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Back to Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects by Deep Teaching Solutions

4.8
stars
88,899 ratings

About the Course

This course gives you easy access to the invaluable learning techniques used by experts in art, music, literature, math, science, sports, and many other disciplines. We’ll learn about how the brain uses two very different learning modes and how it encapsulates (“chunks”) information. We’ll also cover illusions of learning, memory techniques, dealing with procrastination, and best practices shown by research to be most effective in helping you master tough subjects. Using these approaches, no matter what your skill levels in topics you would like to master, you can change your thinking and change your life. If you’re already an expert, this peep under the mental hood will give you ideas for turbocharging successful learning, including counter-intuitive test-taking tips and insights that will help you make the best use of your time on homework and problem sets. If you’re struggling, you’ll see a structured treasure trove of practical techniques that walk you through what you need to do to get on track. If you’ve ever wanted to become better at anything, this course will help serve as your guide. This course can be taken independent of, concurrent with, or prior to, its companion course, Mindshift. (Learning How to Learn is more learning-focused, and Mindshift is more career-focused.) A related course by the same instructors is Uncommon Sense Teaching. To join the fully translated Portuguese version of the course, visit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/aprender To join the fully translated Spanish version of the course, visit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/aprendiendo-a-aprender To join the fully translated Chinese version of the course, visit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ruhe-xuexi To join the fully translated French version of the course, visit : http://www.coursera.org/learn/apprendre-comment-apprendre...

Top reviews

EB

May 19, 2016

I found this course incredibly useful and practical. It has not only helped me better understand the process of learning but it has also given me valuable tools in how to optimize my learning process.

EJ

Aug 25, 2023

This is course is so helpful it will debunk all the false beliefs and the wrong thing that you're doing in your life. It will also help you to understand your brain, that will make you a good learner.

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1051 - 1075 of 10,000 Reviews for Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects

By Wentian S

May 16, 2017

I benefit from this course as it helped me with other online and offline courses. After I know how my brain works, I learn more efficiently than before without sacrificing the time for rest and sleep. I recommended this course to many of my friends and I recommend it here to people who don't want to give up learning - if you are considering about other courses on coursera and don't know if you can complete them, try this course first. It can be a good one to start and it will help you with others.

By Helio S C J

Apr 15, 2022

When I started the course I had no expectations and I expected it to be just another super technical course or with ideas that seem far from most people's reality but I was surprised in the first videos. Professor Barbara Oakley and Professor Dr. Terrence Sejnowski explain in an intelligible way for the average audience with simple and applicable techniques, classes so captivating that it made me want the course to be even bigger. Sincerely, thank you for sharing this wonderful knowledge with us.

By Sri N S

Jun 18, 2020

I have to say "Wow" for the experience i got by joining this course. First i didn't expect a lot when I enrolled then I was amazed by the so many useful tips I got from it. No wonder this course being recommended by students. Both Professor Barbara Oakley and Professor Terrence Sejnowski deliver very useful information for anyone who want to upgrade their learning skill. The way they present this MOOC is also incredible. It is simple, not boring, funny, and of course easy to understand. Good job.

By Amol G

Feb 9, 2018

As mentioned, this course is all about learning what we already learnt. Probably, our parents or seniors or elder had already told us to do. Somethings adopted and somethings not. However this course teaches the principles behind what they taught to us. After knowing the principles and science behind the teaching, the teaching becomes all very authentic and somewhere integrates all the memory chunks. While the study material was scientific however good care was taken to present it in simple way.

By Sameer P

Nov 2, 2017

This is one of those rare courses which helped me in giving the tools to learn effectively. Honestly speaking I didn't know about Pomodoro, chunking, interleaving, deliberate practice and neuro-chemicals' role until I completed the course. Thank you Barbara and Terry for making me fall in love with learning again in my mid-life. Great Job. Your crisp presentation and pace of delivery should be emulated by anyone who intends to teach online. Love you and hope to have more courses from you shortly.

