Yesterday I read an article by Sal Khan that began with how he praises his son for persevering at difficult tasks rather than tasks he is already good at. Sal is following the teaching of researchers that have found that our brains grow the more we use it. Our intelligence is not fixed! We can make it grow. Sometimes I wonder about my brain but I am encouraged, yet again, that I can keep sharp if I continue to explore new things and to work hard to “grow my brain.”
And then I read the line that really stuck with me:
The internet is a dream for someone with a growth mindset.
It is so true, you can learn almost anything from the internet, not because you get a grade, but because you want to! I’ve watched videos on Khan Academy! I never did well in Algebra and I ran from it as far as I could go. Then, one day, I thought, this is stupid. I can learn Algebra, and if you aren’t good in math, so can you! And guess what, you can learn for free on Khan Academy, and not just math either.
Plus, there is so much other stuff on the internet, mostly for free. Don’t know how to do something, search YouTube! Don’t know how to take down that big tree in your yard, search YouTube. Don’t know how to write a learning objective, search YouTube. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Want to go deeper, sign up for a massive open online course called a MOOC. I am a MOOC junkie! Last month I took a MOOC on Learning to Learn, this month I’m taking a MOOC on digital storytelling. Next month I’m signed up for a MOOC on entrepreneurship. How cools is that!
Happy Learning!
(To read the full article by Sal Khan, visit http://bit.ly/lrningmyth)
MaryAnne Nestor 