Why You Should Really Study Multiple Topics at the Same Time
You might think that learning and mastering one concept at a time is the best way to practice and memorize it, but there is actually a better method. It’s time to stop learning a little and instead work on learning concepts in a way that helps you relate them to other ideas as they work together in the real world. You should study several topics at the same time to help you retain more information by making connections between subjects. This is called “alternating” and it’s a great learning strategy.
What is alternation?
Rotation is the process where you mix multiple topics while studying to learn more, see how it all works together, and ultimately remember it all better. This is the opposite of blocked practice, which happens when you study one subject at a time. Alternation is generally better for your brain because it helps you classify information and work on problem solving because you make connections between ideas.
A study published in the Educational Psychology Review in 2012 found that alternation helps students distinguish between similar concepts. (The paper’s title is literally: “Alternation Helps Students Distinguish Similar Concepts.”) The researcher found that when learning with blocks, students were at a higher risk of confusing similar concepts from each block. Alternating, or when students encounter a different concept after learning one, helped them score higher on final tests.
How can you practice alternation?
In a 2015 Scientific American article, the practice of alternation was summed up as follows: instead of learning skill A, then skill B and combining them into the AAABBBCCC pattern, students should work on related skills at the same time so that they can form a pattern. ABKABKABK.
To do this, study mindfully. Select the topics you should study and group them so that they are partially related, according to the University of Arizona Department of Academic Affairs . For example, this semester I had classes in research methodology and classes in epidemiology. Studying each topic individually was challenging for me because I couldn’t understand the actual application of any of the concepts, but when I started studying them together, I saw how information from one class would come up and become useful for another. and I did better overall.
For example, if you need to study biology and chemistry, combine your flashcards or other study materials to review ideas at the same time. According to the Department of Psychology at the University of California, San Diego, you can also allocate blocks of study time to topics and switch between them. Try the Pomodoro method and dedicate 25 minutes to topic A, then take a break and dedicate the next 25 minutes to topic B before taking another break and returning to A.
Ultimately, this can help you find information when you need it and increase your ability to remember key concepts long after the final test.