First thoughts on learning

I am writing this first post of my life in response to an assignment: to contemplate the concept, process and implications of learning. Yikes! I have never learned ANYTHING so publicly. I wish there were a practice space where only other newbies could see this!


As for information learning, though (as opposed to physical learning -- like walking or bowling an effective googly in cricket), I think there are three types:

*accidental/ serendipitous -- with a whiff of the fleeting, and perhaps not much long term memory assigned. This would be the sort of thing a person might hear driving along listening to NPR: "There is sufficient sodium in the average can of soup sold in America to satisfy all of the dietary requirements of seven maids with seven mops who might sweep for half a year."

*vaguely purposeful and perhaps easily attached to previous learning: For example, someone has seen several pictures which are the work of the early Renaissance painter Carlo Crivelli and thought they were interesting, partly because there is often a fly in his pictures, and the pictures, though sacred, do not seem particularly to admit the idea of Beezlebub, father of lies and often depicted as a fly, into the context. Hmmm. Then, lo and behold, in a book chosen for its vaguely related topic -- understanding church architecture -- the reader finds the offhand comment that flies were sometimes included on artworks because these painted flies were thought to keep real flies at bay. Bingo!

*intentional, sit oneself down and just plain work at it learning. Conjugating irregular verbs or assembling enough proof to write a sensible dissertation might come in here.

Now at this point, we can further see, of course, that these sorts of learning are generally independent, requiring very little direction or co-operation, etc etc. This may be eminently satisfactory, but I don't think the same applies when a skill must be learned. Here, to make the most of what is sure to be less time than desirable, I am firm advocate of directed learning -- do this, then this, then this -- and I want my hand held!!!!!!

Enough of this foolishness; thank you for reading my very first blog!