PERO Learning System

Introduction

• A learning system designed over 7 years to boost efficiency by over 60%
• Saves at least 10 hours of studying per week
• Can be personalized by any user
• PERO stands for: Priming, Encoding, Reference, Retrieval, and Overlearning

The Problem with Focusing on Techniques

• Common question: What’s the best technique for studying?
• Indicates a lack of understanding of how learning works
• People often see learning as a simple cycle of information + repetition
• Real learning involves several processes:
  • Quality of these processes affects memory and understanding
  • Poor processes require more repetition
  • Effective processes make learning more efficient

Understanding the Learning Process

• Information is filtered based on relevance to existing knowledge
• Importance of making new information relevant to retain it
• Retrieval helps refine and reprocess knowledge
• Misunderstanding these processes results in ineffective learning

Personal Experience

• Before optimizing learning: spent 20 hours a day studying for medical school
• Methods: lectures, notes, flashcards, past papers
• Issues: Felt random, arbitrary, and much forgotten
• Solution: Recognizing the need to optimize understanding and memory

PERO System Breakdown

Priming

• Definition: Techniques used before a learning event
• Purpose: Prepares brain to recognize relevance and retain information
• Impact: Early step, crucial for efficient learning

Encoding

• Definition: Processing and organizing information effectively
• Techniques: Grouping, simplifying, using analogies, finding connections
• Challenges: Requires significant mental effort, the core of active learning
• Outcome: Better encoding leads to better memory retention

Reference

• Definition: Note-taking and managing specific details
• Purpose: Prevents overload by offloading non-essential information
• Methods: Flashcards, second-brain apps like Obsidian

Retrieval

• Definition: Testing and applying retrieved knowledge
• Purpose: Strengthens memory, deepens understanding
• Methods: Using different perspectives for testing knowledge

Overlearning

• Definition: Learning beyond necessary scope, with repetition
• Purpose: Accelerates recall and fluency; useful for high-stakes learning
• Note: Optional; go-to strategy for many but can overshadow more efficient methods

Evaluation Tool

• Quiz: Designed to evaluate and score your learning system based on PERO
• Results: Offers recommendations for improvement tailored to your scoring

Key Takeaways

• Understand the entire learning process, not just techniques
• Optimize each step of the PERO system for efficient and effective learning
• Use the evaluation quiz for personalized feedback and track improvements