Learning transfer: You ability to use this information, not just in this course, not just at the exam. But even after you know, months or years have passed. And you are still be able to use information in different contexts.

The truth is that a lots of thing we do as student for learning that feel comfortable are not necessarily very effective learning transfer.

For example, one of the most popular way to studying is by rewatching lecture video or rereading note or lecture slide. Now that feels comfortable. And when we read these materials it kind of makes us feel about we’re learning. So you start have feeling like, I know this, I’ve seen this. I know how to do it. But it’s actually not the most effective way to create strong stable memory or to facilitate learning transfer.

And there are other ways of learning that are much more effective, but that much less comfortable. They don’t feel as good, and they don’t necessarily feel like you are learning as so.

Something called retrieval practice, which is the process of not just like rereading material, but actually remembering material, retrieving it from your memory or using it in another context.

It is a much more effective way of facilitating learning, transfer and creating strong stable memories. But it’s not nearly as comfortable as just reading notes. It’s a retrieval practice is a little bit like exercise. It’s not necessarily most people’s favorite activity. It takes effort and time. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s necessary for growing and learning. Similarly, other elements of learning like making mistakes and correcting mistakes. It doesn’t necessarily feel good. It doesn’t necessarily feel like you’re learning when you do that. But it’s actually one of the most effective ways to create strong memories.

Students like to prepare for exams by dedicating like 9 hour in one day and going through all the material, and at the end of that they feel very good. They feel like they know it. But one of the strongest results in learning science is the fact that based repetition where you work on some material, and you repeatedly expose yourself to the material with space in between your exposures and with other stuff going on between your exposures is again much more effective than working in a block. So these ideas, idea of retrieval, practice, space, repetition making and learning from mistakes. They’re not necessarily extremely comfortable. They don’t necessarily feel to you as if you’re learning. But they’re actually known among learning scientists to be much more effective than just studying for 9 hours before an exam by rereading your notes.