How do we learn? Lots of theories. Exposure, repetition, trial, and error, in all of them, but knowing the best method to proceed is probably different for each of us. We will show you the tools to master self-learning.
It’s important to learn the best way for you. I can present material, but only you can learn it. No kidding, you say, but do you need multiple presentations, a partial explanation leaving you somewhat puzzled so you have to figure it out yourself?
Each of us needs a method. I believe that each of us develops (hopefully perfects) that method over time. That’s an important aspect of SuperSOLVRS.
A way that I’ve seen work for many folks is to have a project to complete or problem to solve. Understand it completely (or as much as possible) and then devise a strategy to attack the project/problem. The strategy may be flawed, but you’ll still learn trying to implement it. The wrong turns (failures) will teach you a better way to go. Even hitting a dead-end can be a learning process — especially if you start searching for information (maybe find a different strategy?) There’s learning in a struggle — embrace it.
Lots of folks have been critical of our schools, saying that so much of the “learning” is fact based (teaching to the test?) rather than process/problem solving based. Probably true, but you must learn facts. Can you get by in a foreign country with only a phrase book? Might find a restaurant or a bathroom, but not much else. But if you know facts, especially country, culture, and language syntax “facts”, you will be able to do much more — and yes, learn more efficiently about what’s happening there.
That’s why two of our goals are to gain fluency in both a graphic (e.g., MIT’s Scratch) language and a general purpose text based (e.g., Python) language. Having that fluency will make the transition to any but the most arcane languages easy to pick up.
“Learning to play the piano” is an excellent analogy. 95% of the work you do yourself. You start with simple music. Hard to get your fingers to work independently (special exercises for that). Gradually, over time you get better and start tackling more complicated music. You need a teacher to show the way, but you do the work. Same here.
Join SuperSOLVRS, it’s a start.
