Motivation

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Discussion: What is Learning?

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Here are some ways in which education experts have defined learning:

When you read these definitions, a couple of words appear repeatedly:

  • Change
  • Experience
  • Interactions
  • Process
  • Future
problems, opportunities

Learning is the skill that has made you into who you are today, and it is what will transform you into who you will be in the future.

What is Meta-learning, and Why is it Important?

Reflection: Your Experience of Learning

We are accustomed to learning about different subjects or developing new skills and interests, but we don’t often think about how we actually learn, or even plan our learning intentionally so that it is as effective as possible. Even in school, a lot of learning is focused on “what to learn”, but rarely “how to learn.” However, understanding how we learn can be really useful for optimizing our individual learning processes.

In the video, Kwik asserts that meta-learning (i.e. thinking about how to learn) is a vital skill because if you know how to learn, then you will be able to learn anything you want or need to learn. You will be able to decide what you want to accomplish in the future and have the ability to learn the skills, knowledge, and mindsets that are required to help you transform from your current state into that future state.

This ability is critical in a field like computer science that is in constant evolution. For example, new programming languages and frameworks are frequently developed. And as a technical professional, constant learning is critical for keeping up and continually delivering cutting-edge work.

Beyond computer science, the world at large is also on a rapid trajectory of change. The term VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) is often used to describe the state of the modern world. Many sectors and industries are evolving rapidly. In fact, according to ‘The Future of Economy’ Report published by the Institute for the Future (IFTF) and Dell technologies, a lot of jobs that will exist in 2030 do not exist today. Furthermore, Knowledge Obsolescence (defined as “the condition of knowledge becoming outdated or superseded due to the emergence of newer, more relevant knowledge or need for additional currency or relevance.” (IGI Global, 2022)) means that a significant amount of knowledge that you currently hold may be outdated and useless within the next 5 years. Therefore, the priority should be to focus on how to learn so that you can adapt beyond just knowing current skills and knowledge, and instead learn whatever you need to learn as it becomes relevant or required in the future.

This lifelong learning becomes more effective when you understand the principles behind learning, how you learn, and the strategies that help you learn more efficiently and effectively.