John Seely Brown on Motivating Learners: Big Thinkers | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The key to preparing students for the modern workforce is instilling a love for embracing change and cultivating a "gaming disposition" characterized by curiosity and a questing attitude.

Key Insights

• 👶 Embracing change is essential in preparing students for the 21st-century workforce, as it fosters continuous improvement and adaptation to new challenges.
• 🙈 Collaboration, competition, and utilizing digital media are effective strategies for learning and advancing in various fields, as seen in the success of world-class surfers in Maui.
• ❓ Passionate communities of interest provide opportunities for immersive and integrated learning experiences, which can be absorbed unconsciously and facilitate personal growth.

Transcript

Probably the most important thing for kids growing up today is the love of embracing change. >>I mean, the catch for preparing students for the 21st century workforce is "How do you get kids that have curiosity and a questing disposition?" We have called it in the past "the gaming disposition." If you look at the disposition of hardcore gamers su... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How do gamers' questing disposition and embracing change translate into success in the 21st-century workforce?

Gamers are bottom-line-oriented and consistently seek improvement. They embrace change, constantly leveling up, experimenting with strategies, and adapting to high-order tasks. This mindset aligns with the rapidly changing nature of the modern work environment.

Q: How has digital media enhanced the learning process for surfers?

Surfers in Maui have formed collaborative and competitive groups similar to gaming guilds. By strategically experimenting, recording videos, analyzing performance, and learning from other surfers through platforms like YouTube, they can quickly absorb new moves and techniques, which accelerates their growth.

Q: How does situated learning and joining passionate communities of interest facilitate learning?

Situated learning emphasizes the importance of joining communities of practice and marinating in experiences, absorbing tacit knowledge unconsciously. Being part of a passionate community allows learners to integrate, assimilate, and let knowledge gel naturally without conscious effort.

Q: Why is play and tinkering overlooked but essential for personal development and learning?

Play allows individuals to engage deeply with ideas, personalize them, and take ownership. Through play and tinkering, individuals embrace failure as an opportunity for learning, gaining hands-on experience, and cultivating a mindset that is open to change and experimentation.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Embracing change and a questing disposition are crucial for success in the 21st-century workforce, as demonstrated by the bottom-line-oriented mindset of hardcore gamers.

• Collaboration and intense competition, similar to gaming guilds, have played a significant role in producing world-class champion surfers in Maui, with digital media enhancing their ability to learn and adopt new moves.

• Passionate communities of interest exist for any kid's interest, and situated learning suggests that learning happens through joining and marinating in experiences, integrating knowledge unconsciously.