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| ====== About ====== | ====== About ====== | ||
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| **In reality, no one learns physics like this.** Learning physics a messy and very personal process. Everyone needs to find his own way through the vast labyrinth we call physics. Most of the time we don't understand a concept when we first hear about it. Understanding takes time. To understand a concept or a theory, we need to understand its relationship to other concepts. There is no clearly defined point when you have fully understood something. Instead, we can vaguely define different "layers". | **In reality, no one learns physics like this.** Learning physics a messy and very personal process. Everyone needs to find his own way through the vast labyrinth we call physics. Most of the time we don't understand a concept when we first hear about it. Understanding takes time. To understand a concept or a theory, we need to understand its relationship to other concepts. There is no clearly defined point when you have fully understood something. Instead, we can vaguely define different "layers". | ||
| - | * At the beginning, you may understand a concept very pictorial and quite superficial. We may call this the "**laymen layer**". | + | * At the beginning, you may understand a concept very pictorial and quite superficial. We may call this the "**intuitive layer**". |
| - | * Then you start to get a feeling for how the naive idea is described with math. This is the "**student layer**". | + | * Then you start to get a feeling for how the naive idea is described with math. This is the "**concrete layer**". |
| - | * Finally you'll get a grasp how the mathematical description can be understood in completely abstract terms. A high level of abstraction often allows us to see deep connections. Moreover, at this stage, we start to see problems and where things aren't fully understood. We may call this level the "**researcher layer**”.". | + | * Finally you'll get a grasp how the mathematical description can be understood in completely abstract terms. A high level of abstraction often allows us to see deep connections. Moreover, at this stage, we start to see problems and where things aren't fully understood. We may call this level the "**abstract layer**”.". |
| Still, this is not a straightforward process. Instead, usually, we first hear about a concept while we try to understand something completely different. We then try to get a very basic understanding and return to the topic we were originally learning. After some time, the concept appears again in a different context and this time we learn it more seriously. Again after a while, we stumble upon a description of the concept, for example in a research paper, that is completely different from the one we learned from the textbooks. We revisit the concept again and start to understand it a high level of abstraction. The following picture sketches a more realistic learning path: | Still, this is not a straightforward process. Instead, usually, we first hear about a concept while we try to understand something completely different. We then try to get a very basic understanding and return to the topic we were originally learning. After some time, the concept appears again in a different context and this time we learn it more seriously. Again after a while, we stumble upon a description of the concept, for example in a research paper, that is completely different from the one we learned from the textbooks. We revisit the concept again and start to understand it a high level of abstraction. The following picture sketches a more realistic learning path: | ||
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| Nevertheless, she has already learned many deep connections at an early stage. Every time she stumbled upon a new concept, she had the possibility to get a quick explanation that was catered to her current level of understanding. This way she never got lost and was able to continue her journey. | Nevertheless, she has already learned many deep connections at an early stage. Every time she stumbled upon a new concept, she had the possibility to get a quick explanation that was catered to her current level of understanding. This way she never got lost and was able to continue her journey. | ||
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| This wiki exists to lower the entry barrier to technical topics for laymen, students and researchers alike. | This wiki exists to lower the entry barrier to technical topics for laymen, students and researchers alike. | ||
| - | <note tip>At a certain point everyone realizes that simply attending some lecture or reading the one book that an expert recommended is not how you truly understand a topic. Learning is a messy process and works differently for different people. However, there are a few steps in the learning process that anyone who gets a deep understanding needs to climb. By recognizing them and then organizing your learning process according to them, you can speed up your learning process enormously.</note> | + | At a certain point everyone realizes that simply attending some lecture or reading the one book that an expert recommended is not how you truly understand a topic. Learning is a messy process and works differently for different people. However, there are a few steps in the learning process that anyone who gets a deep understanding needs to climb. By recognizing them and then organizing your learning process according to them, you can speed up your learning process enormously. |
