Learning to Learn: How to Reprogram Your Brain
Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2025 9:13 am
See four neuroscience-based techniques that will help you acquire greater knowledge on any subject
The studio for one of the most successful online courses in the world is located in Barbara and Phil Oakley’s basement. This is where they record “Learning How to Learn,” which has been watched by more than 1.8 million students in 200 countries, making it the most-watched course on the Coursera platform. The videos provide practical tips for learning difficult subjects, as well as tips for ending procrastination. The lessons combine neuroscience australia physiotherapist email database and common sense. The course was created by Dr. Barbara Oakley, an engineering professor at Oakland University, in partnership with Terrence Sejnowski, a neuroscientist at the Salk Institute.
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Prestigious universities around the world have invested millions and hired professionals with audiovisual experience, editors and producers to create online courses. But “Learning How to Learn” is filmed in a studio that cost just $5,000. Its creators figured out how to set it up by simply Googling “how to set up a green screen studio” and “how to set up lighting for a studio.” Phil Oakley operates the camera and the telephoto camera. Barbara Oakley does most of the editing. The course is free (but, like others on Coursera, there is a $49 fee to issue the certificate).
It’s all homemade, but it’s worked spectacularly, according to The New York Times. The Oakleys never imagined the success they would have. Barbara isn’t the only person teaching how to use neuroscience tools to improve learning, but her popularity is a reflection of her ability to present “content with a message of hope.” Many of her students are between the ages of 25 and 44 and are facing career changes, looking for new ways to learn so they can get better positions.
Her classes are filled with metaphors, which she knows help explain complex ideas. The practice is based on the theory of neural reuse, which says that metaphors use neural circuits that already exist in the brain, which helps students understand new concepts more quickly. Barbara says she believes anyone can train themselves to learn. “Students may look at math, for example, and say, ‘I can’t understand this, so I must be really stupid,’ but they say that because they don’t know how the brain works,” she told The New York Times.
The studio for one of the most successful online courses in the world is located in Barbara and Phil Oakley’s basement. This is where they record “Learning How to Learn,” which has been watched by more than 1.8 million students in 200 countries, making it the most-watched course on the Coursera platform. The videos provide practical tips for learning difficult subjects, as well as tips for ending procrastination. The lessons combine neuroscience australia physiotherapist email database and common sense. The course was created by Dr. Barbara Oakley, an engineering professor at Oakland University, in partnership with Terrence Sejnowski, a neuroscientist at the Salk Institute.
Brain-stimulating games go far beyond memorization
Brazil spends less than half of what a developed nation spends on basic education
Employee says she will take time off to take care of her mental health and her boss's response goes viral
What is Jeff Bezos' life like?
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Prestigious universities around the world have invested millions and hired professionals with audiovisual experience, editors and producers to create online courses. But “Learning How to Learn” is filmed in a studio that cost just $5,000. Its creators figured out how to set it up by simply Googling “how to set up a green screen studio” and “how to set up lighting for a studio.” Phil Oakley operates the camera and the telephoto camera. Barbara Oakley does most of the editing. The course is free (but, like others on Coursera, there is a $49 fee to issue the certificate).
It’s all homemade, but it’s worked spectacularly, according to The New York Times. The Oakleys never imagined the success they would have. Barbara isn’t the only person teaching how to use neuroscience tools to improve learning, but her popularity is a reflection of her ability to present “content with a message of hope.” Many of her students are between the ages of 25 and 44 and are facing career changes, looking for new ways to learn so they can get better positions.
Her classes are filled with metaphors, which she knows help explain complex ideas. The practice is based on the theory of neural reuse, which says that metaphors use neural circuits that already exist in the brain, which helps students understand new concepts more quickly. Barbara says she believes anyone can train themselves to learn. “Students may look at math, for example, and say, ‘I can’t understand this, so I must be really stupid,’ but they say that because they don’t know how the brain works,” she told The New York Times.