Yay! I was hoping you would add another great “comment” @derosnec! I had not considered the darker side of the sophisticated attitude, so I’m glad you mentioned it. I agree completely that sometimes there is a very egocentric, elitist mentality that results from learning theory. Ugh. Knew it all too well in graduate school. It actually seemed like certain schools (as in smaller segments of a field, not actual institutions) seems to promote more smugness, whereas others were better at instilling tolerance. I earned my masters in a department that overall taught tolerance, and then there was one professor and his minions who were kind of the antithesis to that.
As per the reading part, I absolutely agree with the value in different ways of expressing thoughts and ideas. I guess I’m thinking specifically about how we learn new languages that support learning theory that allows greater insight into a given reality. Hmmm. I’m thinking about this. No doubt I have gained great insight into all sorts of subject by watching good video productions, or ananlyzing a visual piece of art. Perhaps it’s about selecting the right medium for the intended purpose. Sometimes a well-written textbook seems essential.
But maybe the bigger issue to me is that everyone can benefit from learning to read for the purpose of gaining higher level knowledge. It’s sad to me to think that some people graduate from college somehow missing this one skill. So, I will amend my thinking here. It’s not so much essential to learning theory, as in, it it’s the only way. Instead, it is one very meaningful way to learn, and one I’d like to keep pushing.
Thanks for stopping by!