Is there Value in Learning for the Sake of Learning?

In the 1950's Benjamin Bloom developed a lovely pyramid construction to analyze the essence of learning. Ben said learning could be compartmentalized into 7 subordinate components the higher of which could not be reached with out the complete mastery the lower.

They went like this:

• Knowledge - to define, recall, duplicate or state
• Comprehension - to classify, discuss, explain or translate
• Application - to chose, demonstrate, illustrate or perform
• Analysis - to compare, contrast, differentiate or discriminate
• Synthesis - to appraise, argue, defend or judge
• Evaluation - to assemble, construct, create or design

I know that it looks a little constrained but remember it was the 1950's. We were all about organizing, classifying, counting and other panicked attempts to control a universe which we had recently discovered was uncontrollable.

Remember this just a scant 25 years since the Scopes trial which many felt rent away the comfort of intelligent design and folks like Bloom were casting about to find a way to bring some order and control back into their souls.

Fast forward to the 1990's to some former students of Bloom's who felt it was time to shake things up. So, they took the ground breaking and scandalous step of turning the statements of Bloom into questions.

The "new" pyramid read this way.

• Remembering - can the student recall the information?
• Understanding - can the student explain the ideas or concepts?
• Applying - can the student use the information in a new way?
• Analyzing - can the student distinguish between parts?
• Evaluating - can the student justify a stand or position?
• Creating - can the student create a new product or point of view?

All in all, it basically looks like the new crew took a thesaurus and rewrote Bloom in the form of a Jeopardy question. But, hey what do you expect? This was a headlong charge made my the baby boomer generation and we are rebels everyone!

In spite of all this progress I find myself obliged to respond to unsubstantiated allegations that there are those who continue to learn outside the clearly defined parameters of classifiable knowledge. While these reports are outrageous in and of themselves, I am even more concerned by the fact that these same perpetrators have in turn become purveyors of this illicit learning by committing such acts as blogging concepts with an open inquiry approach and carry on with unfettered intellectual discussion and in some rare, yet outlandish incidents of learning only for the sake of learning.

But, the cure is quite attainable. You see, if you haven't acquired very much learning you most likely don't feel any great desire for more learning. However, once you acquire any measurable amount you are set upon by the intense desire for more. In fact, the more you drink of learning the greater your thirst becomes. Then the more you slake that unquenchable thirst with more learning the greater the likelihood you will begin to commit such atrocious acts as questioning the way things have always been done; and asking why not; thus disturbing the placidity of divine ignorance. The cure then is, simply seek no initial learning and thus avoid the vile compulsion to glean more.

I would leave you with this warning. The enormous volumes of frightening power gathered from learning available from such localities as Joyful Jubilant learning are heartbreaking in their insidious availability. I can personally attest to the discomfort I have experienced hear at unwilling having my perspective broadened and my mind ruthlessly opened to new concepts. I urge you, seek out television immediately and balm your pulsating mind with the soothing poultice of mindless drivel.

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Reg Adkins writes on behavior and the human condition at www.elementaltruths.com

Comments

[Joanna Young]

Reg, I hear your advice, but I fear, for me, it is already too late...

I fear I might already be a purveyor of illicit learning. (What a fabulous job title!)

Thanks for a great piece of writing

Joanna

[Reg Adkins]

Fear not dearest Joanna,
I happen to know network executives are at this very hour hard awork designing programing to leech away as much of this knowledge as possible. ah TV Land, would that we never be without thee.

[Dwayne Melancon]

Interesting thoughts, Reg - thank you. I often marvel at the lack of curiosity for learning new things that are outside your "normal" daily life. For example, Gallup has published research which says that about half of Americans are currently in the middle of reading a book.

However, they also say the median number of books read per year is around 5, with 83% of Americans report reading at least one book in the last year.

Only 5 books? Wow - I sometimes have that many going at once! Also, based on the best-sellers list, I'd be willing to bet that most of the 5 books the average America reads are fiction (witness the popularity of The DaVinci Code, Harry Potter, etc.) - they're good books, but I sure hope lots of people are mixing in some good old fashioned history, science, biographies, economics (even Freakonomics) and other nonfiction.

