Learning changes the brain.
Recent awesome advances in the technology of microimaging have allowed us to peer with wonder as we watch the brain in the act of learning. From this we learn there is now scientific proof that learning changes the brain.
Human learning is laid down energetically in each person's unique memory system "layer by layer" such that the mastery of primary-level skills provides the platform for the next-level competencies.
Primary skills such as literacy, numeracy and factual knowledge are generally established by high-school graduation worldwide. However, while some schools teach the secondary- and tertiary-level skills needed to find novel, creative solutions to complex multilevel problems, these competencies are not yet generally available at this time.
Further, for the first time in human history, change is so rapid that parents find it difficult to use their own life experience to guide their own children, and teachers need to be alert to constantly changing information to ensure that what they are teaching meets their students' needs.
Therefore, to achieve wide-scale competencies in higher-order thinking to the large numbers needed, we need a different methodology.
Fortunately, while we are likely at the beginning of learning the skills we need, we do know the human brain is neuroplastic and we can learn and change throughout life.
Therefore, to raise our own thinking game to secondary levels and even tertiary levels, we must engage with the learning that we need to escape traditional boundaries and barriers as a first step. This requires an active rather than passive approach to learning.
We also know that we cannot think in secondary and tertiary levels without the basic underlying knowledge. For this reason, when we begin with wisdom and information from extraordinary teachers, we facilitate the possibility of finding creative solutions by the application of secondary and tertiary thinking skills.
This brings us back to the essential understanding that the internal and external language of fear-based thinking produces the messages that leads to despair. This creates the biochemistry that reduces and disempowers the very brain and body systems we need for the action-minded higher-order thinking required in these difficult times.
On the other hand, we are reminded that the power of
commonly called love,
is the most powerful of human resources.
Therefore, as we choose solutions that are positive and hopeful, we release the most powerful biochemistry to fuel outstanding creativity. Importantly, by working together in partnership with one other, this power is magnified many times ...
It is teams who win championships or who take their fellows to destinations in space and even find ways to bring them safely home on a wounded rocket as in Apollo 13.
Building a thriving future for humanity requires the strategic use of higher-order thinking skills on a global scale. Here lessons from history are useful.
For millions of years, unique individuals and especially small, engaged groups have responded to boost their communities to an evolved status by invention, discovery and creating new ideas by freeing their thinking from the traditional response. In this way our species has moved from experiencing life in a tiny tribe to living in huge, sophisticated cities where millions live, now connected by remarkable technologies in travel and virtual communication.
Our species, Homo Sapiens, has invented marvelous machines, considered and written the greatest of thoughts, painted and sculpted all manner of wonderful objects of great beauty, and built soaring cathedrals that take our breath away in awe. We have done things that would be unimaginable to earlier generations, and we can find creative solutions to the multi crises Humanity now faces.