This is the Most Dangerous Mistake you can Make during Learning
The paper was still blank. Staring at it my hand was eager for action holding a newly bought Trimax gel pen, but my mind went blank as that paper.
A pin-drop silence in the hall, followed by the suspicious gaze of the supervisor. Everyone was busy solving physics paper with serious looks in their eyes.
But this ’20 marks question’ was still bothering me. If I can solve it, no one can stop me from passing.
It was not that tough. I solved it before. The most stressful part was my failure to remember the initial formula required to solve it. That first step of the ladder from where the solution started.
Our physics teacher taught that question 4 weeks ago before the exam. Everyone knew that this question has a high probability to appear in the midterm exam.
I have practised it before, yet I was not remembering that one formula essential to solve the problem.
During our learning phase, some parts we don’t understand. or we missed that part due to various reasons. You missed the lecture, or you were sick, or you were not in the mood or daydreaming. Maybe not paying attention, or you were there but not there. That missed part is your “Knowledge Hole”.
If this Knowledge Hole is not cleared, we have trouble understanding further parts in our learning phase. If we tend not to clear previous doubts, Knowledge Holes becomes bigger.
We often don’t attempt to clear them. Due to guilt, or shame of what the teacher will think of me, my colleagues will call me a loser, or they will think I’m trying to stand out, or you may simply be… Lazy. Many reasons.
While teacher was teaching the topic, related to that ‘bothersome question’, I bunked 3 classes. Of course to watch new episodes of Game of Thrones. But I was confident. I will catch up someday. Although that day never came.
During lectures when doubt arose, I dared not to ask. Why? Natasha will think I am dumb. I am not dumb… Extra classes? They are for nerds. To hell with them. I am an interesting person. Cool people know everything. They have no doubts.
Result? A big Knowledge Hole.
Knowledge Holes hampers our learning. As we try to avoid them along with the subject, we can come to hate that subject. Imagine a budding scientist who can make a potential breakthrough in science, changing the history of mankind. But he came to hate science, just because he didn’t clear his knowledge hole. A beautiful flower got killed before it bloomed.
So what’s the solution?
Simple…
Ask Questions! more and more of them. Ask for clarifications if you don’t understand any point. Get the doubts cleared ASAP and kill the knowledge holes before they become a big headache. Someone may laugh at you for asking silly questions, but in the end, you will laugh louder.
Bury the Knowledge Hole before it gets bigger.
