Lifelong Learning — Learning, Relearning and Unlearning
Edition №58 of our Guild’s Craft-Building Series
“Mastering the dance between the “pull of the future”, the “push of the present” and the “weight of the past”.
A. The Event:
Format: Virtual panel discussion on behalf of the Grey Swan Guild
Venue: LinkedIn Live https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7051551669993574400/
Date: 13 June 2023
Time: 10am ET | 2pm UTC | 4pm SAST (60 mins)
Topic: Lifelong Learning ; Learning, Unlearning & Relearning
Host lead: Louise Mowbray
Panel members: Phumza Dyani, Chris van Melle Kamp, Jonathan Powers
Guild Sponsor: Sean Moffitt
B. The Panel:
- Louise Mowbray — Managing Director, Mowbray by Design
- Chris van Melle Kamp — Founder, Future Puprose
- Phumza Dyani — Founder, PANFID
- Jonathan Powers — Professor, Arts & Humanities, Minerva University
C. Topic Overview:
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Alvin Toffler
Learning: Learning refers to the process of acquiring new knowledge, skills, or understanding through study, experience, or teaching. It involves the assimilation of new information and the integration of that information into existing knowledge structures. Learning can occur in various forms such as formal education, informal experiences or self-directed exploration. It is typically associated with the acquisition of
new abilities or the deepening of existing knowledge.
Unlearning: Unlearning is the process of letting go of previously held knowledge, beliefs or behaviours that may no longer be accurate, relevant or effective. It involves challenging and discarding outdated or incorrect information or assumptions.
Unlearning can be challenging because it requires us to question our existing beliefs and be open to new perspectives. It often involves recognising and overcoming cognitive biases, habits or fixed patterns of thinking that hinder our personal or professional growth. Unlearning is essential in situations where existing knowledge or skills no longer align with current realities or where new approaches are needed.
Relearning: Relearning happens when we acquire new knowledge or skills that are similar to what we had previously learned but may have forgotten or become outdated.
It involves refreshing or updating existing knowledge and skills. Relearning is necessary when there are advancements or changes in a particular field or when knowledge or skills have not been practised for an extended period. The process of relearning is often quicker and easier compared to the initial learning stage due to our familiarity with the topic.
D. Session Structure:
This session will be an informal panel discussion between the four of us (no formal presentations). To give it some structure, I thought we would use the Futures Triangle to frame three rounds of questions on the three elements of the topic (learning, unlearning and relearning). By the end of the discussion, we may (or may not) come to an idea about what a “plausible future” might look like from our different perspectives.
The futures triangle asks us to think about three aspects of the issue we’re exploring:
- The Pull of the Future represents the enticing force that us to envision and pursue a better tomorrow — igniting dreams, aspirations and a sense of possibility. “What are we aiming for, where do we want to be?”
- The Push of the Present symbolises the urgency and immediacy of the current moment and the events and situations that are constantly driving action, decision-making and the need to address immediate challenges and responsibilities. “Where are we, what are we dealing with?”
- The Weight of the Past signifies the accumulated baggage, lessons and legacies of history that shape our identities, perspectives and the constraints we face, exerting a gravitational pull that influences our choices and actions. “What is holding us back (beliefs, culture, history, existing systems, policies and structures)?
