What is direct learning? How can learning directly produce long-lasting results? How does direct learning affect knowledge transfer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Direct learning is an idea that says you learn best when you practice a skill in the environment that you will use it in. Many people avoid direct learning because it pushes you out of your comfort zone and it takes more effort than traditional learning methods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep reading to learn how direct learning can help you learn faster and retain more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Another critical component of self-directed learning is the ability to learn directly. What is direct learning? Directness<\/em> is the idea that you best learn a skill when you practice it in the environment you plan to use it in. For example, if you want to be a great public speaker, rather than buying a book on public speaking, find opportunities to practice public speaking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We avoid being direct in our learning because we either don\u2019t want to step outside of our comfort zones, we\u2019re uninspired, or it\u2019s time-consuming. For example, we download an app or buy a book because, although this method doesn\u2019t produce long-lasting results, reading about a skill provides a sense of satisfaction without the need to practice it. But if you want to truly master a skill<\/a> or topic, always immerse yourself in opportunities for direct practice<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Transfer <\/em>occurs when you can use a skill you\u2019ve mastered in contexts beyond the original context. This is the ideal outcome for learning of any kind. Without transfer, we would have little ability to function in our lives, as we would have to learn everything as an isolated skill right down to the minutia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There used to be a widely accepted theory called formal discipline theory, <\/em>which suggests the brain is like a muscle, and expanding its capacity for memory, focus, and reasoning improves overall learning. However, new research indicates this theory is too broad, and what we learn is nowhere near as transferable as expected, at least not over long distances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, studies show if a student takes an intro to psychology class in high school, it doesn\u2019t help them if they take an intro to psychology class in college. In a separate study, fresh graduates were quizzed on economics topics, and those who had studied economics had the same results as those who hadn\u2019t even taken a class. Yet another study found that students who learn by studying specific example solutions are frequently unable to find solutions for problems that differ from those examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it\u2019s difficult to transfer learning over longer distances, when you learn something in a way that applies directly to the area you want to use the knowledge for, the knowledge will not need to transfer as far. For example, if you learn yoga, then learn gymnastics, that knowledge will transfer more easily than if you learn yoga and then attempt to learn computer coding. Both yoga and gymnastics require flexibility, strong core muscles, and balance. Computer coding is far more mental than kinesthetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even when we are isolating what we\u2019re studying, there are always details learned that can be applied to a number of experiences that may on the surface have nothing to do with the topic or skill studied. This is why it\u2019s so important to practice what you\u2019re learning in real-life situations, as opposed to the controlled environment of a classroom. Regardless, we need to embrace the reality that the learning environment we choose impacts our ability to transfer knowledge. Learning a new language by immersing yourself in it will always better support you to master the language in practice than studying it in a classroom will. It\u2019s much more difficult to learn something in an artificial environment and then attempt to transfer those skills and knowledge to a real-life scenario. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Direct learning is difficult and requires more discipline than taking a class or learning from a book, but when you persist, you become an overall better learner than those who stick to traditional methods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the following tactics to practice directness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Projects are more valuable for ultralearners than classes because a project requires you to create a result. If you need to create something, it forces you to learn better how to do that. Classes can provide a lot of information, but without practicing that information directly, you may not actually learn anything of significance. For example, say you want to learn animation. You could take a class, but you will learn it more deeply if you create an animated short instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To immerse yourself means to place yourself directly in the environment that requires the skill or subject you\u2019re learning. Immersion involves more practice than anything else and will help you to learn by exposing you to unpredictable, real-life scenarios that you would never encounter in a traditional learning setting like a classroom. For example, you learn a new language by spending three months in the native country of the language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes you will not be able to directly access or replicate the real-life scenario you intend to use the skill in. In this case, replicate the \u201ccognitive features\u201d of the actual experience. Cognitive features are the knowledge and tools that you will use to make choices in real-life situations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you want to win a trivia-based game show, you won\u2019t be able to go on the show over and over again to practice the actual experience. You\u2019ll need to somehow replicate it in isolated exercises and activities. This might mean finding out what questions have been asked on the show in the past, studying them, then practicing with a buzzer in front of an audience of your peers. With this approach, you expose yourself to the cognitive elements you\u2019ll experience when you participate in the real show: the question-asking structure, the pressure of an audience, and the sound element of the buzzer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Practice what you\u2019re learning in an environment that will demand the highest skill level. It may be overwhelming at first, but once you push through your discomfort, you set yourself up to learn at a deeper, higher level. You also hone a skill that will support your long-term learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIs Learning Transferable?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Does Direct Learning Affect Transfer?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Do You Practice Direct Learning?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tactic #1: Learning Projects (Instead of Classes)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tactic #2: Immersion<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tactic #3: Simulation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tactic #4: Overachievement <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n