Learning to Learn and the Navigation of Moods: The Meta-Skill for the Acquisition of Skills

by Gloria P Flores, Stuart E. Dreyfus (Foreword), Hubert L. Dreyfus (Foreword)

One of the most important skills we need to develop for ourselves and for our children is the skill of learning to learn. But what is this skill? How do we learn to learn? What gets in our way? The author explores these questions and claims that learning to learn requires that we learn to navigate the moods that we routinely fall into during the learning process. We don’t get to control what moods we fall into. Our culture and life experiences trigger them automatically. We have acquired a lot of standards/norms for what we think is appropriate or inappropriate behavior. Consequently, sometimes when we are striving to develop a new skill, it is not uncommon to find ourselves in unproductive moods that may block us from continuing to learn, such as overwhelm, resignation, frustration or anxiety. That’s normal and a regular occurrence during the process of learning. If we aspire to continue to learn, however, it is essential that we learn to shift out of moods that get in the way of our learning and cultivate others that are more conducive to continuing to learn, such as ambition, confidence, wonder and trust. The author claims that certain moods tend to regularly show up at every stage of the learning process. As beginners, for example, we may regularly fall into the moods of confusion, insecurity and/or anxiety which may prevent us from continuing to practice, asking for help or trying new things without worrying about making mistakes. As experts, we may find ourselves in a mood of arrogance and impatience which may prevent us from listening, continuing to learn and reaching mastery. Fortunately, the navigation of moods during the learning process is a skill that can be learned, and this book shares many examples of people, young and old, learning to do just that.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Leadership, Self Help, Personal Development, Business

180 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2016

Reviews

[Phil Cebuhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really intrigued with the opening chapters about how moods can influence our learning. Dove into environment creation in which members of a group are asked to engage, practice, take risks, make mistakes, reflect, (key process of learning). But quickly the book turned to repetitive Case Studies with similar aspects for the majority of the book.

The underlying principle of mood recognition to encompass learning is fundamental. Maybe the book was just filled with too many case studies to get the point across.

[Alex Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the more unusual books I have read. It isn't seeking to be a psychological book but more as a framework for how we are to consider how our emotions effect our meaning making.

This book lacks a metaphysical or psychological framework to explain why this is; it is however an extremely practical book because it highlights its framework by giving case studies. The emphasis for this kind of exploration exploits how humans construct meaning through relationships. Using a multi-player game, it helps us undermine our emotional defenses as the primary constructor of meaning in order to allow us the distance and abstraction from which to learn about how we exist unconsciously with others; so that we can calibrate how we want to exist with others.

The case studies are really worth reading since they illustrate the relationship between meaning making and emotions in a way that a direct explanation falls flat.

I want to give it only 4 stars because it lacks the framework to explain why. However, it deserves 5 stars because it does what it sets out to do and in that sense shows us how this approach can best be used to understand the way other people make meaning -- because we are often not clear about what we are saying; what is an opinion or a fact.

The basic thesis of the books is that our lack of clarity in communication, our inability to learn and be appropriate in understanding what is going on is best keyed by our emotional moods. This is a very rational-based approach to self discovery. It is made pragmatic because in the role of business, this lets us get at the heart of what often stops us from being successful at learning, and being appropriate with others. This is a short book but it is well worth the read.

[Nat Bot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Assigned reading through work. Designed to be a framework to help you understand how moods really impact the learning ability of adults. Takes you through different individuals experiencing emotions as they learn how to play a video game for the first time, with lots of case study examples. Was helpful in identifying those types of learners in the workplace and also being able to apply different methods to try to shift their perspective.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great mental framework for a continual learning mindset but a bit research worded at times

[Ceil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful discussion - with useful tools - about how emotions derail or sustain us as learners, the signs for derailers at the different stages of learning, and tips for getting past them. A slim book (also a good thing) packed with excellent id4as.

[John Weis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took the course about ~6 years ago and found this a wonderful refresher of that material. It was extremely helpful in beginning the process of examining assessments that limit future possibilities.

[Chant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Interesting use of the Dreyfus skill acquisition model.