Unrestricted, unobstructed, unprejudiced, the mind soars. The mind is creative and inventive. All is possible.

Once teachers did teach and perhaps may still do. And, learners used to learn. Today, a classroom focus appears to be upon the completion of worksheets that admittedly has led to the development of the answer hunting skill that leads nowhere. Having completed the worksheet, students know little more than what they did before they began. And, by admission, they seldom engage with the content of the material. They are detached and have a limited and defined focus, filling in the blanks, circling either “true” or “false,” and matching the vocabulary with definitions. They can zip through fifteen to twenty pages in just minutes. That is amazing.

Now, we do react to our environment. Certainly, as we are nurtured, we become. Given a fish, a man is fed for a day. Given a pole, line, and hook, a man is possibly fed for life. Similarly, spoon-fed learners, given knowledge as it packaged become perhaps repetitious as parrots; whereas, treated-to-be-independent learners they may become self-learners outfitted to develop expandable and interactive concepts equipped for learning throughout life.

Learning is the process by which knowledge is acquired, accumulated and interwoven into a mental fabric that enables application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, the wherewithal for problem solving. Individuals learn through the use of discernable means, skills, and techniques. These include:
1. Mentally or otherwise LIST all perceived possible resources;
2. Exhaustively SEARCH the available recognized resources;
3. Copiously SORT, judiciously ANALYZE, and reflectively EVALUATE the collected information;
4. Simultaneously weave a working NETWORK among the information resources; and
5. Systematically begin the process of ASSIMILATION/SYNTHESIS that congeals into a dynamic perception.

Purposely focused, repeated successively, the application of this learning process will nourish and nurture any knowledge/information bank. Regardless, this is the path and these are the process steps of learners. Isolated or together, they serve the need for lifelong learning.

The application of learning skills and techniques begins with some definite goal whether determined from within or imposed. Interest and curiosity coupled with thoroughness and “stick-to-it-ness” at each step along the way determines the outcome, the level of achievement.

In the academic classroom setting, these steps and possibly others are usually by-passed. The teacher substitutes their lecture and/or a textbook as the information sources(s). The student is given information gathered by another. However, the student is expected to have command over this body of information as if it were self-attained. Morsels per day and the accumulation of “factoids” of information are not equivalent to opportunities that serve a lifetime.

Of course, by way of the usual classroom teacher/learner activities, we can hand over countless thoughts and ideas and much more information or knowledge. However, using the traditional and expedient classroom approach, the learner is only incidentally involved. The learner’s experience is second hand and more important, the learner may not have a clue about the acquisition of knowledge. In effect, we have given the learner a fish. The learner remains deprived.

The hand-it-out-in-class approach is acceptable for early school years. However, it is not acceptable in those that follow. While all learning cannot take place through self-discovery, students do need real exposure and personal involvement.

Definitely, practicing in the application of these learning skills and techniques is imperative. Initially, students need to be involved in directed participation. Learning by doing, learning through hands on experience though physical contact with objects may not be required is most meaningful. It leads to problem solving know-how that is crucial for success on the job and for richness in life.

Gradually, students need to be weaned from supervision to emerge as accomplished and independent learners. They should be directed to work on topics of interest because then they just may be more willing. However, the bottom line in all of this, what is most important is the development of the significant and essential skills and techniques that enable learning.

Creation date : 11/04/2006 @ 05:04
Last update : 11/04/2006 @ 05:04
Category : Restructuring and Transforming Education
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