Vviewpoints

mistakes and learn from them, our emotions steer us away from making mistakes. In school we get bad grades if we make mistakes on tests; no one celebrates our mistakes. At work we can get a poor performance review if we make too many mistakes. Hence, even if we know that it is okay to make mistakes, we are conditioned to avoid making them and, if we do make a mistake, we feel frustrated and often embarrassed.

Similarly, we understand intellectually that technology can accelerate our learning. Simulation technologies offer to train us in skills without the risks of injury if we make mistakes—for example, in a flight simulator. Yet even in virtual environments people commonly get frustrated with their inability to learn as fast as they want and they give up. Internet and Web technologies offer to bring vast stores of information to our screen on demand via search and give us access to the world’s best courses free via MOOCs. Nonetheless, most of us discover that neither Internet searches nor MOOCs answer our questions. Instead of feeling empowered by these technologies, we often feel overwhelmed and anxious about how little we know compared to what we think we should know, but do not. We feel stupid if we do not know some-

WHY IS IT, when we need to learn something new that will benefit our work or home life, we often find ourselves blocked by seemingly invisible forces? When learning fails we miss out on important projects, promotions, and opportunities. We end up suffering and falling short of our objectives. Somehow, for many of us, our natural capacity to learn seemed to deteriorate over time, especially in areas that we care about the most.

Educators and business leaders have used the term “learning to learn” to name a missing skill that would reverse the deterioration. The business literature is filled with tips and buzz-words about this skill: “learn from mistakes,” “fail fast and often,” “learn faster with technology,” “be curious,” “collaborate,” and “take down silos.” 7, 8 But despite these wise aphorisms, something holds us back. Something within us resists—and even gives up on—learning. What is it?

Time after time in our work with professional teams we have found that many are in the thrall of deep, automatic, and unnoticed assessments and assumptions that guide what they think is possible or appropriate to do.

These assessments and assumptions are the invisible force blocking learning. They manifest as moods.

Cultivating moods conducive for learning is not as simple a setting up a good physical environment, for example with moveable tables, calming music, and bean-bag chairs near the community watercooler. In this column, we argue here that learning to learn is a navigational skill of recognizing moods that block learning and of shifting to moods that enhance learning.

Developing the Skill

Although we understand intellectually that learning requires that we make

The Profession of IT
Learning to Learn
Do you get stuck when it is time to learn something new? Read this.
DOI: 10.1145/3012421

Learning to learn
is a navigational skill
of recognizing moods
that block learning
and of shifting
to moods that
enhance learning.