Ellen Langer on Mindful Learning - Keep it fresh, don't overlearn and age doesn't matter.

Ellen Langer is one of the most cited writers on mindful learning and I've stored up tons of paper to read on my sabattical. This video is a quick 10 minute explanation of key aspects of mindful learning. Essentially, Langer explains:

• Keep material fresh. It is no good just to tell people to 'pay attention'. Help people look at the 'material' from different angles; to relate to the material in different ways. Teachers can help participants to look at material from different perspectives; even physically - move around the 'material' so that it can be seen from different angles (posters, pictures, flip charts). 
• Over learning can be dangerous because it means we become too fixed on what the 'fact' is and less able to see how 'facts' are often context dependent - what is true in one context might not be in another, new research may have taken place about a subject etc.
• Mindfulness is about being present - being aware, paying attention - this means finding new things out about the subject, noticing different things (not just noticing the things you always tend to notice)
• People tend to fit social stereotypes - i.e. when they get older, they think they can't learn or can't remember. This doesn't have to be the case. It is more the attitude to learning. If you want to learn and have the drive then you can.

More on mindful learning over the next few months....for now, here is the video.