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This review has been accessed times since May 30, 2005

Rademacher, Lee. (2004). Learning to Learn: A Philosophical Guide to Learning. iUniverse (http://www.iuniverse.com/).

Pp.138
$13.95 (Paper)   ISBN: 0-595-32353-7

Reviewed by Brenda L. H. Marina and Lena Boustani Darwich
The University of Akron

May 30, 2005

Read Author Rademacher's
response to this review.

Learning to Learn: A Philosophical Guide to Learning, by Lee Rademacher, is a result of the Rademacher’s six years of teaching the Freshman Success Course. The reviewers have combined seven years of teaching the same seminar. However, the reviewers offer for the readers’ consideration that the author’s learning institution and the reviewers’ learning institution do not have students that share similar learning needs and characteristics. As such, the reviewers wish to note that the following review is based on their observations of and experience with their own students.

Rademacher contends in the first chapter that education should prepare students to become independent learners, by assisting them in asking their own questions and providing ways to answer those questions. The author states that learning is not totally dependant on how smart one is, rather, on organization and preparation. Learning to Learn hints at the fact that instructors need to become more aware of their teaching styles and their students’ learning styles in order to better scaffold their students.

Rademacher challenges the students to think about learning differently and challenge their own views about learning. Rademacher suggests that students assume the instructor will tell them what they need to learn. Rademacher purports that students believe that everything learned is focused on what the teacher is supposed to do rather on what the student is supposed to do. The author explains the theory of “banking system knowledge” where the teacher is responsible for transferring wisdom to an empty head, and the student in turn banks the knowledge. This is passive learning. The reviewers contend that this is a misconception because college level students, however under prepared, do not come as blank slates without prior existing knowledge. The students may have been conditioned not to have any responsibility to be actively engaged in learning. Learning is a passive activity if it is someone else’s responsibility. The reviewers agree that the more one actively participates in learning, the more knowledge is retained. The author explains the relationships between inter-subjectivity and learning, and views learning as a transformative process that takes commitment, dedication and hard work. The author describes this act of transcendence or redefining oneself as a confrontation with nothingness. We agree that learning takes effort; students need to reconstruct, extend and reorganize their prior knowledge. The chapter ends with “critical thinking questions”. These questions may be more effective if they were located at the beginning of the chapter to incite students be more attentive to their reading.

Chapter 2: Your Values and Preferences

Rademacher quotes Socrates, Aristole and Adler to support the point made in chapter 2 regarding knowing what we want and how to get there, in other words, metacognition. This leads to a discussion on goal setting and values with several exercises. We concur that knowing values will help one know what motivates them, shape decisions and lead to a better understanding of the self as a learner. A values inventory with additional questions to answer was a simple and helpful tool to look at the importance of prioritizing. The author suggests a visional description, and a verbal description to formulate the imagery of “who you are” and your future self. Examples provided to assist in the process. Questions with answers to model how to analyze one’s image are also helpful. This future image will be a product of the transformation process which demonstrates the need for something more in life. The chapter concludes by explaining how to develop strategies, clear-cut goals and make honest decisions to achieve this future self.

Chapter 3: Models of Learning

In the next chapter the author presents a general overview of learning from a philosophical perspective. It is explained that the manner in which we express ourselves in the world changes as a result of our interpretation of experiences. We see this as an impact from our environment. The general overview of the process of learning was far too philosophical for first-year students, but may be useful to instructors.

The author elaborates on three models of learning. The individual model is concerned with what an individual needs; this desire or need is the motivation to learn. In this model, each person determines his/her learning standards. The teacher-centered model, where the responsibility for learning rests on the shoulder of the teacher is further discussed. The teacher defines the need for knowledge, not the student. The teacher develops activities for the learning need and the student acquiesces. The teacher assesses success of learning as well. In this model the teacher is symbolic of truth. Finally, the Harmonization Model is one that makes the learner more self direct and encourages teachers to create an environment for the individual and collaborative learning. This model should encourage open communication and collaboration; study or discussion groups are suggested.

