Day 17: Learning Technique 5: Dual Coding

Today we discuss learning technique #5, dual coding, which states that learning and memory are more effective when information is presented in multiple modalities,  such as visually and verbally. You will learn what this technique is, the science behind it, why you should use it, and finally how you can apply it to accelerate your learning.

Resources for this lesson:

• Transcripts
• Worksheet
• List of Scientific References

Summary

What is Dual Coding?

The principle of dual coding states that learning and memory are more effective when information is presented in multiple modalities,  such as visually and verbally.

• Research shows [3] we create separate memory traces for pictures and words.
• Our brains [1] have multiple, different memory stores and we learn information better when it can be entered into more than one area of storage.  

However, this is not learning styles.

• Whilst “learning styles” have been propagated for decades, the idea that we learn better if we are taught according to our specific learning style (e.g. visual, auditory or kinesthetic) is not only unsubstantiated by research, but also disproven. [2]

Why it matters: The more senses you can engage while learning, the easier it will be and the more you will remember.

What does the science say?

People learn better when they combine visual materials, like a picture or a diagram, with verbal materials, like words from an explanation.

• In one study, [4] students who saw images while learning concepts perform better on memory and problem solving tasks than those who did not see the.
• The brain stores this in multiple representations in memory because verbal and visual is stored in different parts of the brain.
• This gives you multiple shots at later digging this information out of storage when you're trying to remember it, according to research.

Why should you use it?

Using dual coding gives you more retrieval cues for you to remember something later.

Million years of evolution have made us especially adapted for learning things that are vivid, visual and experiential. So learning this way is both effective and more fun.

How do you use it?

Applying dual coding generally:

• Anytime you're learning a concept, try to learn from material that presents concepts both visually and auditorily.  
• Look over material your reading or taking notes on, and compare that to different visuals, diagrams, or charts and explain in your own words what they illustrate.
• When reading about something or listening to a podcast, try drawing a visual to go along with the material you just consumed. Practice active recall as you draw these diagrams.
• If visuals are unavailable for material you are studying, you can also visualize or create a mental image of the concepts in your mind's eye.

One exercise of this concept is creating a mind map, which is a visual way to lay out ideas in indicate how they are related to one another.

• A mind map has a specific type of visualization known as a chart. In general, charts try and organize qualitative information, making it clear what the relations are among the concepts.
• Charts are also particularly useful for illustrating how our sequence of events unfolds over time.

The principle of dual coding can also be drawn upon by creating diagrams, which are abstracted pictures of an object or an event

• Diagrams typically just show the most important aspects of the object, leaving out the sorts of details about the surface color. You would find in a photograph.

To understand quantitative relationships, you could create a graph to visualize the different numbers and concepts related to those numbers.

Try introducing some of the other senses as you're learning, for example, smell and taste.

• Smell and taste, which are connected senses in the brain were among the first to develop, which means they are extremely powerful for memory

Try evoking emotion while you're learning something. When emotions are tied to events and learning, your ability to recall that information later is greatly increased.

• Emotion focuses attention and causes the brain to devote extra resources to storing that information.
• To use emotion, create a visual story by drawing out pictures and then retelling it to yourself. So you learn it in an auditory way.
• Weave in different emotions in the story and really feel the story that you're creating.

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Activity

If you're on this platform, you have practiced dual coding today by watching the video and listening to the audio.

• To further this practice, listen to a podcast about this subject or another topic you want to learn about.
• Then on a piece of paper, draw out concepts in an illustration, mind map, or diagram.
• Try to recall the information from memory when drawing your illustration.

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Skill Lesson Mastered

Demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and skills presented in this lesson by applying it to the above activity. If, and only if, you have a full understanding and have mastered the knowledge and skills presented in this lesson, select the next lesson in the navigation.