Knowing How to Learn

Quite some time ago I was teaching an electrical class to a group of young adults. I asked them to name the most powerful force on earth. One said the power of a hurricane. The second thought a blinding snowstorm in Antarctica. The third suggested a hydrogen bomb. Another said the Internet, because you could find the answer to everything.

“It’s not any of those,” I said. “I think the force with the most power on earth is knowing how to learn.” With knowledge, I could find shelter in a hurricane, and that made me stronger than the wind. I would know how to stay warm, and that would let me defeat a blizzard. With knowledge, I could build a hydrogen bomb, but I could also dismantle one and get rid of it.”

“But what about the Internet? I can learn a lot. I can find the answer to just about everything,” the student said.

“So true,” I said, “But knowing how to learn and how to use that knowledge gives you the power to deal with change. When you embark on your career you will face many challenges and opportunities. Knowledge is your key to your future. If you know how to learn, you will be ready for almost anything.”

The students asked me to elucidate.

“Anything you don’t understand is a mystery, waiting to be solved. For example, you might not know how to diagnose the cause of an engine stumble; or why that fuel injector won’t fire. It’s a mystery to you. You could decide to look it up on the Internet and find 10,000 answers. But you would have to sift the right answer from the wrong answers. If you wanted to figure out why that injector doesn’t work, you need some clues. A good diagnostic detective knows that.”

“How would you figure out what’s wrong with that injector?” A student asked.

“Use your eyes and ears to scoop up clues. Look at that injector; figure out how its gets power. Look at the wiring and the fuel line that connects to it. Does it look like it’s been tampered with? Look for witness marks on the connector and line. Learning by observing is important.  Practice using your other senses, too. Listen to the injectors with a mechanic’s stethoscope. Listen how that engine is running. Do you smell fuel?”

Looking and listening was the point I was trying to make to them.

“When you’re in school, ask your instructor how something works. When you are curious about something, ask. Instructors are willing to share what they know. There are no silly questions. No questions are too simple. Questions are stepping stones to knowledge. Unless you ask, you may never know the right answer.”

I wanted to make sure they realized the importance of asking questions.

“Another way of knowing how to learn is by reading. Your college books contain the combined knowledge of decades of experience, written by manufacturers and experts in the field. Reading is a doorway to discovery. Read, read, and read some more. It will expand your mind and fill it with new ideas.”

“What about learning by doing it?” A student asked.

“There’s a good chance you already know how to ride a bicycle,” I said. “Do you remember how you learned? Maybe you saw somebody else riding and thought you would like to do that, too. So, you climbed on a bike, started pedaling, and fell over. You got back on and fell over again. You wouldn’t give up, though, and slowly figured out how to ride. Today, riding may be so easy that you’ve forgotten it was ever difficult.”

I was getting to them. They were taking notes. “Much of learning is like that. You try something and grasp a small chunk of it. You try again and understand a little more. The key is to learn from your successes and your mistakes. When you master a skill that way, you can use it for the rest of your life. You own it. It’s yours and no one can ever take it away from you.”

I continued. “Look for chances to increase your knowledge. Instructors and books have much to give you. Develop good study habits and then use them. The hardest part of seizing opportunities may simply be getting started.”

“It sounds challenging,” one student said. Others agreed.

“It is,” I said. “But map out a route to reach your goal. Determine what small steps will take you there. Then go for it. But nothing will happen unless you make it happen. You got to get up from that chair and get going. Open your book and see what it says. Open your mind and see what you can put into it.”

“What about the students who really are struggling with tough times in life outside of college?” One asked.

“Rain falls on everyone,” I said. There is not much you can do about that. But you can decide to see storms as opportunities rather than obstacles. You can choose to make the most of a situation rather than giving up and wishing you were somewhere else. Overcoming tough times builds your ability to meet future challenges. Challenges are great teachers when you let them be.”

I gave them one final comment. “If you want to see life as full of opportunity and excitement, it will be. The choice is up to you.”