I could go on... anyway, thanks for tweaking these hot buttons!

[Steve Sherlock]

Let's continue being illict here Reg. If we recall having so much fun when we enter kindergarten, come home so excited about learning letters, hearing stories, doing coloring... what happens after that to diminish the desire?

If as you write "once you acquire any measurable amount you are set upon by the intense desire for more. In fact, the more you drink of learning the greater your thirst becomes." What happens to turn that off? Is it TV? or is there something in the school system (post kindergarten)? or ??

[dave]

Welcome Reg!

Thanks for allowing us to provide just a little bit of discomfort for you :-)

[Reg]

Dwayne,
I share your puzzlement. The only explanation that I find that gives me any satisfaction ironically comes from a fiction book, The Last Angry Man (written Gerald Green sometime in the early 1980's). The main character, an on the way out "pitch man" focuses a literary lens on the life Brooklyn doctor. In one section of the book the main character is struck by how all the passengers on the train are like junkies "jonesing" for an information fix by of snatches of headlines, billboards, radio commercials, but never anything of substance.

It seems many are looking for a quick information "fix" rather than seeking learning which provides deeper meaning.

[Reg]

Steve,
Two words. "Quality Time."

Once we yield to the concept that we can diminish the amount of time we were willing to devote to all of those things you mention which build family community...

"learning letters, hearing stories, doing coloring"...

we doom ourselves to the diminished desire for depth that accompanies that loss of time.

[Reg]

Dave,

Aren't our muscles always sore when we push ourselves at the gym (if memory serves)?

Why should growing our minds be less uncomfortable?

[Ruth]

Great article! As far as why the love of learning is lost in many children, I have my own theory.

Our family homeschools, in a style that many refer to as unschooling or interest-based learning. I have found that when children can continue to pursue their interests, the love of learning and the quest for knowledge never dies. They follow their passions, and one passion leads to another.

In our family, both of my daughters, who are now teens easily covered every subject that is taught in schools, but it was on their terms, at the time that was right for them, and when their interest was most keen. The end result was that they easily remember what they learned, because it was something that they cared about, and for which they saw a purpose. Plus, their passion for learning has remained strong.

My 17 year old started her own Avon business when she was 11. One of the requirements was that she be responsible for all of the accounting relating to her business. After a few months, she said, "Math is a lot more fun when you're making a profit." It made me laugh, but it also, made me realize that math was fun and easy because it held meaning for her.

I think if we put ourselves in the place of school children who are constantly learning what is on everyone else's agenda, with the main purpose of learning being to "pass the test," we would be less than thrilled about it, as well. It's hard to passionate about what someone else decides you should learn.

[David Zinger]

Reg:

Ah, learning should come with a warning label: THIS MAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

It looks like Bloom bloomed a bit but to bloom into a flower it must shed the pyramid and taxonomy and become a lens which is much more circular and embraces so much more in learning.

I always loved the snippet of poetry: "he drew a circle and shut me out, heretic rebel a thing to flout, but love and I had the wit to win we drew a circle and took him in." I think this could apply to learning.

A fine post, thank you.

David

[Reg]

Ruth,
I think a lot of it depends on the mission of the teacher. I spent a significant amount of my time in the classroom teaching the "Therapeutic Severely Emotionally Disturbed" (aka TSED). Since these were the cast offs of public education I had free rein to do pretty much whatever I wanted. We ran a green house, we ran an heirloom garden which provided herbs and vegetables to county culinary arts program, and we rebuilt bicycles and lawnmowers confiscated by the local police department. These "violent un-salvageables" transitioned back to mainstream education almost to a man.

[Reg]

David,
"we drew a circle to take him in" sounds like the Venn-Diagram of Learning. :)

[Ruth]

Great, Reg! Real-life experiences are a wonderful resource for teaching, and your students could see that what they were doing served a purpose in the real world. Their learning was meaningful to them. It makes a huge difference.

I did not mean to imply that homeschooling was the best form of education. It is the format that worked well for our family, but any education that includes real life experience and allows the students the opportunity to move beyond textbooks and tests is a step in the right direction, in my experience.