August 20, 2012 February 7th, 2017 GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS WELLNESS Niloofar’s Wellness Tip The Best Way to Learn Anything: The Feynman Technique There are only four short steps to implementing the Feynman Technique. Step 1: Choose a Concept Now this can be anything from gravity to world history. It works for everything. Now take out a blank sheet of paper and write the subject you want to learn at the top. Step 2: Teach It Write out everything you know about the subject as if you were teaching it to someone else. Not your smart friend but rather a toddler. This may sound silly but this part is incredibly important and has worked wonders for me learning new things. When I used to learn new subjects I would explain them with complicated vocabulary and jargon. The problem with this approach is that I was fooling myself. I didn’t know that I didn’t understand. And often, because I was using the right vocabulary, my lack of understanding was obscured from my teachers. When you write out the idea from start to finish in simple language that a toddler can understand (tip: use only the most common words) you force yourself to understand the concept and you get a clear understanding of where you might have some gaps.
Transcript
August 20, 2012
February 7th, 2017
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
WELLNESS
Niloofar’s Wellness Tip
The Best Way to Learn Anything: The Feynman Technique
There are only four short steps to implementing the Feynman Technique.
Step 1: Choose a Concept
Now this can be anything from gravity to world history. It works for everything. Now take out
a blank sheet of paper and write the subject you want to learn at the top.
Step 2: Teach It
Write out everything you know about the subject as if you were teaching it to someone else.
Not your smart friend but rather a toddler. This may sound silly but this part is incredibly
important and has worked wonders for me learning new things.
When I used to learn new subjects I would explain them with complicated vocabulary and
jargon. The problem with this approach is that I was fooling myself. I didn’t know that I
didn’t understand. And often, because I was using the right vocabulary, my lack of
understanding was obscured from my teachers.
When you write out the idea from start to finish in simple language that a toddler can
understand (tip: use only the most common words) you force yourself to understand the
concept and you get a clear understanding of where you might have some gaps.
Step 3: Go Back
In step two you will inevitably encounter gaps in your knowledge where you’re forgetting
something important, not able to explain it, or simply have trouble connecting an important
concept. This is valuable feedback and where the learning starts to happen. When you get
stuck go back to the source material and re-learn it. For example, if you’ve got a biology
test coming up and you’re having problems explaining evolution in simple terms, open up
the biology book and start re-reading the section on evolution. Now close the book, take out
a new blank piece of paper and explain the sub-idea (in this case evolution) that you were
having problems with using the Feynman Technique. Once you can do that return to your
original sheet of paper and continue.
Step 4: Review and Simplify
Now you have a set of hand-crafted notes. Review them to make sure you didn’t borrow
any of the jargon from the source material. Read them out loud. If the explanation isn’t
simple or sounds confusing that’s a good indication that you’re understanding in that area
needs some work. Also try creating analogies.
***
Not only is this a wonderful recipe for learning but it’s also a window into a different way of
thinking that allows you to tear ideas apart and reconstruct them from the ground up. (Elon
Musk calls this thinking from first principles.) This leads to a much deeper understanding of
the ideas and concepts. Importantly, approaching problems in this way allows you to
understand when others don’t know what they are talking about.
Feynman’s approach intuitively believes that intelligence is a process of growth, which
dovetails nicely with the work of Carol Dweck, who beautifully describes the difference
between a fixed and growth mindset. Source: https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2012/04/learn-anything-faster-with-the-feynman-technique/?_ke=YmtoYXBweWZyaWRheUB5YWhvby5jb20%3D
Things to do in KC This Week
Things to Do in KC This Week (Compiled from around the web. These are not UMKC sponsored or sanctioned events)
Live, Work, Play: Social Determinants of Health: Tuesday, February 7th. 5:30PM-8:00PM. UMKC Pierson Auditorium. Conditions in places where people live, work and play affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes. These conditions are known as social determinants of health and differences in health are striking in communities with poor social determinants of health. A panel of experts will discuss these conditions and the policies and programs for addressing them. Featuring:
Dr. Camara Jones, Immediate Past President, American Public Health Association and Senior Fellow, Satcher Health Leadership Institute and Cardiovascular Research Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine Melissa Robinson, CEO, Black Health Care Coalition David Slusky, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, The University of Kansas Ann Marie Marciarille, JD, Professor of Law University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law Moderated by Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FAAN, Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, V. Fred Burry, MD and Sandra Hobart Burry Chair in Nursing Advocacy and Leadership, Children's Mercy Hospital $15 student | $25 single | $45 couple | Members entitled to complimentary ticket(s) https://www.facebook.com/events/1870041706561646/ YFA Second Friday Happy Hour at the Nelson: Friday, February 10th. 6PM-8PM. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Join us for the YFA Second Friday Happy Hour inspired by the beautiful RICHARD LEAROYD: IN THE STUDIO photography exhibit with community partners BARRE from the Kansas City Ballet. We're moving the event to Noguchi Court which just so happens to be next to the exhibit. You know the drill. Small bites and cocktails will be served. Drinks are $7 for non-members and $5 for members. Become a member of the Nelson-Atkins at the happy hour and you will be entered for a chance to win a 3 month wine club membership to Cooper’s Hawk! https://www.facebook.com/events/1801442550179417/ Afentra’s VD Party (FREE!): Friday, February 10th. 8PM-11PM. 96.5 The Buzz Presents Afentra's VD Party 2017 K.Flay LOLO Paper Route Dreamgirl FREE SHOW | 18+ 6:30pm Doors | 8:00pm Show Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland https://www.facebook.com/events/364634543915220/
For more events, visit Ink Magazine’s online, searchable calendar: http://calendar.inkkc.com/ and Kansas City on the Cheap: www.kansascityonthecheap.com (which also has great deals and coupons!)
SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarship Thomas W. Loeb, MD Scholarship Eligibility: This scholarship award is available to students with a physical or a learning disability.
Amount: $2,000: The award which will be distributed among three students; there will be one award of $1,000 and two awards of $500. Requirements: Students will be requested to create a graphic on the subject of self-esteem; the requirements for the graphic will be provided upon submission of the application request. To Apply: Students must apply through the website, at http://thomasloebmd.com. There is one section on the homepage (scroll down) titled “Thomas Loeb, MD Scholarship;” students may contact us via this portal to apply. Upon receiving their request we will send qualified applicants a Scholarship Application Form and confirmation email with all the details and information necessary to apply for the scholarship awards.
Scholarship Concussion Awareness Scholarship Amount: $1,000 Eligibility: ANY graduate or undergraduate student (future or current) <u>that has been accepted or attends</u> a community college, technical/trade college, or university may apply. Application: http://www.thepassrusher.com/concussionawareness.html Contact Robin Patterson at [email protected] with questions.
Scholarship National Medical Fellowships Amount: Not to exceed $5,000 Deadline: NA Eligibility: 5th or 6th year underrepresented minority students who need financial assistance and have exhausted all other options. Application: Send a short paragraph to [email protected] that describes your immediate, extreme financial need, and your reason for application to the NMF Emergency Scholarship Fund.
Scholarship Friends of the Library Applications are now being accepted for our UMKC Friends of the Library $1,000 student scholarship. Here is the link to the posting describing the contest: http://library.umkc.edu/blog/news-blog/node/253. This scholarship is available to any current UMKC student with a minimum 3.0 GPA, and currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree seeking program. The winner will be selected based on their written response to the following question: With the rapid proliferation of so many alternative information sources, what role must the University Libraries play in higher, continuing, and community education? *To apply, please submit the following to [email protected] - Deadline for entry is Friday, March 24th, 2017
Your name, student ID, e-mail address, and phone number
Please indicate your degree being sought, department, and expected graduation date
500-1000 word original point-of-view writing piece addressing the above question For more information, please call 816-235-5828 or email [email protected]
Scholarship Laser Spine Institute Eligibility: Years 1-5 are eligible to apply and must have a 3.5 GPA Amount: $1,500 Deadline: June 15, 2017 Application: https://www.laserspineinstitute.com/scholarships/
OPPORTUNITIES
Student Research Inquiry – Correct Form Link
Student Research Inquiry – Correct Form Link Students who are interested in research are encouraged to submit a student inquiry form to the Office of Research. The Office of Research website, http://med.umkc.edu/ora/student_overview, has a lot of information about student endeavors and opportunities. Students who wish to inquire about becoming involved in a project can access the Student Research Information Form at http://med.umkc.edu/docs/research/Student_Research_Information_Form.pdf. This is a correct link for inquiry, updated from information that some of you may have erroneously received about the former form.
Student Research Opportunities
Student Research Opportunities and Fellowships Opportunities are posted on the Student Research Webpage http://med.umkc.edu/ora/external_opportunities/ http://med.umkc.edu/ora/umkc-affiliate-hospital-opportunities/ Please contact Drs. Wacker, Dall, or Molteni or send an email to UMKC SOM Research ([email protected]) with additional questions.
HSSRS date: April 26, 2017 from 3-5PM in the Student Union, room 401 SOM student presentations will be evaluated by a team of SOM faculty judges.
The SOM abstract submissions portal is open and can be found at this link: http://info.umkc.edu/hssrs/ Abstracts should be submitted via the online portal.
SOM poster template is online at: http://med.umkc.edu/student-research/hssrs/ Posters should be submitted via email to: [email protected]
SOM Abstract and poster submissions are due March 17, 2017
Sign up times for presentation practice with Dr. Hickman will be announced in early 2017.
Between March 18 - April 13, students will be scheduled to meet with Dr. Foxworth to review the layout of their HSSRS posters.
Volunteer at Harvesters
HOSPITAL HILL VOLUNTEERS AT HARVESTERS The School of Dentistry and the Hospital Hill Student Leadership Committee have organized an opportunity for Hospital Hill students to help out at Harvesters. Come out for a good cause and get to know some of your fellow students on the Hill. The event will take place on February 15th from 6-8 PM. We will be sorting canned foods and goods for those who are less fortunate. Harvesters is located at 3801 Topping Ave., Kansas City, MO 64129. Please RSVP at the link below by February 14th if you will be able to volunteer. We unfortunately have only 30 spots available, on a first come-first serve basis, so please RSVP as soon as possible. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T67HBH8
2) If the announcement is a text only announcement, please include it in the body of your email. Please use black font only and include a title for your announcement
such as “Emergency Medicine Interest Group”.
3) If an announcement includes incorrect information (such as an incorrect date or time), and that week’s In the Know has already been sent out, a revision for your specific announcement will not be sent out to the school. The only time a correction email
will be sent out is if the error is on the part of Student Affairs (mistyped or forgot to include an announcement).
Submissions which do not meet the requirements will be returned to sender
requesting the appropriate edits. The announcement may then be resubmitted to [email protected] for inclusion in the In the Know.
4) To be included in the following Monday’s “In the Know”, announcements must be
submitted by 5PM the prior Thursday.
To submit information for the next Student Affairs Weekly Announcement, send an email to Megan Reed at [email protected].
