Is "fragmented" learning really right for you?
Whether it is the "MOOC" that has been pinned high hopes on, or the "micro-class" and "knowledge payment product" that were once very popular, there are many fans, but also caused a lot of questions or controversies.
Indeed, in real life, many people have wasted too much energy on so-called "fragmented learning" such as WeChat, Weibo, and circle of friends, and seem to know a lot of things, but in retrospect, it has little effect. And all day long is "brushed screen", busy every day "chasing the wind", led by different hot spots, for a long time, you will feel tired.
But is fragmented learning really useless, or even "a hoax"?
Author: Qiu Zhaoliang
Source: Economics around
（ID：jjchangshi）
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="11" > what is "fragmented learning"</h1>
Just as there are many misunderstandings about "learning", there is no rigorous and consensus definition of what is "fragmented learning".
According to my observations, the average person will think that "fragmented learning" is the use of fragmented "fragmented time" to obtain information and "learning"; others believe that "fragmented learning" is a learning mode or teaching design that divides the large knowledge system into smaller, more understandable and acceptable "fragmented knowledge" (such as "micro-lessons"), so that people can learn more easily.
In contrast to the former, the latter is common in a small number of professionals and some online learning practitioners.
However, from the perspective of personal practice, fragmented learning includes both the use of fragmented time to obtain information, and the gradual accumulation of "small pieces" of content and knowledge construction. Both are essential skills for individuals to learn in the information age.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="20" what are the advantages and disadvantages of "fragmented learning" ></h1>
Essentially, any learning is "fragmented learning," that is, it is impossible for anyone to build a complete body of knowledge overnight, or to master a certain skill with a single shot, which is still just a science fiction story.
Everyone's learning needs to start little by little, step by step, and accumulate over time. In this sense, the learning process itself is "fragmented", and the carefully designed "fragmented" content is more conducive to learning.
On the contrary, if you want to "eat a fat person in one bite" or swallow too large pieces of content, it is not easy to digest and absorb. Therefore, this is one of the advantages of "fragmented learning" and an important driving force for the rise of "fragmented learning" in recent years.
Of course, learning is also systematic, and the "fragmented" content absorbed must be integrated into a system. Both are indispensable.
But fragmented learning isn't all good news either.
In my opinion, the disadvantages or disadvantages of fragmented learning may include the following two aspects:
■ If the fragmented content you learn has not been "designed by the system", it may be one-sided and scattered, and even if you spend a lot of time and learn them all, it may not work well, and there is no way to build a system.
Like many paid knowledge products today, the learning process is not effectively guided and managed due to the lack of good "fragmentation" design, and therefore generally does not achieve the desired effect.
■ Even if information is "fragmented designed" and learned with the help of social media networks and people's fragmented time, it still faces challenges such as the shortening of "concentration", the "psychological loneliness" of the learning process, and the interference of "deep thinking".
Therefore, fragmented learning has both advantages and disadvantages, and in order to achieve good learning results, certain prerequisites are required.
So, how do you properly view and take advantage of fragmented learning?
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="43" > "fragmented learning" really for you? </h1>
For this approach to "fragmented learning" to work, three conditions need to be in place:
First, carefully choose a systematic product that suits you and has been "fragmented" in advance;
Second, learners already have the corresponding knowledge base and learning ability;
Third, the learning process is effectively guided or managed.
Without these conditions, the so-called "fragmented learning" is a waste of time.
In this regard, let's first look at a simple story.
There was a farmer A who took a washbasin every day and chased the clouds in the sky, hoping that it would rain a little, so that he could pick up some rain and water the crops in the field.
As a result, the clouds in the sky drifted over and over again, and occasionally there was one or two rains, and he only received one or two pots, and his cultivated field was not taken care of, the soil was compacted and desertified, and the rain could not be stored at all. At the end of the season, the peasants were exhausted, but there was no crop growing in the field, and there was no harvest.
Another farmer B knew that in order to have a fruitful harvest, he first needed to carefully take care of his own farmland, cultivate deeply, and keep the soil fertile. Second, water is indispensable. However, we cannot rely only on the rain in the sky, but also on the springs underground.
To this end, he chose a place, dug down deep, and dug into the spring that could continue to gush. In this way, when it does not rain, the spring water can continue to nourish his ploughing field; when it rains, the fertile soil in his ploughing field and the crops that grow strongly can fully absorb and accumulate rainwater. Therefore, regardless of drought or flood, Farmer B's crops are lush and lush, and every year is a bumper harvest year.
