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Introduction
to knowledge |
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General knowledge
system |
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All our human
knowledge comes from experience perceived by our senses. Seeing with our
eyes (visual), hearing with our ears (auditory), feeling with our hands,
body and internally (kinesthetically), smell with our nose (olfactory)
and taste with our mouth and tongue (gustatory). In the past this
gathered data and information was classified and determined. Eventually
this must have resulted into a language-system by which communication
was possible. Preserved knowledge from ancient civilizations is mostly
visual in the form of wall-paintings or carvings and later recorded as
codified symbols now interpreted as written texts. Archeologists also
expose the physical trails and objects of past civilizations and
interpret these findings which gives us information about systems they
have used.
Most of our currently used
knowledge and culture was originated in the old Greek and Roman society.
Philosophy is said to be the mother of all (liberal) arts or sciences. Artes
liberales is the Latin for liberal arts. The canon of the seven
liberal arts dates from the fifth century AD and has its roots in Roman
times. The first three sciences, grammatica, rhetorica and dialectica or
logics are called the trivium which is the path that leads to wisdom.
The remaining four were arithmetica, geometria, astronomia and musica,
usually referred to as the quadrivium, the fourfold way. Until around
1200 AD these sciences were the foundation of any study at a university.
The library classification
systems (i.e. UDC) and educational systems today still have many
similarities and comparisons to these 'original' arts. Although our
educational focus has shifted to more pragmatic, and specialized forms
related to service professions taught in classical form, there are still
craftsmen who learn their trade by tradition from a master.
In general I distinguish three kinds of learning-contexts:
- Collective, classical group-presentation, from within an educational
system
- Individual, (mostly one to one) adaptive learning of crafts or
skills, from professional or educational background.
- Individual, autodidact learning from personal reading, practice
and/or experience, inspired by personal motives.
In the ideal form, al learning is
initiated by individual demand and personal motives (in contrast to our
conventional linear educational system). Maybe not everyone could handle
the needed responsibility and self-activation in today's high-tech
information-society. We need to be tremendously curious, perceptive, and
on top of that aware of manipulation-techniques of (mass-)media and be
able to select and abstract from enormous amounts of (un)wanted
audio-visual input. We can distinguish three kinds of literacy:
- Language-literacy (spoken and
written);
- Media-literacy (what kinds of
manipulation techniques are used)
- Computer-literacy (the ability
to work with and use computers)
The most basic didactical distinction in general learning is Benjamin Bloom's three domains:
| Cognitive learning (thoughts), such as teaching someone to add
fractions. |
| Affective learning (feelings, values), such as teaching someone
to not want to smoke. |
| Physical or motor learning (actions), such as teaching someone
to touch type. |
As an underlying principle I
would like to add Intentional Learning, or intrinsic manifested
curiosity, the really wanting to know, and asking for more as a (auto)didactical principle. By dedicated use of this principle, we create a
positive empowered knowledge system in the mind and body. Cognitive
learning is the primary focus as everything has to start with a
thought.
The major levels of cognitive
learning can be classified as memorizing, understanding,
and applying. Most content can be learned at any of these three levels
of learning.
Memorization; This is rote learning. It entails learners
encoding facts or information in the form of an association between a
stimulus and a response, such as a name, date, event, place or symbol.
The behavior that indicates that this kind of learning has occurred is
stating (or "regurgitating"), usually verbatim.
Understanding; This is meaningful learning. It entails
learners relating a new idea to relevant prior knowledge. The behaviors
that indicate that this kind of learning has occurred include comparing
and contrasting, making analogies, making inferences, elaborating, and
analyzing (as to parts and/or kinds), among others.
Application; This is learning to generalize to new
situations, or transfer learning. It entails learners identifying
critical commonalities across situations, such as predicting the effects
of price increases. The behavior that indicates that this kind of
learning has occurred is successfully applying a generality (the
critical commonalities) to a diversity of previously unencountered
situations.
It is useful to identify three
types of content that can be learned on the application level:
| Concepts |
| Procedures |
| Principles |
A concept is a
group or class of particulars which have something in common. A procedure
is an ordered sequence of steps for accomplishing some goal. A principle
is a relationship between two or more changes. It can be a causal,
correlational, or natural-order relationship. A good rule for
identifying these kinds of content:
| Concepts are concerned
with grouping things into categories. What? |
| Procedures are
concerned with how to do something. How? |
| Principles are
concerned with predictions and explanations. Why? |
It is also helpful to keep in
mind that these three types of content can be learned at any of the
three levels of learning.
(Source: Methods
of instruction by Charles M. Reigeluth)
Education
and learning has been one of my primary themes in the past years.
With the growing use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT)
and new media in education numerous possibilities arise: once the
learning-module is produced and digitalized the distribution-costs and
multiplication-cost could be theoretically brought down to zero by the
use of Internet. Although this is a slightly different subject, thinking
about these place- and time-independent opportunities with Internet, and
not only related to education!, might just be one of the things to clear
away some of our past burdens of the industrial society.
Knowing how we can learn, and
using a supportive system of thought strengthening in our environment
will bring us closer to fulfilling our dreams. Aspects of manifesting
your personal dream is cooping with obstacles and solving 'problems'
between the current situation and the (visualized) wanted
situation.
It is my intention to provide methods (including reflections and
techniques) for these necessary steps to take. The first step of this
ambitious plan is my personal research. By publishing and sharing this
research and findings in raw form on the Internet I start the process of
presenting these ideas in a more tangible form. I hope you (reader)
enjoy this and I'm looking forward to see your feedback.
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Some Quotes: |
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There do exist
enquiring minds, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive
to solve the problems set by life, try to penetrate to the essence of
things and phenomena and to penetrate into themselves. If a man reasons
and thinks soundly, no matter which path he follows in solving these
problems, he must inevitably arrive back at himself, and begin with the
solution of the problem of what he is himself and what his place is in
the world around him. For without this knowledge, he will have no focal
point in his search. Socrates’ words, “Know thyself” remain for
all those who seek true knowledge and being. [Gurdjieff]
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating
yourself."
- George Bernard Shaw
"The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought
the greatest artist has."
- Michelangelo
"A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further
than a great idea that inspires no one."
- Mary Kay Ash
"If you can dream it, you can do it."
- Walt Disney
"The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart
and head and hands."
- Robert M. Pirsig
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