Saturday, September 25, 2021

Let's teach for mastery: Sal Khan

 Sal Khan: Let's teach for mastery -- not test scores | TED Talk

"Would you choose to build a house on top of an unfinished foundation? Of course not. Why, then, do we rush students through education when they haven't always grasped the basics? Yes, it's complicated, but educator Sal Khan shares his plan to turn struggling students into scholars by helping them master concepts at their own pace."



  • Students need to master basic skills before learning more difficult material
  • Teachers should focus on students retention of material
  • Our ability to learn and solve difficult problems depends on mastery of concepts

  • Would you choose to build a house on top of an unfinished foundation? Of course not.
    Why do we rush students through education when they haven't always grasped the basics?

Saturday, September 11, 2021

Learn Faster with the Feynman Technique

Feynman Technique - Wikipedia

"The Feynman Technique is a learning method named after Richard Feynman.[1][2] In this technique, a person explains the concept they're learning to themselves in a simple way to find gaps in their knowledge.

The Feynman Technique is a mental model to convey information using concise thoughts and simple language.[3] 


Feynman Technique - Wiki | Golden


The technique uses four steps to obtain information and gauge the genuine understanding of the individual learning it.
  1. Choose a topic or idea that you want to gauge your comprehension on; it can be a topic that is completely new to you or something that you already know. Write down this topic in a notebook or on a piece, followed by everything you know about it and everything you are learning about it.
  2. Write an explanation using simple language about the topic in the notebook as if you were teaching a class on it.
  3. Observe the gaps in your knowledge on the topic and return to studying about those specific gaps.
  4. Simplify your explanation in number 2. This can be done using analogies and simpler language.


The Feynman Technique: The Best Way to Learn Anything - Farnam Street

  1. Choose a concept you want to learn about
  2. Explain it to a 12 year old
  3. Reflect, Refine, and Simplify
  4. Organize and Review


How to learn anything with the Feynman Technique - Ness Labs


The Feynman Technique


How to Learn Anything Faster With The Feynman Technique | LinkedIn


How to Learn Faster with the Feynman Technique (Example Included) - YouTube


What Does “ELI5” Mean, and How Do You Use It?

ELI5 stands for “explain like I’m 5.” When people use it online, they’re asking others to explain a complex or obscure topic in the simplest of terms. So, if taken literally, they would explain something in a way that a 5-year-old would understand.