What is needed to be an effective lifelong learner?
Five elements: First, motivation. It does no good to have skills if one isn’t motivated to use them. While people learn all the time, there are differences between learning a basketball score and learning something that will be useful at other times and places. Our problem is not that adults don’t know how to read, but rather that many don’t want to read. Second, a knowledge base that provides a conceptual structure for further learning. The best predictor of ease of learning is prior knowledge. Third, skills for further learning. I have already discussed the basic skills, but there are skills for learning from reading, listening, observing, and writing that go beyond basic comprehension. One can comprehend and learn something, but the manner in which it is learned makes a big difference in whether or not what was learned can be remembered and used at a later time and place. [page 53] Fourth, strategies for efficient learning. There are a variety of ways to approach a learning opportun
