learning

You’re more amazing than you realise

Have you ever developed a skill that you don’t think you could improve any further? You hit a brick wall and feel like a natural limit has been reached?

Or perhaps you’re finding it difficult to start something new and you keep falling at the first hurdle.

Joshua Foer, author of “Moonwalking With Einstein“, explains that you can amaze yourself when you use the right techniques. I suggest you find quarter of an hour to watch this video, because it covers a lot of big concepts that are bound to open your eyes to the possibilities.

You’re a better person than you think. Foer explains how you can start tapping into your natural awesomeness…

What will you do to impress yourself today?

Is big change in higher education possible?

With votes of no confidence flying around and private ventures getting serious amounts of flack, the world of academia has been pretty animated this week.

You know it’s serious when The Guardian decides to run a live-blog of events…

photo by micn2sugars

photo by micn2sugars

But rather than weigh into a debate that’s being flogged to death, I want to ask one big question:

  • Can HE actually achieve truly different models of teaching and learning to the models already in action?

Essentially, how can anyone create a bold, innovative plan to take higher education forward in new ways unless economic constraints are lifted?

I ask this because money has become such a focus in recent years that it’s currently impossible to remove the link between HE and funding. Everything requires money, so where will it come from?

Increasingly, the answer seems to be ‘from the student’, although the truth goes much deeper and is much more complicated.

Indeed, the truth isn’t possible to tell right now. Making sense of it all will probably still be tough even when the long awaited government White Paper on the future of HE is published.

Whatever happens, new models of teaching and learning will likely be hard to find with much HE funding moving in the direction of the student.

Subject to so much criticism this week, New College for the Humanities (NCH) is not particularly different to other models already on offer. However, the price tag and celebrity catch has made it easy fodder for debating.

We are facing up to at least one aspect of the future. NCH’s yearly tuition fee of £18k is going to upset many, no matter what is on offer and how it presents itself.

Despite the controversy, however, this is just the beginning of a long for-profit march. London Met’s Malcolm Gillies says that a “fundamentally different economy [is] emerging in higher education”.

Even so, take away the question of private ventures and the university system is still set for a ride into the unknown. Can the current state of affairs in HE be used in alternative ways that continue to allow freedom of enquiry as well as a platform for students to achieve the many things they want, including (but certainly not limited to) future career prospects?

The more I consider this, the more I feel something will eventually give. My hope is that the necessary change will prove positive in the main.

And it is necessary change. On one hand, the government (among others) is pushing for change. On the other hand, critics are pushing for change in other directions.

The one thing few seem to be wishing for is that everything stays precisely the same as it currently is. And yet the HE community get constantly ribbed for resisting any type of change!

Perhaps too many things will change at once. When you alter too much at the same time:

  1. You can’t distinguish between successful moves and failures;
  2. Risks are much greater in the mid to long term, if not also the short term;
  3. Nobody is sure what direction they are facing, should be facing, or even want to be facing;
  4. The subsequent confusion can lead to much flailing about and little to show for it.

The marketisation of HE takes us into new territory, but one which doesn’t look like it can easily support genuine innovation in terms of delivery and concept. Perhaps perversely, for-profit players may be best placed to find different successes by fluke, but it’s still a long shot and will continue to be strewn with controversy. The only accurate thing to say at this point is that it’s anyone’s game.

Not that it is a game, or feels like one, of course!

With students touted as being at the heart of HE, does their growing role as ‘consumer’ bring hope or horror to the sector?

The answer to that question depends on who you ask, as I’m sure you’ve long worked out.

My next post will look at the dangers of relying too much on a ‘student as consumer’ focus.

10 inspirational tips by the man from MONGOOSE

I want to be wrong.

Do you?

We should all long to be wrong. So says the man from MONGOOSE. Otherwise known as Dougald Hine.

Dougald Hine (photo by squircle)

Dougald Hine (photo by squircle)

Dougald is on a mission to bring people together and to generally help make the world a little bit more awesome for us all:

“It all starts from a desire to understand how we change things – and how things change, with or without us.” [Source]

Dougald recently gave a speech on universities and transition. Speaking in the slot that was originally meant for the “man at the ministry”, Dougald decided to put his MONGOOSE hat on. In other words, the ‘Ministry Of Non-Governmental Organisations Or Similar Entities’, which is “For when the state is failing to deal with major ongoing crises”.

So, Dougald is serious about helping make change happen. He’s happy to be light-hearted along the way. And, if you prefer, not so light-hearted.

