Information inflows
In building a personal learning system it is critical to define our information inflows - filters for information we let in to our system.
The clearer we can become with defining these filters and implementing them, the less garbage and irrelevant information we have to digest, and the more focused we can be in our learning.
I suggest focusing firstly on the information source type, then information quality. Often they are correlated, but not always.
Examples of source type include books, scientific journals, documentaries, news, online blogs, podcasts, social media channels, and artificial intelligence engines.
We have access to an almost infinite amount of information. Narrowing our consumption by source type can provide focus by reducing the rate of information flowing into our system, preventing overwhelm and making it easier to digest.
Over time we can improve information quality by finding and consuming from specific, trusted sources. This includes institutions or people that have expertise in topics that we want to learn about.
When our filters are clearly defined and aligned with the purpose of our learning system, the narrower they are, and the more quality information flows into the system.
The right filters also depend on the purpose of your personal learning system. For example, instructional videos for woodworking might be more effective at teaching the skills needed to build a table than learning from a book. A researcher that needs to keep on top of the latest findings in science might have different needs to someone looking for worldly wisdom to improve their daily life.
Often, it is more important to define what is not relevant to our system. This comes from setting clear boundaries and strategies to prevent too much of the wrong information clogging our information flows. This can include low quality information, false information, or things specifically designed to hack our attention like social media.
Start with clearly defining your information inflows, and you'll see the quality of your learning improve dramatically.