The benefits of a deep learning approach

On this post I want to bring your attention to the idea of learning approaches.

Why do I have to take this class? Is this going to be on the test? Do I really need to learn this stuff? If you’ve ever asked any of these questions, you might be using the wrong learning approach.

What drives your motivation to learn, the letter grade you’ll receive or your interest in developing mastery of a subject or skill? In the book What the best college students do, renowned researcher and professor Ken Bain argues that college students can be grouped in three distinctive categories based on their approach to learning. In an interview with Brian Lehrer Professor Bain explains:

“Different students will take different approaches to college learning. Generally they will fall into one of three broad categories: 1) surface approach (driven by survival mode), 2) strategic approach – driven by grades and accolades (extrinsic motivation); and 3) deep approach (driven by passion for learning or intrinsic motivators). Only the latter is likely to be successful.”

What’s wrong with being strategic and working hard to obtain good grades?

On the surface, nothing. We can’t be naive, grades matter. But, in the words of Professor Bain, the student who applies predominantly a strategic learning approach, usually is less likely to try new things and take risks, is less able to learn conceptually, and tend not to become an “adaptive expert” (a person who successfully adapts to different kinds of situations).

The following is the audio of Ken Bain’s interview with Brian Lehrer:

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Not the only one

Certainly, Dr. Bain is not the only person speaking about the problems associated with focusing on grades. In an opinion article published by The New York Times, Dr. Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and a professor at the Wharton School, points out:

“The evidence is clear: Academic excellence is not a strong predictor of career excellence. Across industries, research shows that the correlation between grades and job performance is modest in the first year after college and trivial within a handful of years. Academic grades rarely assess qualities like creativity, leadership and teamwork skills, or social, emotional and political intelligence. Getting straight A’s requires conformity. Having an influential career demands originality.”

What is deep learning and why does it matter?

A 2012 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, provides the following definition: “deeper learning is the process through which a person develops the ability to take what was learned in one situation and apply it to new situations. Through deeper learning, the person develops transferable knowledge, which includes both expertise in a particular subject area and procedural knowledge of how, why, and when to apply this knowledge to solve unique problems in that subject.”

According to the report deeper learning enhances three domains directly linked to success:

1. The cognitive domain, which includes thinking and reasoning skills;
2. The intrapersonal domain, which involves managing one’s behavior and emotions and
3. The interpersonal domain, which involves expressing ideas and communicating appropriately with others.

We leave in a fast-pace world characterized by constant change. The skills and knowledge of today might not be enough in the very near future. Adaptability is key to help us navigate change. When you use a deep learning approach you are more likely to be adaptable because you are passionate about learning.

How can you achieve deep learning?

Here are some ideas:

• Pursue a passion for learning, not just grades
• Use critical thinking (question, analyze, evaluate)
• Get out of your academic comfort zone
• Don’t be afraid of challenging courses
• Treat EVERY course with the respect it deserves
• Talk with your preffesors and learn what makes them passionate about their subject
• Make meaningful connections between the subject and real life applications

To understand how this works in the real world, take a look at the following Ted Talk from Adam Grant. Here, Dr. Grant explains the three unexpected habits of what he calls “originals”, people who most likely apply a deep learning approach to what they do in life.