I highly recommend this course to just about anyone as the concepts can be applicable to students, experienced professionals, instructors, researchers, etc. With today's rapid pace of technology advancement, I find it sometimes overwhelming to know where to even start to understand some new technologies and concepts that are outside of my profession. In fact, technology within my profession is rapidly changing owing to IoT, so I really want to understand these other technologies that are now working in tandem with my industry. I took this course in hopes that it would make approaching some of these new concepts easier. It greatly exceeded my expectations. Some are completely novel concepts, while others are things I've been doing for years, but didn't actually have a name for them (e.g. diffused mode of thinking). The course is very easy to follow and I really liked the professors. They seem to be genuinely nice people who want people to learn and succeed. I will end as I began. I HIGHLY recommend this course.

I am a Learning Specialist who has been learning about learning for more than 20 years. I coach students in grades 9-12 to apply strategies that will maximize their learning in all subject areas, and I took this course in hopes that it would be a means to validate and enhance my teaching practice. The clever lectures did not disappoint! I learned several new ideas and strategies to bring to my practice, including an interesting test taking strategy linked to focused and diffuse modes of thinking, which I found fascinating and very applicable. I was able to link every lecture to previously learned content on memory, language acquisition, attention, and comprehension. I especially appreciated that the lectures were short and clear; the instructors are obviously well aware of what the research tells us about sustained attention - and they practice what they preach. The spiraling nature of the course was also very helpful; the brain loves spaced repetition! I am enthused for the new academic year to begin.

Excellent course! Even though I am myself a professor in an engineering discipline and very experienced at "learning", I discovered new things in this course and I also learned reasons behind some aspects of learning that I know from intuition and experience. It is very helpful to understand the neurological underpinnings for why certain methods of learning and studying are beneficial. The concept of "chunking" is very powerful. The rational behind metaphors, mnemonics, and memory palace is really interesting. The reasons that spaced repetition of concepts are effective, the function of the diffuse mode of the brain, and the simple "pomodoro" technique are all excellent concepts and incredibly useful in learning engineering concepts, languages, or anything in life. The instructors are excellent, the videos, illustrations and text are well thought out. Highly recommend this course for anyone at any level! I have recommended it to fellow professors, graduate and undergraduate students, and my children.

From different brain modes to research-proven learning techniques, this course not only covers how brain works but also what works for the brain. It is a constant reminder that the brain is a powerful tool that learners of all kind could benefit from knowing it a little better. Besides, this course give scientific backings to ideas such as changing your thoughts can really change how your brain work, and leisure activities are not just good for you, they are essential in stages of learnings etc. These are all powerful life-style suggestions that could help us live better, happier and more efficiently.Lastly, I found taking this course in itself is a power tool against procrastination. A few minutes a day of listening to the videos got myself start thinking about my learning methods, and I would usually go to with a productive day of trying to challenge myself according to the suggestions from the class videos. Thank you for such a great course. I only wish I could turn back clock and take it earlier.

Learning how to learn didn't start out as a course I thought I would be very interested in. I took it because I could audit it, it seemed like a kind of easy class, and I wanted to make sure I could handle taking a course online. But this course turned out to be great, and I would recommend it to anyone doing anything, but especially students in school. This course should be required for all high school and college students. It teaches you about which study methods are most effective, how your memory works, how procrastination works, how to reduce test anxiety, and much more. The videos aren't always so engaging, but that's because it's a lecture, and they're cut up into short pieces, so it's easier to focus on them for a limited amount of time rather than an hour long lecture. I'm really glad I took this course and I'm grateful to Dr. Oakley and Dr. Sejnowski for allowing people who aren't enrolled in their university to take it. If you're wondering whether to take the plunge, I say do it.

A wonderful course that collects various important tidbits of information related to learning and an explanation of how these can be included in our daily routines to make ourselves more efficient and effective learners. The beauty of this course is that:

1. It's a collection of ideas, tools and techniques that you would normally need to scan several sources for. It collects them and presents them in a way that is most useful for learners.

2. The videos and short and easy to grasp. Rather than overloading students with information, it has been broken down into smaller 'chunks' (ha) that are easier to process.

This course should be mandatory for students across the world because even though our educational systems make outcomes quite clear, there is little explanation of what a good way to achieve those outcomes is. Great work by everyone involved. Highly, highly recommended course for anybody struggling with learning anything new or just wanting to become a better learner.

