The Feynman Learning Technique is one of my favorite learning methods. Simply put, it means: confirming whether you truly understand something by clearly explaining it to someone else or writing an easy-to-understand tutorial about it. It can be described as identifying and filling knowledge gaps through the process of teaching others.

Steps

The Feynman Learning Technique has 4 steps:

1. Identify the learning target

What concept, content, or topic do you want to learn?

2. Simulate teaching

Pretend you are a teacher facing someone who knows nothing about this field. Use your own words to explain things as concretely and vividly as possible. This kind of explanation helps you apply what you've learned, draw connections, and relate to real-life situations.

3. Review

Reflect on the problems encountered in step 2. Where did you get stuck? Where didn't the other person truly understand? Identify the crux of the problem and grasp the key points.

4. Simplify

Revisit the problematic areas, restructure your understanding, learn more background and related knowledge, then re-express things in the simplest way possible. Try to see through to the essence. Then return to step 2.

References:

The Feynman Learning Technique: Why Is It Called the Greatest Learning Method in History, and What Is Its Essence? (opens new window)

The Feynman Learning Technique (opens new window)