All real education is personal and self directed

Article Summary

John S Veitch
The Network Ambassador

Buying the book, enrolling in a course, sitting through a lecture, doesn't educate you.
Educators have discovered that teacher behaviours have little influence on learning.
Learners learn what learners "DO". In most classes they do very little, or too much that detracts from the point.
In your own life, what you choose to do is up to you. If you choose to work hard that act of committment is critical to your success.
Perhaps for most people there are no teachers, there are no classes, for the things I've needed to find out.
Certain misguided ideas or myths have become part of me, embedded in me so I can't even be aware of them.
Learning is a process of personal engagement, an activity often most easily realised in a community of practice.
My swimming coach, told me to "Keep your legs straight". I did EXACTLY what I was told and I never did learn to swim well.
As a young man I had religious indoctrination quite strongly. So much so, I believed I could see God working in my life on a daily basis.
Some 20 years later, I put aside that version of God. It was a long difficult struggle. But for me at least life without that God, is more sane.
I need to live my life for worthy values here on earth, now. It's my task to choose those values. It's my responsibility to live that life.
I began to write a journal when I needed to do it. I had no instruction. I didn't even know what I was doing was called journal writing.
Ten years after I began I explored some of the books in the library about journal writing. Mostly it was a lot of rubbish.
An exception was "Markings" by Dag Hammarskjold, who was the first Secretary General of the United Nations.
Many people from universities around the world began to ask my advice about "grading journals" that were written as part of reflective professional practice.
A journal is a PRIVATE record for your OWN use, for research and planning and reflection and creating building blocks for future work.
Those who understand the principle will write their journals for the right reason. "For Me", not as a work of art to be judged by someone else.
Social networks are the best tool for helping people learn about Internet use. However, it takes courage to join a social network when you are a newbie.

If you need the original article it's here.