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The Learning Cycle

In order to become a truly effective learner, you need to make the shift from studying to learning. Studying is often the act of reviewing material so you can recall it on a test (and likely forget right after). Learning is developing a deep understanding of the material so you can apply this understanding to new situations and problems you haven't seen before. Utilizing the Learning Cycle can help you move from studying to learning.

The Learning Cycle is made of of five parts:

PREVIEW BEFORE CLASS (5-15 min)

Get an overview of what material is coming up in class by spending 5-15 minutes doing one or all of these:

  • Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words
  • Review summaries and chapter objectives
  • Come up with questions that you'd like the lecture to answer for you.
  • Review any class notes or slides posted before lecture

ATTEND CLASS

You won't really learn the material by passively reading or reviewing (or just working problems), you need to engage in the material.

  • Go to class!
  • And take notes, ideally by hand. You don't have to write everything down, but focus on big ideas and relationships between concepts.
  • Ask questions! Use the questions you developed before class to guide you - did they get answered in class? If not, wither ask them or jot them down to ask in office hours.

REVIEW AFTER CLASS (10-15 min)

As soon after class as possible:

  • Read your notes and fill in any gaps
  • Note any questions you still have

STUDY (30-50 min)

Try to have at least 3-5 short Focused Study Session each day. Choose do do at least one session before the next class session. Some possible tasks:

  • Organize knowledge using a concept map
  • Summarize your notes for the week into a one-page summary sheet
  • Explicitly make connections to previous material - how do the concepts you learned this week relate to last week's material?
  • Read actively - read the assigned material effectively.
  • Start your problem set without looking at your notes or textbook (to assess whether or not you understand the material).

ASSESS

It's important to constantly check in with yourself to see if your techniques are working. Ask yourself:

  • Am I using study methods that are effective?
  • Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others?
  • If these techniques aren't working for you, try something else - swap out a learning technique that feels ineffective for something you haven't tried before (like a concept map!).

Information on this site has been adapted from learning strategies presented by the Louisiana State University Center for Academic Success, Catalyze Your Success at the University of Washington Department of Chemistry, and the book "Teach Students How to Learn" by Saundra Yancy McGuire, Stylus Publishing (2021).