Practicing Active Learning

1.Read your materials out loud. 

Using multiple senses can help you retain more information, so even just saying the words out loud and then hearing them can be helpful. Don’t worry about looking foolish reading your biology notes to your dog. You’ll be happy if it helps you ace your next exam.

• If you’re in the library or somewhere else you can’t speak aloud, try mouthing the information.

2.Discuss what you are learning or teach someone else. 

Similar to reading your notes out loud, talking about what you are learning can also help you retain the information better. You can either study with a friend and quiz each other, or you can try to teach the material to a parent or younger sibling.

• Using your brain to figure out a way to teach the material to someone else causes you to think about the material more in-depth and analytically.
• You will be able to figure out which materials you need to further study if you have a difficult time teaching the concept to someone else.

3.Write out what you have to memorize. 

Putting pen to paper and either taking notes on what you’ve read or simply re-writing over and over a formula or concept you’re trying to master can really help.

• It can also be helpful to write out an outline of the materials you are trying to learn. Just the process of organizing the materials in a visual manner can help your brain recall the information in an organized manner.
• You can also write out flashcards with important facts, dates, or formulas on them. This is doubly helpful, since the act of writing will help you remember, and the flashcards are a portable tool you can review while riding on a bus or waiting for an appointment.
• If you’re reading, summarize each paragraph in the margins. You are in effect teaching it to yourself when you summarize and analyze it.