Learning is something all of us have to engage in and carry out everyday of our lives. Given the fact that it’s something so very essential for basic success, it is interesting that too many of us go about it without even a decent understanding of how the process itself occurs.

The Race Car Driver

Think of yourself as a race car driver who wants to ride fast and quick. Your literacy level - reading and writing - are your driving skills. The better you can read and write, the faster you’ll learn (and “drive”).

Now here’s the key question, if you want to win a race, wouldn’t you invest a little time learning how the car works?

Understanding how the engine of the car you’re driving performs and moves the car forward is the equivalent of understanding how your brain functions and learns new things. This understanding of the inner-workings of the engine is an added bonus. So, let’s get moving closer to it!

Learning Theories

The study of how we humans learn and acquire knowledge is called learning theory. Not surprisingly, this is an area which rightly concerns educators very much and is intensely debated by them in order to come up with good approaches for effective teaching and hence better models of learning. Delving into the subject reveals some insights that make us more aware of how we humans learn the things we learn.

The three main categories of competing learning theories are as follows:

1. Behaviorism

Behaviorism focuses only on the objectively observable aspects of learning, and discounts the internal processing that might be associated with the activity. For behaviorism, learning is the acquisition of new behavior through conditioning.

… Briefly, a behavior may result either in reinforcement, which increases the likelihood of the behavior recurring, or punishment, which decreases the likelihood of the behavior recurring.

2. Cognitive Constructionism

Cognitive theories look beyond behavior to explain brain-based learning. Cognitivists consider how human memory works to promote learning. For example, the physiological processes of sorting and encoding information and events into short term memory and long term memory are important to educators working under the cognitive theory.

3. Social Constructionism

Constructivism views learning as a process in which the learner actively constructs or builds new ideas or concepts based upon current and past knowledge. In other words, “learning involves constructing one’s own knowledge from one’s own experiences.” Constructivist learning, therefore, is a very personal endeavor, whereby internalized concepts, rules, and general principles may consequently be applied in a practical real-world context. The teacher acts as a facilitator who encourages students to discover principles for themselves and to construct knowledge by working to solve realistic problems. This is also known as knowledge construction as a social process (see social constructivism).

… We are exposed to the views of others. It enables us to discover flaws and inconsistencies by learning we can get good results.

(More information on learning theories is available here and here)

So Which Learning Theory Is “Correct”?

Well, the truth is, there is no way to point out with certainty those that are absolutely correct. After all, they are called learning theories for a reason.

Thing is however, the validity of one learning theory over another partially depends on the learner in question. For some learners, the behaviorist approach might not be the best, but for others, it just might. It also depends on the situation.
Do you remember your days in university or in school? Do you remember being good at some subjects better than others? There’s a pretty good chance you do.

Now of course, one factor is that the interest you had in some subjects was stronger than others, but there is another factor. Some classes might have been taught with an emphasis of using one learning theory over another, a theory that wasn’t suitable for you since people tend to have different learning styles.

And there you have it, learning theory in a nutshell. I hope this gives you a better understanding of how teaching approaches are based on them. Coming up eventually is a post on personalized learning and discovering your learning style so you can become a more effective learner.

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Tina Su just blogged an excellent post that I recommend you check out, so hurry over to her place and eat it up.

Having completed my undergraduate university studies recently, I began having some profound self-reflections on the journey I had just completed.

Allow me to share with you a little story. It’s about this guy who felt that university “education” can be (but isn’t always) a waste of time. It’s about how he was primarily motivated by inquisitiveness and passion rather than getting good grades all the time.

It’s about me, but before that, let’s get into some general thoughts. Remember, these are just my opinions and my own perspective. Feel free to add yours.

Picture Courtesy of foundphotoslj

One-Size-Fits-All

We’re all unique, and in a free society, we’re able (as we should be) to express this individuality in creative and inspiring ways. In my experience, formal education typically results in conformity. Moreover, it does not take into account that different people learn differently, some better through visual aids, others better through actual hands-on work and so on. Let’s also not forget that different people are motivated by different things. One-Size-Fits-All Education can crush the potential and creativity of too many poor souls. Research proves this:

… research confirms beyond any semblance of doubt that not all students are able to learn successfully at the same pace, with the same approach, in the same environment, on the same path, and in the same style and manner. Research confirms that every individual assimilates information according to their own unique learning style, need, and interest. Learning styles vary.

… It is time to recognize and acknowledge that a one size fits all model can no longer effectively serve the needs of all public education students. The real solution for our public education system must be founded upon a paradigm shift. Rather than trying to force-fit every student into one model, the answer is to provide, in addition to the traditional model, an alternative model that offers flexibility to fit the needs of the student.

Outdated System for the Industrial Age

Too many educational institutions are modeled on an outdated paradigm based on the old days of the industrial age. You get “equipped” with a certain set of skills, programmed with some relevant knowledge and then you’re shipped off to the job market.

Sounds normal right? Sure, it does, but normal doesn’t make it necessarily right.

Times are changing. We’re moving into the Information Age, the age of knowledge-based economies, an age in which the birth of the internet has revolutionized our world. Some educational institutions have begun recognizing this and are now evolving accordingly. Many others aren’t, and it’s a tragedy.

Job “Security” Vs Job Security

The status-quo is that you should go to school, do well and eventually graduate from university with high grades. Now, I don’t necessarily disagree with this, but then again I never promised you the status-quo.

You see, the status-quo isn’t one aimed at putting you on a path towards true, self-directed and passion-based learning. It is one focused on ultimately giving you job “security.” It’s not focused on putting the passion into work, but merely getting you to a stressful and boring routine which helps you put food on the table.

