Tips for self-study?

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infoproj
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Tips for self-study?

Post by infoproj » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:17 pm

I'd like to get clued-up on things for work (programming) and certification seems to rear its ugly head every time.

But with all the other work, family, exercise commitments I'd wind up a mind-numb drone. (Done it before)

So I'd like to do the study but without the added stress of exam pressure i.e. just miss out the final test.

But the final test is what makes you study in the first place - and I can't spare more than an hour a day to do any of this really!

Any suggestions?

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri Oct 09, 2009 12:17 am

I'd think of it like any other habit. Carve out a block of time and be religious about keeping it. Track it in the habitcal, maybe even. I don't think you need a full hour a day. Start with something more modest.

I think long term, building such a "study habit" will get you much farther than mere cramming. Because again, you're never really "done," with any field of knowledge. If you learn German and don't practice it you'll forget it. Shakespeare or the Bible could absorb an eternity of study. And technical subjects change right under your feet (I'm experiencing a bit of this right now!).

Reinhard

kccc
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Post by kccc » Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:28 pm

ITA with treating it as a "habit," particularly in terms of blocking out time.

If you want specific strategies that will maximize the time you spend, a book on study skills will help. I recall getting a lot of good working methods from "Managing your mind" when I was going back to grad school. There's probably more recent things out now, but that one would still work.

Sara R
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Post by Sara R » Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:16 pm

I've been reviewing my high school math. I put a line on my personal punch card habit list for math. I have it on the Habitcal. It gets done. If I'm going somewhere where I'll have some time to fill, I'll bring my math book and notebook along. I've gotten through geometry and algebra 2 since August, and am now working on pre-calculus.

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