Every parent and educator is probably familiar with the term "teachable moment." WiseGEEK.com defines it as "a time when a child (or an adult) seems most receptive to learning something." You can rarely plan for it, but the things learned in this type of setting can have the biggest impact on understanding and retention. As you and your child are driving to the store, your child asks you how long it will be till their next birthday. You turn that into an opportunity to learn the names and order of the months of the year. If the trip is long enough, you can even squeeze in the rhyme that helps us remember how many days are in each month. On a larger scale, say there is a devastating fire in a neighborhood. The local fire department or disaster agency takes advantage of this opportunity to distribute smoke detectors and fire prevention info to everyone in the area because they know interest will be higher than usual because of where the fire occurred.
I propose that, as adult learners, we take it one step further and look for
learning triggers. Time is precious and there is a lot going on in our lives. I feel guilty if I don't devote every minute of my day to some productive activity. By taking advantage of learning triggers, I'm giving myself permission to let my mind wander around a bit. I'm not talking about day dreaming. For me, this entails letting my interest in something I'm reading or hearing lead me to find out more about the topic, and then on to related topics. Maybe I have a problem to solve, or a need to know something, and at this unique moment in time I am interested, motivated and my mind is at its most active. The internet has given us the ability, with each click, to go in a million different directions. The downside is that there is almost too much information available, plus there is no guarantee that the information you find is accurate or complete. My idea of a taking advantage of a learning trigger starts with an idea or bit of info that interests me, then I move on to an article, video, book, seminar, conversation, etc. that expands on the idea. On a small scale, this might mean a conversation about recipes that leads me to learn about some unknown ingredients in the recipe. I just have to look it up in a cookbook or online. Watching a ted.com talk can lead me to viewing other talks by the same presenter, or reading an article on the same topic.
Here are a couple of easy ways to maximize your learning triggers.
- Write it down. Just the process of jotting something down increases the chance that you'll retain the information. You can also go back to it later when you have more time, too.
- Stick with reputable sources. This is especially important on the internet. If you don't recognize the site or ads keeping popping up, move on. Go with recommendations from colleagues, friends and others you trust. Be skeptical of statements like "I heard, or they say."
- Look for information that is meaningful and useful to you. How will this information help improve the quality of your work, relationships and personal life?
- Stay focused on the original trigger. Your learning activity may take
you in many interesting directions, but always remember what started it
all.
- Try to use the new information as soon as you can. It goes back to the old tried and true "Hear, See, Do" method. We remember best the things we have actually done.