Your personal development coach

Learn From Any Resource

Tailor your learning strategies to the unique structures of your learning resources and experiences. You’ll be more efficient and effective – and enjoy your learning more.

Train yourself to recognize when you are using resources for learning. Then, in a just-in-time way, come to this app for tips to help you learn in a SMART way. If you want help concentrating, going for deeper learning, detecting bias and truth, there are other tips in this Mine for Gold app section to support you.

Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The scope and setting of the augmented reality experience
  • Specific kinds of situations where using it will be valuable
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Set up the AR so that it is ready to use when you need it. Sort out any technology or access problems before you use it in real life.
  • Try it in a few settings – train yourself to recognize situations where it can be helpful.
  • Call on it when you need it.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Author credentials and affiliations; date published
  • Abstract or summary
  • Conclusion/discussion section
  • First and last few paragraphs
  • First sentence or two of each section
  • Any visuals
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • It’s okay not to read everything.
  • Follow your questions … read in any order. Be a detective to uncover key ideas and support.
  • Stop periodically, look up, and tell yourself what you have learned.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • First paragraph or two (news articles go from most to least important information)
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Stop when you have enough information – articles are structured for quick skimming.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Writer’s credentials, background, expertise
  • The list of previous blogs – to help you see expertise and viewpoints
  • First and last paragraph or two
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Note: blogs are opinions – anyone can publish, whether They are knowledgeable or not! Be discerning.
  • Note the author’s biases and viewpoints.
  • If facts or statistics, wonder: “where did these come from?”

Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Copyright date, author background
  • Flip through for a sense of book content and design
  • Absorb the Table of Contents to get a good overview
  • Introduction, summary chapter
  • The index (scan for key terms)
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • After review of Table of Contents, tell yourself what the book is about and how you will read it
  • Imagine having a conversation with the author. Let your questions determine the order of your reading. You don’t have to read from front to back!
  • Consider reading “from the Index.” That is, read pages related to terms and ideas that interest you.
  • Periodically stop, look away, and recall key points.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The set up: know the key players, problem and case challenge
  • Historical and background information
  • The case question to answer (often at end)
  • Flip through to see what kind of information is in the case
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Before: Identify what you want to learn that relates to your work and life.
  • Have a detective’s mindset: you are solving a case.
  • Use the analytical material and models related to the case.
  • Imagine the story – see it in your mind’s eye.
  • Focus hard on debriefing – bring the lessons into your life.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Credentials, experience
  • References
  • Your own interview for fit
  • Your own needs and expectations
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Clarify your needs and initial goals – knowing the coach/mentor will help you refine them.
  • Interview first, then choose a coach or mentor you will trust and who will meet your needs.
  • Set specific learning and relationship goals; scope and timing.
  • Create a written contract (with a coach).
  • Have regular two-way. conversations/check-ins
  • Be a student – open to feedback – seek it out.
  • Be clear about when relationship ends. Appreciate and review.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The course outline – be clear about learning opportunities related to your needs
  • The credentials of the subject matter experts and teachers who designed and will lead the course
  • The agenda and learning resources and methods
  • The list of participants (they are resources, too)
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Do the prework.
  • Set your own learning goals.
  • Set up SMART Notes (in TOOLS)– starting with a vision and translating the content into “knowledge to remember, skills to develop, attitudes/beliefs to update, creative idea potentials.”
  • Refer to other parts of this tip section (Learn From Any Resource) to help you learn in a SMART way from specific course resources (e.g., reading or cases).
  • Take full responsibility for your learning – be a partner, not an observer. Take risks!
  • Learn from and help others learn throughout the program.
  • Use the Transfer to Life Guide (in Tools) to bring what you learn to life and work.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Menu of topics and time estimates; learning outcomes you can aspire to
  • Whether there are tests or assessments; certificates, badges
  • Any time limits or other requirements; how much control you have over pacing
  • Other participants and interaction possibilities
  • List of materials needed
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Set up your learning space (see tool: “/create an Environment for Learning”)
  • Set up your “SMART Notes
  • Schedule learning time on your calendar
  • Use the “Concentrate ” and the Learn to Last techniques (tools in this app)
  • Use tests as learning opportunities – even intentionally pick wrong answers to see the teaching points that occur when you make “mistakes.”
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Menu of topics and time estimates; learning outcomes you can aspire to
  • Whether there are tests or assessments; certificates
  • Any time limits or other requirements; how much control you have over pacing
  • Other participants and interaction possibilities
  • List of materials needed
  • Information about other participants
  • Information about the course designers and facilitators
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Start your search with “I wonder….”
  • Set up your learning space (see the tip: Create an Environment for Learning.
  • Set up your SMART Notes (in Tools) before the program starts.
  • Put learning time on your calendar.
  • Use the Concentrate tip and various Learn to Last tips in this section of the App.
  • Use tests as learning opportunities – even intentionally pick wrong answers if there is feedback for “mistakes.”
  • Be active – interact with others… use the chat function, have questions in mind.
  • If on your computer, set up a split screen for jotting while you interact with the program screens.
  • Have a learning partner during or around the program.
Look here first (“Overview!”)

