Chapter 7

A common theme in many of the learning strategies and memory techniques presented thus far is that success requires effort. Through that effort, the brain develops and improves in order to accomplish the required tasks.

​However people usually respond to difficulty in two ways, either as challenges to overcome, or as impossible barriers. These responses are known as mindsets (Brown, Roediger, & McDaniel, 2014). A person with a Growth mindset views challenges as obstacles to overcome, and thus applies greater effort to defeat them. A person with a Fixed mindset views challenges as impossible obstacles that can never be defeated, and fails to understand the point of continued effort (Brown et al., 2014).

​Why do these differences exist? Are these two mindsets inherited? Brown (2014) suggests that varying stimuli can produce these different mindsets. For example, students who are praised for their natural ability and talent often exhibit a Fixed mindset, and tend to remain in situations where they know they can excel. Students who are praised for their effort and hard work often exhibit a Growth mindset, and tend to work harder in order to continue their growth (Brown et al., 2014). Students who realized that their effort caused a desirable outcome, also realized that tougher challenges can also be defeated with even greater effort.

Chapter 8

Students continue to battle traditional methods of study that produce minimal results. This chapter recaps and provides examples of the techniques and topics presented in the previous chapters. Throughout the provided examples, it is worth noting that those who benefited from these learning techniques spanned a wide diversity of cultures and skills, and weren't only students in school settings.

The story of the medical student Michael Young is an extreme example of how Retrieval Practice and frequent quizzing literally saved his academic career. Brown (2014) relates how Michael faced enormous challenges due to the fact that he lacked the foundational training of his peers. The demands of medical school also quickly revealed the inadequate performance of his traditional study methods.

Utilizing Retrieval Practice techniques, Michael climbed from the bottom of the class up to the top with the high performers (Brown et al., 2014).

Can even automobile service centers benefit from these learning techniques? Not only does Jiffy Lube believe so, but has also proved it with their Jiffy Lube University (Brown et al., 2014). Incorporating frequent quizzing, spaced practice, and on-the-job training, technicians receive accredited instruction on servicing different aspects of the vehicles they encounter. These training courses cover the entire aspects of the business, from physically working on the vehicles to business management. Once completed, employees are able to enroll in colleges with seven credit hours already completed (Brown et al., 2014).