We are always in a continuous learning phase, which I wasn’t prepared for. In schools and colleges, teachers used to say, study efficiently now, and then you can have a successful life with no challenges. Little did they mention what was coming next.
We have to learn new things every day in order to keep ourselves on par with the latest technology and trends. Since I started working, I have been introduced to new tools and learning opportunities.
On many occasions, I found it difficult to consume content due to its complexity. But things have changed drastically, thanks to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a tool that is now changing the perspective on how to work efficiently.
ChatGPT is also a new tool, but it didn’t take much time to learn, as it is similar to how we chat on social media or communication apps. But there are a few more tricks up its sleeve, which we can use to help ourselves learn anything.
The steps I am going to discuss below can be used with any GenAI tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, CoPilot, etc.
Methods
Find your learning style
We all have our own style of learning. Some prefer watching videos, reading, phonographic, listening to audio, etc. Each method has its own advantage, and we might not be aware of what the best or preferred way is for us.
So, understanding your suitable style of learning will help you grasp any topic better and more quickly. To find your style of learning, use the prompt on the GenAI chatbot. Make sure to answer each question genuinely, as it will help you find your best method.
“I want to use AI-powered personality tests to determine my learning style—whether I’m more visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic. Please ask me a series of questions one by one to assess my preferences and tendencies in learning. Based on my responses, analyze my learning style and provide tailored recommendations for optimizing my AI learning experience to match my preferred style.”
Create personalized learning path
The journey gets easier if you know which path to follow to reach your destination. GenAI has abundant knowledge that can be used to create your personalized learning path for any topic. For example, if you want to improve your learning skills but are not sure how to do that, you can use GenAI prompts to dig deeper into methods, resources, or even make it act as a writing mentor to improve your writing skills.
For now, you can try the prompt below to explore the learning path that matches your style.
“I want to create a personalized learning path based on my strengths and weaknesses. Please ask me questions one by one to understand the subjects or skills I want to improve, as well as my current knowledge level, strengths, and any areas where I feel less confident. Based on my responses, create a tailored learning path that adapts to my strengths, helping me leverage them, while also addressing my weaknesses to ensure well-rounded progress. Provide suggestions on the most effective learning methods and time-frames for each step.”
Tools and Technique
AI-Powered Tutor
Having a personal tutor is not feasible for everyone, but it’s great to have one. They can guide you, ask questions, and give you personalized tutoring.
Thanks to GenAI, we can all have a personal tutor, customized to our way of learning. Use the prompt below to build a custom tutor for yourself.
“I want an AI-powered tutor that can help me learn topics quickly by providing personalized explanations, answering questions, and offering practice exercises. Please ask me what specific topic I want to cover, and then guide me through it by explaining complex concepts in the simplest format possible. The tutor should break down difficult subjects into easy-to-understand steps, helping me grasp the material efficiently while offering support through practice exercises if needed.”
But please double-check the responses from AI tools.
AI-Assisted Learning
I have been in stressful situations where I faced difficulty understanding simple to complex topics. But now, after using GenAI, it has made my life so easy. If I am not able to understand a specific topic, I ask AI to simplify it with examples.
“I want to understand complex topics through AI-assisted learning using simple examples. Please explain the topics to me in the context of [insert theme here] (e.g., Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Lego, etc.). Break down the difficult concepts into relatable, easy-to-grasp analogies or stories that fit within the theme I provide, making it easier for me to comprehend.”
You can also add ‘explain it to a kid’ in the prompt. The AI tool will transform the response into the simplest form, making it easier to understand.
AI-Assisted Note-Taking
We have so much information everywhere that collating it in one place is really a challenge. You can use good note-taking apps like Notion, Evernote, OneNote, etc., to keep all your resources in one place. So, how can AI help in note-taking?
AI can help you summarize key points from big topics into bullet points. If you have meeting transcriptions from lectures, you can convert them into quick notes easily using AI.
“I need help organizing my lecture notes and summarizing key points. Please go through the content and identify the most important information. Convert the notes into a clear, easy-to-read format with bullet points, summarize key topics, and highlight crucial concepts. The goal is to save time by distilling large amounts of information into concise, readable formats, ensuring I can easily review and retain the key takeaways.
Difficulty Remembering Facts
It’s a good habit to revise what you have learned. One of the best ways is using flashcards. I used to create flashcards in school and college to remember important topics, which really helped me a lot.
You can now use AI to create flashcards to reinforce your memory.
“I want to use flashcards and spaced repetition to reinforce my memory on the topics I provide. Please create flashcards by asking me one question at a time. After each question, wait for my response before showing the correct answer or explanation. Continue this process to help me gradually reinforce my understanding of the material. Adjust the difficulty level based on how well I answer, using spaced repetition to ensure long-term retention.”
Leveraging these techniques can help you harness the power of AI, making learning more efficient, enjoyable, and effective.