We’re really looking forward to exploring this topic with you — feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or queries after our session:
E. Context and Importance
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”― Dr. Seuss
Learning nourishes the soul and is the essence of leadership, particularly in times of change. Here’s some other reasons why lifelong learning is so important:
- Adapting to unexpected changes or Grey & Black Swans
- Building conceptual and technical craft
- Changing important and more informed perspectives
- Fostering learning in others
- Improving your personal brand and career prospects
- Increasing your confidence in decisions, judgements and knowledge
- Making connections and linking perspectives
- Staying relevant in a changing world
- Unveiling new opportunities, ideas and innovation sparks
F. Impediments to Lifelong Learning
Despite best laid plans, learning doesn’t always come so readily or easily due to :
- Bad learning experience — narrow, one-way and boring
- Challenge to world views or philosophies
- Don’t see the purpose or value of additional learning
- Fear of failure or appearing vulnerable
- Insufficient foundational learning background
- Lack of appeal to individual learning styles
- Not enough patience to see new learning take hold
- Poor linkage and practical use in workplace
- Resistance to change
- Challengges to format of learninbg (see elearning challnges below)
G. Learning Domains and Categories
Various branches of learning exist under the guise of epistemology — the theory of knowledge what dsitinguishes justified belief from mere opinion:
- Hermaneutics — interpretation of text
- Phenomenology — study of phenomena or events
- Ethnography — immersion into a culture or group
- Empirical - scientific method, evidence-based
- Comparative — multiple sources contrasted or compared
- Action — learning by doing, pragmatic applications
- Rationalism — intuition or intrinsic knowledge
- Constructivism — accumulation of knowledge from multiple perspectives
H. Learning Styles
People recognize that each person thrive within different learning styles . Learning styles aren’t exclusive; everyone has a mix of learning styles but may have a dominant style of learning or use different styles in different circumstances. You can also develop ability in both more and less dominant styles or the twelve listed below:
- Visual Learning: pictures, drawings and imagery
- Auditory Learning: salient information from what is heard
- Tactile Learning: touching or feeling objects or artifacts
- Kinesthetic Learning: via body movements
- Sequential Learning: ia step by step manner
- Simultaneous Learning: categorize materials and grouping information
- Verbal Learning: process ideas aloud, via discussion and expression
- Interactive Learning: via collaborate and through groups.
- Logical/Reflective Learning: via reflection and deeper thought and interpretation
- Indirect Experience Learning: via demonstration and vicariously
- Direct Experience Learning: using environments and everyday surroundings
- Rhythmic Melodic Learning: via beats, songs, or melodies
I. Ways of Making Learning, Unlearning and Relearning Part of Your Professional Life
- Adopt a growth mindset — in Udemy’s Workplace Learning Trends Report, having a growth mindset was ranked as the most important soft skill for career success.
- Make learning part of your daily routine — one learning hour per day for three years can make you a leading authority ion your field
- Keep a learning journal — use a Reflective-Learning framework such as the one shown below in your learning journal.
- Create a process — have some type of method to acquire, transform, organzie, recover, use, reflect and optimize
- Be part of a community — surround yourself with a community of like-minded people like a Guild
J. Resources
Links:
Psychology Today — Unlearn and Relearn : Struggling to adapt to changing circumstances.
RSA — Learn, unlearn, relearn
HBR — Make learning part of your daily routine
Forbes — Learn, Unlearn & Relearn: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
Mindmeister — Learn, Unlearn, Relearn
Books:
Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization
Unlock your potential and finally move forward. A persuasive and practical book, filled with hands-on diagnostics and compelling case studies, delivers the tools you need to overcome the forces of inertia and transform your life and your work.
Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career
Learn a new talent, stay relevant, reinvent yourself, and adapt to whatever the workplace throws your way. Ultralearning offers nine principles to master hard skills quickly. This is the essential guide to future-proof your career and maximize your competitive advantage through self-education.
Peak: Secrets from the New Sceince of Expertise
Peak distills three decades of myth-shattering research into a powerful learning strategy that is fundamentally different from the way people traditionally think about acquiring new abilities. Whether you want to stand out at work, improve your athletic or musical performance, or help your child achieve academic goals, Ericsson’s revolutionary methods will show you how to improve at almost any skill that matters to you.
Unlearn: Let Go of Past Success to Achieve Extraordinary Results
The transformative system that shows leaders how to rethink their strategies, retool their capabilities, and revitalize their businesses for stronger, longer-lasting success.
The Craft Building Series — Learning, Relearning and Unlearning
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We think we achieved this alchemy in our first session of 2023.
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