Beyond Cramming: Use Solidification to Master Any Subject
In my ongoing quest to develop a system for students to use that simplifies the learning process, one of the priorities remains to be a step in which the student consolidates learning. It’s one thing to review and recite flashcards, but if we don’t understand what we’re reviewing, is there even a point?
Let’s zoom out for one second and look at what memory consolidation is. When you first learn something, the memory pathway involves the hippocampus and neocortical regions of the brain. Over time, the hippocampus guides a reorganization of how the neocortex stores and represents that information so that the memory becomes less dependent on the hippocampus and eventually forms a long-term memory. However, this reorganization (consolidation) is a time-based process, and the memory is still liable to be forgotten soon after learning. Therefore, “solidifying” knowledge is this reviewing, reactivating, and reinforcing of new knowledge shortly after learning to consolidate memory pathways in the brain. (Squire et al., 2015)
We can simplify the solidification process in three steps:
Connecting to prior schemas (prior knowledge)
Organization of ideas
Rest
Connecting to Prior Schemas
A schema is a psychological term to describe pre-existing categories we use in our head to classify and organize new information (Axelrod 1973). As our knowledge base grows, so do our schemas. Retaining and rapidly integrating new information is significantly enhanced by existing knowledge, as the brain's organizational network is already established. As a learner, you are integrating a new field of knowledge into an existing, broader network. This brings us back to the importance of review, and specifically, reviewing before we solidify knowledge. By priming our brains with prior knowledge immediately before we consolidate new information, we are creating the ideal brain learning environment.
Organization of Ideas
However, even if we have prior knowledge, the organization of ideas is key. Just like the desk of a busy scholar, if we have no organizational system to find the information we’re looking for in the sea of papers, sticky notes, lecture slides, and cut-out cartoons, we’re lost. The organization of our brains happens through a dance between thought and paper, and strategic note-taking is the dance floor. Summarization of notes or rewriting notes won’t cut it - the key is connecting ideas and bridging gaps through our own connections. Effective note-taking techniques, such as mind mapping, can have a positive effect on students and their ability to organize knowledge (Farrand et al., 2002).
Rest
Finally, our mothers were on to something when they kept telling us to get to bed. Sleep and rest remain to be one of the best things for our brain and the consolidation of knowledge. The consistency of our sleep schedule is one of the most influential factors on our academic performance (Hershner 2019). We can also give our brains a break through structured studying that schedules in breaks. A popular method remains to be the Pomodoro Technique, where the student uses a study schedule that blocks out 25 minutes of studying time with 5 minute breaks in between each session. These integrated breaks in our studying help reduce procrastination (Almalki et al., 2020).
Ultimately, solidifying knowledge is the intentional process of turning new information into enduring, accessible long-term memory. It moves beyond passive review by actively connecting new concepts to established schemas, consciously organizing these ideas into a meaningful network, and leveraging the power of rest and sleep to cement the neural pathways. By integrating a solidification step into their studying, students can ensure that their efforts lead not just to temporary recall, but to deep, resilient understanding that forms the foundation for future learning.
Optimal studying practices aren’t rocket science, but they are a science. However, you’ve already made the first step to success by reading this blog post and seeking out science-backed practices that will take your studying from passive to intentional.
If you’re looking for an easy way to start intentional study practices, check out “The Intentional Study Kit” which has over 15 pages of science-backed studying tips, templates, and worksheets that will jump-start your efficient study schedule.
Did you find this article helpful? Reach out to me at info@thestudyingedit.com! I’d love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have about making studying smarter, not harder.
Citations
Almalki, K., Alharbi, O., Al-Ahmadi, W., & Aljohani, M. (2020). Anti-procrastination online tool for graduate students based on the Pomodoro Technique. In P. Zaphiris & A. Ioannou (Eds.), Learning and Collaboration Technologies. Human and Technology Ecosystems. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 12206, pp. 133-144). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50506-6_10
Axelrod, R. (1973). Schema theory: An information-processing model of perception and cognition. The American Political Science Review, 67(4), 1248–1266. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1956546
Farrand, P., Hussain, F., & Hennessy, E. (2002). The efficacy of the “mind map” study technique. Medical Education, 36(5), 426–431. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2002.01205.x
Hershner, S. D. (2020). Sleep and academic performance: Measuring the impact of sleep. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 34, 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.02.009
Squire, L. R., Genzel, L., Wixted, J. T., & Morris, R. G. M. (2015). Memory consolidation. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 7(8), a021766. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a021766
