Is learning a Need? Is it a necessity? Does it come from inspiration? Or What?
It is the process of sharing or teaching newly acquired skills or subject matter would deepen understanding, produce better performance, earn and improve livelihood.
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/05/study-you-really-can-work-smarter-not-harder/370819/
Living beings (continuously) learn because they face a dynamic world permanently requiring new (micro-) decision in response to new (micro-) environments.
Learning is a Necessary Need ...The tools that make up the equipped for the future content four purposes for learning:
ACCESS
To gain access to information and resources so that adults can orient themselves in the world
VOICE
To express ideas and opinions with the confidence they will be heard and taken into account
ACTION
To solve problems and make decisions without having to rely on others to mediate the world for them
BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE
Learning to learn so that adults can be prepared to keep up with the world as it changes.
Please visit the link below:
http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/purposes.htm
Why do we learn? Why do we interpret everything we are exposed to as possible knowledge, filing it away into memory? Why do we repeat something to get it right but not do something wrong again? Why do we make sense of what is surrounding us? Why?
Perhaps it is survival. If you don’t learn how to protect yourself you are in trouble. If you don’t learn your surroundings you will be lost. If you don’t learn, you can’t live because you wouldn’t know how.
Perhaps it is living. Survival is not enough. Survival is all about the needs. Living is about the wants. You need food, but what do you want? Sushi? Bread? Noodles? If you don’t learn how to make a choice and what choice to make, you won’t really live. You’d be surviving, but you haven’t learnt enough to extract the best for yourself.
Perhaps it’s for a career. You need to learn skills to get certain jobs. You need to learn how to manage office politics. You need to learn how to present and how to market. Do you go to school and learn this, or do you learn from experience? Why choose the school? Why choose experience? Why only go through the trouble of learning just for a job, especially when you’re not sure?
For more information on the subject, you may look at the link here-under.
http://educatedeviate.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/blogathon-25-why-do-we-learn/
Dear Mahfuz,
Good question!
We learn to know, become educated, discover new things, hone our experiences and advance human knowledge at large!
I think learning is a fundamental need of human beings. Human beings are uniquely adapted to learn and we have the ability to do so throughout our lives. The power of learning has transformed us. It is the continuous learning that moved humans from Stone Age to Industrial age and then to modern age of Information and knowledge. Learning is not just about economic success; it is the key to achieving our full potential.
We, humans, learn because we are physical, moral (spiritual) beings with a need to make use of our intellect that is bestowed on humans by the Creator. Learning includes Reading, reading to learn, reciting, understanding, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing and the other levels of Bloom's taxonomy. The 'highest' level is to create, to resemble in our own small way the function of the Creator. In a rapidly changing world we have need to be lifelong learners.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/03/18/how-and-why-to-become-a-lifelong-learner/
Why do we learn?
In my perception, it is a biological need or akin to Maslow's self actualisation?
We learn through our senses. And the senses do not develop until we use them or learn.
I am good at differentiating between millions or billions of colors because I used and learned. But I have not used my ears or learned to distinguish sounds and hence cannot enjoy classical music?
We and all other beeings have to learn, because our surrounding creates the need to adapt. If we don´t match our behaviour we will be eliminated in a short time.
A short remark: learning can deliver fun and enthusiasm. Just look at the childs of humans and animals. And if you follow these RG threads, you will experience, that even most of the adults love learning.
Being from an Asian society, it has been drummed into our heads from young :)
'If you study, you will learn how to discipline yourself to do something you don't want to do, which will help you succeed in anything in life.
If you study, you will get a sense of accomplishment from doing something hard and succeeding.'
I like this paper on lifelong learning. 'Our world is changing around us in such a frantic pace that if we do not continue to grow and develop; we will soon be left behind. In the 21st century, we all need to be lifelong learners. We need to continually keep our skills sharp and up to date so that we have an edge in all we do. Of course, we all have a natural desire to learn for adapting to change, enriching and fulfilling our lives.'
