When it comes to studying, quite a few people reject the concept of memorization. They see it as a short-term shortcut and of little value, but the truth is that when applied correctly, the act of memorizing is very powerful. That leads us to the doorstep of a software called Anki. What does it do? It presents valuable and frequent information to the student through flash cards, cards that help you study and learn things quickly. From casual details to complete exams, everything is within your reach.
Memorization and Spaced Repetition
Let's be honest: Who hasn't tried to memorize an entire lesson five minutes before going to the front? It's definitely an "Anakin Skywalker moment", because at first you believe you're invincible, but you end up with your rear in flames (?). After the fire, there are always those who say that memorizing is bad, that it's "not studying". However, memorizing data is not a flawed technique, but rather it should be applied at the right time.
Thus we arrive at the concept of spaced repetition or spaced review. Spaced repetition is a technique that helps us learn a specific material by letting increasingly longer intervals of time pass between one session and another. The material is presented in the form of cards: if its content is easy to remember, the cards appear less frequently in our sessions. Otherwise, their repetition becomes much more 'aggressive'. If you are interested in this technique and want a software-based solution, all arrows point in the direction of Anki.
How to Study and Learn with Anki
The first thing we must understand about Anki is that it is a supplement, not a replacement. If you expect to find a sort of magic wildcard that solves all your difficulties in studying and learning, you will end up very disappointed. Spaced repetition helps to 'solidify' what we have learned, but if our previous process is deficient, Anki cannot fix that.
The basic operation of Anki is divided into two paths: you can create a custom deck from scratch, or use the shared decks feature online. The decks available in Spanish focus on language, and that reveals the type of material with which Anki shines: well-defined information that benefits from repetition. Vocabulary for learning a second language is the first example that comes to mind, but many English-speaking medical students swear by Anki's virtues due to its high level of standardization.
In contrast, the basic creation of cards and decks depends on how you want to organize yourself. Some users prefer a mega-deck full of cards while keeping a very intense pace. Others prefer to separate topics into dedicated decks for more focused learning.
Creating a basic card (question and answer) is a matter of a couple of clicks, but Anki enables a wide level of customization, such as changing colors or the possibility of inserting images and audio into cards. Anki will take care of presenting the card again in a minute if our answer is incorrect, or postponing its repetition for several days in case it is very easy for us.
In Summary
Anki is without a doubt one of the most flexible tools we have found to study and learn. From the potential of cards to support for add-ons, this software will allow you to memorize anything in a simple and consistent way. However... 'consistency' is the key word. Anki is not an assistant, and it doesn't take you by the hand. From a certain point of view, Anki is a canvas on which you must pour your learning style daily, but don't let that intimidate you. Give it a try!
