Learning How to Learn

A surprisingly simple way for students to master any subject--based on one of the world's most popular online courses and the bestselling book A Mind for Numbers A Mind for Numbers and its wildly popular online companion course "Learning How to Learn" have empowered more than two million learners of all ages from around the world to master subjects that they once struggled with. Fans often wish they'd discovered these learning strategies earlier and ask how they can help their kids master these skills as well. Now in this new book for kids and teens, the authors reveal how to make the most of time spent studying. We all have the tools to learn what might not seem to come naturally to us at first--the secret is to understand how the brain works so we can unlock its power. This book explains: * Why sometimes letting your mind wander is an important part of the learning process * How to avoid "rut think" in order to think outside the box * Why having a poor memory can be a good thing * The value of metaphors in developing understanding * A simple, yet powerful, way to stop procrastinating Filled with illustrations, application questions, and exercises, this book makes learning easy and fun.

Barbara Oakley is a professor of engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and Ramón y Cajal Distinguished Scholar of Global Digital Learning at McMaster University. Her research involves bioengineering with an emphasis on neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Dr. Oakley teaches the massive open online courses (MOOCs) "Learning How to Learn" and "Mindshift," alongside legendary neuroscientist Terrence Sejnowski. Dr. Oakley has received many awards for her teaching, including the American Society of Engineering Education's Chester F. Carlson Award for technical innovation in education and the National Science Foundation New Century Scholar Award. Terrence Sejnowski is the Francis Crick Professor at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where he also directs the Computational Neurobiology Laboratory. He is among only twelve living scientists who have been elected to the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Engineering. Alistair McConville is the deputy head of Bedales School, one of England's most prestigious private K-12 schools.