Conditions For Efficient Learning by Rev. Bernard Huss

Learning or Study is the intensive thoughtful reading aimed at absorbing thoughts, to assimilate them, to make them our mental property. It implies the self-effort of a scholar in order to obtain knowledge. It is not a mere reading, perusal or absorbing prints, not a cursory looking over the pages of a book; it doesn’t imply trifling and mind wondering. Neither teacher nor textbook can do the learning for the scholar, just as no one can chew his food for him.                    

Sometimes, learning becomes difficult due to the following reasons:

1. Mental Distraction as a result of lack of interest, boredom, fatigue, excitement, or certain strong feelings in our mind; which causes  mind-wondering, lack of attention and hinders efficient study.

2. Bodily difficulties such as fatigue, hunger, sleep, illness, pain etc. which makes learning difficult.

3. A bad environment due to an impure air, bad light, disorder, noise, too many distracting objects.

4. Wrong impressions . In order to understand a particular point or idea, it is necessary to create examples or images in our mind. But when we have wrong impressions, it hinders the remembrance of the right thing.

Conditions for Efficient Learning

The result of learning does not depend on the length of time spent nor on amount of school fees paid; but on the efficiency of learning. To achieve this, the following is required:

1. Physical and Mental Health. A necessary condition for efficient learning is to be and maintain the right physical and mental state. It is bad mental economy  to study under the adverse conditions of hunger, fatigue, illness, distraction, great excitement, strong emotions,etc.

2. Interest. We easily learn and remember most easily in what we are most interested in, because it makes a vivid, deep, lasting impression.

3. Attention. We must pay attention or make a strenuous effort to understand  what we read or hear. Thoughts are often worth digging out.  

4. Clear Impression. The first impression must be accurate, clear and definite. If we don’t get a clear impression, then we get the wrong impression which causes great difficulty in learning.  

5. Repetition. An old latin proverb says, “Repetitio est mater studiorum”(Repetition is the mother of studies). The more frequently an impression is repeated, the more firmly it is registered in the memory, provided interest has been felt and attention been paid.

6. Expression. No impression should be felt without expression, otherwise it will be incomplete. It is therefore very useful to make use of self-expression by writing down some ideas, by repeating them mentally and orally. Writing down our new impressions is the last which shows us exactly how our newly acquired ideas look, and it greatly helps to clarify them.

7. Note Taking. Efficient reading requires having a note book ready in order to make notes for future reference.