
                       SUPER-MEMO METHOD

                  SuperMemo World, Oct 4, 1991


The SuperMemo method may be used to optimize ALL forms of learning.
The present software implementations require the learned knowledge to
be represented in the textual form as a collection of question-answer
pairs.
This representation is sufficient to obtain spectacular results in domains
such as languages, sciences, medicine, economics, history, geography, etc.
The method is based on optimization of repetition scheduling, and it
uses algorithms that determine when and which pieces of knowledge are
to be repeated.
The method allows to increase the speed of learning 10-50 times as
compared to traditional methods.
For example, in case of foreign languages, the learner may reach the
extent of the vocabulary of a highly educated native speaker as soon
as in 12 months with the daily working time amounting to less than four
hours.
It may be demonstrated that this learning speed is close to the
maximum natural capacity of the human brain to form memories.
It is popularly claimed that the time necessary for learning is
proportional to the second power of the size of the learned material.
In SuperMemo, the learning speed is practically independent of the
amount of knowledge which is to be mastered.
In the lifetime perspective, if to neglect the effects of aging, the
learner will not observe any reduction of his capability to acquire
new knowledge by means of SuperMemo, despite the accumulation of
repetitions resulting from the previously learned material.
In SuperMemo, the problem of forgetting is practically nonexistent,
i.e., once learned knowledge is constantly maintained in the learner's
memory by means of sparcely spaced repetitions.
The trade-off between the knowledge acquisition rate and the level of
knowledge retention may be determined by the learner.
This makes it possible to increase the speed of learning at the cost of
the stability of memories, or to increase the knowledge retention (up to 99%)
at the cost of the rate of knowledge acquisition.

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       SUPER-MEMO WORLD
       P.O. Box 1
       Poznan 48
       POLAND
       Tel/Fax (48) 61 203157
       e-mail: JAM@BRAHMS.UDEL.EDU
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