BEING CURIOUS

Learning how to learn begins with stoking a love for learning by encouraging a curious mindset that actively seeks to question and inquire into topics of interest. Can a curious mindset be created? Think of how a child marvels at how things work in the world, asking what is it made up of or why does it work that way? Generative learners are playful creators who use their senses as data collection tools for learning. They are constantly asking questions, running everyday experiments, learning from experience and challenging authority on their views. A learning community culture provides the social soil that encourages learners to take ownership of their own learning.

Generative learners seek out opportunities to learn on their own outside of traditional educational programs. This can occur through seeking out mentors, learning communities, learning through observation and job shadowing, learning through doing, learning from mistakes whilst experimenting and reflecting to deepen learning experiences.

In terms of acquiring foundational content, meta learners are able to identify their learning gaps, search for high quality sources of information, consume information in line with their preferred style, make meaning and evaluate achievement of their goals whilst self-regulating. Autodidacts are able to reflect metacognitively on their thinking processes when solving problems to improve cognitive procedures like reasoning and critical thinking.

Generative learners then take the next step to create their own apprenticeships to observe and practice skills and receive feedback for improvement. This quick and dirty informal learning allows for faster skills acquisition and practice in a changing environment. Regenerative learning reinforces itself as these learners go on to coach others.