Learning Backwards LO16400

Walter Derzko, Director Idea Lab (wderzko@pathcom.com)
Thu, 1 Jan 1998 09:35:00 -0500

George, I wrote:

>>I see some interesting implications for optimizing learning and training.

You rsponded

> De Bono suggests learning backwards. Suzuki music learning does much of
> that. I learnt to sail partly like that. I was stuck on a yacht that was
> sailing properly and learnt to take sails down and furl them. Whenever
> English students find something difficult to say, I get them started on the
> last syllable - and chain back to the beginning.

When you say backwards, what do *you* mean ? I'm looking for more examples
or successful applications.

My perception of de Bono's notion of Learning backwards is to go from Big
Picture back to Details ( Concept back to Ideas) vs what we do in
school...(Ideas, Ideas, Ideas and rarely to concept) ...chapter by chapter
details until we struggle to the end of a book/text, out of which students
are suppose to contrive their own big picture....

I personally found "big picture-concept"thinking more natural....guess
it's my dominant learning style ( in fact, I know it is)

BTW, as a part time college professor who teaches a course on thinking
skills, I rarely see it happening in students.

Learning bacwards to me means:

Describe Old way--jump to new concept --Illuminate New way(concept or big
picture) --comapre/contrast the two opposing concepts...then go on to fill
in gaps, learn or expain details, consequences, how-to's, mechanics, cause
effect etc later.

Or is it tacit knowledge surfacing to explicit knowledge illustrating?

Like to hear your thoughts

Walter Derzko
Director Idea Lab
Toronto
wderzko@pathcom.com
(416) 588-1122

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