Signs of expertise:

  • Meet the participants and discover their expertise and interests
  • Listen for key ideas to be covered
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Both share and learn.
  • Use the diversity in the group as a learning opportunity. Understand before .commenting. Restate what you hear to ensure clarity.
  • Summarize periodically to help you and the group check perceptions.
  • Keep active and engaged
  • Use the tip ,Concentrate, and the tips in the Learn to Last section of the App.
  • Do a quick recap of your learning at the end.
  • Throughout, take SMART Notes (in Tools) to help translate information for your use.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Notice when you are in an experience where learning is possible . It can happen any time!
  • Watch for moments when you want to emotionally react or defend your views. Ask yourself if there is a learning opportunity.
  • If in a deliberate development experience (a stretch or on-job assignment) identify the specific learning opportunities
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • If in a special learning assignment, get agreement about what you will learn and how.
  • Be curious about problems and apparent failures. Learn, don’t defend.
  • Look for deeper learning – the insights and methods that “experts” know and do. See the tips in Mine for Deeper Gold in this App.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Your own feelings and initial reactions as you look back
  • What you wish had happened
  • What did happen
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Have a learning vs. an evaluation mindset
  • Look back with others if you can
  • Refer to the Turn Past Experience into Learning tip in this App.
  • Create a new future vision for similar experiences in the future. Create a physical or mental Future Card (in Tools) to set up your conscious and unconscious self for maximum learning.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The expert’s experiences and credentials
  • The place or situation where you will meet
  • The best time to approach him or her for a few focused minutes or more
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Review the experts’ credentials and, if relevant, website.
  • Know what you want from the expert.
  • Ask for a few minutes – or an hour to meet. If possible, get on his/her schedule for an interview/conversation.
  • Share your future vision and ask for reaction; communicate what you are interested in learning.
  • Ask what the keys to success, important knowledge areas, current big challenges, best ways/sources for learning are.
  • Ask about most important learnings in his/her life.
  • Listen for deep understanding drawing on the tip, Mine for Deeper Gold
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The rules of play
  • Tutorials that help you get going
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Be clear: your main purpose is to learn. Secondarily, to win.
  • Envision yourself in your future with the knowledge/ skills/ attitudes the game will help you develop (use the Future Card (in Tools).
  • In early rounds – focus on learning the rules of play.
  • See mistakes as part of the learning experience – games help you learn by trial and error.
  • Pay special attention to feedback… try things to see their effects. PLAY!!!!!
  • Look back on the experience and clarify what you learned that applies to work and life. Use SMART Notes (in Tools) to help you summarize.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The introduction and overview statements and slides, “Here is what I will talk about…”
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Be clear about what you want to learn… set up SMART Notes (in Tools), including setting a brief guiding vision.
  • Prepare to learn. Turn off your phone and texting. Sit near the front and plan to focus.
  • Use the presenter’s list of topics as your initial thought outline .
  • Diagram the content – draw it – to help you keep focused, be creative. Use SMART Notes format to help you process the information for your needs.
  • Listen for deep learning. See the tip, How to Mine for Deeper Gold.
  • Formulate your own questions. Ask one or some of them.
  • Afterwards, mentally recap key points .
  • Tell someone else about what you learned
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The written description of focus and content
  • Speaker’s credentials
  • Recording date
  • Who the sponsors are and their biases
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Before listening, identify how the information may relate to your life and work
  • Be sure your equipment is ready for a good listening experience. Set up for learning, with no distractions. Turn off phone and texting.
