Finding your style in everything is crucial as it’s tailored specially for you, even in how you approach studying.
Let’s first see the definition of Studying.
Studying is the “process” of acquiring knowledge or understanding a subject through reading, research, and practice. It involves actively engaging with information.
Now this “Process” is important as it will decide how hectic or easy things will be for you. So, If you can figure out your style to approach this “Process”, things will be quite easy for you.
Well, the Key to Find Your Style To Approach is Experiments & Reflections.
I mean just start experimenting and reflect on each experiment, btw What does reflecting on experiments even mean? In layman's terms,
Take time to think about what you’ve learned, how you’ve learned it, and what it means for you. Evaluate your actions and identify areas for improvement.
pretty easy right?
Remember, When you’re consistently experimenting and reflecting, one-day things will suddenly click for you. Don’t worry about the result of finding your style — every effort contributes to becoming a better version of yourself each time.
A quick tip: Your Style of Approach is the approach that makes the “Process” enjoyable and fun.
Now I guess You have gotten a rough idea of Studying. Just bear with me till the end as I am going to share Two Effective Approaches to study that might also help you find your style.
Structured Engaged Learning (SEL)
Don’t go to the fancy title as I am just gonna talk about an effective way to approach Self-Learning/Self-study.
Before that you should know the purpose of Self-Study is to provide you flexibility in your learning and build a certain level of maturity towards a subject or topic.
But as it provides flexibility in your learning, you still might want to keep things relevant so as not to waste time and effort. To keep things more effective. Also always try to save yourself from getting overwhelmed during studying.
So, What are we going to do?
Picture this, You opened your textbook to study a new chapter. What struggle do you face?
Maybe Unfamiliarity with topics making it difficult to grasp initially? Maybe Lack Of Context to see or connect things clearly? Maybe Motivation Issues? The list can go on depending on the person.
I think we can save ourselves from many of these if we follow A Structured Format for self-study.
But What is it? And Why does it even matter?
Being straightforward, It’s an organized approach to clear and systematic study sessions and it’s great as it provides Clarity and Focus, Progress Tracking, Efficient Time Management, Better Retention & Understanding, Motivation & Discipline.
Sounds Interesting, right?
But how do we get this format? Do we have to make one? Isn’t it a lot of work?
Well, We have to be smart and use tools that make a few things for us quite easy. Yes! We do have a popular A.I. tool and it’s Chat-Gpt, at least it's popular when I am writing this story.
I am going to give you two prompts and you are going to use it to get this Structured Format from Chat-Gpt. (You can customize this prompt if you wish.) and then follow this format to self-study.
(Btw for someone who does not know what a prompt is. In this case, it’s a request that we are going to ask Chat-Gpt.)
Prompt 1:
Can you introduce [insert the depth or level of understanding you desire, e.g., beginner, intermediate] [insert specific material or topic] in a simple and captivating way? Afterward, could you provide a straightforward overview in a structured format? Please use clear language, similar to Richard Feynman’s style of explanation.
Example:
This Prompt/Request will provide you with the Context, Familiarity, and Motivation of that topic that you need to get started. Feel free to ask more things to Chat-Gpt if you want.
Now onto the next prompt that goes after prompt 1.
Prompt 2:
Based on this introduction and overview, can you help me gamify objectives for studying [insert specific material or topic] in [insert the level of understanding you want] level? Begin by asking me to define or answer key questions in layman’s terms, including any new concepts. Provide important problem-solving questions in each objective to reinforce learning and encourage relevant and manageable independent research. Then, provide tasks related to each question and new concept to further reinforce understanding. Please ensure all information is presented in a structured format.
Things to keep in mind:
If we see the Prompt 1.
We asked Chat-GPT to introduce us whole chapter “Work, Power and Energy”. But to get the more effective format by using Prompt 2. We have to ask format topic-wise. In this case, Firstly we’ll ask for the format for Work then Power then Energy.
Example 1- Work Format.
This will give you all the Objectives you have to clear to complete this topic.
Example 2- Power Format.
Example 3- Energy Format.
So now you know how to use these prompts to get the format. You can use Chat-Gpt itself to clear all the objectives as it doesn’t get frustrated with you like your human teachers, lol.
A quick tip: Ask as many relevant questions as you can even if it’s nonsense. Use creativity in your questions. You must clear all your doubts and misunderstandings.
Go ahead and Try it yourself!!
All that is left is for you to follow these formats to study.
Now, let’s go on to our next second approach.
Pedagogical Mastery Method
Lol! I surely like to use fancy titles. Well, If I have to introduce what this method is. I would say,
Picture this, You are a Perfect Teacher who wants nothing more but to conduct perfect classes. Your classes are very interesting, engaging, and fun and it clears complicated topic doubts of students smoothly. But to keep these perfect classes going you do some Prep Work on the topic or subjects or chapters. You always thoroughly review the material, address any knowledge gaps, and carefully plan how you will deliver the content to your students. You love to teach and want to provide the best possible learning experience, ensuring that every student understands even the most complex concepts effortlessly.
So, What do you think? Btw Yes you are going to be this teacher from now on.
If we were to define this method, The “Pedagogical Mastery Method” is a structured approach to studying that mirrors the preparation of an expert teacher. Rather than just learning content passively, this method involves actively engaging with the material as if you were going to teach it to others.
This is more of a “Mindset”.
But why this Mindset?
Well, this mindset will provide you. Deep Understanding of topics, Active Engagement, Clear Communication Skills, Responsibility and Accountability, Holistic Learning, Preparation for Application.
How do you apply this Mindset?
1. Prepare to Teach: Approach each study session as if you were preparing to teach the topic to someone else. Imagine you are designing a clear, engaging lecture or lesson.
2. Organize Content: Structure the information in a logical sequence that makes sense to you and potential learners. Create outlines, summaries, or concept maps to clarify connections and key points.
3. Seek Understanding: Instead of memorizing facts, aim to deeply understand the underlying concepts and principles. Ask yourself questions like “Why does this work?” or “How does this concept apply in different scenarios?”
4. Clarify Gaps: Identify any gaps in your understanding and actively work to fill them. Use resources like textbooks, online tutorials, or discussions with peers to explore these areas further.
5. Practice Explanation: Practice explaining the material out loud or in writing. This helps reinforce your understanding and highlights areas where you might need more clarity.
6. Engage Actively: Stay engaged during study sessions by asking questions, making connections between ideas, and relating the material to real-world examples.
Fortunately, Even in this, you can use Chat-Gpt as your aid.
So, Here is the end of this story and I hope you could find this helpful or even figure out your own style. Do let me know your thoughts in the comments.
