A one-hour interactive seminar / workshop was prepared for graduate students and post-docs & research associates. Our goal; virtually any professional or academic communication involves someone learning something from someone else; maybe even everyone learning something! What fundamentals about how people learn are well established? And – how can we leverage those basic concepts to improve research, teaching, professional communication and even our own on-going professional development? In this hour, we discussed some fundamental concepts, including:
- Distinguishing novices vs. experts;
- Influence of prior knowledge (or lack of it) on learning;
- Motivation: can learning happen without it?
- Practice and Feedback; a crucial, iterative cycle, but how best to do it?
Two files with supporting material are attached to this post:
- The slides used to drive our discussion, and
- Two page handout with space for jotting down notes at 4 points within the hour, plus a preliminary reference list.
To follow up or ask questions, please contact Francis Jones.