With the first breath of air that travels to our lungs, we are set on a lifelong mission. This mission will culminate in the success or in failure. It will be something that we will use every day of our lives, it will shape our futures and the futures of our children. The mission is to learn, seems simple enough right? For some maybe but not for others, the act of learning appears to be straightforward as could be…or is it? In this blog, we will explore why learning can be simple and complicated at the same time. We will try to understand why learning is not enough to be successful in the 21st Century. We will ponder what is holding many people back when it comes to basic thought analysis which can lead to slow learning. We will examine the influences of modern-day society on critical thinking and learning retention. So, pay close attention and put down any distractions as we will attempt to show you how to learn anything.
Learning is defined as the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or being taught. If we have been learning all of our lives then why when it comes to the most basic and obvious situations do, we seem unprepared? We must first understand that the process itself is entirely a personal one, no one learns exactly the same but, in most school, settings children are taught the same way. The results will be varied as retention will not be the same for all children. Hence some may be able to retain more of the subject matter while others may struggle, and others will not have a clue. As children go through school some will be put in gifted classes than regular classes and finally the slow learners. So, with this varied landscape of learners how can we be assured that there is a way to teach anyone how to learn anything? The answer is making the learning process customizable to the individual, thus utilizing the skills and competency of the particular person in order to learn.
Repetition may be the key to focusing one’s mind on the subject that you are trying to learn. When we do something over and over again it becomes a habit and mental focus can work like this as well. If you are trying to learn something that seems hard at first break it down into smaller bits and focus on learning those parts first. When you form a habit of doing this you will be able to retain more of the subject matter that you are trying to learn. Learning is not hard you must be willing to get to a place of uncertainty and become comfortable that you will eventually figure this thing out. However, if you focus on your frustration and form a belief that you are unable to learn, then it is highly likely that you will not be successful in learning. You must have a positive mindset in order to be able to get what you want. When you think ok, I got this even when you have no clue of what you’re doing you are in all actuality creating a template for how you will learn how to do or learn something.
Confidence is really where it’s at, no matter what you are doing in life this quality tends to attract success. When you are learning something new you must focus on it, you use the act of repetition to learn the particulars of the task that you are learning. By breaking the subject down into smaller pieces and learning them first. Once you are competent with what you have learned proceed to put together the whole subject. This process can be used over and over to learn just about anything that you are passionate about and have the confidence to learn.
What are the main causes of slow learning and retention? This may aptly describe someone with a learning disability the causes for this can be many such as genetic genes that have been passed down from family to child. Other situations such as medical or health problems can lead to slow learning as well. Whenever a person has a learning disability, they will need more time and understanding to help them learn. However, they can learn but patience is the key, and repetition getting the slow learner to form a habit of learning will pay off. There are many disabilities that happen during childbirth such as Autism which some belief may be due to vaccines given to babies. Autistic children have some behavioral issues that stem from an inability to communicate but they are highly intelligent with math and computers. This is another example that even when a person has slow learning issues, they are actually able to learn and sometimes excel.
Learning in 2021 and beyond. As the world becomes smaller with the use of technology learning will change. In countries similar to the US where mobile devices are everywhere dependence on the web for information and learning will increase. People don’t learn anymore they just Google it. 20 years ago, if you were traveling by car across the country, you would read a map and learn where you were going now you just Google it. Dependence on tech to order our dinner or book a flight is convenient but does it ultimately undermine our ability to learn? The up-and-coming generations may be faced with this real-world reality. Although the masses have improved their ability to learn with technology the will to learn may have been sacrificed in the exchange. You may be surprised how many people could not tell you what street they happen to be walking down on any given day but of course, they are ok because their phone knows the street. You can test this out get anyone you see and asking them if they know by heart (3) phone numbers of people, they call the most and see what they say.
What is holding many of us back in the 21st century from learning everything we can? Actually nothing, we have for the most part the ability to learn just about anything we want to, but do we have the will to learn that is a totally different question. Cultural differences may shape our willingness to actually learn. For instance, if it is important in your family to get good grades and go to college then this may be a path that you are set up on from childhood. Conversely if raising a family or helping out your parents by paying bills from work seems more important then this path may be truer. Circumstances such as economics can greatly factor into the quality and the process of learning that one may be accustomed to. With all things considered just about anyone with a sound mind and time to focus it can learn anything. President John F Kennedy asked Werner Von Braun “What will it take to put a man on the moon by the end of the century? “Braun answered “The will to do it.” So, you see the ability to learn anything is within you, all you need is the will to do it.
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