There is a lot that can be said about this course. I will try to keep it short. This course, for me, was a refresher, in the sense that I needed to get back on track. Specifically, I needed to get back in the mindset that fosters learning. I enjoyed the course and would recommend it to anyone. It has given me the can-do attitude needed to continue assigning time to learn new and existing subjects. Moreover, it has opened my eyes to the notion that procrastination does not have to define you, and that with a little will-power, one can achieve anything.Full disclosure: there were times when I temporarily lost focus, became bored with the content, which was primarily due to the fact that I was not using the techniques discussed in the course, such as the Pomodoro technique, which would have helped me tackle the course with more mindful intent. To anyone that is interesting in the fundamentals of learning and best practices, this is the course for you.

Are you feeling that your memory is slipping and maybe you need to do something to keep on top of things? Or spending your time studying for courses but not feeling you're getting enough out of it as you could? Or perhaps you just want to understand a little bit more about how the brain works and how you can get more out of it? If so, Learning How to Learn is for you. This lecture-focused course offers many great insights and tips for studying more efficiently and learning more efficiently--whether you're still in school or long graduated. I really looked forward to the next week's lectures and often watched them more than once. I finished the course feeling like I learned new tools and was reminded of other things long forgotten. The weekly quizzes and challenges after each lecture help to ensure that you are understanding the finer points of each week. I decided to take this course before taking other MOOCs. Well worth the time and effort.

Absolutely terrific course, easy to digest, and perfect for first time MOOC'ers. I was familiar with a few of the techniques and didn't realize I was already doing them. It was awesome learning some of the science behind how, and why these techniques work. This course has definitely informed me on some EXTREMELY use-full learning and studying techniques! I highly suggest getting Barbara's book as well; it is also easy to digest but intellectually stimulating. While it is not necessary during the course, it is an excellent tool for interleaving your learning by reading the book after completing the course. The optional interviews are very helpful as well, they are structure to be part informative and part review and part inspirational; the instructors clearly understand the concepts they are discussing. After altering a few of my habits, I have already experienced a big difference in my learning abilities.

Thank you Terry and Barb!

I loved the course especially because of how short it was, and how compact the videos were. It gave me the information I could use, without being dry or boring. The additional reading material and interviews were fascinating. The biggest positive I got from this course was a change in my thinking. I used to believe that your scores on tests were determined mostly by genetic aptitude, and even if I studied smarter and harder, I wouldn't do much better. After applying what I learned in this course, I see I couldn't have been more wrong. I actually enjoy the process of working now, because it can be interesting, and doesn't involve as much of the self-hate and negative emotions that are a result of excessive procrastination. I'm excited to sit down and get stuff done! The course also encouraged me to check out other methods for increased productivity that I'd heard of, like having a system of accountability partners and kanban.

This a great course! If I had taken it 30 years ago, I would have a complete different life now. But it is never too late to take it even I am in my middle age. I like the course that has a lot of neuroscience research back-up so that the learning methods suggested by are more reliable. Although it is scientific research base, it does not mean that it is away from the practical purpose. In fact, the topics are very practical for any learner. And the course helps me to resolve a lot of doubts on some "myth" about learning methods. I also like the optional interview with different successful and adventurous learner in the world. The stories of the guests are very encouraging and inspiring. Their special learning methods also echo the content of the course. It strength my understanding of the concepts. I feel full of hope with positive mind and practical methods to begin my new learning journey in my new career.

Great course for everyone, even if you are not interested in learning. It will equip you with many techniques that you also can apply in your job or life. In the course, you can face several rather complex concepts, which initially seem difficult to understand. But the way Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski present the material makes them much easier to understand. They use good picture analogies and metaphors to explain the material. I'm not a native English speaker but I took this course and passed all tests successfully. It made me believe that I can do much more about learning, helped me not to give up when I was about to drop out of my English classes. I've learned that when you struggle with a new concept, you just need to approach it from a new angle to make understanding smoother. And it's very important to let your brain have a rest from time to time. Thanks for teaching me how to learn.

