Memory is something that makes us who we are, with all of our personal life experiences able to be recalled and reminisced upon. Good memory is clearly crucial when trying to study on short courses to accelerate your personal development, but it’s not someone everyone is automatically blessed with.
How to stay mentally active while studying?
Whether you’re taking a social media marketing course or dog grooming training, finding engaging, immersive learning is a great place to start. Video-based online training has become more prevalent in recent years for that reason. If you’re engaged with your learning, you’re naturally mentally stimulated.
What are some excellent tips to retain material when studying?
When taking short courses or indeed any kind of organised learning, retention and recall are the primary goals that need to be achieved. Trying to remember what you’ve learned later can be a lot like reconstructing a jigsaw puzzle, but the good news is that you can train your brain to be better.
Method #1 - Focus On the Task In Hand
Conventional wisdom shows us that dividing your attention results in less available memory space in the brain, impacting retention. To avoid this from happening, you should take yourself away to a quiet area where you’re free from distractions and devote yourself solely to studying for the duration.
Method #2 - Self-quizzing Highlights Weaknesses
Knowledge gained from studying short courses can be maximised by self-quizzing, as it allows you to test your recall in a controlled way. Not only does this process highlight areas that might need more work, but it also creates neural pathways that make recalling the information later that much easier.
Method #3 - Use Mnemonics & Word Association
There are certain subjects that are drier than others, meaning that the information isn’t as easily committed to memory. This can be overcome using word association techniques and mnemonics (explained in more detail in this YouTube video) that put the information into a context that’s much easier to understand and recall.
Method #4 - Spread Your Learning Out
Sometimes less is more, meaning you shouldn’t be cramming your short courses into a restrictive period. It’s easy to procrastinate and leave it until the last minute with a busy life, but it will impact your retention of the subject if you do things too quickly. By going at a pace that’s comfortable, you make the process more conducive to long-term recall.
Method #5 - Make Use of Memory-Boosting Apps
Smartphones do everything these days. In fact, you can even take OCA short courses on them for a convenient learning experience. They can also help you boost your memory and overall cognitive function. Whether you have an iPhone or Android, there are apps like the following available:
These are just three of the many available and are free to download. Just be aware that some of these apps require regular payment for their complete services to be enjoyed*.
(*we have no affiliation with any memory app company)
Video-Based Short Courses That Foster Memory Retention
As we can see, effective memory retention is vital for any student, but it also helps when what you’re learning is delivered in a mentally stimulating way. That certainly applies to video-based, CPD short courses from OCA that offer a highly engaging educational experience that makes light work of learning new professional skills.
All of the courses we offer, covering over 20 different industries, are created in collaboration with top industry experts, so you know that what you’re learning is relevant and valuable. To find out more, visit us today at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au, where you’ll see that our students are fully supported by 1 on 1 mentoring support, 7 days a week.
To find out what learning with OCA is like, please see our student study demo or talk to us directly about anything else; give us a call today on 1300 611 404. Our team is ready and waiting to help you find the perfect solution for your needs.
