Technology is constantly advancing, and, especially in GIS, change is constant. Therefore, it is vital to stay up-to-date and keep the field moving forward. As professionals, it is our responsibility to keep our pool of knowledge expanding. My colleague, GIS developer Courtney Kirkham has recently shared strategies she uses for self-driven learning.
Recently, she’s been implementing the F.A.S.T. learning methodology and have found it to be extremely effective. So, what exactly is FAST? F.A.S.T. learning was developed by memory expert Jim Kwik. This methodology maximizes the gain from self-learning by examining the mindset and attitude of the learner. Key touch points to keep in mind when employing a FAST learning strategy include:
- learners ‘forget’ what they think they already know about a subject. In doing this, it opens the mind instead of creating blocks
- There is a difference between understanding something intellectually and understanding it in application.
- State is the mental, physical, and emotional place a learner finds themselves in as they engage in the learning process. State is important because you require both information and emotion to form long-term memories
- One of the things that can help solidify an understanding of a topic is when learners study it as if they’ll be teaching it to someone else
Makes sense to me! Learn more about how Courtney uses the FAST learning methodology