The process of learning

[jajdude]

This has been bothering me all day. Many years ago, as a student, I wrote a great paper called 'the process of reading.' It may have been the greatest thing I ever wrote. It was full of penetration. It took me 2 weeks of headaches. I was only 24 then, much cleverer than I am now at 42. I looked in books, and it did not help. People were full of words, as usual, and that was useless. The answers to the questions, which I decided were questions in the first place, not that I'm all that original, came from inside.

Here's my question now. What is learning? A very difficult question. I don't want quotes from Socrates or anybody. I want you to think on this, as I will.

The process of learning. Surely there is a process. A kind of path, not exactly, that people stumble down, as they learn things. Don't laugh. This matters to me. I want to know how people learn. And I will get to the root of it. No reading required. But a few headaches maybe.

I know it is arrogant to think one can actually answer such a question. We'll work with theories. Best we can do I guess. I'd really like a nice answer though. Not sure one is possible.

I believe this question may be unanswerable, like looking at things, or understanding oneself. Who does that? The quiet brief little intervals that occasionally occur, and they are wordless.

Still, maybe there is an answer.

[Scheherazade]

It is possible to write pages long on this (and I am sure someone will soon after I post this :D ) but I will put it very briefly how I think we learn: Through interaction with our environment.

[Jack of Hearts]

Not sure if you mean how we acquire 'knowledge' or how we acquire 'procedural knowledge' or something else altogether, but this is a great question that this reader often thinks about.

An answer: no idea, but will curiously watch this thread. It's easy to describe what learning feels like- one day you just can and you can be aware that you can.








J

[Annamariah]

I guess this is again one of those questions that cannot be answered simply. For example, there are so many different kinds of learning, and I'm not sure all of them work the same way at all, even though there must be certain similarities. Trying to learn something abstract or theoretical (like learning mathematics or facts from a history textbook) is different than learning a physical skill (to play an instrument or to knit or to do cartwheels), and then there's also the difference between things that you learn deliberately and those you just "pick up" without even noticing (and then there are also things you learn "the hard way").

So, what kind of learning are we discussing here, or are we supposed to try to come up with one theory that covers it all?

[BookBeauty]

Well, funny that you should say that what you've made doesn't come from your outer environment, because I think it does.

You can't make something up which you don't already know. It doesn't come from thin air. It all comes from somewhere. Divergent thoughts may be quite exciting and seem completely surreal and different than an original thought, but it all has to come from somewhere.

Nothing that we write about or speak about is completely original, there is always a root cause.

Which is why I say that Carl Jung's cognitive functions have been interesting me lately, and the 16 personality types (obviously many variables.)

He goes on to explain the different ways in which people learn and interact with their world, and the 8 cognitive functions. Very interesting.

My own personal way of learning: I read, and do a lot of research. I speak aloud what I'm reading, and I speak to others and hear different perspectives. I love big group discussions, and I love to argue and debate. For me, pressing people's buttons and getting at the heart of what they think is really exciting and helpful. I enjoy group discussions. Interacting with people is always the best way for me to learn, and I stagnate in a traditional learning environment, with its many rules and routines.

[Paulclem]

Learning is a pretty complex process, and one man's learning is another man's "let me out of here - the teacher is a demon".

I always tell my learners that it is very difficult to learn concepts the first time round. It's very difficult to learn and remember and usefully apply anything the first time round.

I remember an Educational Psychologist once presented a group of us teachers with a model for learning in which there were various stages. It went something like:

1) introduction
2) Acquaintance with
3) Practice
4) Becoming adept
5) mastery

Those weren't the terms he ised but the idea was similar.

I find it useful because it allows for other factors like learning style - pasive, active, kinaesthetic, audio, visual - to be included.

I think a misconception about learning is the difference between reading and learning. Learning is an active process, whereas reading is much more passive, and therefore much less effective when revising. Reading/learning is better where there is interaction with the texts - meaningful notes that anwer specific questions about a text etc.

[loe]

I read, and do a lot of research. I speak aloud what I'm reading, and I speak to others and hear different perspectives...
Additonally, I think it is very important to repeat the stuff with your own words, because this is a sign of understanding and not just learning by heart.

To some extent learning is a bit of matter of practice. During school, university my brain was used to stay up all night and learn for tests etc.
I suspect that, when reading doesn't mean automatically learning anymore, the brain is getting lazier... :(

And the most efficient way of learning "practical" things is making mistakes...

[secret code]

For me the learning can be by discussion a different type with different age and culture

[jajdude]

Damn, you know what, my post on this was a drunk post that I hardly recalled, and then I felt paranoid to look at the replies, like a fool, because I'm almost always nice or at least try to be. I've been drinking too much lately, worried about life, changing jobs, countries, all that. It's not really an important question. We all learn however we learn. Learning styles or strengths are defined into categories, like auditory, visual or tactile. We're not that easy to figure out. I think the question arose from teaching low level English learners such terms. That's my job. Teaching advanced English to low level students. Damn. They ought to learn how to tell ya about their weekend first.

Never mind.

[jajdude]

So, what kind of learning are we discussing here, or are we supposed to try to come up with one theory that covers it all?

So, what you have done is hit the mark. What kind of learning? I don't know. Does an all-encompassing explanation of learning exist? Maybe not. But if not, why not. Your question is the one I had in mind. And I didn't want a theory. I want an answer. It cannot be done, due to people who like to argue. There may be one, but we will never know. It is silly to think one knows better than others.

I know, a philosophy question. No solid answer. Fun to think about when bored I guess, well, if yr a geek like me.

[jajdude]

There's also another line of thinking, one you should not accept from a dummy like me, as I have no idea, but once in a while there comes a piece of brilliance, something that hits home, and that you put in your heart.

That's learning.