By Jen Z

Aug 29, 2023

As someone who has struggled to overcome imposter syndrome due to dyslexia, this course has some excellent techniques that have been able to help me gain confidence in my ability to learn complex things and how to deepen my recall. Learners of all ages would benefit from the topics in this course. Barbara Oakley has an evident passion that comes through for wanting to help learners not only change their mindset but also to help create successful learning outcomes. A+ course. Highly recommend!

By Shahab Y

May 28, 2020

An excellent course that everyone can benefit from. We are all always learning new things in life. The technics covered in 'Learning How to Learn' course on Coursera by Drs. Barbara Oakley and Terry Sejnowski can help anyone improve the way they grasp new information and commit it to memory. I personally enjoyed taking this course and it has had an immense impact on my own learning already and I can't even begin to imagine how much it will accelerate my learning in the future in any other space.

By D C

Apr 25, 2020

I found this course extremely informative. I really enjoyed Barbara's slides as they were particularly easy to understand and follow. I found that the other Professor relied too heavily on the notes he was reading, avoided eye-contact in parts, and didn't have the flow of Barbara. Obviously an extremely clever gentleman however I thought it was worth mentioning. Really pleased to be able to take such a quality course for free so a big thanks goes to Coursera but more so, McMaster University.

By Dorothee A G

May 26, 2018

Great teachers, great course, thank you! I've learnt a lot and really enjoyed watching all the videos and learning about how our brain works and getting very useful tools to help me learn more efficiently. I highly recommend this very interactive course to anyone willing to learn how to manage their time better, be more productive in the way they study, be more confident in their capacity to learn anything new.

A very big thank you to all the people who contributed to the creation of this course.

By Hans V d V

Dec 5, 2016

This course was very helpful to me, it showed me a lot of new approaches, and also showed me to take my Engineering experience and apply it to studying they way I would approach an engineering project. It also helped me to calm down about that I'm not the only one with some of the problems mentioned in the course. What I also found interesting where the examples of the people true history and who overcame their problems this was very inspiring. thank you very much ! Hans Van der Veken (Belgium)

By Darlene R

May 21, 2016

The course was well paced and structured, allowing anyone, even someone quite busy with other distractions, to manage. There is a wealth of material to focus on, but as the course points out, it is the time you "meditate, sleep and exercise" around what you are learning that allows your defused thinking to store the gems of information away to be used for a lifetime. Great resources too, and both Terry and Barbara were quietly advocates for never being careless about learning. Thank you both.

By Cey Y

Aug 10, 2020

Good course. I definitely feel as if I've improved my learning skills. I wish I'd had a course like this when I was at school - I'm sure I would have done much better (I wasn't too bad, but I wasn't the best either). I think it's also useful for older people like me (40+) because I can still apply this to lots of areas of life and, as the course explains, we can carry on learning throughout life so there's every reason to do this. I might use the information I've learned here to change careers.

By Anastasia

May 4, 2020

I wish I knew this way back when I was studying at the university. Fantastic course, explaining very important things about how human brain works in a series of small, comprehensive videos. I would recommend it to anyone who considers learning something new. I have also really appreciated the supportive mood of this course and general approach that learning is for everyone and even if you are terrible at, e.g. math, it is a matter of time and your own effort to succeed in learning this subject.

By Deblin O

Jan 18, 2020

This course has shown me behind the curtains of how our brain works, especially when it comes to learning new things.

It has imparted with research proven techniques on how I can learn more effectively and has made learning new things a fun challenge to me.

I especially loved to pomodoro technique on how to beat procrastination.

Dr. Barbara Oakley really outdid herself with her fun anecdotes and the way she explained things with such simplicity.

This MOOC could not have been constructed more aptly.

By Adalis F P

Aug 30, 2017

I´m so please to follow this course. I´ve 57 years old, I realise iit is getting a little more dificult to learn , I've started to learn french since 2014, I have 3 years with a high motivation and perseveration, but I want to continue studing FOREVER, I need to LEARN how to learn , and that why this course is an invaluable treasury for me . THANKS so much for the contents quality, the way to present them y the high proffesional level of every person on it.