The author claims that students will develop a purpose to learn through intrinsic self-reflection, but does not explain how this is achieved. The harmonization model does include learning objectives provided by the teachers and the learner. Finally, assessment should be done by both the teacher and the learner, through self-reflection by the student and evaluative measures by the teacher. The teacher should find multiple ways to help students process information, but the student must have the motivation. This chapter logically describes that the learner is to figure out what they want to accomplish, suggests s/he work with someone to achieve it, and recommends s/he think about the responsibility and commitment needed. The logic falls short without practical exercises to illustrate concepts.

Chapter 4: Goal Setting

The author, Rademacher, continues by expounding on the importance of goal setting to the learning process. Goal setting allows for the establishment of purpose and fulfillment. The reviewers agree that goal setting is an active involvement in one’s education. We realize that students need to think systematically to get to a solution; and that students need to make connections between knowledge. So we teach our students to reflect: We teach them to build bridges between their knowledge base and their experiences, and as such learning happens. This process is as analysis & planning. It is cognitive constructivism.

We also add that we need to be explicit to our students about what makes an effective problem solving plan. Our goal is to help our students optimize or increase their learning. As such, we believe that analysis and planning should also incorporate a third sub-process, that of organization. Our students need to know how to associate elements of information, such that they can access it on demand. Concept mapping is an example of an organizational procedure that we found was popular with our students. The multifaceted process discussed here needs to be taught and modeled by the instructors. It also needs to be reviewed and practiced by the students.

The author, Rademacher, specifies four steps to effective goal setting. The first step is setting a specific measurable goal that has a reasonable probability of success. The author asks the learner to articulate in concrete terms the goal he or she aspires to. The reviewers wonder how often we come across students, at this level, that know their dreams, that know what they hope to become. We also question how many of our students have the tools to articulate, to themselves or to their instructors and others, what it is they want exactly. The author seems to imply that the learner is responsible to reach this self-revelation through his or her own effort. The reviewers believe that becoming self aware is somewhat a challenging and difficult endeavor, and that it necessitates certain knowledge of cognitive strategies for students to become efficient at. This leads to defining the role of the instructor. The reviewers believe that the instructor should guide and provide students with strategies to allow them to conceptualize their dreams and verbalize them.

The second step is setting a time limit for completing one’s goal. Rademacher states that students need to set the ending time to assess the success of a goal, that is to determine whether one fulfilled one’s goal or not. The reviewers believe that specific guidelines on setting a time frame, which take into account modifications to one’s plan and account for unforeseen happenings, should be taught to students.

The third step is establishing specific strategies for fulfilling one’s goal. Rademacher suggests that one outlines several strategies, which he calls the action plan to accomplishing one’s goal, and then implementing these strategies. Again, the author does not give specific guidelines on how to develop strategies for one’s action plan. The reviewers believe that students need to learn how to choose these strategies. For example, students can be taught to research what others with similar goals have used as strategies. Students can be taught to evaluate these different strategies. Then, students can be taught to develop their own strategies based on their findings.

The fourth and final step to goal setting is assessing the success of fulfilling one’s goal. Rademacher states that at this step, students monitor the progress of their efforts and make necessary adjustments to their action plan. It is the time to look at one’s strategies and decide what worked & what didn’t, and then to reformulate and improve one’s strategies. The reviewers believe that this fourth step is a fundamental one. Students need to realize that they can reexamine their strategies and decide which ones are not allowing them success. Students also need to know that they may re-write lacking strategies, and even forsake them, in order to reach their goals. It is helpful how the author uses his strategies for baking cookies to illustrate reviewing, monitoring and attempting simple goals first. However, we feel that examples that deal with succeeding at formal educational goals might be as helpful and appropriate to our students. Also, we feel that students should be given or taught how to formulate specific types of questions that they should ask themselves as they attempt this assessment step, and how and whether these questions will guide them to a correct assessment.

The above goal setting steps are very well established. The reviewers have one thought to share: Perhaps, in addition to setting a time limit for accomplishing a goal, students should also define goal accomplishment by reaching certain specified outcomes. Students thus not only set a time, but also define or elaborate on signs that signal they succeeded. For example, students will realize they succeeded learning a content when they can more efficiently make connections within the content and outside to other contents.