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042811030023
We learn for many reasons: enhances our competency so that we do our job with greater degree of expertise; gives us self confidence; helps us go higher in our own self esteem; gives us a greater degree of meaningfulness in life; helps us march towards our vision; helps us get more respect from our peers & customers.
I think and I am not alone to that, that learning involves some kind of power, useful for the humans to overcome the difficulties of life.
As the Aristotle said: "It is in nature of all humans to learn." ("Πάντες άνθρωποι φύσει ορέγονται του ειδέναι.")
And Socrates: "I learn one thing, that I know nothing" ("Εν οίδα ότι ουδέν οίδα")
Rene Descartes said: "Cogito ergo sum". People trained to think in the society. Person learns in the society. So, if we would like to complete the short answer to the nice Mahfuz question, then we answering: We must learn to be a man and not an animal.
@Vladimitr
nice answer, but I´d like to modify. Cogito means thinking, learning produces know how. Two really different actions and terms.
Animals learn too.
Dear @Mahfuz and friends, if you want to leave, you have to learn! Learning is a need and necessity! Instincts covered our needs in the baby time, but later, as we are getting older, we used to learn from parents,teachers, friends, and experience.Autonomy in life is achieved by learning and experience. A man learns as long as he is alive!
We learn because of the combination of needs & necessities. Knowledge has been built in cumulative way by the efforts of many humans. We cannot acquire knowledge all by ourselves so there has to be those who teach us in order to learn but up to a certain limit after which we ought to proceed into self-directed learning (SDL). It is difficult, but not impossible, for learning to come through inspiration alone. Life experience has proved, beyond doubt, that an effort must be made to learn something. This effort could be small or large as the case "to be learnt" dictates.
David Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory is giving fine explanation about learning from experience."Kolb developed a model to think about learning called the Experiential Learning Theory, which sought to emphasize experience as a major component of how we learn. It might seem obvious to us now that how we learn is connected to our experience of learning, but other theories around learning at that time emphasized how the brain processed information (cognitive) or focused on mainly repetitive actions (behavioral). Both cognitive and behavioral theories didn't take into account how our experiences make us unique, subjective learners."
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/david-kolb-learning-style-experiential-learning-theory-quiz.html#lesson
Dear Hanno. Do not argue. Survive only those animals that learn to protect against hazards. But Descartes in his dictum to say about the importance of thinking for humans. If a man lives like grass (eats food, makes his own kind, but does not do), it's not a man.
We learn in order to survive in the creative sense. This entail a different set of skills comparatively to animals. As a result, our learning is aimed at benefitting our families and the next generations with a legacy of thought and passion.
I have come across this quote from Heraclitus and find it quite interesting: "Too much learning does not lead to understanding."
Dear all! Let me tell a little more. Knowledge without awareness of the subject infertile. A meditation without knowledge - dangerous. This is the wisdom of Confucius.
We learn general knowledge throughout life to be able to function properly, live well and assimilate into society. Leaning and education provides humanity with a means to share previous knowledge with future generation through discovery and interactions.
Yes, my dear Behrouz,
I fully agree with you that we learn general knowledge throughout life to be able to function properly, live well and assimilate into society.
Under "Reasons for Learning Failure in the 21st Century", Consider these disturbing bits of information:
- Over 90 percent of us are dissatisfied with our ability to learn and remember.
- Twelve weeks after the average corporate training session, most participants forget 85 percent of the information delivered.
- Nearly 50 percent of all students in Chicago, Baltimore, Cleveland and other major cities drop out of school before graduating.
- Thirty-three percent of New York City's elementary students are functionally illiterate.
- In national tests, in many sections of the country approximately 70 percent of eighth graders fail to achieve proficiency in math and reading.
These information are annoying.
