Learning Fallout

As you see the nuclear explosion here, you’ll notice that there is a cloud emanating in a circle out from it. This is what will create ‘nuclear fallout’. This is the radiation and decay that will go for many miles after the explosion is long gone. This fallout lasts for a while and poisons those it comes in contact with resulting in severe illness or death.

As you can see, fallout is a dangerous effect. It stunts life and the survivors of the Japanese nuclear explosions in World War II can attest to their destructive and lingering after affect. Keep this fallout in mind as I will now discuss how learning today is being inhibited by fallout. It is keeping progression stunted far from what it could be. It is preventing many – maybe even you – from getting the most out of your life.

Teaching other people

When teaching other people, usually simple things are not that difficult to relay and have the other person understand. If I’m teaching you a new word and it’s short, or I’m explaining what the number one is, those are things that are easily explained. Let me give an example of a word that many of you have probably not heard of before.

Scotoma

For those of you who have never heard of this word before let me explain it like this. It’s like the blind spot you have while driving your car – the one where you can’t see a car in your mirror because of where it is next to you – the blind spot that requires you to turn your head and look to the side.

The Wikipedia definition of the word ‘scotoma’ is this: “an area of partial alteration in one’s field of vision consisting in a partially diminished or entirely degenerated visual acuity which is surrounded by a field of normal – or relatively well-preserved – vision.”

Oh dear… What if I would have tried explaining it the second way there – using the definition taken from Wikipedia? Your eyes would have glazed over. You would have nothing to relate it to and as such, you would have likely retained very little from what I attempted to communicate. But by first describing something common and what it is like, you now have a good indication that it is like the blind spot while driving and can use that as a reference when trying to understand what a scotoma is.

The problem with learning

The difficulty in learning I see is the fallout that occurs as complexity is increased. Let me explain this by sharing how we learn ‘English’ from grade school on up and then even higher uses for the English language.

• First we learn about words. This isn’t too bad actually. Words are pretty straightforward. They are the combinations of sounds we give meaning to in order to understand each other and what is written.
• Next we learn about sentences. This is a combination of words put together to describe something. Again, not too bad here. We generally know a sentence has words and starts with a capital letter and ends with a period.
• Next we learn about different kinds of words. Verbs, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, and prepositions. Ooh, the word preposition and adverb start the confusion. This is where people start to get confused. Verbs, nouns, adjectives are generally ok and understood.
• Then we step into grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Even more people are lost here. The English language has many obscure spellings. And as words become more complex and unused, spelling correctly is a losing battle. When to use commas, semi-colons, quotes, single quotes, and more further add to this confusion.
• Then we get into sentence components. Now the fallout is really starting to increase. Unless you are an English major (which I’m not), fallout really starts clouding learning here. When you start talking about prepositional phrases, run-on sentences, sentence fragments, and conjugation, the confusion spreads like wild fire.
• Next we might learn to write for a particular audience.
• And then learn how to change tone while writing.
• Or using consistent tense throughout your writing (one I’m still working on).
• And then learn another language, which further adds complexity.

Some of you may know everything I just explained here completely. I congratulate you and ask you to share pointers on my writing first and foremost. But for most of us mortals, especially myself, there is fallout – confusion and cloudiness that stunts the learning as more of the complexity of the English language is introduced.

A way to describe

Now I’m not an expert in English. But I do know how to describe something in an ‘analogous’ way. That is a way in which it is like something else that exists. Here’s a quick run down of some of the above topics in relation to something you already know. I’ll describe the English language as it relates to food.

Words are like food items at Walmart. There’s more food items to choose from than you could possibly take home with you.

Sentences are like the food items being put on the conveyor belt as you check out. They are like food items bunched together waiting to be bagged.

Types of words (adjectives, verbs, nouns, pronounces, adverbs, and prepositions) are like the food items in the different sections of the Walmart store. Each food item is given a classification like ‘dairy’ or ‘snacks’ or ‘clothing’ for instance.

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are like taking food and preparing it together. When making a cake, you might use eggs, flour, vanilla, yeast, salt, and butter. To really prepare food properly, you have to have the right ingredients – and in the right amounts. Otherwise the food turns out to be a disaster. For goodness sakes, when I was a kid, I liked mayonnaise and jelly sandwiches. Yuck!

Sentence components (prepositional phrases, run-on sentences, sentence fragments) are like preparing food items in the wrong (or right) way. You might cook your bowl of cereal with milk in the microwave for five minutes but you won’t like the result. However, some frozen food items (meat, mashed potatoes, and beans) will turn out just right after five minutes in the microwave. In the case of a sentence fragment, it is like leaving out essential ingredients when baking a cake.

Most of you know about food. We’ve been eating food our entire lives. It’s something we understand. We may eat a bit too much of it at times – but we still ‘get’ and understand what it is. Master chefs and nutritionists are even more advanced when it comes to understanding food.

