Believe it or not – more than half of 2023 has already passed.
Several researchers have started sending out surveys predicting the next year, with questions that make me think more about topics like education, training, and educational technology.
Truthfully, I always feel fortunate to have experienced many excellent educational environments, arguably the best under certain conditions and capabilities. And I wouldn’t change anything – except for one thing: I wish I had learned and discussed more about “learning.”
It’s not just about encouraging more studying, not just stopping at “70-20-10”, but asking questions, exchanging ideas, and clarifying basic concepts like “What is knowledge?”, “What is learning?”, “What is thinking?”, “How does our knowledge acquisition process unfold?”
And while a simple search can reveal the benefits of learning about learning with keywords like learn how to learn, learning science, the science of learning, I only want to emphasize one thing: – that is when you will stop imposing barriers to learning on yourself. These are barriers that I have once misperceived, such as:
- I’m a “visual learner.”
- I’m a right-brainer, so I can’t be good at mathematical, analytical fields.
And even worse, I once saw – and believed in some wonderful-sounding hypotheses like:
- We are only using 10% of our brains.
- Children’s brains stop developing at the age of 8.
- Listening to classical music will make children smarter.
All of the above, if you’ve ever heard them – are pseudoscientific, or misinterpreted from the original scientific research. I once struggled in my own learning, and I hope you won’t have to go through the same experience.
But – that being said, it doesn’t mean knowing about learning science is the magic pill that make me instantly become a straight-A student.
10 months into my Master’s program, I still feel like I know nothing, still stammer sometimes when it comes to a definition or take a long time to approach an issue. But at least, I’m doing everything more proactively and confidently. And if I can confidently give one piece of advice for you – those who are struggling with your learning process: - Try starting with the keyword “neuromyth” – “misunderstandings about the brain.”
- Followed by a series of free Podcasts from Plato University.
- Or if you are book fan – try our amazing textbook: Psychology of Learning For Instruction 4th Edition by Marcy Driscoll & Kerry Burner.
We might have many “labels” that we called identities that we wear proudly, like for me being an FSU student, having worked at Unilever, studying at Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, studying at Le Khiet school, growing up in Quang Ngai, born in Da Nang.
But if those “identities” are hindering us from doing something better, I think it’s necessary to have a serious self-dialogue to recognize.
That being said, “Learning about learning” is a trend that I hope we’ll see, not only in 2024 but starting from today.
Huong, sometimes Jean's journey with the flaws 