For more details on the Reasons for Learning Failure in the 21st Century, you may look at the link:
http://www.crackingthelearningcode.com/element6.html
Allow me to offer a playful idea, which was born in the discussion. We think and argue on our statements. So we live. So found one of the secrets of longevity.
Thanks Prof Ljubomir, for Kolb's cycle of experiential learning. It's not just learning to drive again after being away from the steering wheel for some time. It's also used in learning to be a better teacher! Surely related to this question of Mahfuz on learning!
After teaching a class (concrete experience), I reflect and write out my reflections; this is required by my college (reflective observation). Then I think of what may help to increase my students' gain in learning and recall of knowledge (abstract conceptualization, my research). Next I carry out my research on my students (active experimentation, collect data, analyze data, answer the question: 'Did my research/ experimentation help my students?' Then I go again, with some added knowledge to a next cycle!
the learning is instinctive need for mankind, and this done by different means such as by spoon taught or learning by doing.
I am learning for the pleasure and in the hope that it can serve mankind for a better understanding. Also I'm looking for new canals to transfer the information I gathered to please the persons, dead or alive, who inspired me.
We learn things when we are motivated and/or we want to learn and achieve our goals
Learning is the act of acquiring new, or modifying and reinforcing, existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information.
Human learning may be goal-oriented and may be aided by motivation.
Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on external pressures or a desire for reward.
Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of the individual. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards (for example money or grades) for showing the desired behavior, and the threat of punishment following misbehavior.
There are several ways that teachers can adapt or modify instruction to accommodate students with disabilities or other learners who need assistance "learning how to learn." Often, these techniques are extensions of or variations on good instructional practice teacher routinely employ.
Other techniques may require more planning and deliberate actions on the part of the teacher, but the result is more structured and accessible curricula for all students.
For more details on the subject, you may look at the following link:
http://www.emstac.org/registered/topics/studyskills/knowledgeacquisition.htm
We learn for many reasons:
- to be able to communicate with other people
- to be able to find a job
- to be able to understand the deeper meaning of what we observe around us
- just for fun!
Dear Demetris, yes also "just for fun". But you consent, this point is not the primary reason for our survive. But fantastic, if we do some thing with fun and it helps us.
Yes, dear Francisca. As you said that there is a Learning which is forced upon us, and which often correspond to the School Lessons: they could be interesting and ... truthful, or else. They are a Necessity in order to be, so to say, adapted to our Societies or to be integrated into them. This might be a very questionable Learning.
In most countries there are a basic education which is compulsory and, in general, a student is not to be expelled from school before completing 16 years of age.
We do learn because we are curious! "Young children,show unbounded innate curiosity and are 'self-driven to explore their environment. This curiosity is ego-centred or self-directed. Before they begin to speak, their behaviours suggest implicit goals or
purposes for learning. While it is unlikely that they are telling themselves "That's unusual/strange. I didn't expect that ", their range of behaviours is consistent with this. They do not need to be taught how to be curious." Very important reading about the issue!
https://students.education.unimelb.edu.au/selage/pub/readings/psyexlearn/PELmotivation.pdf
According to John Munro, we learn when we want an outcome that we won't have if we don't change what we know. When you ask people why they learnt a particular set of ideas, they may tell you that they wanted to know more about the ideas; they were curious to know more about a topic, or they needed the knowledge for another specific purpose.
Without doubt, curiosity motivates learning. It arises when learners perceive their knowledge or understanding of a situation is incomplete; they are aware that they have 'unfilled holes' in their knowledge and a desire to 'fill these holes.
Interest is another condition for learning. Interest is an aspect of what we know. It is useful to examine two types of interest. Personal interest: the preferences that learners bring to a learning context; and situational interest: the environmental factors used to make ideas more interesting to learn. We learn to recognize information that suggest that something may be interesting.
