This is a thought provoking book on "education" and "learning". It argues that traditional methods of learning can produce mindless behaviour because they tend to suggest that there is only one answer to a problem or a single correct way to tackle a task. The author argues that it is important to teach skills and facts conditionally, to adopt varying perspectives and to set the stage for doubt and an awareness that different situations may call for different approaches or answers.
The book describes seven myths that in the view of the author undermine true learning and discuses how we can avoid their debilitating effects. The myths are:
1. The basics must be learnt so well that they become second nature.
2. Paying attention means staying focused on one thing at one time.
3. Delaying gratification is important.
4. Rote memorisation is necessary in education.
5. Forgetting is a problem.
6. Intelligence is knowing "what's out there."
7. There are right and wrong answers.
The arguments are backed up by a number of scientific studies - many of them conducted by the author her self.
David Gurteen's comments: Whether you agree with all her ideas or not - the book will cause you to question some very deeply held beliefs - something we all need to do from time to time!
Flickr Slideshow: Washington DC Knowledge Cafe, March 2007
Photo slideshow of Washington DC Knowledge Cafe, March 2007. The Knowledge Cafe was hosted by the "Federal CIO Council’s Best Practices Committee Knowledge Management Working Group" and the speaker was Zeke Wolfberg of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Knowledge Laboratory on the theme “Operationalizing Risk in Knowledge Organizations”.
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Not only do we as individuals get locked into single-minded views, but we also reinforce these views for each other until the culture itself suffers the same mindlessness.