Problems studying

[VK5KKS]

From time to time I hear folks on the radio lamenting the fact they are finding it hard to study in order to upgrade their license (or get a license). It is a fact that study itself is a skill that has to be learnt. Some of us haven't studied since high school. I have come to the conclusion that a lot of people when trying to study just sit and read the theory when they feel inclined and do little more.
To study successfully you need to establish a time and place to study where you won't be disturbed for (say) 30 mins. You also need to do more than read. You need to take notes, use a calculator and do the math. If you have basic gear like a multimeter and a handful of components then build simple circuits, take some measurements and then compare them with your calculations. Study is more than reading, it's doing. Another way to improve study is to study in small groups, say three or four. Also, turn 'dead time' into study time. 30 minutes on the bus is a good time to pull out the notes and have a read, or while sitting in the waiting room at the doctors. Since the 70s I have been continually studying, electronics, computing, aviation and physics. It does get harder as we get older but the more you do it, the easier it gets.