3 minutes
One of the greatest problems in studying may be retaining learned knowledge for as long as possible.
Before introducing methods to help keep memories in your brain longer, let us briefly analyze what happens with our memory:
There is a theory of the forgetting curve, proposed by Hermann Ebbinghaus, explaining that this mechanism acts as an exponential function in which we gradually bury received information in our minds as time passes.
In simple terms, if we go two days without reviewing a topic we have learned, we will lose 70% of the information; if we go a week, that figure is 97%. So in barely a week we can forget a topic completely without even realizing it.
But do not worry: this can be prevented with the following methods for retaining what you have learned.
1. Associations
Prior knowledge of a topic allows you to connect it with new aspects. Retaining information is more natural if too much does not accumulate, so it is useful to review what you covered in the previous class before attending. Continuity has positive effects on memory.
2. Try to push your memory
Before picking up your books and class notes, try to remember how much you learned in class. When you review the material, it will be easier to understand because your memory has already been pushed to retrieve some of the information stored there.
3. Visual memory
Educational materials such as videos, documentaries, photos, maps, and charts that require sight convey information faster and improve overall understanding. Involving the senses in learning makes it easier to recall a memory.
4. Group discussions
Sharing what you have learned with friends by forming study groups to discuss different content and explain ideas you do not fully understand to one another is very beneficial. You can meet in person or use new technologies to create internet forums, Facebook groups, or Skype or Hangouts conversations.
5. Reading aloud
As mentioned earlier, involving different senses in retaining information helps you remember it when needed. Reading aloud means both your eyes and your ears participate in the process.
6. Putting it into practice
Knowledge sticks in your mind when you use it frequently. So put everything you learn into practice. You can explain what you learned to someone else or do exercises found online, among other tools. Practice supports a deep learning process.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, one concept related to the brain's ability to retain information is memory strength, which explains that the more intense a memory is, the longer it stays present in our brain.
With the advice in this article, you can make memories of what you have learned much more intense because you have involved a series of activities that create a strong bond with the information you want to fix in your memory.