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Learning and Research

How to have fun while doing both

Karin Treiber, Ph.D., Oak Brook, IL ResidencySeptember 2005

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With deep appreciation to...

Ron Gross and the ideas presented in his book, Peak Learning

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Worth pondering...

“Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it will all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” R.W. Emerson

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“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.”

--William Yeats

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Outcomes for this session

Identify learning mythsIdentify ways to maximize

one’s learning styleApply a mind map and

other techniques as research tools

Develop an approach to the Walden learning journey

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Who or what inspired you?

Name two or three people who inspired you to learn

Name one or two moments you consider “peak” learning experiences

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Characteristics of peak learners

Feel best when learning something new

usually open to new ideas, information, experiences

keenly aware of how much they don’t know

Look for analogies, similarities, differences, and try to understand the connections

confident in ability to learn

invest time in personal growth

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Why do we learn?

EconomicsHealthTechnologySocialPersonal &

business relationships

Which of these have spurred you to learn?

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Obstacles

Anxiety about learningAnxiety about timeNegative myths about

learningPreconceived notions

about learning from schools

“Learning is boring, tedious,”…what else?

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What are some other myths about learning?

Boring, unenjoyable

Only deals with “school” subjects

One must be passive and receptive to “absorb” knowledge

Put oneself under another’s tutelage

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More myths about learning

Must be systematic, logical, planned

Must be thorough to be worth doing

“Everything begins…

with belief.” -- Norman

Cousins

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Principles of peak learning

Adults who take command of their learning master more things and better than those “taught” and have more zest in the process.

We learn differently than children.

What are some of the differences?

No one can learn for you. It is your

doing.

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As an adult

You can learn how to learn.You are already a superb

learner.You have your own

learning style.Your learn best when most

active mentally.

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Still more...

You can design your optimal learning environment. Be alert, comfortable, productive.

We learn most enjoyably by choosing from an array of media, methods, and experiences.

We can accelerate our learning right in our workplaces.

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Fears about learning:

Fear of learning

Plato’s story of the cave

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lack of understanding

told I cannot learn

don’t know how to learn efficiently

Fear of change

Changing one’s beliefs has implications

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

won’t remember

ashamed by lack...

too much to learn

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Learning, emotions, beliefs

Your first degree…

What got you through it?

Was it a person, a dream, a decision, a conviction?

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Maximize your learning style

“Learning throughout life is now a key to personal success.”--R. Gross

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Belief & affirmations

Fall in loveStir your soulUse your experienceEnergize your brainCatch others’ enthusiasm

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Preferred learning styles

“Grouper”

finds relationships

draws parallels

jumps right in!

Stringer

methodical approach

details concepts

“academic” approach

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Learning quadrants

Facts

Structure

People

Feelings

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Personal intelligences

Linguistic

logical-mathematical

spatial

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More personal intelligences

Musical

bodily-kinesthetic

intrapersonal

interpersonal

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Match your learning style with your learning resources

Major resources print experiences--group, self,

games, … media nature others?

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Techniques that help learning

Mind maps -- the “V” heuristic model

Brain webs/clustering

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Mind maps: the “V”

Thinkingideasopinionsprior

experiencesimagesconceptshuncheshypothesesexpectations

Actioninterviewsconversationsresearchpreparationquestionsprospective

usesreading

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Mind maps: Clustering

Start with a key idea

Label branches

Return and add branches

Use arrows to show links

---Charles Hess, Carol Colman, Anne Robinson, Dudley Lynch

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Learning outcomes

6. Evaluate5. Synthesize4. Analyze3. Apply2. Comprehend1. Recall -- Benjamin

Bloom

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Personalizing your Walden journey

Select your learning goals

Choose your learning resources

Evaluate the results of your learning

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Goals for your journey?

KnowledgeUnderstandingSkillsAttitudesBehavioral

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Plan for your learning

Take 5% of your time to evaluate a resource, a residency, a KAM

Evaluate--the process is the product!

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Learning project plan--1

Choose your own goals

Marshall your full energy and enthusiasm

Take full advantage of…

Fine-tune your environment

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Learning project plan--2

Use your own styleBenefit from a wide range

of resourcesControl your timeUse innovative learning

techniquesBenefit from change, luck,

intuitionDetermine the results you

want from your learning

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“This above all: to thine own self be

true.”

--Hamlet, William Shakespeare