The simple mantra to excel in engineering learning is LEARN, UNDERSTAND and APPLY. The beginners of any engineering course can follow these steps for success. Some of the students follow a rote learning practice as insisted by many schools just focusing on good results in the board examinations not on the learning outcomes from students. The practice of rote learning by the beginners of engineering learning leads to poor outcome from their engineering learning. Every engineering learner has to commit to building his or her own knowledge through sensible learning. So you need to learn how to learn. You need to learn how to understand what you learn. And also you need to learn how to apply your knowledge to work hopefully.
More specifically, every learner has to dedicate themselves to learning their knowledge. It is necessary for you to learn and develop your knowledge through involvement in the learning process. It includes theoretical concept with problem solving, practical experiments and design projects.
It is also necessary to understand the learned knowledge through practical experiments. Remember the learned knowledge and visualize the concept to understand your learning.
Finally, it is important to learn how to implement or apply your knowledge in your profession. Confidently, with the support of the theory, practical, projects and your professor, you will be connecting your entire learning outcome together for success in your career.
The author insists his students on LEARN-UNDERSTAND-APPLY strategy for their engineering learning process in the last three decades, well before the concept of Outcome Based Education (OBE) has been introduced in our Universities and the first three steps given in OBE are also similar to the steps mentioned here.