Deliberate Practice (DP)

Deliberate Practice (What)

Deliberate Practice (DP) is a method for learning that can be defined by its rewards and by the actions that make up the method.

DP is based on the scientific research of Anders Ericsson and his colleagues.

Some of the rewards of DP are

  1. You become competent with each thing you learn.
  2. Learning is super enjoyable; basically addictive.
  3. Learning is done with the fewest drawbacks: cost, time, stress, frustration, hassles, and so on.

The methods of DP involve learning by doing systematic and distributed repetitions that are imbued with a set of empowering fundamentals: high-quality information, imitation, feedback, reflective thinking, rewards, analysis, enriched environment, and so on.

Rationale for DP

Here are some reasons why you might want to consider learning with the DP method.

  1. You become competent with each thing you learn.

  2. You can learn anything you want. You feel powerful.

  3. DP works in any context: university, job, home, sport, and so on.

  4. Learning is super enjoyable; basically addictive.

  5. You get to learn by doing things in the real world.

  6. Learning is done with the fewest drawbacks: cost, time, effort, hassles, stress, and so on.

  7. DP is also a method for teaching that allows your students to reap the rewards associated with DP.

  8. DP is also a method for getting things done and driving up quality. It is far more than a method for learning.

  9. DP is natural and super simple because it is based on how the brain works. There is no way to learn that is easier to do.

Here are some concerns about DP.

  1. DP is uncommon. There are not many mentors or role models.

  2. DP is radically different from present methods of learning and teaching; although on the surface, it looks the same.

  3. For most of us, DP is a sea change, meaning a profound transformation in how we experience the world. Thus, it takes a lot of calendar time to change from traditional learning to DP.

DP (How To)

Principles

  1. All learning involves changes in the brain. The brain is plastic, not fixed. These brain changes are caused by one or repetitions of meaningful experiences.

  2. There are no upper limits on what people can learn and accomplish.

  3. Learning is profoundly influenced by the learner’s internal and external environment.

Framework

Learn and teach anything and everything by using systematic and distributed repetitions.

A repetition is doing something again and again. Examples: Swinging a golf club over and over. Practicing writing clear prose over and over. Practicing explaining Newton’s laws of motion over and over.

Structure and imbue these repetitions with these elements (essential parts): imitation, rewards, research (good information), feedback, growth via reflective thinking (RT), learning-by-doing, analysis (breaking into parts), and enriched environment.

Tips

  1. Start learning DP today. That is, learn the method by applying it to things that you want to or need to learn.

Why DP Works

DP works because all learning involves physical changes in the brain cells. In particular, neurons grow and connect through the process called neuroplasticity. Neuron growth itself is caused by repetitions of experiences.

DP itself is simply a description of how to effectively learn through repetitions.

DP was discovered by studying expert performers in many fields and searching for the reasons why these people excelled. Anders Ericsson et al. determined that they all learned using the same method and concluded that this method, called Deliberate Practice, is what causes people to get unusually great results.