Feymann's Learning Technique

Richard Feynman was an award-winning physicist, a storyteller, and most importantly, a teacher at heart. His contributions to quantum electrodynamics won him a Nobel Prize, One of his legacies lies in the way he approached learning and problem-solving. With a rare skill for simplifying complex ideas, he made even the most challenging theories easy to understand.

Feynman who has been sometimes called the great explainer had a unique philosophy: If you can't explain something in simple terms, you don't understand it. This belief shaped the way he learned, and taught, and eventually revolutionized how people approach learning.

Feynman’s method wasn’t something he consciously invented in a single moment but rather developed organically throughout his academic career. His approach became famous when he started teaching at Caltech. Feynman had a unique ability to make physics engaging, using humor, relatable examples, and intuitive explanations. His lectures, later compiled into The Feynman Lectures on Physics, became well known for their clarity and depth.

Steps in the Feynman Learning Method

The beauty of the Feynman Learning Method lies in its simplicity. It follows four straightforward steps that help learners to engage deeply with the learning material. Let's break down the steps:

Step 1: Choose a Concept and Study It

The first step is to pick a topic you want to understand. This could be anything; quantum mechanics, economic theories, a programming language, or even the rules of a new board game. Start by studying it using textbooks, lectures, or other reliable sources, but don’t just passively read or watch. Take notes in your own words, focus on key ideas, and try to understand what’s happening.

Step 2: Explain It in Simple Terms

Take what you’ve learned and pretend you’re teaching it to a complete beginner (someone with zero background in the subject). Ideally, you should write it out or say it aloud as if you’re explaining it to a child. Use plain language and simple analogies, and avoid jargon. If you find yourself relying on complex terminology without being able to simplify it, that’s a red flag, you don’t fully understand it yet.

Step 3: Identify Gaps and Go Back to the Source

As you try to explain the concept, you’ll inevitably hit roadblocks; moments where you realize you don’t quite get something as well as you thought. That’s a good thing. These gaps in understanding show you where you need to go back and review. Return to your notes, textbook, or other resources and clarify these weak points. Then, attempt to explain the concept again, but this time with a stronger grasp.

Step 4: Simplify and Create Analogies

Once you’ve filled in the gaps, refine your explanation even further. Make it as concise and clear as possible. The ultimate test is whether you can explain it in a way that anyone, even someone completely unfamiliar with the topic could grasp. Use everyday analogies, visual examples, and storytelling to reinforce your understanding.

Applying the Feynman Learning Method: High School Mathematics

Let’s say you’re trying to learn a complex topic: Compound interest. Instead of just memorizing the formula, let’s walk through how you’d apply the Feynman Learning Method to it.

Step 1: Study the Concept

You start by reading about compound interest. You learn that it’s the process where interest is earned not just on the initial amount of money you invest (the principal), but also on the interest that accumulates over time. The basic formula is:

\( \text{A} = \text{P} \left(1 + \frac{r}{n} \right)^{nt} \)

Where:

• A is the final amount
• P is the principal (starting amount)
• r is the annual interest rate
• n is the number of times interest is compounded per year
• t is the number of years

At first glance, the formula seems technical, but the key takeaway is that money grows faster when interest is compounded frequently.

Step 2: Explain It in Simple Terms

Now, you try explaining it in everyday language:

"Imagine you put $1,000 in a savings account that earns 5% interest per year. If the bank only adds interest once a year, you’d have $1,050 after the first year. But if interest is added more often; say, every month, you start earning interest on the extra money sooner, which makes your total grow faster. Over time, this snowball effect can turn a small investment into a much larger sum."

At this point, you realize you understand the general idea, but what happens if you compound daily versus monthly? Would it make a big difference? That leads you to the next step.

Step 3: Identify Gaps and Revisit the Material

You decide to test different scenarios with a calculator. You find that daily compounding makes a small but noticeable difference compared to monthly compounding. You also realize that time plays a huge role; someone who invests early will earn much more over decades than someone who starts later, even if they invest the same amount.

Now you refine your understanding: "Compound interest is like a snowball rolling down a hill, the earlier you start, the bigger it gets."

Step 4: Simplify and Use an Analogy

To make the concept even clearer, you create an analogy:

"Think of compound interest like planting an apple tree. At first, you have one tree (your principal). After a while, the tree grows apples (interest). If you eat the apples, nothing changes. But if you plant the seeds from those apples (reinvesting the interest), you’ll soon have more trees growing apples. The more often you plant the seeds, the faster your orchard grows."

This simple example shows how the Feynman Learning Method can take complex topics/ideologies break them down, test them, and explain them in ways that make sense to anyone.

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References

Adeoye, M. A. (2023). From struggle to success: The Feynman Techniques' revolutionary impact on slow learners. Thinking Skills and Creativity Journal.

Harahap, A. R. (2020). An alternative method of online learning using the Feynman Technique.

Qi, H., Kui, X., Zhong, P., & Xiong, S. (2021). Study on the application of learner’s output-oriented Feynman-Five-Energy method in computer teaching. 2021 16th International Conference on Computer Science & Education (ICCSE), 292-295.

Reyes, E., Blanco, R. M. F., Doroon, D. R., Limana, J. L., & Torcende, A. M. (2021). Feynman Technique as a heutagogical learning strategy for independent and remote learning. Recoletos Multidisciplinary Research Journal.

Strategies for applying Feynman Learning Method in mathematics. Creative Education Studies (2022).