I'd like to bring this subject back to the original question:
In LO4652 Roy Winkler wrote:
> "How do we marry secondary and post-secondary education with the needs of
>the workplace in such a way that we condition individuals to be life-long
>learners by the time they enter the workforce?
In LO4684 Rol Fessenden wrote:
> Can we define the essential characteristics of a life-long learner? Can
>we develop an educational program that would reliably produce one?
I'd like to suggest one approach to begin to characterize life-long
learners is to examine what they believe and do that makes them life-long
learners. I'll begin by stating a few of mine that I think have
contributed to my habit of life-long learning (the order listed does not
imply any priority of importance).
Belief 1. I can benefit from what others know about my current subject of
interest. (My behaviors based this this belief lead me to read, study,
talk with experts, and try things out. One colleague accuses me of
reading everything in the Western World about a topic of interest)
Belief 2. I can learn important things, in spite of poor writers,
teachers, presenters. (Whenever I encounter poor presentation of
material, I make it a challenge to learn something in spite of it. I have
seen people waste an entire semester class because they didn't like the
teacher, or learn nothing from a lecture or seminar presented poorly.) My
behaviors resulting from this belief cause me to pay attention, re-read or
outline things I don't understand, go back and ask questions, look up
other references, talk to others about the material.
Belief 3. Continually stimulating my mind with new ideas and topics will
keep it active. (I may not be phrasing this one well, but I basically
believe if I don't use my mind, I'll lose my mind.) Behaviors resulting
from this keep me continually exploring new areas of learning.
In LO4691 Ray Harrell expressed the belief that a greater emphasis on
teaching the arts would produce more life-long learners.
In LO4741 Rol speculates that a belief in self-reflection and
introspection may contribute.
In LO4763 Gail Barnes, in discussing her learning about horses wrote:
>There was only a consuming interest in the topic=8A,and
>Thus we learn that which we are passionate about.
Perhaps this implies that a passionate interest is a given subject (or
subjects) is a necessary ingredient. How do you create this in people?
There are probably other beliefs that contribute to making people
life-long learners. If we could study the beliefs of many life-long
learners perhaps we can come up with a consistent set of core beliefs (and
resultant behaviors), then design an educational program that would
cultivate these beliefs and build the behaviors. I think it could work.
What are the beliefs of some others out there who are life-long
learners?
jlatimer@owens.ridgecrest.ca.us
(-: Jack :-)
-- jlatimer@ridgecrest.ca.us (Jack Latimer)