Soul Theory

Revision of a subject, topic, or lesson takes a shorter time than the time taken for the previous revision.

Revision level zero is assigned to the first time we learn a subject, topic, or lesson, and revision level one is the first time we revise that same subject, topic or lesson. The law of revision implies that revision level one is completed within a shorter time than the time taken to complete revision level zero. The law of revision also implies that the time taken to complete revision level two will be shorter than the time taken to complete revision level one. In general the time taken to complete revision level n+1 shall be shorter than the time taken to complete revision level n.

The law of revision may be observed during a school term when subjects taught during the term are revised over shorter periods of time by the students before taking the end of term examinations. Repeated revisions results in better understanding of the subject and also results in better retention or memorization of the subject content. This same phenomenon is observed when people are rehearsing or practicing as they perform better at each subsequent stage. It goes with the saying, “Practice makes Perfect”. Actors and musicians are always rehearsing and practicing in order to achieve the level of perfection required to perform on stage. Thanks to the law of revision we can eventually excel at whatever we may choose to do.

From the end of one revision to the start of the next revision, a period called the revision gap, it is also observed that we tend to forget more about the subject, topic, or lesson, as this revision gap increases. At short revision gaps the law of revision holds but at longer revision gaps, as we tend to forget, the time taken to complete revision level n+1 could be longer than the time taken to complete revision level n, but not as long as the time taken to complete revision level zero, when learning was done for the first time. At longer revision gaps the time taken to complete revision level n+1 could be equal to the time taken to complete revision level n-x, where x is greater than zero but less than n.

The law of revision may also be restated as: “The time taken to learn or revise a subject, topic, or lesson is a measure of one’s revision level in that subject, topic or lesson”. A student who joins a class close to the end of the term, might not even be able to complete revision level zero before taking the end of term examination, and will most probably not do very well. During this same period other students may be able to complete 2 or 3 higher levels of revisions.

Time taken to complete a revision level is also a measure of the speed at which the material under study is being understood. In a class, students at higher revision levels will understand faster than students at lower revision levels. A good teacher who is attending a refresher course in the same class as others who are learning the subject for the first time will understand the material under study much faster than the others. Fast learners in a class may therefore be considered as being at higher levels of revision compared to the colleagues in the same class who are learning at a slower pace. The law of revision may therefore be restated as: “Rate of learning is high at higher revision levels and low at lower revision levels”

All things being equal, the law of revision states: “Revision of a subject, topic, or lesson takes a shorter time than the time taken for the previous revision; The time taken to learn or revise a subject, topic, or lesson is a measure of one’s revision level in that subject, topic or lesson; Rate of learning is high at higher revision levels and low at lower revision levels”.

When this law is applied to a class of students, where students are observed to be learning at different rates, then it can be concluded that the students are not at the same revision levels but are at different revision levels. If it is the first time that all the students are being exposed to that subject, topic, or lesson, why will the students have different revision levels? This is the case of having different degrees of bright or talented students in a class. We operate at varying revision levels based on the revisions levels accomplished in the past and the measure of the last revision gap. How can one be operating at a higher revision level if he or she is learning the subject, topic or lesson for the first time? Stay tuned.