On learning to learn

What does learning to learn look like? Following up on my previous posts “Do, learn to do, learn to learn to do?” and “Is learning the same as performing consciously?“, I’ve expanded my experimental ‘Kolb+ learning model’ with an extra ‘learn to learn cycle’.

Three cycles of learning?

The additional ‘learn to learn loop’ in the picture above, adds a conscious approach to improving the way we learn. If we consciously evaluate our learning process, or ‘learning mastery’, and plan for a better approach to learning as a consequence, we might become better learners.

As was mentioned by Jurgen in the comments on my previous post (Do, learn to do, learn to learn to do?), learning and especially learning to learn can not always be planned. Often it happens ‘by accident’, and often these ‘accidental learnings’ are most valuable. So, considering my model relies heavily on planning (the green steps), is it any good?

I guess it depends on your definition of planning (hehe…. trying to semanthisise my way out of this…). Question is if you can plan for these ‘accidental learnings’ to happen, or if you can plan putting yourself in situations where they can happen. Can you plan to get rid of your biases, or to open up your periferal vision to see new things? As learning (or training) professionals, can we design ‘rich learning environments’ that increase learning opportunities to facilitate this?

Well, I guess I will have to write a couple more posts on this…

Q: Dear reader, is this a useful model for you?