| The biggest mistake and the most common reason for feeling lost and confused during the process of learning a new topic is the attempt to jump over one of these steps. For example, most of the time the attempt to start at the highest layer is almost always a huge mistake. | The biggest mistake and the most common reason for feeling lost and confused during the process of learning a new topic is the attempt to jump over one of these steps. For example, most of the time the attempt to start at the highest layer is almost always a huge mistake. | ||
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| - **Motivation**. Without finding a topic interesting, you'll never have the endurance to climb the ladder. Therefore it is incredibly important to find out at the beginning in what context, for example, a mathematical concept is actually useful. | - **Motivation**. Without finding a topic interesting, you'll never have the endurance to climb the ladder. Therefore it is incredibly important to find out at the beginning in what context, for example, a mathematical concept is actually useful. | ||
| - | - **Layman**. In the beginning, everyone is a layman. The goal at this stage to get an overview of the topic and how it fits into the large picture. At this phase, it is important not to get lost in formulas. Instead, the most useful resources that help to master this step offer explanations like you would hear at a cocktail party or during a coffee break. By getting quicky an overview in simple terms while avoiding all details, you build a perfect foundation for more serious studies. Before you start looking at formulas in the next step, it is incredibly valuable when you already know what the goals of the journey are and where the various concepts fit into the larger picture. | + | - **Intuitive**. In the beginning, everyone is a layperson. The goal at this stage to get an overview of the topic and how it fits into the large picture. At this phase, it is important not to get lost in formulas. Instead, the most useful resources that help to master this step offer explanations like you would hear at a cocktail party or during a coffee break. By getting quicky an overview in simple terms while avoiding all details, you build a perfect foundation for more serious studies. Before you start looking at formulas in the next step, it is incredibly valuable when you already know what the goals of the journey are and where the various concepts fit into the larger picture. |
| - | - **Student**. At this stage, things start to get serious, because now you start to look at the actual formulas. However not too serious, because during this phase it is important to avoid all abstract explanations and concepts. Instead, the focus during this stage are explanations that connect the formulas with familiar things via analogies or pictures. | + | - **Concrete**. At this stage, things start to get serious, because now you start to look at the actual formulas. However not too serious, because during this phase it is important to avoid all abstract explanations and concepts. Instead, the focus during this stage are explanations that connect the formulas with familiar things via analogies or pictures. |
| - | - **Researcher**. Once you have successfully gained an overview of the complete topic in layman terms and are able to connect the most important formulas with a more familiar concept, you are ready for abstract stuff. This stage is where the real fun begins. Usually, the highest layer of abstraction offers the deepest insights and makes it possible to see the deep connection to other topics. At this stage, the fog starts to lift and you are able to see the big picture. | + | - **Abstract**. Once you have successfully gained an overview of the complete topic in layman terms and are able to connect the most important formulas with a more familiar concept, you are ready for abstract stuff. This stage is where the real fun begins. Usually, the highest layer of abstraction offers the deepest insights and makes it possible to see the deep connection to other topics. At this stage, the fog starts to lift and you are able to see the big picture. |
| This wiki exists to give you the right tools and resources for the various phases. By organizing each page according to the various steps on the ladder to understanding, we want to help systematize the learning process and make it easier. | This wiki exists to give you the right tools and resources for the various phases. By organizing each page according to the various steps on the ladder to understanding, we want to help systematize the learning process and make it easier. | ||
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| <blockquote>When introduced to a new idea, always ask why you should care. | <blockquote>When introduced to a new idea, always ask why you should care. | ||
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| - | <blockquote>Learning physics means more than learning formulas and schemas, it means learning a different approach, a different frame of mind. <cite>Jung</cite></blockquote> | + | <blockquote>Learning physics means more than learning formulas and schemas, it means learning a different approach, a different frame of mind. <cite>[[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00486660|Uses of cognitive science to science education]] by W. Jung</cite></blockquote> |
| ===== Further Reading ===== | ===== Further Reading ===== | ||
| - | * [[about:how_to_learn]] | + | |
| - | * [[about:on_textbooks]] | + | |
| * http://jakobschwichtenberg.com/everyone-can-contribute/ | * http://jakobschwichtenberg.com/everyone-can-contribute/ | ||
| * http://jakobschwichtenberg.com/layers-of-understanding/ | * http://jakobschwichtenberg.com/layers-of-understanding/ | ||
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| <[email protected]> | <[email protected]> | ||
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about.1521882445.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/03/24 09:07 (external edit)
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