10 Ways to Engage in Lifelong Learning...

by Andrea Leyden

Learning is about reaching your full potential and can help you achieve self-actualization, the highest need identified by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. However, traditional education generally has a beginning and an end which culminates in taking tests.Lifelong learning preserves an individual’s desire to obtain new knowledge outside of the formal education system. Developing an attitude where you constantly learn is the only way to succeed in the dynamic environment which we live in today. There is so much technology at your fingertips which you can take advantage of to help you learn throughout your life. This means you can follow your passion for languages, improve your craft skills and even develop a mobile app using resources you can find online.

10 Simple Ways To Engage In Lifelong Learning

There are countless ways you can follow your goal of becoming an eternal learner. Watch this video to discover some ways you can get the motivation to get started. Here’s how you can apply the ideas in the video:

1. Read widely and often

Buy newspapers, search for things online you want to know more about, ask your friends for books they found helpful; above all else, be curious. If you want to find research on a topic, use Google Scholar to find academic research. Delve into a topic and don’t stop until you have exhausted it!

2. Keep smart company

Reach out to contacts that you admire. Get talking to some influencers on Twitter and organise to meet up to explore some ideas and learning topics. Make sure to keep in touch with people you have come into contact with who have inspired you to learn on your journey.

3. Teach others

You don’t need to join the teaching profession to help people learn. Teaching others what you know will also help ensure that you really understand something; it’s a real test of your knowledge.

4. Keep a list of things you want to explore

This is a good way to help you get started. Before you jump right into an area, spend some time researching topics and keeping notes. Once you have developed a list then you can decide what the best option to follow for you is.

5. Start your own project

If you’re a teacher, encourage students to plan out their own projects starting with goals and objectives. This will help them to cultivate an idea of how they would be able to follow this process in the future which could be applied to various scenarios.

6. Use a personal learning environment

Understanding how to learn is an invaluable skill. Using personal learning environments such as GoConqr.com can help you adopt proven learning techniques which students can use throughout their journey to discovering new knowledge.  

7. Experiment with new ways to learn

Trying a variety of ways to learn will help you to find the way that sticks. Drawing diagrams, watching documentaries, creating mind maps and using music to study are some alternative ways students can approach learning.

8. Join a study group

Find virtual study groups online where you can collaborate and learn from people with varying experiences. Take insight on board from a variety of sources and apply it to your own knowledge search.

9. Find a job that encourages learning and collaboration

Most professional roles include some degree of learning whether it’s on the job training, workshops or other educational encouragement. Pursuing a career in an evolving area will ensure that you are constantly learning and developing your skillset.

10. Make it a priority!

Don’t just keep saying ‘one day’. Make today that day. Whether you’re a teacher, student, professional or other – make learning a priority in your life. If you wait for it to find you, you will limit the amount of information you know plus your ability to attain this knowledge over the long-term.

It may even help to understand the characteristics of a lifelong learning, including curiosity, skepticism, creativity, initiative, perseverance, and “perfectionism,” among other habits. Still curious? Take this quick test to see if you have these qualities.

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