Being challenged is critical for learning. Learners 'frame up' for themselves the response to a challenge. Their active responses to the challenge determine learning by initiating the need to learn more. This is the concept of 'self-challenged'. We are challenged by an event or idea that we don't think we can make sense of. The self-challenge is framed when we believe we don't know and want to. It leads us to invest attention in the idea.
You may have three main motives for learning:
How do we learn? According to Maria Andersen, we learn by:
1. Practicing / Repeating;
2. Reading;
3. Listening;
4. Discussing with others;
5. Experiencing it firsthand;
6. Thinking / Reflecting;
7. Experimenting / Play Trial & Error;
9. Academic Formal Classes;
10 . Creating something;
11. Hearing or Watching;
Dear Profs and friends, thanks for many views on learning, an area of my research. @Prof Ljubomir, Mahfuz et al., concerning natural curiosity and learning, I found that curiosity needs to be motivated and sustained. There is a tendency for good, old fashioned, natural curiosity to dwindle in these present times. See my thread below, thanks.
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_has_happened_to_the_natural_curiosity_of_students
There are many strategies that foster creativity in students
Most educators would agree that fostering the scholarly attribute of curiosity in learners is an important task. Providing students with adequate guidance while affording them the opportunities for exploration, however, is easier said than done.
As mentioned earlier, not all students are highly curious, and what might stimulate curiosity in some students might result in anxiety for others. It becomes the job of the educator to recognize these differences and control the classroom or other learning environment to accommodate all learners. With this caveat in mind, the following are ten strategies for fostering curiosity.
Strategy 1: Curiosity as a Hook
Use curiosity as a primary motivator at the beginning of a lesson by starting, for example, with a thought-provoking question or surprising statement.
Strategy 2: Conceptual Conflict
Introduce a conceptual conflict when possible. Learners will feel compelled to explore the conflict until it is resolved. When the student has resolved the conceptual conflict, he or she will have a feeling of satisfaction.
Strategy 3: An Atmosphere for Questions
Create an atmosphere where students feel comfortable about raising questions and where they can test their own hypotheses through discussion and brainstorming. (Not only does this foster curiosity, but it also helps to build confidence.)
Strategy 4: Time
Allow adequate time for exploration of a topic. If the teacher has been successful in stimulating curiosity, then learners will want to persist in that exploration.
For more information about more strategies for creativity of student, you may look at the link here-under:
http://www.educationoasis.com/resources/Articles/fosteringcuriosity.htm
Motivation to learn is an insatiable desire for acquiring knowledge, quest for new knowledge, refinement of knowledge and application of knowledge. From the beginning of human existence, we have been learning. That is why , we are in a civilized world. As we progress, we tend to get inspired by the achievements of fellow human beings. Everybody is a teacher and everybody is a student, all throughout his or her life. This is the very essence of civilization and progress.
It seems that most of the comments focus on classroom learning or formal learning. However, I believe learning is a necessity. We learn how to walk, talk, ….. I do not recall the person who first used the phrase “learning a living” which is more and more what is really happening these days.
Dear Muhammad,
I think you are talking about conscious and unconscious learning of English language.
Subconscious methods are more effective. These methods provide understandable English input to your brain… and then your subconscious brain does all of the rest of the work. Consciously, all you do is enjoy English stories, articles, conversations, movies, and novels. You never think about grammar rules. You never attempt to memorize words.
Of course, our System is a subconscious learning system. You learn grammar by listening to our crazy Mini-Stories. We carefully repeat grammar patterns during the story… but you don’t think about any rules. You just listen and enjoy the story consciously… but subconsciously, your brain learns English grammar.
For more details on the subject you may consult the following link:
http://effortlessenglishclub.com/subconscious-vs-conscious-learning
Learning is an innate feature of human kind, at early age children prove their ability in trying to discover their milieu and their bodies. Then when their capacity of speaking and moving are fixed, they show cognitive thinking ability through their incessant questions and their curiosity of everything around them 'as they try to have knowledge and expand their knowledge or correct it'.