The course have given me a great motivation and a lot good ideas, approaches to self-improvement and good news about my brain. For instance, doesn't matter your age or a talent to the current science, you can try to do something new and get success, if you learn effectively. The teachers Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Thierry Sajnowsky based all them conclusions on them own experience and practices, so if they told regular exercises help to learn effective, I believe. Maybe that only one advice I haven't tried yet - it's a running, according to the extremely snowing weather in Kiev now... But I will do it with understanding of helpfulness for learning, switching mind mode and solving a difficult problem. If you finish the course, maybe you won't become a professor, but you get a keys for the progress in learning, planning working tasks, overcoming procrastination etc. So learn or don't, isn't a question now.

Great course! Really helped me organize my thoughts and reduce most of the stress that I am going through in my life. It touched many interesting topics that I have learned to enjoy learning during high school and college, and it definitely touched them in a creative and quiet striking way. Many thanks to the professors, Mrs. Oakley and Mr. Sinowski (forgive me if I misspelled your names, but spontaneity brought me here and I can't go double check them! I'm sure you understand! :)), to the students that have shared ideas and contributed to some of mine own. I wish we used technology to build groups and share even more. I hope each and every one has enjoyed and learned as much as I did! Thanks to the University of California, San Diego, for such great content and beautiful package! Thanks to Coursera for providing such interesting topic and allowing me and people from all over the world to enjoy it!

This simple methodology can be transposed to any learning or problem-solving challenge. It not only gives you a structure but also helps you understand how learning and the brain work and how to make them more effective.

Pr Oakley is down to earth and explains very well. The course is well structured and she uses a lot of the techniques she preaches such as analogies, story telling but also testing and recall. Dr. Terrence Sejnowski helps us grasps how the brain and learning work. This course gives technics that can be applied to life for learning and problem solving. It will prove useful to anyone: teenager to senior - it will help you be more efficient in tackling challenges.

The optional interviews are very interesting and you meet a bunch of individuals, masters in their fields thanks to their own version of these techniques. It helps connect the class to different areas and ripens your horizons

Astonishing and inspiring Barbara! If only all teachers were like you! And some insightful speakers too. I have not stopped talking about this course lately and I am encouraging all and sundry to take it. As a "middle aged" person I feel now like a 3 to 11 years old: eager and stimulated. This course has unearthed some new learning methods and also consolidated my numerous intuitions as regards to learning and my own potential. I am ready now to take on seriously all the challenges that I have been procrastinating on for ages such as Maths (aaargh), learning another language, coding and much more for the rest of my life. Come on I dare challenging you that you will most certainly find out quite a few things you thought you knew not and many more that you had absolutely no clue about. What a great course in its positive approach to your own hidden abilities and multiple facets to learning. Enjoy!

Professor Oakley and Professor Sejnowski, I would like to take a moment to thank you for your deep and well put together lectures as well as the many interviews with professionals. Although I was not able to push forward with the written assignments , this course gave me the inspiration I needed to challenge myself and has inspired me to look at things in a renewed prospective. I have always dreamed about going into academia, but felt that I was burdened with many learning disabilities. Such as never being able to take tests or reading to slow or not being able to write well, and even being diagnosed late in life with dyslexia. I hope and intend to use what I learned in this course to fight off the demons that have prevented me from finding my passion. I feelthat though the lectures and interviews that I can break the shackles that have limited me from doing what I never thought possible.

Thanks Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski! Just super helpful. This course is a life changing MOOC and I believe I should be teach in primary or high school or at least in first year of the university.

I was skeptical to take this course because I believed that I was a good enough learner but I found so many useful knowledge to apply on a daily basis. I have already used pomodoro technique and have done a TODO list almost every day for several years but I focus always on "the product". Now I'll start to focus on "the process" and do my TODO list at night rather than in the morning. And also I'll do more "active learning" like retrieve the material and test my self and I'll spend less time in "passive learning" like re-reading and doing mind mapping without any test in between.

Thank you for teaching how to learn. I'm Fernando Conde.

And until we meet again, happy learning! :-D

This course contains invaluable information to help you succeed in life. The instructors back everything they say with lots of good and interesting references, which are available to consult at the end of each module.They presented some strategies for studying that were really useful, the best ones being "test yourself" (practice testing), distributed practice (space repetition) and interleaved practice.Students can also learn quite a bit about procrastination, memory, sleep, mindset, motivation, creativity, overlearning, chunking and other complementary resources that help you learn.I especially enjoyed the optional interviews at the end of a few modules! If you read every single reference mentioned (including books), you may end up spending well over four weeks learning from the material presented in that course. Otherwise, this can be done in a few days at most. Highly recommended!

