Nobody doubts the importance of learning skills. But what does it really mean? In a simple definition, it means to be open to new experiences and ideas, and to allow ourselves to grow from what we find in the world.
When we are children, we learn from everything around us, from our close relatives to any simple game, everything is an opportunity to experience and therefore to learn. When we growup, we forget that enthusiasm for discovery, but that is what is needed for successful learning.
We often mistake the learning concept for the studying concept, but this is not the case. When we study we usually memorise, but learning goes far beyond studying. We are prepared to learn from each and every situation we experience throughout our lives.
In a more formal way, we can define learning skills as a set of habits or tasks involved in learning, including time management, note-taking, effective reading, study skills and writing tests. In other words, those skills that a person has in order to learn.
In a work context, curiosity and the ability to continuously learn in order to be employable is becoming one of the most demanded skills in the workplace.
What are learning skills?
It is common for these learning skills to combine skills and talents with existing knowledge to help people assimilate new information as it comes to them.
These learning skills are often divided or described as: critical thinking, creative thinking, communication and collaboration.
- Critical thinking
Critical thinking is focused, detailed analysis of something in order to better understand it. When people talk about “left-brain” activity, they usually mean critical thinking.
- Creative thinking
Creative thinking is the open invention and discovery of possibilities. Think out of the box. When people talk about ‘right brain’ activity, they most often mean creative thinking.
- Communication
Effective communication is perhaps the most important skillsfor life. It is what enables us to transfer information to other people and to understand what we are hearing from them.
- Collaboration
Collaboration means getting people to work together, achieve compromises, and get the best possible results from solving a problem.
The development of learning skills continues throughout life. The learning process is not limited to a particular age or degree. We are constantly learning something new, sometimes without realising it.
Tony Buzan