Job “security” is very different from job security. If you go to a job you hate with a boss you can’t stand, chances are you’re unhappy and stressed out. The security is only financial but not emotional, and that is not real security.

Best case scenario would be you going to university to study something you’re excited and passionate about, graduate and then of course get yourself a job you like.

Curiosity and Lifelong Learning

I know I may come across as being very critical here. I am and I think it’s only fair that I help provide a remedy to the situation instead of just criticizing it.

Well, here is the short version.

I think instead of just stuffing material into students’ heads, education should focus on igniting a student’s curiosity in any topic he or she is excited or passionate about and then help set him or her onto a journey of lifelong learning.

That’s it. Ignite the fire instead of wasting energy trying to push something uninterested in moving towards the direction you want it to go towards.

Curiosity first, the rest will follow.

Picture Courtesy of Steven Fernandez

Passion, Learning and Satisfaction

I know it’s all easier said than done but that’s the whole point. A big reason most people wake up every morning to labor through things they’re not passionate about is because it’s “easier.” It’s the accepted norm. It does not require swimming upstream against the tide.

There’s a reason why not everyone who goes to the gym ends up with that amazing body.

Resist the temptation to slide down along with the tide to a Mediocre destination. The effort is worth it. Carry on with the soul searching and sooner or later you’re bound to arrive at a decision that will be both practical and emotionally satisfactory.

*** Okay, So Here’s My Story ***

I spent four and a half years in university. Most of what I’ve learned, I’ve already forgotten. So many subjects were taken, some were enjoyable, a few were alright and others were absolutely boring.

I wasn’t the type motivated by high grades. When I scored a 3.79, I wasn’t satisfied. When I eventually scored a perfect 4.0, I still wasn’t satisfied.

All I did during those specific semesters I scored high results in was study and study some more. I stopped working on my music. I stopped borrowing tons of super fun books about entrepreneurship, personal development, music, philosophy or whatever I was curious about from the library, and I basically put aside what I was passionate about to focus instead on courses I wasn’t really into.

What I did next was make a radical choice.

I began doing what I enjoyed while maintaining a fair amount of attention focused on my formal education. I didn’t score as high as I was “supposed” to but nevertheless, I was a lot more satisfied and happier.

Better still, I learned more from the blogosphere on my own than I did from most of my university courses!

Formal education gave me a degree and some knowledge, but informal and self-directed education opened my eyes, intensified my curiousity and gave me a lot more knowledge.

For the sake of truly engaging in passion-based learning, One-Size-Fits-All Eduction is a complete and utter disaster.

What did formal education do for you? If you could go back in time and change anything, what would it be?

Highly Recommended Read:

How the Public School System Crushes Souls

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Hello passion-based learners! Thank you all for your patience. I’m officially done with my undergraduate studies and a number of personal tasks that consumed my time and energy until I was no longer able to produce quality posts for this blog for about a month.

I’m back now and I can’t wait to complete and publish some drafts that have been sitting around for too long. I need to get things moving up to a nice pace. Expect some fresh thoughts and posts coming your way very soon.

Again, thank you all so very much for sticking around.

Cheers everyone! :)

… and Relearning.

“Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.” - Mark Twain

Photo courtesy of WisDoc

What did you learn when you went to school? What usually happens to us when we go there?

Here’s what:

We get placed within a restrictive learning environment, one in which we get told what, when and how to learn. If you’re lucky enough to be living in a free democratic country, then at least you grow up getting taught democratized knowledge.

Democratized knowledge is the curriculum approved by the state to be taught in public schools.

In a democracy, the resulting curriculum is much more representative of the peoples’ wishes for what constitutes “truth.” (This doesn’t mean everyone ends up happy with it of course. In some parts of the United States for example, the debate on whether to teach evolution or creationism is still raging.)

On the other hand, in non-democratic countries, “truth” is what the unelected guy sitting on the throne wishes it to be. Sometimes when it’s really bad, you can’t even call the process education anymore. Indoctrination would be a better word actually.

I know this might be starting to sound like a political article but it isn’t. It’s about the independent pursuit of knowledge as we simultaneously unlearn and relearn things along the way.

Passive Like Empty Vessels

Too often around the world, students get treated like passive recipients, something which must be changed.

Thing is, whatever we learned in school as kids isn’t necessarily “knowledge” because it isn’t necessarily “true”. Moreover, we’re not given enough freedom of thought and choice to reach our own conclusions.

Thanks to the internet, things are changing.

Self-Initiative and Independent Pursuit

The internet has opened up the gates to a world of infinite knowledge where anyone can read about anything and everything. It’s not a biased state-designed curriculum. It’s open, it’s diverse and it’s free.

Leverage it.

One should independently pursue the journey for what he or she considers to be the “truth.” Ultimately, it’s about questioning, thinking and stimulating one’s own mind.

It’s about unlearning and relearning.

“The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue.” - Antisthenes

I’ve unlearned a number of things growing up. That includes my wrong perception of “others” and stuff related to religion.

What have you unlearned growing up?

Hi everyone. I’m guessing some of you have noticed my shorter posts and slower pace of updates lately. I apologize for that. Thing is, I’m about to graduate from university and I’ve been awfully busy lately. However by early June, I’ll be enjoying the start of my holidays so until then expect short and infrequent posts.

Just letting you know.

Please stick around and don’t go away. If you haven’t subscribed to my RSS feed yet, go ahead. I have much in valuable stock for you.

Cheers! :)