So human needs to learn in the purpose to master his milieu for his surviving, security and development. Enjoying every novelty discovered by him or by his peers attests his natural necessity for further knowledge progress.
Learning is a natural process during the life, through traditional schools, life experience, job experience, social experience etc...
The cognitive needs of human in searching of understanding is the natural process of knowledge production and its development. Understanding could be under observations and trials, history facts or logical thinking and proving. This ability is the feature which distinguishes human from the other mammals.
Learning is a continuous process during the individual life. Does the cause or motive for learning change over time? Is the answer to the question, why do we learn, different when we are students in school than when we are preparing for the PhD?
Dear Mahfuz,
there are important differences depending on the age or situation of learning. So long as you study fundamentals you have to understand principles and must experience the algorithms and facts. If you are an "adult" researcher, you continue learning, but now you must be creative and full with ideas and you don´t learn fundamentals, you apply them in a high scientific manner. And you look for limits or even try to change them. A really different mode of learning.
I think that the motive for learning is same at child age or adult age. At child and student age, we need to learn and understand fundamentals of science, literature, history, art etc... at age of practitioners we need to know how to put in practice what we've learn. So we use and develop methods for making our knowledge knowledgeable and useful. Then we need to master the knowledge to be able to produce ideas for more or new knowledge, it is a self and continuous learning process. For Mahfouz quote, students in school are involved by their notes, their exams and their final scores i.e to succeed or not their classmate. In Phd studies student is involved by the subject of his thesis and the work planning by his supervisor. Student is learning how to research his subject, how to make laboratories experiments, how to get data, analyses it, produce results and interpret them according to the fundamental of science principles. At this stage student is learning to becoming future practitioner researcher.
I agree with the above opinions. However I regret to say that most students these days wants a certificate of Education approval rather than mastering the content or outcomes. We Learn to understand life, nature, and our brain interactions with analysis.
Why do we learn? I believe that it is essential to learn in order to to live. We learn to walk, to speak, to write, to read. It 's an endless succession of lessons to be forfeited. An Italian proverb says: in life you never stop learning.
@ Dear Hanno,
I fully agree with you that there are important differences depending on the age or situation of learning. When you are young you study fundamentals, and when you grow up you are an adult researcher, you are creative.
@ Dear Fairouz,
Your contribution is highly valued by me. You said you think that the motive for learning is same at child age or adult age. You have a point. But, I think that when a child is studying, the necessity may be the cause or motive for studying. Whereas, when an adult is preparing for PhD, may be the cause or motive is to make her/his inspiration come true, or to improve his standard of living or any other cause or motive, Don`t you think so?
@ Dear Hashem,
I agree with you that It is regrettable to see most students these days looking for a certificate of education rather than studying hard for mastering the content or outcomes.
@ Dear Franceca,
Your contribution is highly appreciated. I fully agree with you that here are different ways to accomplish learning, and there are different reasons behind the different Kind of learning.
@ Dear Ierardi,
I highly appreciate your contribution. I agree with you that it is essential to learn in order to to live. We learn to walk, to speak, to write, to read.
Are there age limits to learning? Till what age ta man or woman can learn?
Why should there be a time and age limit for learning?
If you are young, you have to learn for your profession and social abilities. If you are in medium age you must keep contact to professional developments. If you are old, learning is the gymnastics for your brain.
In all situations, ages and circumstances learning brings fun and satisfaction. So lets learn and learn and learn.
Yes, dear Hanno. If you are young, you have to learn for you profession and social abilities. If you are in medium age you must keep contact to professional developments. If you are old, learning is the gymnastics for your brain. This is a proverb or a quote.
Learning is a must for every one to develop him self, to understand others, to love others, to know how to deal with others, to love others, and to scarifies for others.
Prof. Shafig,
I believe learning is very essential for every body. Learning is a never ending process.
