trough academia and books that i read so it's quite trustable.
August 10, 2019
This is a very clear, concise book of practical, helpful advice for college students. As a college professor, I appreciate the research-based tips and techniques these authors are sharing with students so they can be as alert, attentive, and as effective as possible. I learned some interesting information about how the brain works in harmony with learning, so I can plan my teaching and activities accordingly. My son, a graduate student, is reading this book along with me, and we are discussing how he can become a better learner.
October 16, 2018
Brilliant. Every learner should read this, by which I mean everyone should read this. So many excellent points without judgement on students or teachers. Well-researched and formatted to make concepts clear and concise. So happy I picked this up when someone recommended it to me!
December 3, 2019
I read this book for a faculty/staff book club and I learned a lot about learning! I really like how the concepts are connected throughout the book. The chapter summaries and questions are also a great focusing tool.
April 1, 2020
This book is a quick and easy read that teaches you important skills about creating the best learning environment. While I thought some of the tips were obvious (get more sleep) I enjoyed reading the scientific reasoning behind why getting exercise helps you learn better, among other things.
March 14, 2017
I enjoyed reading this short book, which provided a summary of research investigating variables affecting learning (e.g., sleep, nutrition, and exercise). I did find myself wanting to know more about "why" variables affected learning, and the authors provided references to learn more about the "why" questions. If you are interested in a deeper understanding of the variables governing learning, you might need to dig deeper. On the other hand, if you want a brief, concise primer on variables affecting learning, this is the book.
June 20, 2014
Đã đọc nhiều cuốn hướng dẫn cách học nhưng đến cuốn này tôi mới thật sự bị thuyết phục. Mỏng nhưng nặng về lý lẽ và bằng chứng khoa học, những lời khuyên để học hiệu quả không mới (ngủ đủ, ăn đủ, uống đủ, tập trung, tập thể dục...) nhưng với những ai muốn hiểu thêm thật sự những việc đó giúp ích thế nào cho việc học của mình thì có thể tìm thấy câu trả lời từ các nhà khoa học thần kinh trong cuốn sách này. Càng tìm hiểu ta càng nhận ra rằng không có một bùa chú, một phép thần nào có thể giúp ta lĩnh hội kiến thức mà không phải bỏ công sức của mình ra hết. Đó thật sự là cách bộ não vận hành, phải làm, phải dấn thân vào việc học mới mong có kết quả.
Khi đọc xong tôi lại nhớ tới lời của tiền nhân:
"Một bộ óc lành lặn chỉ có trong một cơ thể khoẻ mạnh."
Và, cũng là chữ của Má tôi:
"Không có sự cố gắng nào là vô ích."
TB: để tránh làm một số bạn đọc thất vọng, xin nói thêm là cuốn sách này không phải là một cuốn sách giáo khoa thần kinh học về khả năng học hỏi của não bộ với đủ loại hợp chất, cơ chế phân tử, mà chỉ là một chút lời khuyên từ các nhà khoa học dựa trên những nghiên cứu thống kê là chủ yếu. Tuy vậy, nó vẫn mạnh mẽ hơn bất kì cuốn sách bày mẹo nào về học tập.
Khi đọc xong tôi lại nhớ tới lời của tiền nhân:
"Một bộ óc lành lặn chỉ có trong một cơ thể khoẻ mạnh."
Và, cũng là chữ của Má tôi:
"Không có sự cố gắng nào là vô ích."
TB: để tránh làm một số bạn đọc thất vọng, xin nói thêm là cuốn sách này không phải là một cuốn sách giáo khoa thần kinh học về khả năng học hỏi của não bộ với đủ loại hợp chất, cơ chế phân tử, mà chỉ là một chút lời khuyên từ các nhà khoa học dựa trên những nghiên cứu thống kê là chủ yếu. Tuy vậy, nó vẫn mạnh mẽ hơn bất kì cuốn sách bày mẹo nào về học tập.
August 4, 2015
An interesting read, written for the level of the college freshman who likes science but doesn't plan to go into medicine or psychology. It was an easy read that taught me a few new things about memory and attention span that I didn't know (sorry, no spoilers!), but overall was a little too superficial for my personal interest. I would recommend it, though, for anyone who wants to learn more about themselves and their own minds without the depth and burden of reading a textbook or someone's dissertation.
October 7, 2014
I appreciate the way the book is organized, it provides some fundamental insights about the working of the brain. While book was filled with the extensive research being done on the subject of learning, but book laid us to find to implement all these for ourselves, so it was quite passive in that sense (Even Authors themselves declare that).
I highly recommended this to those, who are really interested in learning.
I highly recommended this to those, who are really interested in learning.
July 3, 2015
Makes a great case that the best thing college students can do to prepare for their future in school and on the job market is to become expert learners. Then shows them how their brains learn and gives tips for optimal learning.
Eat good food, drink enough water, exercise, and get a good night's sleep. No multitasking. Who'd have thunk.
Eat good food, drink enough water, exercise, and get a good night's sleep. No multitasking. Who'd have thunk.
December 5, 2013
Quick, easy read. Excellent for students. Touches the surface of many key concepts relevant to learning. Citations are relatively weak, but lessons shared are sound. Awkward repetition across book. Price is high. Read a library copy because you'll finish the book in just a few hours.
July 30, 2014
A relatively easy to read, full of common sense. A few new tidbits, and good reminders of the old stuff. Glad to see some theory about multitasking and today's speed of interruptions. Graceland faculty are studying this book to help with their teaching. Hopefully, students will read it too.
April 22, 2014
Read in a single afternoon. I may campaign for afternoon naps at the office. Otherwise, nothing terribly revolutionary. Focus, get enough sleep, eat right, exercise, practice the new information.
September 14, 2015
Take walks and take naps! I enjoyed this book!
September 26, 2015
I had the pleasure of attending one of Dr. Z's presentations. The book is a quick read with lots of good information for students looking to improve their study habits.
April 27, 2016
Don't be fooled by the terrible font choice on the cover. A quick and useful read.
May 21, 2016
I'd love to recommend this book to all of my students. I learned a lot I didn't know but it's written with students in mind.
July 10, 2016
Good, basic information for all entering college freshmen to know.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews