What Goes In One Ear Shouldn't Necessarily Go Out the Other

By: Stephanie P.

Do you struggle with your online course? Do your teachers tell you that you need to work harder and more diligently to succeed?

Although some students struggle with motivation, there are also many of you who are irrefutably academically motivated; you will dedicate hours to your courses and stay up late at night until all of your assignments have been completed. If this resembles the kind of student you are, then clearly there is no motivation problem. However, you may have unknowingly added fuel to the learning vs. memorization fire.

This week, as I was reading the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, I came across an excerpt that really left an indelible impression upon me. In the dialogue, scientific experimenters tried to educate a boy, Tommy, by playing a tape recorder while he slept:

(A small boy asleep on his right side, the right arm stuck out, the right hand hanging limp over the edge of the bed. Through a round grating in the side of a box a voice speaks softly.

"The Nile is the longest river in Africa and the second in length of all the rivers of the globe. Although falling short of the length of the Mississippi-Missouri, the Nile is at the head of all rivers as regards the length of its basin, which extends through 35 degrees of latitude …"

At breakfast the next morning, "Tommy," some one [sic]says, "do you know which is the longest river in Africa?" A shaking of the head. "But don't you remember something that begins: The Nile is the …"

"The - Nile - is - the - longest - river - in - Africa - and - the - second - in - length - of - all - the - rivers - of - the - globe …" The words come rushing out. "Although - falling - short - of …"

"Well now, which is the longest river in Africa?"

The eyes are blank. "I don't know."

"But the Nile, Tommy."

"The - Nile - is - the - longest - river - in - Africa - and - second …"

"Then which river is the longest, Tommy?"

Tommy burst into tears. "I don't know," he howls.)

Tommy memorized information instead of learning it. Therefore, he didn’t fully understand the material and, consequently, wasn’t able to effectively apply the information memorized. To him, the Nile was just a meaningless word in a recording. This goes to show that it can be detrimental solely to memorize information. You might be able to get by in your class through doing this, but it isn’t beneficial in the long run. Strive to understand every concept you encounter. Know each idea so well that you can explain it simply and in your own words to another person. This is true learning and will save you time and energy, simultaneously preventing frustration.

So if you’re having a difficult time structuring proofs in geometry, maybe you just need to see the origin of the theorems you are going to be utilizing. Or, perhaps you’re in algebra II, and need a refresher course on linear equations. If you can understand how these things came about, you’re chances of retention are much better.

Contact the PTC whenever you do not fully understand a lesson. Ask us for help on the basics if you are a little lost. We genuinely want to see you reach your full potential.