Here’s why some learners never improve

Despite working with countless learners of all ages over the years, some seem to never improve.

My comprehensive learning system for higher-order self-regulated learning was created in 2015. By 2016, I realized that very few people can learn it.

In part, this was due to my lack of experience in training others to use the new system. Improving my teaching and delivery greatly improved my students' success, but many were still unable to master this tool.

After five years of investigating factors that influenced my students’ success and failure, I developed the term enablers of learning: factors that sit outside of pure learning skills that have a significant impact on a person’s ability to learn effectively.

Learning Enablers

In order to achieve efficient and effective learning, enablers of learning are essential. These are the qualities and skills that enable someone to acquire new knowledge and skills and apply them consistently. Individuals can stay motivated and engaged in their learning journey with the help of enablers. Without them, learning becomes difficult, frustrating, and ineffective.

Growth mindset, time management, task prioritization, focus, and reflective experiential practice are some of the most common enablers.

Unfortunately, enablers are frequently overlooked due to their intangible nature. Textbooks and other learning materials do not provide the same level of self-awareness and introspection as enablers, meaning that individuals (even experienced teachers, I included in 2015) may not be cognizant of the significance of enablers or understand how to develop them. Furthermore, traditional educational systems often neglect to explicitly teach such broader skills like time management, task prioritization, and reflective experiential practice. As a result, there is an overemphasis on academic achievement at the cost of more comprehensive growth.

Additionally, learners may find it difficult to develop enablers on their own. This is a challenging process because, unlike learning a specific skill, such as coding or writing, developing enablers requires continuous effort and attention. Without taking into account the general lack of guidance for developing enablers, individuals may not see immediate benefits from developing enablers, leading to a lack of motivation to continue developing them.

For those interested in exploring the topic of enablers and lifelong, sustainable learning, this article serves as a starting point.

Mindset of growth

Having a growth mindset is crucial for successful learning, as it encourages individuals to take on new challenges and remain motivated when faced with difficulties. With this perspective, effort becomes the way to attain mastery, while any failures that may arise are taken as opportunities for growth. In contrast, a fixed mindset puts limits on personal development by preventing individuals from facing new tasks and sticking with them despite any obstacles.

A fixed mindset is characterized by the following characteristics:

1. Avoids challenges: Those with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges because they fear failure. Instead of risking failure, they prefer to stick with what they know and are comfortable with.
2. Gives up easily: When faced with setbacks or obstacles, individuals with a fixed mindset tend to give up easily. They may become discouraged, believing that they cannot overcome the challenge.
3. Focuses on performance: Individuals with a fixed mindset tend to focus on their performance rather than the learning process. They may be more concerned with receiving good grades than with learning.
4. Avoids effort: Individuals with a fixed mindset may avoid putting in effort because they believe it will not lead to improvements. They may believe their abilities are predetermined and that additional effort will not make a difference.
5. Ignores feedback: When given feedback, individuals with a fixed mindset may ignore it or view it as personal criticism. They may become defensive and resist making changes.

Reading recommendations

(2007). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Managing your time

Time management is the skill of setting objectives and using time prudently. For successful learning, effective time management is necessary as it helps in properly balancing study-related activities with other commitments. It involves segmenting tasks into smaller, achievable parts and organizing a plan to get the best out of one’s day. By managing their time well, individuals can have the opportunity to learn while also attending to other areas of life.

Prioritizing tasks

Task prioritisation is an important part of efficient and effective learning, requiring individuals to assess the importance and urgency of each task before deciding on the best order in which to complete them. Doing so helps focus on those tasks which are most beneficial for achieving desired outcomes and progressing towards learning goals.

Managing time effectively involves setting goals, planning activities, and scheduling tasks. Prioritizing tasks and using conventional time management are two different but complementary skills that are both essential for productivity. A task prioritisation process, on the other hand, involves identifying the most important tasks and completing them first.

The importance of task prioritisation over time management is, in my opinion, greater. Prioritisation, however, is almost always overshadowed by conventional time management strategies. The reason may be that task prioritisation requires higher-order thinking in order to determine each task's importance. Decision-making skills and a deeper understanding of each task are required.

Concentration

Having the capacity to focus on the job at hand and sidestep disruption is key. High levels of concentration are critical for efficient learning, as it aids in remembering information and getting projects done more successfully. To stay on task, one should create an atmosphere which reduces distraction such as deactivating notifications from electronic appliances, shutting down unused tabs and working in a peaceful setting. With concentration on their learning objectives, learners can heighten their performance and accomplish their goals more rapidly.

Many individuals try using tips and tricks to increase their level of attention. But this approach is short-term and not feasible in the long run. Metacognition and self-awareness are key to cultivating concentration. Without having an awareness of these, it's hard to identify when becoming distracted or losing focus is happening. Also, they may not be aware of external elements like fatigue, stress, or noise that take away their focus. Thus, recognizing what factors affect one's ability to stay focused is critical for forming good concentration habits.

Experiential Reflection

People can make the same mistake over and over again until they give up. Practice doesn’t make perfect.

Reflective experiential practice encourages people to examine their experiences and use them to shape their future learning. It can help individuals benefit from both triumphs and mishaps. Unfortunately, many face difficulties in applying it correctly, due to a lack of introspection or self-awareness, rushed thinking, or an aversion to feedback or self-criticism. In some situations, reflection can provoke anxiousness and result in negative thought patterns. For this reason, critical reflection is essential but should be taught judiciously and precisely.

My experience has shown educators encouraging reflective practice with very little structure and guidance, which can lead learners to think reflective practice is useless and put them off of the concept of reflective practice in the future. Using a modified version of Kolb's experiential cycle, we introduce reflective practice in our program, providing consistent feedback until technique accuracy is acceptable.

In conclusion

Developing enablers of learning such as growth mindset, time management, task prioritization, focus and reflective experiential practice are crucial to efficient and effective learning. With these in place, individuals are better equipped to accomplish their learning objectives, gain new skills and expand their knowledge base. Regardless of if you’re a trainee, expert or keen learner, honing these capabilities will help you successfully navigate your learning journey.