Like anyone I’m interested in how I can “optimize” my time learning about new concepts in web development, programming languages, etc. Especially, since graduating, where the “traditional” studying is no longer part of my daily routine, I started to wonder what could help me be more “efficient” when learning about new things…that’s when I read about holistic learning.
About Holistic Learning
As many people who read the initial articles on holistic learning commented, you may notice that your own learning style closely reflects holistic learning. Holistic learning isn’t a new technique or revolutionary idea. It is simply a way of explaining how smart people think!
Scott also wrote a free ebook about Holistic Learning which you can get from his website. If you don’t have time to read the book, here is a quick summary of what it’s about:
- Holistic learning is the opposite of rote memorization. Instead of learning through force, your goal is to create webs of information that link together.
- Your goal when learning anything is to create a construct or an underlying understanding.
- Constructs are formed from models, chunks of understanding that aren’t completely accurate but can be used to solve problems.
- You create webs of information, constructs and models by visceralizing, metaphor and exploring.
- Holistic learning works with highly conceptual information where there is an underlying system. It doesn’t work well with arbitrary information or skills.
If you have experiences with holistic learning or other techniques, please feel free to share your experiences in the comments.