Essay: Redefining Learning

Reframing the Way We Learn

Learning is one of the greatest gifts in life. Especially living in the digital age, we now have access to more information than any other time in the entire history of mankind. Learning is a gift. With learning comes progress, innovation, and evolution. Without it, we would not exist. However, many don’t fully grasp how fortunate we are to be able to live in an information-abundant world. All the great intellectuals, thinkers, and creatives before us would do anything to access the pool of information we have today. Simply being alive today is an incredible privilege that some don’t treasure.

What I’ve noticed is that the more information we have access to, the less we actually place an emphasis on the importance of learning, while the less information we have access to, the more we scramble to learn about that narrow field of study. Of course, this is simply a theory, but the more I look deeper into it, the more we are tied to the conventional ways of learning and less on the source right in front of us: the Internet. We all use it for various reasons, especially for social media. Yet how many of us internationally utilize the Internet for something worthwhile - like learning a new skill or diving deep into a subject? While the Internet creates the opportunities to do so, do all of us actually take the step to use it for one’s own education, or do we utilize it in a way that merely provides entertainment and as a distraction?

Using the Internet well - for one’s own intellectual curiosity - is a small fraction of reframing how true learning should be. And in fact, it may seem easy. Just watch more educational YouTube videos and read more articles, one may say. Yes, that is one way of approaching things, but what if I told you that the art of learning is less of doing x and avoiding y, but more of a reframing of an unhealthy mindset that many of us fall into the trap of? The art of learning is more so a core value - something we place true importance intrinsically part of our identity, than step-by-step instructions.

As a high school student, I’ve noticed quite a few things. Very few people place genuine importance on learning. Most passively consume information, only to regurgitate it on a quiz or test. Has society failed us on what it means to truly learn? Yes, I must argue. Since when have we ever walked into a math class and genuinely had an eagerness to learn about parametric equations? Since when have we ever walked into a world language class and genuinely had an eagerness to learn about the French subjunctive tense? Since when have we ever walked into a history class and genuinely had an eagerness to learn about what led up to the Gilded Age? Have we lost the drive to learn or has society simply told us that getting a good GPA was the only thing that mattered?

To make things clear, learning is never for the sake of getting good grades. Never. It shouldn’t be. Learning should for the sake of nourishing the intellectual mind to become a more knowledgeable contributor to society and into one’s life. Also, claiming that subjects like trigonometry, history, and world language as “useless” is nonsense. Anything - anything - is useful if you look at it from the right perspective and apply it in the right way. Yes, there are certain subjects that are definitely more applicable than some, but even the most obscure of subjects can be useful in some shape or form. It’s all about the mindset and less about the subject. When one truly has a commitment to learning, any subject will be worth learning.

Learning for the sake of getting good grades is detrimental to the entire student body across the world. When you really think about it, cheating stems from this rigid mindset. Neil deGrasse Tyson claimed in his Tweet, “When students cheat on exams it's because our school system values grades more than students value learning.” However, even if there is a grading system that we cannot avoid, - as of right now - it doesn’t mean we should conform to it. We should take charge of our own learning and not let anyone else take charge of our learning. Learning requires initiative, and it starts with creating a proactive mindset that learning should never be for grades. In a perfect world, if we all prioritized learning simply for the sake of becoming more knowledgeable, there will be no such thing as cheating on a test or quiz.

One common trend I noticed is how many students forget all the information learned between one school year and the next. Teachers and parents claim that the reason is that students don’t commit to studying the material on a regular basis. While there is truth to that, it’s not the main cause of the problem. It’s because students aren’t interested in the subject. One thing we de-emphasize in learning is curiosity. Curiosity is the fuel behind all learning. Without curiosity comes passive learning, which is something many are doing right now. If students are curious about learning something, there will be a desire to know more - to learn more. How do we build curiosity, then? Is it a simple solution to be fixed? Unfortunately, it’s not an easy fix, although there are sure-fire ways that can relight the fire.

Most importantly, a curiosity-centered environment is crucial for learning. This not only plays a role for the student to be proactive about his/her learning but also the teacher. I cannot stress how important the teacher plays in the student’s learning journey. (In my opinion, being a teacher is one of the most respected and appreciated roles in society). Teachers should bring zeal, enthusiasm, and inspiration into their respected subjects. They should support and encourage students in a way that guides them to chase after the love they themselves have for that subject. Most importantly, they should value curiosity more than simply wanting the students to pass their class. My French teacher is brilliant at this, making sure every student understands the material adequately and less on simply ‘learning’ French to pass a test. My English teacher introduced me to the world of Transcendentalism, into the great intellectual minds of Emerson & Thoreau. My Math teacher introduced me to the world of trigonometry and had me amazed by how much of math is interconnected (especially the with the unit circle & trig functions!)

Learning should be something beautiful. It should be self-directed, guided by committed teachers who emphasize learning to be more of a pursuit of knowledge and less on passing a class. Failure should also be prioritized. In fact, failure is a must in learning. Without failure comes no learning. Failure should be praised, not shamed. Most of the learning comes from failing and understanding one’s mistakes. Learning is messy, like a science lab experimenting with different chemicals & variables to create something useful. Learning, in essence, is all about experimentation. Schools ought to foster more of an environment where experimentation and mistakes are valued. They are the ingredients to successful learning. That is also where curiosity stems from.

Learning doesn’t always have to come from school. In fact, school should only account for a small fraction of learning. Going back full circle, the Internet has made accessing information so easy that we are literally overwhelmed by how much we can learn. We can learn practically anything today, almost all free of cost. So the next time you think your education ends after you graduate college, think twice. Want to learn about personal finance? Go look online. Want to learn how to take apart a PC? Go look online. Want to create a side hustle? Go look online. Of course, there are pursuits where the Internet, such as truly mastering a musical instrument which are harder to develop, but the Internet can at least help you get started.

Learning is a never-ending journey. It starts when you were born and it ends when you die. There is always something to learn and to take away from, even in the most unseemingly and mundane areas. Right now, as I’m writing this, I’m learning a lot. Every post I put out, my writing is improving and my knowledge of that particular subject I’m writing about increases in understanding. Don’t let others control how you learn. Take charge of your own learning. And most importantly, be curious.