| we think alike! I have this process written down and pinned to my wall. I have been refining my thought process regarding learning. currently I have: 1. try to find a overarching synopsis of the main topic or goal. This can be done by looking at a summary article or by skimming the summaries of a textbook or by checking an expanded table of contents 2. Extract major topics and write these on a spreadsheet/graphical program/(giant) index card/ paper. If you used index cards or a graphical program or index cards try to discern dependencies between these topics by using the gui tools or simply laying out index cards on the ground. 3. Find resources that explain the topics. The resources do not need to be from the same resource. One source can explain topics a,b,c well but not d. You can use another resource for topic d. 4. map projects to topics: extremely important. After finding out the topics and associated resources, you should be able to come up with applications of the topics. These could be as simple as solving problems from a textbook or they can be grand like building a motorcycle (actually, that's too grand). Keep the primary goal to be learning the topics you set out to learn or completing your goal. 5. execute the projects 6. check off topics as you encounter them 7. reflect on the results of the project or application 8. if you encounter difficulties find more resources and drill down on topics you found interesting or challenging. Not perfect, but its working well for me. You can start from practical applications or theoretical concepts. Books are great because they contain a structured approach to a topic. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE BOOK HAS PROBLEMS THAT HAVE (some)ANSWERS!! You should be able to do quick knowledge checks. topic based learning is more difficult and I feel like it's like making your own sandwich vs buying a prepackaged one. |