  • Listen for key ideas, mentally or in writing, link details to them.
  • Stop the podcast from time to time to think/jot notes when relevant. Keep your mind connected and interacting with the ideas.
  • If you can, speed up the pace of playback (to no faster than 1.5x) on your device. Slow down for areas requiring more thought.
  • Create SMART Notes (in Tools) as a way of recalling what you learned.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The intended lessons from the role play
  • The role play introduction, characters, and situation
  • Timeframe for the role play
  • The specific instructions for your role
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Know what you want to learn.
  • Take time to understand and empathize with the role.
  • Decide what you want to practice. Role plays exist to help you practice something new.
  • Lobby for a role that will optimize your learning.
  • Have a learning not a performing mindset. Try things!
  • In the feedback stage, ask open ended questions for specific examples of what others saw. What worked and not. LEARN!
  • Be a supportive and encouraging partner to others who are also learning and experimenting.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • Your network – how diverse it is
  • Other network possibilities
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Continually align your networks with your current and future interests and needs.
  • Look for patterns of conversation and blogs for trends and new ideas to pursue.
  • Watch for biases and group-think in your groups – views that may tell only part of the story.
  • Notice biases in information. Learn to recognize common biasing tactics. The tip, Detect Bias and Truth in this app will help you do this.
  • Question the sources of information that people pass on. Only share what you know is factual and reliable.
  • Use your networks to crowdsource any search questions. See the tip, Find the Best Resources, in this App
  • Be a SMART contributor as well as participant. Help others be SMART learners by challenging or appreciating good information shares.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The team’s primary purpose
  • The team’s goal in this specific situation
  • Who is on the team; what expertise and resources they bring; what their learning needs and desires are.
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • See the Team Learning section in this App for a variety of tips to help you support better learning in any team.
  • Know that learning together offers many benefits of expanded knowledge, resources, networks – as well as learning support and synergies as you explore and learn together.
  • Focus on supporting others’ learning as well as your own.
  • See learning as a goal in ALL teams – including in work teams.
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The text overview or summary of the video
  • Check the length and whether there are video sections
  • The introductory remarks and overview within the video itself
  • The credentials and biases of the people or company producing and contributing to the video
  • The production date
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Spend some time searching for the best videos… draw on the tip, Find the Best Resources, for search advice.
  • Identify experts to follow; subscribe to their channels.
  • Keep an annotated list of videos you learned from: list them in your Daily SMART Inside Journal (in Tools).
  • Set up your equipment and environment for success (headphones, sound check, phone and distractions turned off.) Protect time on your calendar.
  • Pause the video from time to time to recall and review. Jot notes on SMART Notes template (in Tools). Record the time in the video where important information occurs.
  • Use faster and slower speeds to help you get what you need and move quickly through other parts.
  • Do a screen capture of any memorable visuals (be sure to respect any copyrights).
Look here first (“Overview!”)
  • The source, expertise, production date, and any biases and viewpoints
  • The intended learning from the experience
Additional Tips For SMART 4.0 Learning
  • Practice with the equipment to get used to being in a VR environment.
  • Know what you want to learn
  • Treat this as a learning experience; intend to accelerate your learning through a virtual experience
  • Try new things – it’s a chance to experiment.
  • Make your first experiences in VR short. Some people get dizzy initially. You need to acclimate to the new environment.
  • Debrief and recall what you learned. Take SMART Notes (in Tools) as a learning and recall aid.
  • Talk with others about insights and lessons.