HeroMode can be used in many different ways: to organize tasks, track habits, and even manage learning goals. Here we showcase an example usage of HeroMode for language and vocabulary learning.
As we mentioned in HeroGuide, we have found that people use HeroMode very differently. For today's "How we Use HeroMode" post, we have a guest who is one of our early beta users (so let's call her... Betty?). In addition to task management and habit tracking, Betty also uses HeroMode for language learning. I'll let her tell you about it.
Language Learning Requires Repetition
I have lived in the US for many years. I read, write, and speak in English every day. And yet, once in a while, I come across a new word I didn't know before. For example, when watching TV or movies, or when doing the daily Wordle! Before HeroMode, when I came across a new word, I'd google its meaning and make a mental note. Sometimes I'd come across the same word again. Sometimes I remember what the word meant, and sometimes I have to look up its definition again. Either way, I notice that it takes a few "meetings" before a word really becomes a part of my vocabulary. And I'm sure there are words I had encountered before, looked up their meanings, but have not met them enough to really learn them.
Using HeroMode for Learning Goals
After I started using HeroMode, I created some typical adventures that you can probably imagine. For example, I have adventures for work productivity, and personal improvement projects. But I also wanted to learn English words in a more systemmatic way. It's tedious to have to look up the definition of the same word multiple times. And also, without keeping track of words I have learned, there's no gaurantee that I'd see them again to reinforce their impressions in my brain.
So I created an adventure called "100 English Words". I picked "100" quite arbitrarily -- it just feels like a nice round number to aim for.
Above: Betty's adventures list (re-created), which includes the "100 English Words" adventure.
Review a Vocabulary in the Quests List
Whenever I come across a new word, I'd create a quest for it with its definition. Such quest is not a task like my other quests. It's just there in my quests list so I'd see it constantly as I look at my other quests when I go about my day. After a while, when I see this quest and its vocabulary, if I feel I have internalized its definition, I'd mark it as completed.
Above: Betty's quests list, which is sprinkled with quests from the "100 English Words" adventure. Each of such quest is not a task per se, but rather a reminder of the word's definition. When reviewing the list of quests to work on, Betty also gets to review these vocabularies. Two birds!
Track Learning Progress with Points
There's nothing special about learning "100" English words instead of, say, 99 or 137. It's just a nice round number. And since HeroMode counts the total number of points I have accumulated for an Adventure, it's easy for me to see how many words I have learned.
Above: The stats of Betty's "100 English Words" adventure, which shows how many words she has learned. Each word is a quest with 1 point, so 36 points means she has learned 36 words.
To Learn and to Review Frequently, what a Joy!
Besides reviewing the new vocabularies as open quests in the quests list view, within the "100 English Words" adventure, I can see all the words I have learned and marked as completed quests. Doing so not only gives me a sense of accomplishment, it also feels like a little quiz to check I still remember these old friends. It really is true what Confucius said: "To learn and to review frequently, what a joy!"
Above: Words that Betty are currently learning are open quests, and those she's learned are completed quests. She can see all these quests within the "100 English Words" adventure.
It's been a couple of months since I created the "100 English Words" adventure, and I have learned many new words. One day, when I finally complete this adventure, what will I do? I don't know. Maybe I'll create another "N-many English Words" adventure and start another round. Or maybe I'll learn something else. It totally depends on what my future self most wants to achieve!