Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning - Book Review

I wanted to check out solid, researched material to aid in self-learning, and this book has been very valuable for that. It is based on solid research and is very well documented!

I loved this book and the practicality of it for use in the classroom. I’m excited to start using some of the strategies in it!

This book describes education methods and approaches that empirical studies show to be the most effective for students to learn, understand and retain knowledge and/or skills. I came to the conclusion that the methods and approaches espoused are really what might be termed traditional.

I think the book could be improved by better organization and clearer explanations.

While I have not given this book a high rating, I think the message of the book is important.

Good refresher and to emphasize the imploded how to retain.

Highly recommended for teachers and instructional designers. One of the best ones I've read in this field.

I like the straightforward and effective presentation of highly useful, simple, scientifically tested ways to truly learn. Time spent with this book then applied in life learning will be time well spent: It can improve any endeavor.

I reread (listened) to this book. I have perfect reading (not sure about listening) comprehension. I don't reread nonfiction. This one, I did.

It is a transformative book and it will change the way you think forever.

It helped me. I was going back to school to change careers in my late thirties and I was DEEPLY uninterested in investing the same time and effort that I did to break into my first field. I had 3 dying relatives and 3 jobs (2 part-time and 1 full-time). I NEEDED a better way to learn, and quickly!

This book helped. It changed how I studied and how I approached lectures. I am now in the second year of my new field. I could have done it without this book, but it would have been much MUCH harder.

I recommend, "Make It Stick," to anyone who needs new knowledge AND ALSO has to take a shower, feed the cat, order meal replacement shakes for Grandma and stamps for Grandpa, bring Dad new diapers and find his remote, start the laundry, get gas and be at work in 45 minutes.

I have been a teacher for 41 years. This is THE BEST BOOK on how to prepare your lessons and put students on the learning path no matter what their learning style or level of preparation.
I’ve been through all the training on how to reach students born in different eras. And the last fad, learning styles, was difficult to adapt teaching to because basically each student is different and you don’t have time to create all the necessary materials for each style.
MAKE IT STICK focuses on learning how to help the student learn to learn no matter what their learning style. If you are a teacher early in your career PLEASE absorb this book. You won’t regret it.

I'm roughly a third of the way through this book, and so far I'm really impressed; not just with the content, but also the way in which the material is presented. Each of the example stories thus far have what I would call a "shock factor," which I can only assume is being cleverly used as a learning tool to help "Make It Stick." For someone who typically doesn't retain specific details of a read, I've internalized several of the example stories up to this point: the neurosurgeon, pilot, football coach, and paratrooper.

This book consolidates (and then reconsolidates) some of the best learning techniques to date as far as my research goes and will be my learning bible for the foreseeable future.

This book brought me so much insight on my new journey for dental school. I learned how to learn again and I appreciated the different examples of learning in various careers or school. I think I will have this book in the back of my head every day for the rest of my life. Yeah, it was that good

Very well written book.

The book is very in-depth into the science of learning. It goes through much of the detail and cites relevant studies and examples to support their points.

Unfortunately, I was looking for a book that gave me the strategies for learning more effectively and was not expecting the book would be 95% examples and 5% lessons. If all you're looking for are the strategies, tips and insights, you're better off with a different book. If, however, you want to have some examples to cite if you're using this to teach others then this book is for you.

This is my second copy of the book. I rebought it because I sold the first one when I had not finished reading it. The techniques described in this book suit someone struggling with learning or taking long gaps between school sessions and looking to return to school. Since I do not fall into those two categories, I noticed I do practice most of the techniques mentioned in this book and so it did not help with my desired outcome which was to speed up my learning.

The book is someone's ideas without any a scientific reference.
The area is so mature. Get a book on what educators study.

The book I purchased for my son was damaged.

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel, is an accessible and lively treatment of leading contemporary ideas in learning, training, and education. It might be summed up by the idea, If it’s not work, you’re probably not learning. Despite the many efforts by many education-oriented companies to sell products to make learning fun and easy, real learning requires effort.

The general idea is that massed practice (repetition), re-reading texts, and reading notes do little to help the student learn. In place of these activities, the authors recommend such exercises as: frequent but spaced retrieval practices (such as quizzes) with feedback on wrong answers; interleaving of practice, with variation and time for reflection; use of discrimination (this but not that) and induction; peer teaching; simulation; structure building and distilling underlying principles; constructing memory cues and memory devices (like memory palaces). Some general guidance is that “effortful learning changes the brain” (p. 199) and that one should practice like one plays.

The authors liberally illustrate their text with examples and stories, which makes for lively reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone, education specialist and non-specialist alike, for a good summary of contemporary ideas on spaced, varied, interleaved retrieval practices in learning.

Pages inside are ok, but every other part of the book is in horrendous condition

This book helps a great deal in studying, especially for some of us older students

This was an assigned book for one of my college courses and usually I don’t do well with forced reading (even though I love reading). Something about being told to read makes the literature lose its lure for me… Anyways this book kept me in its grasp and attentive to all it had to offer. The authors did a fabulous job supporting their claims with research and real scenarios which made it easy to connect with. Not terribly challenging language in my opinion, quick and easy read about the psychology and neurological processes that surround learning.

This book is so great for really starting a new path of learning. It explains why they developed this style of learning and how to implement it. It's not a long book but it's a great book worth reading more than once. If you are looking to enhance your learning experience, then this is for you.

Recommend to all teachers and students

I am currently half way through the audio version of the book. I am listening to it as a graduate student. It is based on scientific research and is not simply a list of intuitive recommendations. Yet I have the following reservations:
1. In many cases, the author narrates very long stories about someone with no clear connection to the topic being discussed.
2. The author seems to be feminizing everything when talking about various careers and jobs, such as: cops, soldiers, teachers, doctors.. etc. He only says 'she'. I don't understand why doesn't he say 'he/she' or simply randomly say he or she.. why only 'she'.

If you're a student of any kinds, you should read this book!

This book change my thinking and understanding of learning. As a physician who learn all the time, using the right techniques and practice can change the consumption of learning material.

I recommend this book at an early age. Learning these strategies at an early age sets the stage for success later in life. The book is well written with stories that makes you want to continue reading. Highly recommended.