Most of the educational learning we do is theoretical and ‘nice to know’, but, according to researchers, has little adaptation to the real world. This is alarming. However, there is a lot we can do to improve our learning and skill take-up.
In ‘Ultralearning‘ by Scott H Young, he gives four ways to learn directly. These are:
- Learn through a Project – SkillShare and Coursera courses let you do this. It works on two levels: your project aim makes for practical outcomes and your learning becomes more enjoyable and fruitful.
- Immersive Learning – Going to the region to learn the language works far better than learning on an app.
- The Flight Simulator Method – Students of a US high school found that when trying an important matter in a mock courtroom, they got way more specific, adaptive learning. Critical thinking was no longer a theoretical concept. (My example)
- The Overkill Approach – Throwing yourself into the area and aiming for well above ‘what’s required’, e.g. doing the Accredited Exam for editing rather than simply learning editing skills. (My example).
So this is all ‘learning to do’. You are not learning to have a degree or diploma.
But why do we often stop with self-directed learning? When we set the bar low and miss, we feel bad about ourselves. When we set the bar high, e.g. require ourselves to do writing and research every week and don’t manage every single week but do manage conscientious output, we feel pretty good about ourselves.
Now it’s your turn. The human tendency is to put off what is unpleasant or difficult. As Mr Young points out, one mental tool is realising just how quickly the feeling of discomfort passes. Here is my scenario. It’s unpleasant to sit at the screen with your notes and figure out how to write the first sentence (if you think this first sentence has to be good). Acknowledge it will only last a little while. Say to yourself, “I forgive myself if this first sentence comes out poorly”. Write the sentence and consider it. Look at your notes/research.
Write the next sentence once you have an idea that stemmed from this. Not so bad. Oh look, your discomfort has now passed. You can use this knowledge to kick your procrastination bug a little.
Learning through Dissecting and Relating
The next step is to learn and get excited about the quality of the material. What do you want to share most? Why is it now important in the world? Perhaps you learnt about a study that seems complex, so how would you transfer it to become understandable?
In Ultralearning, he talks about the ‘Direct-then-Drill’ approach, which means you take a skill and keep on doing it. I recently admitted to getting better at essays through re-writing the bridges between paragraphs and getting red pen teacher feedback. I wrote more and more essays, then feature articles and blogs, trying to improve them. I started with the ambition to write, not the skill, and certainly not a talent.
Some magazine features require creativity and nuance; some require research and independent thinking. They all require the best you can put out. So, writing feature articles at a high level is fantastic drill-type application.
Making Your Writing Interesting
You might wonder how to make the words ‘interesting’. Read other feature writers and essay writers, like David Marr or Hugh MacKay. What do they do to make the reading hypnotic? In a recent Experience ANU (Soundcloud) interview, Marr revealed he had to care deeply about what he was saying. He reveals intricate facts slowly, always teasing and holding something back.
Another technique I try is to forget about genre or ‘the usual’ rules. If you’re wanting to get across the feel of a place, you wouldn’t just put the facts about trees, sand, history and mountains. You’d observe the mist, describe the feeling of connection to the past; create some special place in the readers’ mind.
When we barrel into a feature or book with factual information, the piece is cold. When our observations and even our own feelings come through, as long as we stand on the line of awareness, it will feel more inviting.
You can read the Ultralearning ebook free if you subscribe to Prime Reading. Choose your International Retailer here.
In Dymocks, the large paperback book is $34.99. I found it in my library.
