How to start learning what you want to know?

[DelusiveNinja]

So I've learned about my personality now I want to know how I go about knowing or learning a course or subject and how the process of learning a subject or course has something to do with Ne or Ni. (given I might be an INTJ)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles

There are test that figure out how we learn and give a small amount of advice about how to use how we learn to learn. I wish to hear opinions on the efficiency of the test and the best way to go about learning, seeing that so many people view the educational system as inefficient or a waste of time.

@Architect said he recommends that all INTPs get a solid background in math before becoming the age 18. How????? I think I understand why and I am willing to spend my time doing such. This has been boggling me for some days now. I am going to college and plan on majoring in some field of engineering, which I hear is math heavy.

How would you or should I go about learning or making sure I am solid in the subjects math, language, science, programming, psychology, philosophy.

Do I just:
Read books
Watch online lectures
Go on Wikipedia (for mostly philosophy, english, psychology info)
Practice or do homework
or waste time in school?

What to DO??

 

[DelusiveNinja]

 

[DelusiveNinja]

This picture is kicking my ***.

http://www.gocomics.com/jumpstart/2006/10/13
http://www.gocomics.com/jumpstart/2006/10/14

 

[DelusiveNinja]

Sweet I answered my own question I think......
Basically, It would be best for someone like me an assimilative learner, as I have typed my self, to engage in two types of environments (symbolic learning environment, or perceptual learning environment). I derived this information from here: http://www.sicet.org/journals/ijttl/issue0501/Richmond.Vol1.Iss1.pp45-54.pdf

I think this pdf provides so useful information especially the chart on page 49.
If anyone reads this, which I doubt, and knows of anything similar it would be awesome if you could post it here.

 

[UfarkTheRipe]

If you learn how to learn then you can learn anything. Mostly my method is the same as your list.

I usually need one little fact about a subject to have the aha moment the reveals the mysteries of that subject and all the other facts I learn thereafter fall into place.

 

[Magus]

Coursera and MIT Open Courseware are your friends.

Even if you are a massive autodidact, then some structure in your self learning will still help. I went nowhere for a bit because I would just read bits of economics/whatever here and there, without it adding up to a comprehensive understanding of given topics. You might not want to follow along with the Coursra homework and things like that but websites like it (especially MITs one) are great for nothing else than they give you a broad syllabus on any given topic (as well as telling you some of the best references) so you can go learn it yourself.

Pick introduction courses/course outlines to things like psychology/economics whatever and actually systematically go though them until you know it is something you want to follow, if not leave it there, knowing the ABCs of social psychology. You can do an intro to programming course, but to actually 'get good' you're going to have to pick ONE language to start with and actually learn it thoroughly. Something like programming and mathematics (probably engineering too, but I don't know much about that) are more 'hands on' in the sense you can't just read about it, you have to set puzzles/projects to become competent. Dabbling is fine if its just a hobby, but if you actually want to get something out of learning things on your own you have to build up a little discipline.

Some advice I find works well is do a bit of several things. I am ATM focusing on political philosophy (bit of economics/history), learning a language and chess strategy. I spend about an hour each day. Some people might just like physics and would be happy spending every waking second on that but I couldn't do that. If you have a few interests concurrently you can switch between them throughout the week without stressing out. E.g. reading philosophy on weekends, playing chess against computers in the morning w/e floats your boat. Set yourself goals, work through things.

 

[Valentas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrNqSLPaZLc

This stuff ownz. It is so easy to spot what you don't know because when you write and explain everything on paper, you are not only forced to think clearly but also express yourself on paper.

Also when everything is written you can check out what you don't know by consulting textbook or something. Also, when you don't know something, you immediately know what it is because you cannot explain on paper and there is a clear gap which needs to be fixed.