Chapter 5: Sooner or Later You’ve Got to Manage Your Time

The author, Rademacher, discusses time management as an additional element to goal setting. The author states that time management is a tool to help order life efficiently and move toward a meaningful end. The question becomes how much time one is to spend on a certain activity. The response is that one prioritizes aspects of one’s life and apportions time effectively. In other words, one is to make choices that affect the quality of one’s life.

The reviewers believe that time management is crucial to the achievement of one’s goal. However, we ask how does one prioritize or decide what is most important to allocate time to. Often people make decisions based on what is best for a child, a loved one or and employer, not what is best for oneself. Perhaps, prior to asking what need we do to positively affect our lives; we need to consider our environment and what we are willing to deal with or to sacrifice. The author claims that passion directs meaning and motivates choices. The author adds that purposeful and meaningful action is important as it fulfills goals. Perhaps we need elaboration on what is meant by “choices” and “making choices.” At times, we have desires, yet we do not know or understand their meaning or how we can express them in terms of goals. However, there are external elements that do influence our “choices”, our ability to make choices and even our willingness to make choices. At times, decisions are prescribed for us. The reviewers believe that our students need help in realizing that there are several steps from passion to time management and how to move from one to the other. This help is offered by Rademacher in the concept of prioritizing. Students are to set their priorities. The reviewers believe that the author presents the reader with a good strategy; that of making a list of priorities. The author also encourages students to return to their list and assess it, as priorities may change for them overtime.

Chapter 6: Resources, Communication & Critical Thinking

The author, Rademacher, states that tools are things that allow us to make order of our environment and to facilitate our learning. It is important to assess tools and resources before one begins to learn. The reviewers believe this to be a good strategy: Once one is aware of what one wants to learn through the setting of goals, using inappropriate resources and tools can lead to the wasting of one’s time. However, this also implies that learners need to know more about what they want to learn. It is as if saying one needs to be an expert in a content area to learn about it. For example, the author uses learning to fly to illustrate his point. But, do you not need to learn about meteorology and aviation science while learning to fly? If this is so, then what should be the actual goal of learning? The reviewers do not know if our students are aware of all the facets of a content they want to learn. This lack of complete awareness might become defeating to them. Perhaps a list of what elements are needed to master a content needs to be provided to the students, so that they are ready to learn. The author tells the student to find people in the area of learning they are interested in to discuss with them what tools and resources are needed. Isn’t that one of the purposes of this class and of its instructors, to give them this information? One would think that many students upon registering for this class were told so.

The author continues by stating that learning is a social endeavor involving communication; and that it is the learner’s job to insert oneself in the communication. This is valuable advice. However, the reviewers add that the learner may truly participate in a conversation and glean knowledge only when s/he has enough knowledge about the content to know what questions are appropriate to ask that would increase opportunities for learning. Picture yourself a guest in a foreign land. You have limited knowledge of the land’s culture and language. You attend a function with your hosts. Conversations are developing around you. You make a decision: You join the conversation that provided the several words you know and the few nuances you recognize. You do not join conversations from which you do not gleam a known word or a familiar nuance. Why? Because these conversations do not exist for you; they do not have a thread or a connection to your prior experiences and knowledge. The learner’s priority is to develop connections to different areas of knowledge. Then the learner learns what questions to ask and how to ask them to attain responses relevant to his/her learning. The instructor’s role is to encourage the students’ initiatives and provide the strategies for amassing skills.

About the Reviewers

Dr. Brenda L. H. Marina serves as Assistant Dean of University College at The University of Akron. As Assistant Dean, she assists with establishing college goals and priorities, developing and implementing college retention strategies and academic progress review, and serving as liaison for various campus units. Dr. Marina coordinates the Student Success Seminars, a baccalaureate credit-bearing course that assists students in their transition to college. Her research interests have focused on multicultural competencies in higher education and the assessment of student learning.

Dr. Lena B. Darwich is part-time faculty at The University of Akron, College of Education. She is certified to teach K-12. Her research interests have focused on the role of instructional technology in bridging the success gap, especially in the manner in which internet resources can be used to enhance learning and instruction. Most recently, she has become interested in issues of learner diversity. She plans on assessing pre-service teachers’ awareness of communication patterns; and in conducting research on factors that discourage interaction between learners and on how teachers may influence these elements.

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