Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

· Harvard University Press
4.6
55 reviews
Ebook
329
Pages

About this ebook

The international bestseller that has helped millions of students, teachers, and lifelong learners use proven approaches to learn better and remember longer.

“We have made Make It Stick a touchstone for our instructors ... to gain a real advantage for our learners as they tackle some of the toughest work in the world.” —Carl Czech, former Senior Instructional Systems Specialist/Advisor, US Navy SEALs

Are you tired of forgetting what you learn? This groundbreaking book, based on the latest research in cognitive science, offers powerful strategies to boost memory and learning.

To most of us, learning something “the hard way” means wasted time and effort. Good teaching, many believe, should be tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier. Make It Stick turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and a ten-year collaboration among some of the world’s leading experts on human learning and memory, the authors explain what really drives successful learning. With clear, real-world examples, they show how we can confidently hone our skills and learn more effectively.

Many common study habits simply don’t work. Underlining, highlighting, rereading, cramming, and single-minded repetition of new skills create the illusion of mastery, but gains fade quickly. Science shows that more durable learning comes from self-testing, introducing certain difficulties in practice, waiting to re-study new material until a little forgetting has occurred, and interleaving the practice of one skill or topic with another. Make It Stick breaks down these proven approaches in compelling ways and offers concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners.

Full of eye-opening and inspiring stories for students, educators, and parents, Make It Stick is an indispensable guide for all those interested in the challenge of lifelong learning and self-improvement.

Ratings and reviews

4.6
55 reviews
Simon Harris
May 25, 2019
Not far in but frustrated. First that analogies in a book on learning are parochially American. How many of us find differentiation between Atlanta and Phoenix meaningful? or find a description predicated on knowledge about baseball terminology anything but obfuscating over illuminating. Maybe this is extending their observation that learning that has to be worked at sticks more but hey guys you forgot it also has to connect in the first place. Second the constant repetition that we have wrong strategies like re reading. 10 words would cover it but we get 10 pages on what not to do. shorten the book! increase the ratio of how to succeed vs page count, thus boost the value. In this point it's the irony that we are told multiple times that repeated reading of the same point it doesn't much help! So far at 20% the how to messages received are (is) testing is beneficial to comprehension and application as these abilities rest on recall as a foundation. test with delayed feedback is best
12 people found this review helpful
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MC Sun
August 28, 2016
This book covers a lot on research done on learning techniques; what works, what doesn't work. Be patient with this book and you will leave with new understanding on memory and learning techniques.
12 people found this review helpful
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Joshua Lopez
September 13, 2022
Active recall and spaced repetition, along with interleaving and many more - Time to test me on this book. Wish me luck!
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About the author

Peter C. Brown is a writer and novelist in St. Paul, Minnesota. Henry L. Roediger III is James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. Mark A. McDaniel is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Integrative Research on Cognition, Learning, and Education (CIRCLE) at Washington University in St. Louis.

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