It is not limited to getting an education or to age. Learning can be acquired at any time, and at any age.
In general, there are seven learning styles
• Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
• Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music.
• Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
• Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
• Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
• Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
• Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.
Your learning styles have more influence than you may realize. Your preferred styles guide the way you learn. They also change the way you internally represent experiences, the way you recall information, and even the words you choose..Research shows us that each learning style uses different parts of the brain. By involving more of the brain during learning, we remember more of what we learn.
For more information on the subject, you may consult the link here-under:
http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/
We learn to gain knowledge and acquire skills that enable us to explain our observations, establish theories, make discoveries, and develop technology to sustain life.
The original idea for Inspiration Bit was to share with readers not only what inspires me but also what I’m fascinated to be learning about while surfing the Web, reading other blogs, working. The motto of this blog is Knowledge comes from inspiration – one bit at a time.
But that doesn’t mean that we only learn things that inspire us. Of course, this is probably the most gratifying learning experience that we get, when we dive into and study something that interests and captivates us. However, sometimes we do learn out of necessity. But then the question is can we enjoy learning things that we are forced to or must learn as much as the other more inspirational ones?
For more details on this subject, you may look at the link her-under:
http://www.inspirationbit.com/why-do-we-learn-and-what/
Can the students enjoy learning things that they are forced to against their will.
Certainly no, desar Mahfuz. The students CANNOT and DO NOT enjoy learning anything against their will!
Experience shows that it depends on many factors. So, it depends. It is our life.
Dear Vladimir,
Experience shows that it depends on many factors. Such as what... Would you please tell us.
Can the students enjoy learning process when learning comes from a Necessity?
In my opinion, if the necessity comes from the desire of the students to be better professionals in the future, then the answer to your question is yes.
How can we motivate students to learn by using their natural desire to learn? Students want work that enables them to demonstrate and improve their abilities.
In my classroom I have seen students who lack the motivation to learn. They scowl at work. They are reluctant to participate. They complain when work goes home and when it does they do not do it. The tragedy in all of this is they are only first graders. I feel a great responsibility to help build a foundation for these children where good attitudes, positive behavior, and effective habits are established. This foundation will hopefully provide for my students the beginning of a successful education where they are learning for the intrinsic value of what they are mastering and not for the external reward.
For more information on the subject, you may look at the following link:
http://journals.library.wisc.edu/index.php/networks/article/view/39/44
Young people always have problem with constraints. But when starting the learning process, they will develop interest and pleasure and with upcoming success the first and original enforcements will change to joy and fun.
Thank you Mahfuz,
Sure that the motive for studying are not same for a child and an adult. So when it comes to title or life standards than to the need of knowledge in itself or some skills to get the motive for acquiring the knowledge for self satisfaction or need of understanding could be lost.
Generally a child go to school following social requirements of his family and his milieu; the child could be satisfied or not, interested or not by what he learns. However the success of his scores could be the real motive. A phd student is more involved for the job requirements, so phd student is more motivated by the need to access the job. There are also some people interested by the title of doctor as social fashion.
But do the need to learn could be connected with some necessity or is it a continuous search of understanding??
Yes, dear Fairouz,
The success of the child scores could be the real motive. A PhD student is more involved for the job requirements, so PhD student is more motivated by the need to access the job.
Different people may have different motives for learning
- to have better job prospects and to earn more money!
- to keep their brain healthy.
- to feel more satisfied with life. Dan Pink argues that we need three things to feel motivated about, and satisfied with, our life: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Lifelong learning fulfills all three of these psychological needs.
- to be more independent and handy.
- to be more interesting and charismatic.
Dear Behrouz,
Different people may have different motives for learning. Very nicely said and listed.
Dear Muhammad,
You remind us on the formal and informal learning. The terms formal and informal learning have nothing to do with the formality of the learning, but rather with the direction of who controls the learning objectives and goals. In a formal learning environment the training or learning department sets the goals and objectives, while informal learning means the learner sets the goals and objective (Cofer, 2000).
