A note on part-time Housing Studies students' learning with reference to how Leonardo da Vinci learn himself (without school).

A note on part-time Housing Studies students' learning with reference to how Leonardo da Vinci learns himself (without school) (information from perplexity.ai)

My question: "Highlight the contemporary part-time Undergraduate Housing Studies students could do their study more effectively with reference to how Leonardo da Vinci learn himself (without school)."

The reply: "Part-time undergraduate Housing Studies students in Hong Kong, often balancing work with evening classes on topics like property management and urban policy, can boost effectiveness by adopting Leonardo da Vinci's self-directed learning principles. Da Vinci, without formal schooling due to his illegitimate birth, mastered fields through relentless observation, experimentation, and note-taking.

Da Vinci's Core Methods

Da Vinci emphasized direct observation of nature, such as dissecting cadavers for anatomy or studying water flow, testing hypotheses against real-world evidence rather than relying on texts alone. He filled over 13,000 notebook pages with sketches, questions, and revisions, revisiting ideas iteratively. Self-teaching languages like Latin in his 40s via deep book analysis further showed his interdisciplinary curiosity.​

Observation in Housing Studies

Visit Hong Kong public housing estates like Fanling or analyze urban sites firsthand to grasp policy impacts, mirroring Da Vinci's nature-watching for physics insights. Sketch floor plans or photograph overcrowding issues during site visits, then hypothesize solutions like sustainable designs and test via simple models.

Note-Taking Systems

Maintain a digital notebook (e.g., Notion or Google Docs, fitting your tech preferences) for Housing Studies notes, including diagrams of housing layouts, policy critiques, and investment angles like property yields. Record questions like "How does North District density affect affordability?" and revisit weekly, just as Da Vinci circled back to refine ideas.​​

Experimentation and Reading

Build prototypes of housing models using affordable materials to experiment with space efficiency, akin to Da Vinci's engineering sketches. Deep-dive into key texts like Vitruvius on architecture while note-taking, applying to Hong Kong contexts such as hostel shortages. Use Pomodoro for focused sessions amid part-time demands."

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.