What I have started to see with others is how easy it is for anybody to bust out their phone or go on their computer and find the answer to any question they may have. At first glance, this may seem like a good thing for learning. And to some extent it is. But what I really notice is that most people don't take the next step with their own learning. They stop after finding the one answer they were looking for. They don't let that answer lead them to other questions. In effect, they have failed to allow their curiosity to take over, and prevented continued learning and higher level thinking.
We should want to continue gathering input to satisfy our curiosity. Personally, I'm always looking to learn something and always in need of more input, much like Number 5 from Short Circuit. But it scares me to think that others don't share the same thirst for information. I wonder how this might affect our future and if this perceived lack of curiosity will continue to get worse. What do you think? Are people less curious nowadays? Do you have a constant desire for more input? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Not sure why I decided to include this particular clip, but enjoy.
I believe that the lack of curiosity is an age old problem. I was the type of kid who couldn't put a book down, but I remember being in the minority. I would hope that the internet and instructional multimedia available today would spur students' interests, but it may be just too much to hope that it changes human nature. I don't think I would blame the internet for a decline in curiosity. When I was a kid growing up in the 70s, I had a set of Encyclopedias. Sometimes I didn't want to look things up simply because I couldn't stop devouring information once I opened up the book. There were probably six kids like that to every class of 30.
ReplyDeleteI read a set of criteria one time for what qualified a student as gifted. There were the usual expectations of high aptitude, problem solving, etc. What struck me the most was the emphasis on curiosity. This is a student who lives to learn and initiates their own learning at every turn. It's sad to think that it's rare.
On the other hand, I think curiosity can be cultivated by inspiring teachers who know how to motivate students through their own relevant interests. I think sometimes it's just a matter of kindling a spark for learning that takes off into a flame.