The path to change is never smooth, but our attitude makes a big difference to how we tackle that path. Along the way, we make many mistakes. Luckily, mistakes are important — and necessary — stepping stones.

This is just one piece of advice Dougald gave when he spoke. Here are some more gems I took away from his talk:

(more…)

Review: Learn More, Study Less

Scott Young gave me a peek at “Learn More, Study Less“, his new ebook and companion video course that does exactly what it says on the tin.  Today I’m reviewing the product.  I’ve got a short review and a long review.

Here’s the short review:
Learn More, Study Less helps you learn more and study less.  You’d like to do that, wouldn’t you?  If so, buy the course and start seeing the bigger picture.

Here’s the long review:
The best way to explain Learn More, Study Less is by calling it a complete learning system.  Rote memorisation of facts is tired and cumbersome.  Through this course, Scott explains how your learning can become expansive.  Problems aren’t one-dimensional; you’ll often find many answers to the same question.

Scott offers the course as either:
– A 228-page ebook, case studies & worksheets for $39 (about £25);
– A complete video course (around 6 hours) and a set of interviews in addition to the ebook, case studies & worksheets for $67 (about £42)

The book starts by helping you to remove those blinkers and take a good look around.  From this new viewpoint, all the links and connections between subjects become apparent.

Sound overwhelming?  It’s not.  The natural approaches explained in the book are a boon, not a pain.

Scott asks if there are certain subjects you just “get”.  The way you handle these subjects is likely different to those you have a block on, or those you find more difficult to learn from.  The book highlights what elements of learning are in play with the subjects you “get”, giving you scope to use them on other subjects.

In Part 1, a six-step approach is outlined in detail: Acquire, Understand, Explore, Debug, Apply & Test.  In addition, Scott describes the many types of information out there and how to process each type.

Part 2 describes important techniques for bringing the holistic learning strategy to life.  With speed reading, idea linking, mental and emotional images, practical uses to aid learning, and so on, there’s a wealth of goodies you’ll want to play with and master here.

The book gives no quick fixes.  What the book does so well is provide you with detailed explanations of how your everyday learning can become a permanent fix in itself. My own experience has helped me realise that putting in the initial work is far better than slapping on a quick fix at the end.  That’s why I hate cramming before tests and why I can’t stand writing coursework at the last minute.

Learn More, Study Less goes beyond passing tests.  And rightly so. A focus on testing only weakens ability to concentrate on the bigger picture.  The book calls on you to question why you *want* to learn anything.  When you can question the usefulness of what you’re learning, you’re better equipped to learn it.

Part 3 looks past holistic learning and looks at being a productive student and how to educate yourself by using what you’ve learned.  Part 4 contains a helpful summary and recap.

Scott throws in some real case studies and helpful worksheets as part of the package.  These allow you to focus even further on what’s required.  Like I said at the beginning of the review, this really is set up to be a complete and flexible learning system.

Positive Points:

  • I have used most of the techniques within this book at different stages in my life and I know how well they have served me.  This alone is enough for me to heartily recommend the product.
  • The book is easy to read and the writing clear and concise.  Complicated methods are described as simply as possible so you’re free to develop your technique effectively.
  • Scott’s video classes (in the $67 package) are great value for money and complement the book well.  The videos really help bring some of the points to life.
  • You’re not left scared and confused.  At no point are you made to feel out of your depth.  You do have to put the work in to make holistic learning work, but that’s a matter of choice, not a matter of ability.

Negative Points:

  • No references list.  A lot of the methods documented here have been known to work for many years.  Perhaps I’m being greedy, but I’d have liked to see where some of Scott’s ideas had originated from.
  • Price could put off some students. Costing the same as some academic textbooks, it may put you off. Yet seen as a complete course, it does represent good value for money.  Scott also provides a 60-day guarantee if you’re not happy.
  • You must be self-determined.  I’ve already said that the book isn’t about quick fixes.  Commitment is required.  Sadly, not everyone is looking for that.  Simply reading the book will not do.

In Closing:
At the back of Learn More, Study Less, Scott rightly says that “No technique, method or trick can replace motivation”.  This is key to learning well.  Anything less only works as a temporary mask.  And it won’t fool anybody.

Forget masks.  This course gives you the tools you need to up your game for good.

“Find your reason for learning.  Even if the reason is as simple as curiosity, find a reason to want to know.” – Scott Young

[Note: I am happy to be an affiliate for Scott’s course.  I only recommend products if I feel they provide good quality. This product certainly does that.]