Heck, I’m even more aware of my writing now just from describing the English language as food items. I can read a sentence and say, “Ooh, that was like combining mustard, whip cream, grapes, corn, and spinach. Probably not the best combination of food. Similarly, I can look at some of what I write and say, “Now that is like the cake that baked just right and turned out perfect.” I still write both ways, not having perfected my writing yet, of course.

Desire and reason for learning

We’ve covered relating what is learned to existing things we already know well. But fallout also occurs through not having the desire or seeing the benefit to learning certain things. This is especially a problem in schools. I remember sitting in high school Algebra class and hearing student after student complain that they will never use this stupid math ever in their life.

And there is some merit to what those students are saying. After all, why should they learn the math if there is no promise or reward for doing so. It would be like pushing against a brick wall without any movement occurring. I can definitely see the challenge of doing something when there is no clear and visible promise or reward.

But I believe we must not be so naive to think that there is no promise or reward, especially when we are learning. The math I learned at a young age has been invaluable for me! Even as a web developer, quick thinking and calculation are essential. If I cannot calculate quickly and solve problems, I am not as efficient as I can be. Not to mention, math helps me tremendously when it comes to understanding my finances.

But it’s not math per say – I’m just using that as an example. The problem is we are bombarded with subject after subject at a young age and are taught to memorize. But we are not taught the rewards and we more often than not are not taught in an interesting way. Can you imagine me trying to teach you calculus with derivatives and integrals without making it interesting or relating it to something that already exists? It’d be catastrophic.

Think of it this way. When you order that pizza on a Friday night, you focus on it. You picture the hot pizza on your taste buds. You imagine it, and prepare yourself for the good experience you will have. You can similarly apply this to learning. Focus on the knowledge gained and the power it will give you to grow and create favorable situations for yourself and other people. Duplicate the excitement you get for other things and apply it to learning.

No link back to prerequisite material

The third reason for learning fallout is the knowledge required to understand and apply the material being learned is missing or had learning fallout occur when it was learned. I’ll use the example of calculus again. If you do not know basic math and algebra, you can bet that calculus will be a difficult, if not impossible, undertaking.

Think of knowledge like the links on a chain. As you move further down the chain, the links previous to it hold the chain together, including that link. If you get rid of the previous links on the chain, there is nothing to hold the current link on, and as a consequence, the chain will fall apart. All the links are needed for a chain – and it starts with the very first one.

In college, there are what is called ‘prerequisite’ classes. They’ve sort of solved this third problem in learning – but not completely. And the analogous teaching along with creating a strong desire and reason is noticeably absent. But I may be making this judgment in haste. I went to a public college and didn’t pay the tens of thousands of dollars to go to Harvard or some other prestigious school.

Some final examples of learning

I’m going to briefly describe a few things to learn about. I will describe first what they are in general terms. Then I’m going to share something they are analogous to, share why learning them will benefit you, and finally share what you must already know to learn them. We’ll see if I am able to put my money where my mouth is – or in this case where the keystrokes you are reading are. If I succeed, you just might decide to learn a little bit more about one of these subjects!

Calculus

• What is it? Advanced math sharing how something changes as the result of something else.
• What is it like? It’s like driving a car. As you push the gas pedal and accelerate, the gas your car uses increases. If you slow down and let your foot off the gas, the gas use decreases.
• Why should you learn it? You’ll better understand your income. You can predict your income in proportion to what you are doing. You’ll have the super power of predicting the future of yourself and others.
• What do you already need to know? Basic math, beginning and advanced Algebra.

HTML

• What is it? Hypertext markup language – the language of the web. It’s how web pages are built.
• What is it like? It’s like playing with Lincoln logs. You put different logs together and eventually you build a really great log cabin. Each log is important to the entire thing.
• Why should you learn it? Understand how to build your own web pages. Gain more control over your websites. Impress your friends in conversations.
• What do you already need to know? What a computer is. Basic use of an operating system. Basic use of files and editing text files.

Strength Training

• What is it? Exercising to build your muscle mass – or lean muscle mass.
• What is it like? It’s like upgrading your car engine for a more powerful one.
• Why should you learn it? Increase your longevity in life. Look amazingly hot in a bathing suit. Feel great about yourself.
• What do you already need to know? A basic understanding of the human body. Knowledge of how to properly perform different workout maneuvers.

Learning fallout may have occurred as you read this article. But that’s OK. It is not completely unavoidable without a direct mind to mind link. My question for you now is: What will you begin learning today that will benefit you. There are plenty of books and websites available to learn something new today. You’ll increase your power as a human being and better be able to serve and uplift those around you as you gain knowledge, power, and ability.

image by x-ray delta one