family focus >> family counseling
The Evolution
Of Learning
T
and hundreds of television channels
oday, it takes little effort
can influence our thinking better than
to learn virtually anything.
our families, friends, teachers and
When we want to discover or
communities.
Learning from each
purchase something, we just "Google"
other
provides
a variety of ways to
it. This simple act locates any idea or
understand
how
the world works and
product from an abundance of online
the
means
to
improve
it. Through such
resources.
social
learning,
we learn to
It is easy to recognize
recognize
whom
to trust,
how the way we learn has
what
to
avoid
and
when to
changed dramatically as a
act;
gut-based
abilities
not
result of new technology.
readily
available
online.
In earlier times, when we
Learning quality depends
had questions, we had to
on
who and how informa-
go to the library, search
tion
is conveyed. In early
through an encyclopedia or
education,
children need
seek out parents or teachers
teachers
who
care and can
to explain what we could
engage
the
love
of learning.
not grasp. Such an inquiry
Da
niel
By
high
school,
students
might take hours or days, if
Rosen
baum,
need
proper
study
habits
pursued at all.
PhD,
LMSW
and
critical
thinking
skills.
To our amazement, the
College
students
must
func-
computing power of our
tion
independently,
preparing
papers,
devices has expanded so much more
lectures and examinations outside the
than anyone could imagine and,
classroom. Graduate or professional
incredibly, will grow exponentially in
the next decade. Learning has changed education emphasizes doing research
and gaining practical experience so
from a rigorous pursuit of ideas to
as to be qualified to practice autono-
"surfing" websites hoping for some
mously.
grand insight. Anything we want is as
No matter what we learn or how
close as the smart phones in our pock-
ets. Consequently, we have become too we learn it, we must always examine
used to the quick availability of knowl- presented ideas with a critical eye
and well-honed skepticism. As the
edge. For that reason, we may be on
Luddites learned two centuries ago,
the brink of losing our ability to figure
we cannot shield ourselves from every
things out for ourselves.
invention and innovation which sup-
Understanding underlying prin-
posedly makes our lives easier.
ciples has given way to knowing which
We must teach the next generation
buttons to push. This inclination has
how to navigate the cavalcade of com-
radically changed the process of learn-
peting convictions. The ways we learn
ing from knowledge integration to
may change over time, but compre-
mechanical performance. Such acci-
dental learning leads to the creation of hending the intellectual foundations
of learning is necessary to survive in
websites, like Wikipedia, that can be
any age.
factually biased or seriously inaccu-
Teach your children to develop their
rate. Too often learning is a struggle to
own resourcefulness without over-reli-
discern fact from misinformation. As
ance on others' know-how. Encourage
the current generation becomes future
them to discuss what they don't under-
decision makers, on what will they
base crucial judgments if they have not stand and to examine what is implied
between the lines of what they read.
learned to reason soundly?
While real wisdom may not always be
In this technological age, we no
accessible, parents need to be. That's
longer have to store knowledge in our
how we all truly learn.
brains, that is, to actually learn. After
finding a good website, we now book-
mark it as a "favorite" so we can return Dr. Daniel Rosenbaum is a clinical social
worker at Counseling Associates lnc.in
to it as needed. Will writing things
West Bloomfield, where he counsels chil-
down for future recall become super-
dren, teens and adults experiencing family
fluous? Has genuine learning become
or personal psychological problems. Reach
an unnecessary chore?
Still, none of the millions of websites him at (248) 626-1500.
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4E10
September 20 2012
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