How knowledge is acquired

1. Six principles of acquisition

1.1. Learning requires time, effort, and motivation

1.2. Concentration spans are short

1.3. Distributed practice is more effective than massed practice or cramming

1.4. Prior knowledge effects are powerful

1.5. Your mind responds well to multimedia input

1.6. To learn, your mind has to be active

2. Six principles of memory retention

2.1. To recognise is easy: to recall is hard

2.2. Information given first and information given last is often recalled more easily

2.3. Over time, there are different rates of forgetting

2.4. Memory is a highly constructive process

2.5. The principle of savings: what is forgotten can still help

2.6. Your memory is subject to interference

3. Five aspects of handling information overlaod

3.1. From the learner's perspective, learning is not always a pleasant experience

3.2. Learning places great stress on mental resources

3.3. For all learners, it is crucial to develop coping strategies

3.4. Sources of overload can be identified

3.5. We are all subject to overload

4. Luka Peters, [email protected]