How to Get the Most Out of Studying: Part 3 of 5, "Cognitive Principles for Optimizing Learning"

Dr. Stephen Chew introduces the third video in a series on effective college study strategies. He emphasizes that effective studying goes beyond desire, time, and effort, requiring effective learning strategies. The video will explain principles of how people learn best and how to apply them to improve study effectiveness, focusing on deep processing over shallow learning.

Deep processing involves two key principles: elaboration, which means making meaningful associations between concepts being studied and related concepts or prior knowledge, and distinctiveness, which means making clear contrasts and understanding key differences among related concepts. An example of relating short-term and long-term memory is used to illustrate these principles.

The third aspect of deep processing is practicing appropriate retrieval and application of material, meaning practicing recall and use of information in the way the teacher expects. Instead of re-reading, students should actively recall information by writing it down, explaining it, or using textbook review questions and tests. The exception to not memorizing isolated facts is if a teacher tests on exact wording.

The concepts of automaticity and overlearning are introduced. Automaticity is when a highly practiced task can be done without conscious thought. College students often bring automatic high school study habits that are ineffective, and overcoming these overlearned habits requires significant conscious effort over time. Developing effective college-level skills is an ongoing process.

Overlearning means continuing to study material even after it can be recalled, until it can be recalled quickly and easily. This helps prevent forgetting and makes recall faster and easier. Overlearning is particularly beneficial for critical information that will be built upon in future learning.

The video summarizes the operationalization of deep processing into principles for deep learning, the pitfalls of automatic bad study habits,advantages of automatic good study skills, and the importance of overlearning. The next video in the series will apply these deep processing principles to common learning situations like note-taking and textbook reading.