What is Learning?

Question 1

1. It's quite common to get stuck on a problem--often because you have initial ideas about what the solution should be that block your ability to see the real solution.

Which of the following are a good next best step to take when you've already spent time reanalyzing the problem by focusing intently, and you find that you are simply stuck? (Check all that apply)

• Take a little break. You can focus on something different, or even just relax and not focus on anything at all, perhaps going out for a walk.

• Stare intently--it is your focused mode that will provide the big picture perspective you need to solve the problem.

• Mentally rethink the problem yet again from where you started, following each step carefully to look for where you may have gone wrong. If you do this enough times without taking a break, the answer will come to you.

Question 2

Select the true statements regarding the Pomodoro technique.

• The Pomodoro technique involves working as intently as you can for as long as possible - focusing on your work for two, three or more hours at a time. When you're mentally exhausted, you can take a break.

• During the time you are doing a "Pomodoro," you want to try to focus as intently as you can on what you are working on.

• To use the Pomodoro technique, you want to ensure that, as much as possible, you remove all distractions and temptations that might bother or distract you during the time you are working.

• Giving yourself a little reward at the end of your "Pomodoro" is an important part of the Pomodoro technique.

3

Question 3

In the __________ mode, the brain makes random connections in a relaxed fashion

• diffuse

• spread out

• focused

• weight-lifting

Question 4

Select the following true statements regarding procrastination.

• When you don't want to work on something, a sense of neural discomfort arises. However, researchers have found that not long after you might start working on something that you find unpleasant, that neural discomfort disappears. So an important aspect of tackling procrastination is to just get yourself through that initial period of discomfort. The Pomodoro technique helps you do that.

• After you "do a Pomodoro" session, a reward isn't very important.

• While you are "doing a Pomodoro" session, it's all right to take a quick look at other less urgent things such as instant messages or emails.

• Everybody has some issues with procrastination.

Question 5

One of the first videos described the difference between the focused mode and the diffuse mode. According to this video, the focused mode is affiliated with (check all that apply to the concept of focused mode only):

• A way of drawing upside down in order to focus on the details, as one of the videos discussed in detail.

• Ideas, concepts, and problem-solving techniques that are at least somewhat familiar to you--your previous knowledge lays a sort of underlying neural pathway that you tend to follow.

• A relaxed, daydream-like approach to problem-solving.

• A pinball machine that has bumpers which are very tightly grouped together, so the pinball (the thought) can't go very far without bumping into a bumper.

Question 6

Select the following true statements about sleep, according to this module's videos.

• Sleep has been shown to make a remarkable difference in your ability to figure out difficult problems and to understand what you are trying to learn.

• When you sleep, your brain cells shrink, which allows toxins to be more easily washed away.

• It's better to go without sleep and cram what you can into your brain--you can usually rely on short-term adrenaline to help propel you through a test.

• Dreaming about something doesn't improve your ability to understand it.

• Taking a test without getting enough sleep means you are operating with a brain that’s got metabolic toxins floating around in it—poisons that make it so you can’t think very clearly.

Question 7

It takes time and practice to move new information from the working memory to the long term memory. To help with this process, use a technique called _______________________.

• Diffuse mode

• Neurothoughtpatterns

• Einstellung

• Focused mode

• Spaced repetition

8. Select the following true statements about practice, according to this module's videos.

• You should deliberately practice something incorrectly at least once or twice--counterintuitively, this will strengthen your unconscious knowledge base of how to do that "something" correctly.

• Neurons become linked together through repeated use. The more abstract something is, the more important it is to PRACTICE in order to bring these ideas into reality for you.

• Practice is important for any area in which you want to acquire expertise.

• Practice is something that should best be done in the evenings, when you're slightly tired.

Question 9

Check the activities below that would be more apt to arouse the diffuse (rather than focused) mode:

• Working a familiar type of multiplication problem.

• Go for a walk.

• Take a shower.

• Calculating the tip for your waiter in a restaurant.

• Getting some form of exercise while not concentrating on anything in particular.

Question 10

Exercise (check all that are true):

• Helps spark new and creative approaches to problems you are working on.

• Is unrelated to learning.

• Allows you to disconnect from what you have been concentrating on previously--this can allow your diffuse mode to kick in.

• Generally inhibits learning and is best done after the major learning activities of the day have been completed.