Generating deep curiosity about the materials, and the teachings

You may have noticed that great and enthusiastic learners like to ask a lot of questions. If you have generated motivation for learning, found the right coach, mentor or teacher, engaged in a program that will help you meet your life goals, and developed respect for the teacher and the materials, generating deep curiosity will not be difficult.

Many study programs encourage discussion, challenges and even debate. There is a long standing practice of discussion and friendly debate in several Buddhist traditions. Students question and challenge ideas, just as students of arts or science might discuss different theories and hypotheses.

Friendly questioning or challenging is not intended to demean or belittle the teachings or teacher, but rather to extract the greatest possible learning value from them. We question for deeper understanding. If after repeated questioning the answer is still not satisfactory, try to set it aside so that you can remain open to other ideas.

Or, if something is intellectually unfathomable but open to behavioural testing, try an experiment. I have had this experience a few times over the past few years. Rather than reject an idea outright, look at the suggestion from your coach, mentor or teacher and ask yourself, “Can I put this into practice?”

If the answer is “yes”, then try it on a sustained basis, or for however long it takes to experience the effects, and see what happens.

In my spiritual practice, for example, there are ideas that many find intellectually challenging. One of my early teachers suggested that rather than rejecting these ideas or views outright, we should try to contemplate the consequences and benefits of holding the view, meditate as though we firmly believe it, and then head out into the world with this new outlook firmly planted in our mind.

In other words, we experiment and see what happens. The same is true for what we might do if we are training as an athlete, or testing a scientific hypothesis.

So I did what my teacher suggested. In one case I tested the view that every living being I meet is. Everybody. The auto mechanic. The cashier at the supermarket. All of the people in front of me in the line at the supermarket. The guy down the hall at the office. My brothers. The guys digging up my street. My sister. My sons. My girlfriend. My father.

I began to see the benefit and my interest in and motivation for the teachings grew. I still cannot fully fathom the idea, but I no longer dismiss it out of hand.

I opened up to the possibility that there may be another way of looking at experience, and that there may be instances where what is “true” is not necessarily provable through logic or scientific observation.

To quote Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson again, “sometimes you actually do have to make stuff up that might be true, so that you can organize a research plan to find out whether or not it is… this is the creativity of discovery…”

Next: reflection, contemplation and meditation.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

The Role of the Learner

It seems most of the focus in the world of learning and development is on the role of the facilitator-instructor, on instructional design and/or learning technologies. Over the next couple of weeks I hope to turn these tables and focus instead on the role of the learner.

I will borrow from academic research and the teachings of a Buddhist spiritual guide, and outline what seem to be the characteristics of those individuals who excel in learning and performance.

But first I’d like to share an experience that was a catalyst for this series.

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of the PBS program NOVA scienceNow, made the following statement on a recent episode (US or Canada) of The Daily Show:

“Allow me to say that when you are on the frontier of knowledge between what is known and unknown, reaching out into the abyss, sometimes you actually do have to make stuff up that might be true, so that you can organize a research plan to find out whether or not it is… this is the creativity of discovery…” (my italics)

Watching the interview I was struck by deGrasse Tyson’s enthusiasm. Here is a prominent scientist, more than 30 years into his career, exhibiting the sort of positive energy many of us have not experienced since childhood.

He demonstrates an explorer’s drive to understand, to know. He seems to generate his own motivation, and exhibits deep curiosity about his subject matter. He also understands the power of imagination in learning.

As Einstein said, and as deGrasse Tyson quoted: “Imagination is more important than knowledge”.

Inspired in part by deGrasse Tyson[1] I decided to assemble a list that describes the characteristics of a great learner and, more importantly, a series of steps to become a great learner.

It is my hope that this short series will contribute to the understanding of learning ability, will stimulate constructive discussion and will offer encouragement to people everywhere to expand and deepen their learning practice.

I have drawn upon eclectic sources for this series: the above-mentioned interview; a recent presentation by Dr. Jacqueline P. Leighton of the Faculty of Education at The University of Alberta; and from the writings and teachings of renowned Buddhist meditation master Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

Next: What is a Great Learner?

[1] You can see the full interview at http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-18-2011/neil-degrasse-tyson (US) or http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart/interviews-a-z/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart---interviews-d/clip407200#clip407200(Canada).

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

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