In the above story, "ploughing the field" is everyone's knowledge system and knowledge accumulation, "rainwater" is continuous "fragmented learning", "spring water" is a more systematic and classic source of wisdom, and balancing "rainwater" and "spring water" is the management of learning.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="63" how to effectively use fragmented learning >? </h1>
Stage 1. Clarify the "field" you want to cultivate
There is no doubt that only what meets your needs is useful. Therefore, regardless of whether the knowledge product you want to purchase has been scientifically designed, it meets your needs and is the most important.
To this end, you must first clarify the "field" you want to cultivate, that is, the knowledge field you pay attention to, and sort out the corresponding knowledge system, and then formulate a step-by-step learning plan to form a certain accumulation of knowledge.
The truth is simple: only with a thick, fertile soil can we absorb, store rainwater, and transform it into nutrients that nourish the growth of crops.
Otherwise, if you do not have your own knowledge field of concern, your knowledge is still in a messy point, did not build the corresponding knowledge system and accumulation, so that you subscribe to a bunch of knowledge products, every day to use a variety of fragmented time, listen to this so-called "expert" so a few words, listen to the "big coffee" then say a few paragraphs, or here to listen to the book, there to participate in the conference, time seems to have spent a lot, but also received a bunch of rainwater, but they can not absorb it at all, there is nothing to retain. As a result, I was drenched into a "chicken in the soup", but there was still no accumulation and achievement.
In my opinion, a simple but immutable truth is that any growth takes time.
It is certainly unrealistic to be able to achieve something overnight or without hard work.
In today's era, although information spreads quickly, you can cheaply and quickly possess a large amount of information, but it is not overnight to absorb, understand, and form your own ability. If we want to achieve something in some way, we still need to focus, perseverance and long-term efforts.
If you are now nourished by all kinds of "rainwater" every day, but you do not yet have your own knowledge system and accumulation, I suggest that you find yourself in some areas of special interest as soon as possible, and then stop quickly, stop busy with the rainwater, but instead go deep and study systematically.
To do this, you need to develop a thematic reading plan, that is, choose those classic books, read systematically, study deeply, or choose a systematic learning plan, stay focused, and make an effort.
Just as you need to bend down on your own initiative, in your chosen field, to cultivate carefully and toil hard. There are methods and techniques, but there are no shortcuts.
Phase 2. Continuous absorption of "rainwater"
In modern society, change is everywhere. After a person has established his own knowledge system and accumulated a certain amount of knowledge, he must not stop moving forward.
You need to keep absorbing new information and updating your knowledge and skills. It's like your fields are nourished by "rain" every day. Only when the wind and rain are smooth can the grain be abundant.
There are many ways to do this, such as selectively reading topics, going to the library regularly, browsing the latest research results or developments in a certain field of knowledge, searching through search engines, and so on.
And high-quality paid knowledge is also one of the options, and you can use it selectively. This is the second stage of continuous learning and growth of individuals.
Of course, it's still that sentence, which way to choose, how to combine, whether it is useful, it all depends on you.
Phase 3. Dig through the "spring water" of your own life
The third stage is to dig through their own "spring water". The so-called "spring water" is some classic or source of wisdom that can continuously provide you with long-term, systematic nourishment.
Taking my personal example, I have been studying personal and organizational learning, and through two research experiences, master's and doctoral degrees, I have laid my own knowledge structure in this field and made considerable accumulation. This is the first stage of my personal learning and growth.
Since then, I have been constantly updating my knowledge in this field, including reading some new books in the field every year, going to the library regularly or using search engines to search, and paying attention to a small number of authoritative journals in the field;
At the same time, it maintains contact with researchers and practitioners in this field, and constantly creates and exports knowledge, so that its knowledge structure and knowledge accumulation are dynamically updated and evolved. This is the second stage.
With the deepening of my own study, in recent years, I have found that some ancient Chinese classics, such as "Xunzi", as well as some classic works of "everyone" in this field of knowledge, such as "The Fifth Cultivation", are worth reading repeatedly.
Although these works may have been the result of publication thousands or decades ago, to this day, some of the deep-seated nature and laws of this field of knowledge they reveal are not outdated and still worthy of systematic study and reference. I feel that these are the "springs" in my personal life, which can give me deep and lasting nourishment.
In fact, sometimes, "the avenue is connected" and "the avenue is simple", you get a certain thing through, and many other related things may also be "integrated".
Therefore, in the era of information explosion, there is a lot of "rain", the key depends on whether you have your own determination and goals, and at the same time have a pair of wise eyes, wisely choose the fine products that meet your needs.
On the one hand, this requires us to have an open mind, the courage to accept some valuable high-quality knowledge products, and use fragmented time for timely and continuous learning, whether paid or free;
On the other hand, we also need to choose carefully, because our time and energy are more precious than money.
Only in this way can you not "rely on the sky to eat", maintain long-term exuberant creativity, and achieve your desired achievements.