01 (80) Module 5. Ex. 2, p. 87 — Module 5

Module 5: Lifelong Learning.0:00

Modular page.0:04

Exercise 2, page 87.0:06

Welcome to the show, and today our guest is Dr. Tom Baker, author of Lifelong Learning, a new book which has got a lot of people talking.0:17

So tell us a bit about the book.0:32

Well, basically it's about how and when we acquire different skills in life.0:34

I discuss the skills we develop throughout our lives and how learning is a lifelong process, and not just something we do between the ages of 5 and 18, when we receive our formal education.0:39

I see.0:51

What sort of skills do you mean?0:51

Well, we all need a wide range of skills in order to succeed in life.0:53

For example, we need to learn cognitive skills to be able to develop our concentration and memory and learn how to think so that we can begin problem-solving.0:58

We also need perceptual skills so we can interpret presented information and social skills in order to be able to relate well to other people.1:08

Then there are all sorts of sub-skills such as creative thinking and decision-making, not to mention practical skills and work-related skills.1:16

So how, when, and where do we learn these skills?1:24

A lot of these skills we learn naturally from being in different social situations and environments.1:28

We literally pick them up without realizing it.1:34

However, others we have to work hard to acquire.1:37

I see.1:40

Cognitive skill development, for example, begins naturally in infancy and is primarily encouraged by parents and family, but it is further developed at nursery school by caregivers with educational toys and games.1:41

And then when we go to school, college, university, and beyond, we develop these skills further.1:54

So educational institutions are obviously very important then.2:01

Of course.2:05

Everyone should receive an education that helps them to develop important skills such as independent thought and judgment.2:06

They also need to be able to make their own decisions, solve their own problems, and shoulder their own responsibilities.2:13

Teachers, parents, and caregivers can help children to grow up with the personal resources and intellectual tools they need to understand the world and behave as responsible human beings.2:20

But we are learning all the time from all sorts of different influences.2:32

Specifically?2:36

Well, we develop social skills from interacting with our peers, joining social groups, making friends at school, meeting and working with colleagues in the workplace, and so on.2:37

Aha!2:47

In truth, we never stop learning, and our understanding can be developed and improved by all kinds of human experiences.2:48

Take travelling, for example.2:55

Many teenagers take a gap year between uni and starting work to travel and have varied and interesting experiences.2:58

Other people retire somewhere warm and find themselves learning a new language in their later years.3:05

OK, but what about people who don't do well in school, don't go to university, have a boring repetitive job, and don't have the opportunity to go abroad.3:10

What opportunities do they have to learn?3:19

Well, we all have free time.3:21

Our leisure activities are important learning opportunities.3:24

We can learn physical skills, artistic skills, and practical skills at any age from the different activities we do in our free time.3:27

Most people these days have a computer, and everyone can develop their IT skills and open themselves to the internet.3:36

Which is a huge source of information for people who want to learn anything and everything.3:42

That's fair enough, but what of the absolute sloth who does nothing in their free time except flop down in front of the TV?3:48

They can learn from TV and radio programs, magazines, newspapers, and so on.3:55

They can learn to filter and organize information so they find what is interesting to them amongst the visual and audio messages they are bombarded with.4:01

OK, now I happen to think that the most important life skills are common sense and good judgment, but these are not taught in schools or anywhere.4:09

How can someone develop these skills?4:17

Well, these are more or less innate skills that we pick up by going through different life experiences.4:19

Basically, learning by our mistakes or, better still, by watching others' mistakes and not making the same ones.4:26

Haha, well, it's a fascinating topic, but I'm afraid we're out of time.4:33

Lifelong Learning is available now from all leading retailers.4:37

Thank you so much for coming in today.4:40