# Chunking --- **Chunking** is a concept related to [[learning]] where different pieces of information are connected to each other through meaning or use. A single chunk cna be small, with only a few concepts, or they can be very large and complex, and still neruologically count as "one" chunk. Chunks are essentially a network of [[neurons]] int he brain that are used to fireing together, like different people singing in the same choir. Chunks are an intrigal part of becoming an expert at something, as the small chunks become larger and larger. Once you have formed a chunk—be it an idea, concept or action—you don't need to remember all the fine details because you have got the main idea, or chunk. The best chunks are the ones that are so well ingrained that you don't even have to consciously think about connecting together. ## Building Chunks Chunks are **built little by little**, over time and through repitition. At first, thinking about all the pieces take up *all four spots* of your [[memory#Working Memory|working memory]], but as you chunk it up it takes up less space, until you only need to spend one working memory slot on it. In this way, a larger amount of raw information can fit into your working memory at once. ### Step 1: Understanding The important first step of chunking is gaining a basic understanding—a gist—of the concept or idea or movement your are learning. Skip this step at your peril, because even though you can make the chunk, it will be like a circle puzzle piece—hard to fit into the big picture. On the other side of same token, understanding alone is not sufficient...seeing a painting and understanding it's composition, form, and color does not mean you can recreate it. ### Step 2: Context Now that you *understand* the concept, it's time to learn how it *connects* to other areas. It's important to learn *when* to use it, and equally important to learn when *not* to use it. You need to braoden the networks of neurons that are connected to your chunk, so that it's not only firmly entrenched, but also accessable from multiple angles. ### Connecting Chunks: Transfer **Transfer** is when you relate different chunks together, even from unrelated fields, in a way that helps you gain a better understanding ___