In addition, if the organization (other than the training department) sets the learning goals and objectives, such as a line manager directing OJT, then it is normally referred to as nonformal learning (Hanley, 2008). Thus, in a formal learning episode, learning professionals, such as instructional designers or trainers, set the goals; while a nonformal episode has someone outside of the learning department, such as a manager or supervisor, setting the goals or objectives.
See more information on formal and informal learning through looking to the following link:
http://www.knowledgejump.com/learning/informal.html
Dear Muhammad,
The child going to school (formal learning), child and parents at home - guided upbringing (informal learning). It was nicely said.
Students’ learning is maximized when content is delivered “just above” their current capabilities with little stretch “just above” exiting level. The occasional stretch challenge keep things interesting and help students feel a true sense of achievement and progress rewarded for a healthy recognition upon solving the problem, achieved during the learning process
@ dear Francesca.Yes, there are People who are motivated by selfish Interests, and might be stimulated to learn Anything, which corresponds to their Goal. I agree that there are some people of this kind. That is their nature and personality.
"Why students don't learn what we think we teach" is a 79 minutes video which is interesting and informative to watch!. pdf file of the lecture is also attached.
Research over the past two decades has deepened our understanding of the fundamental principles of human learning. Yet much of what we do in undergraduate education seems to effectively ignore these principles.
Robert Duke, professor of music and human learning at University of Texas-Austin, explains how learning theory can be leveraged to design more effective instruction and motivate students. Introduction by Carl D. Hopkins of Cornell's Department of Neurobiology and Behavior.
http://www.cornell.edu/video/robert-duke-why-students-dont-learn-what-we-think-we-teach
Dear Behrouz,
I have looked at the pdf. “Why students don't learn what we think we teach”. It was very valuable and interesting. I like the slide which listed the Vision of Students as Accomplished Learners as:
* Attentive
•Diligent
•Inquisitive
•Skillful
•Persistent
•Patient
•Thoughtful...
Dear Meena,
Real learning only occurs when, motivated by curiosity, the person constructs knowledge by seeking those materials, techniques, concepts, methods and elements, which can produce her own internal theories that then undergo testing and are subsequently internalized. This is the never ending search for knowledge driven by the innate curiosity of human beings.
For more information on the subject, you may look at the following link:
http://demingcollaboration.com/curiosity-and-innovation/
When teachers and students share the same goals, education becomes a teamwork effort with an "us" feeling. When students are highly motivated to learn, simply calling attention to a learning opportunity is sufficient.
Why should students want to learn? Basically, students are motivated by activities they think are fun and/or useful. Of course, fun and utility, like beauty, are in the mind of a beholder. But in many situations, persuasion by a teacher is helpful, to show students why they should want to learn what is being taught.
Of course, this persuasion will be easier and more effective if, when teachers are designing their instruction, they try to search for goals and activities that connect with what students want to learn. During activities designed to teach thinking skills, if students are studying topics that connect with their personal interests, they will think more willingly and participate more enthusiastically.
For more information on this subject, you may look at the link here-under:
http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/learn/motives.htm
This question looks very simple, but properly answering to it may not be so simple. And there can be many ways to answer this questions, and many have tried so. Some one has said that we learn because we want to survive. Agree with this. To add further, it is human being who have to carry forward this every advancing civilization, and to do this we need to learn: what to learn? We learn how to live together in a family unit, how to live together in a neighborhood, in a community, in society with harmony, how to work together in working place with collaboration, how to learn to carry forward this every advancing civilization. Only human being has this faculty of thinking what is good, and what is not. And this is our need as well as necessity. Yes, it comes from inspiration.
Dear Pahlaj,
There are many answers to this question. As you said that there can be many ways to answer this questions. Sometimes, the answer may take two or more causes or motives at the same time.
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