Additional Assignment 2

 How Kids Teach Themselves

     

     If learners are motivated, they can teach themselves. There must be interest before any initiative is taken. And this is regardless of age. Although, with age comes accessibility, but if the resources are available, kids, too, can teach themselves. In order for kids to teach themselves, interest and a computer is all that is needed. They do not necessarily need a person beside them. In fact, the video, in which these questions have been asked about, explains that they learn when there is no educator or adult present. And in addition, they begin to teach and "show off" to their peers what they have just done or learned. I think when applying the question to a person in general, the only thing needed is interest. The computer and the Internet can be the primary source of information, especially in a place where books are scarce. With the computer, comes Internet. With the Internet, comes resources. With resources, comes knowledge. With interest in reading the knowledge, comes learning. I think that without motivation, learning will take longer, if it even happens at all. 

     With the use of a problem, a question, or multiples of either, a person is intrigued to learn more, to dig deeper into the information they are finding. Even in today, in America, scientists must be presented with a problem before solutions can be found. Sure, scientists have done an immense amount of learning thus far, but would they know that to help kill cancer cells, they would need to create a poison, or chemotherapy? Maybe they would have stumbled across it one day. For it is true that great findings happen by mistakes made while trying to find something completely different. They were most likely presented with the question "How do we stop the division of cancer cells?" [This is an assumption made by me, and not factual content.] 

     How do you motivate someone to learn? Hmm... I would say that by showing interest in what the other person is learning, and asking if they could explain it or show how to do something they have just learned, they will feel joyous in their ability to show their new-found knowledge. How am I motivated to learn? Good question. When I don't understand something, I begin to learn. I ask questions. I hate not knowing something I should. One of my biggest fears: to fall behind, in anything. I hate being last, and hate if everyone else can arrive at an answer when I am left in a state of confusion. It is so bad that I have had nightmares about it. So to answer the question, I would say I am motivated to learn by fear, a fear of not knowing. Although motivation to learn plays a key factor in the actual process of learning, I do feel that it is possible to learn when not motivated. Hello! It happens everyday in school. Kids go to school, learn information that they think is boring, and retain it, to some extent, of course. Eventually, they will forget about it. I shall take a personal example. I do not find history to be interesting, in the slightest. (Sorry if you are a (aspiring) history teacher reading this. I just mean it is not one of my interests.) However, just last night I was with some friends. We were just getting back from the University of South Alabama's (Go Jags!) football game. 
Image via WikipediaWe were discussing who discovered America. [How we got on this subject, I am not sure, but random conversations are not unusual with us.] When someone suggested Columbus, I had mentally recalled Amerigo Vespucci. Although the debate is still ongoing about who really discovered America (according to some websites), that is not the point. I had recalled that America was named after Vespucci, and that there is speculation that he discovered America. I had retained the information even though I was not interested in the subject.   

     When trying to teach myself, I like to ask questions. Ask my parents, the Internet, anyone I know that is more knowledgeable in the subject. I do this to use my resources. Then when I have some information, I ask myself questions to further the learning process.  Teachers are there to speed up the learning process. They cut out the need to ask questions. But then again, they discourage self learning. What I am taking away with me after watching this video is that it is important to encourage others to be self learners. Not only should we encourage, we should teach them HOW to be self learners.