How to speed up your learning?

In order to expand my testing knowledge, I read materials that I receive through my rss feed. First problem is that I am overwhelmed with amount of worth reading materials. There is no time to read it all.

So I started to look for tools that could help me to read and comprehend that material in faster way. I first read a book “How to read a book” by M.J. Adler and C. Van Doren that was recommended to me by Markus Gartner as part of BBST Test Design assignment feedback. This book will teach you how to effectively and faster learn from a book.

Second tool in my arsenal is Chrome extension, Read Fast. I had to use it for some time, before I was able to decide which settings work best for me. My settings are 250 words per minute and diamond visual mode. As I was using tool, my reading concentration was improving. I also do not select whole material at once, I split it in chunks of 1000 words (tool has word counter).

As I am regularly using OsX, last tool in my arsenal is integrated text to speech. I am using it to listen my writings (this blog) in order to proofread it and for listening instead of reading blog posts. OsX text to speech has intonation feature, and I am very impressed of its quality.

Pick your tool, but as as with all skills, you need to practice speed reading and comprehending craft.