Back to Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects
Deep Teaching Solutions

Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects

This course gives you easy access to the invaluable learning techniques used by experts in art, music, literature, math, science, sports, and many other disciplines. We’ll learn about how the brain uses two very different learning modes and how it encapsulates (“chunks”) information. We’ll also cover illusions of learning, memory techniques, dealing with procrastination, and best practices shown by research to be most effective in helping you master tough subjects. Using these approaches, no matter what your skill levels in topics you would like to master, you can change your thinking and change your life. If you’re already an expert, this peep under the mental hood will give you ideas for turbocharging successful learning, including counter-intuitive test-taking tips and insights that will help you make the best use of your time on homework and problem sets. If you’re struggling, you’ll see a structured treasure trove of practical techniques that walk you through what you need to do to get on track. If you’ve ever wanted to become better at anything, this course will help serve as your guide. This course can be taken independent of, concurrent with, or prior to, its companion course, Mindshift. (Learning How to Learn is more learning-focused, and Mindshift is more career-focused.) A related course by the same instructors is Uncommon Sense Teaching. To join the fully translated Portuguese version of the course, visit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/aprender To join the fully translated Spanish version of the course, visit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/aprendiendo-a-aprender To join the fully translated Chinese version of the course, visit: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ruhe-xuexi To join the fully translated French version of the course, visit : http://www.coursera.org/learn/apprendre-comment-apprendre

Status: Self-Awareness
Status: Learning Strategies
BeginnerCourse16 hours

Featured reviews

SR

5.0Reviewed Jan 31, 2016

Inspriational! Well presented, interesting and useful. Everybody should take this course. Thank you to all those involved in developing this course. I'm already putting the teaching into practice.

BH

5.0Reviewed Nov 13, 2015

I found this course to be incredibly helpful. I am 33 and wish that I would have been taught a more efficient way of learning many years ago. There are definitely some great takeaways from this class.

AM

5.0Reviewed Oct 4, 2016

This is an amazing course. I would recommend that you take this course before doing any others in Coursera, it will give you a great foundation to take into any other subjects that you want to learn.

MT

5.0Reviewed Apr 12, 2026

This has helped me to formulate lessons for my students so that they can remember better, by using techniques such as metaphors and analogies, chunking using mnemonics, spaced repetition, and quizzes.

SR

5.0Reviewed Dec 20, 2015

An excellent course about the neuroscience of learning processes. Regardless of how well you might think you learn, this course is bound to add more knowledge and a better understanding of learning.

BK

5.0Reviewed Sep 23, 2016

Very useful. Explained how the brain - mind and memory - works, and showed techniques for learning more effectively. Wish I'd known about this stuff while I actually went to high-school and college!

EJ

5.0Reviewed Aug 25, 2023

This is course is so helpful it will debunk all the false beliefs and the wrong thing that you're doing in your life. It will also help you to understand your brain, that will make you a good learner.

RS

5.0Reviewed Sep 14, 2021

Lots of good material in this course. Loads of new concepts covered via entertaining videos. Extra reading for further education is very well documented. Well presented - thank you Barbara and team.

KG

5.0Reviewed Feb 3, 2016

I specially like the optional interviews. These learning case studies are quite insightful and you might just find a something that you can relate to, which might help in the grand scheme of things :)

BA

5.0Reviewed Nov 5, 2016

Amazing course, I learned a lot of new techniques for self motivation, and effecient learning. Now, I feel more confident to take further steps in improving and developing myself. Thank you so much :)

KM

5.0Reviewed Oct 6, 2015

Excellent course that really helped me focus on efficient study skills and pass these on to my school students. Thoroughly enjoyed the course content and the way in which is was structured.Thank you.

JS

5.0Reviewed Aug 13, 2017

I really appreciate the time these guys invested in this course and am willing to take it again if they re-explain some topics in order to refresh some things that with time haven't stayed in my mind.

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