For as long as I can recall I've had problems to remember things I thought I had learned. But just short ago I realized I was unable to remember things. I wondered why I was so good at anything I undertook at the moment and all the content that I had seemingly storaged in my brain disappeared.

Another thing that caused me a lot of terrible consequences was procrastination. I can gladly say that it doesn't have the same power over me. Now that I know what It is and how it works It's become easier for me to deal with it. I've found the Pomodoro Technique highly effective and insightful.

By taking this course I was able to find the failures that were holding me back in my learning. This course has enabled me to be a better learner. The tricks provided in this course doesn't take a super overwise person to grasp and put them into action.

Thanks for teaching me how to learn more effectively.

Definite eye opener.

Think back to junior high (Grade 7 or 8) and think how you approached homework. Look at a problem, look at the solution; "pfft, I got this, this stuff's easy" Honours certificate please!

But then you got to high school and thought, "hmm, I kinda got this stuff, I should be good for the test" and thus proceed to cram your way through every exam.

Marks? Varied, from yeah, not bad to absolutely MEH...

University? More of the same. Your job, a little better, but kind of FEEL meh...

It's ok, you just didn't know how to study properly.

This course will teach you how. And more importantly--at least for me--the why. As you'll see CONTEXT MATTERS A WHOLE BUNCH when you're tyring to remember stuff.

And couldn't do this review without a shout out to Barb (the girl in all the videos). Endearing, encouraging, so knowledgeable. Check out her interviews she's really good.

Wonderful! It was enlightening to watch these incredibly experienced and talented professionals "personally" explain these eyeopening topics in such a simple way in the comfort of my home, or wherever I was. The videos are short enough so I could advance at any time, but are so compelling, once I started, I found it difficult to stop! Plus, they provide visual aids which make the facts so memorable. The optional interviews are very enriching and inspiring, loved them! The fact of having so much additional bibliography is another big plus; you can go deeper in the subject if you desire to. I learned plenty of new techniques to learn better and reinforced some that I used. I will definitely put everything to use! It was a true delight, thank you Barbara, Terrence and everyone! I will hold this inspiring experience within me for a very long time. Best of luck to all of you!

I thought I would finish this self-paced course in a couple of days, but my 30 second summary of the first week's materials was that learning takes time. So I took the full 4 weeks to complete this course. This course doesn't reveal some new and amazing technique that enabled me to become a walking encyclopedia overnight. In fact I had already heard of all of the techniques. For example, I've tried 30 second summaries before, but I wasn't good at it right away, so I decided the technique didn't work for me. This time I treated the techniques as something I would have to spend time learning how to do, just like any other skill. Because the course became about learning new skills, I really enjoyed it. If I'd just done what I'd always done (take notes and memorize them), then I would have been bored witless, struggled with motivation and procrastination, and dropped out.

I am a continuous learner and love to learn new subjects/areas. I have been doing this during my Bachelors, Masters and while pursuing doctorate (12+ years) in Engineering. Personally, I have got to my own way of learning.

Attending this course, I understood why and how my way of learning works. Also, got insights into how I can improve my learning process. I also used the companion textbook which provided lot of information and real-life examples to support the key ideas in the book. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks a lot Prof. Barbara in bringing this course & book. I understand and appreciate your effort for sharing your own experience in learning subjects that were alien.Thanks for helping most of us understand better our own learning process.

This is my first course in "Coursera" and I am very happy and excited me to chunk more.

Thanks a lot Coursera Team.

The best online course I've taken so far. This is not an exaggeration. Throughout the course, I truly felt the importance of the material taught and their applicability in my daily life. I've started using the Pomodoro technique (with the help of an app) when tackling projects at work or want to be productive at home (taking an online course, learning some new skills). I also owe it to this class, and this might be a side effect rather than a direct impact, for bringing my brain to a more relaxed mental state. In other words, the topics about focused/diffuse mode and the discussion of thinking patterns provided a much more clear path not only for approaching tasks, but also escaping from that constant loop that eventually leads to a headache. Without going into more details, this is a wonderful class for anyone, anywhere accessible to take. Happy learning!