About a month ago, my friend, Rick, K8BMA, turned me on to a program called Anki. Anki is an app for developing and studying “smart” flash cards. These aren’t traditional flash card that simply grill you on the questions and answers. Instead, Anki uses a technique called active recall testing. Anki will ask you a question from the question pool and then wait for an answer. Research has shown that active recall testing is far more effective at building strong memories than passive study. There are two reasons for this:
- The act of recalling something strengthens your memory, increasing the chances you will be able to remember it again.
- If you are unable to answer a question, it tells you that you need to return to the material to review or relearn it.
In addition to active recall testing, Anki uses a technique called spaced repetition. Every time you answer a question, you tell the program how easy or difficult you found the question. The program uses this feedback to decide the optimal time to show you the question again. Since a memory gets stronger each time you successfully recall it, the time between reviews gets longer and longer. When you’re just starting out, you may want to see certain questions more frequently in the future. As you learn the answers, you can tell Anki to ask those questions less frequently. This lets you concentrate on the questions that you’re difficult with.
And, if that wasn’t enough, each card contains an explanation taken directly from my No Nonsense General Class License Study Guide. This set includes a flash card for every question in the 2019 – 2023 question pool, and you can get it now for only $5.
flash cards online? or real hold in your hand cards? Available for Extra study?
> Flash cards online, or real hold in your hand cards?
Not online, but digital. You’ll have to use the Anki app. That’s what makes these different from a simple flash card deck.
> Available for Extra study?
Not yet, but I’m going to work on that. I’m going to make Tech flash cards first, then Extra.
Flash cards are good I guess for the Ham not really interested in learning anything. I was interested in learning when I studied for my Extra although the question pool does have some crazy questions, hi. But I guess best to get the license then do the learning about what your want.
There are many questions on the amateur radio exams that you can only get right by memorizing the answers. This is especially true of the Tech and General Class tests. This includes questions about the rules, operating practices, and terminology. I think that these flash cards help people learn those answers.
When I teach a class, I always emphasize that getting a license is really just getting a license to learn. I’m an Extra Class licensee and have been a ham for nearly 50 years, and I’m continually learning new things.