Adalis Facenda from Barcelona - Spain

By Yuri C

Jul 2, 2017

Very good overview on learning "how to learn". Having already read "A mind for numbers" (AMFN) from the same author (Oakley), I can say that -to me at least- this was a good recap of the material already "chucked" from the book. Most of the extras in each course's week (different from the book) are interesting and well-thought. I recommend to read AMFN to those who have liked this course, because it goes more in-depth on some topics, but this course is definitely worth it even without the book.

By Maria B

Jan 20, 2016

The most useful course I've ever taken! It explained how brain works when you try to learn something in a very practical and easy way. The course gives useful tools and techniques how to overcome procrastination and overlearning. It destroys the belief that some people are good for science only and some are only for humanitarian areas. You really can do everything with the right approach and deliberate practice. Thank you Barbara and the course team for sharing your personal inspiring stories.

By Pajo P

Apr 3, 2021

Professors are true professionals and great motivators. The tools they give on this course are valuable and will give quality to your further studying. I think everyone should have those tools as early as possible. The only thing related to this course that I need to stress out is the fact that it would make my life easier if I would have finished it before my studies. Everyone who appreciates curiosity and learning, especially if one has some struggles with it, has my recommendation to enrol.

By Azucena A

Nov 30, 2020

This course has a very friendly outline. The material and topics addressed are explained in a memorable way to facilitates the understanding and the recall of the learning techniques. What I really liked about this course was the pop up prompts with questions related to the topic explained. I recommend it to everybody who wants to improve her/his learning experience in any area on a day today basis. The tasks help to consolidate what was taught all along course. A very well structure course!

By MarkAnthony K

Jul 29, 2020

The techniques learned in this course can really be used, not only for learning something new but in many other areas of my life. I acquired practical advice that was easy to remember and not so "far out" that I found it hard to believe they'd work. And I enjoy Barbara's style of teaching-I found it calming and easily understood. I would recognize this course to students of all ages. You are never too old to learn new things. I learned some things I've never tried and I am 53 years young.

By Eman S

Mar 5, 2019

A very useful course covering concepts behind how to learn effectively and efficently. Barbara Oakley is a warm and friendly presenter whose videos make a potentially dull subject fun and enjoyable (with the use of zombies, flying mules, etc). Terrence Sejnowski tends to do one main video a week, detailing more anatomical/medical aspects. I'd recommend it to anyone who is about to undertake some serious studying as it covers techniques such as overcoming procrastination and learning fallacies.

By Kevin M K M

Oct 24, 2017

A big thank you to the course instructors Terrence and Barbara, a very informative MOOC on how the brain works and how we can apply ourselves in mastering any subject we are interested in. This course has practical tools and techniques to get you started in the journey of learning. I high recommend to anyone who is struggling to grasp new concepts, getting back to school after a while, career change or already in school. And lastly if you are a teacher, you definitely have to take this course!

By David B (

Aug 13, 2022

Ideal course for people starting the first semester of university bachelor, or even a master’s. Great course for those who hate subjects usually considered hard, like maths and science. It will help you learn anything you want though. It will give you plenty of valuable techniques that are research-based, and that will enhance your learning. It teaches you that learning is not about punishments but more about rewards, habits, and knowing how to use habits to save valuable cognitive resources.

By Jeremiah G

Jul 27, 2021

This is the most comprehensive and compact course on self-studying techniques I've had the pleasure of completing. Even though I decided not to get a certificate (which can be paid for), the fact that it's free gives everyone the opportunity to jump start self-learning. It's for beginners, experts, young, and old alike. Everyone should take this during or after graduating school. It's essential for upgrading your current skillset and not plateau intellectually. I highly recommend this course!

By Jose E

Aug 11, 2020

If you are trying to learn a new skill or study something new, regardless if you are student, professional or just someone that likes to learn, you MUST TAKE THIS COURSE FIRST before anything else, as it will give you the tools and techniques required, to help make learning more effective and fun. I think Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski have created a little gem in the teaching field, that anyone interested in learning or involved in the teaching field must study and appreciate.