A Hacker News user learns a topic first, then explains their own understanding to ChatGPT and asks whether it's right. They find it gives more useful answers than asking about the topic directly, and it'll point out the one part they've got wrong.
I've been learning about [TOPIC]. Here's my understanding in my own words: [YOUR EXPLANATION]. Tell me honestly whether this is correct. Point out anything I've got wrong or only half right, explain that part simply, and then ask me one question to check I understand it now.
Replace the [PLACEHOLDERS] with your own details before you send it.
How to try it
- Read or watch something on the topic first, then close it.
- Write or say your own explanation and ask ChatGPT to mark it rather than explain it from scratch.
- Fix the gaps it finds, then explain the whole thing again until it says you’ve got it.
More learning use cases
Turn your ‘read later’ pile into a short audio summary with NotebookLM
An XDA writer fed NotebookLM the links from about 30 old 'read later' bookmarks and generated an Audio Overview. The 15-minute discussion pulled out the key ideas and showed which three articles were worth reading properly.
These sources are articles I saved to read later about [TOPICS]. Group them by theme, give me the three or four big ideas they share, and tell me which [NUMBER] articles are most worth reading in full and why. Point out any that mostly repeat the others.
Revise for an exam from your own notes with NotebookLM
Preparing for an engineering physics exam, one student uploaded lecture notes, PDFs and study material to NotebookLM. Because answers were grounded in his own sources, he could ask for explanations, chapter summaries and practice questions, and trace answers back to his notes.
Using only my uploaded notes, explain [TOPIC] simply, then give me [NUMBER] exam-style questions on it, starting easy and getting harder. After I answer, mark my answers and point me to the part of my notes that explains anything I got wrong.
Practise speaking a language with ChatGPT’s voice mode
One learner uses ChatGPT's voice mode to practise Japanese: he picks a topic, has a conversation, and asks for more sophisticated vocabulary and idioms. He finds it works well at an advanced level.
Let's have a conversation in [LANGUAGE] about [TOPIC]. I'm at about [LEVEL] level. Speak at a natural pace. After every few exchanges, suggest more natural or sophisticated words and idioms I could have used, and correct one mistake.
Reference: Hacker News