{"id":597,"date":"2013-08-28T18:16:59","date_gmt":"2013-08-28T17:16:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carolinegourlay.wordpress.com\/?p=102"},"modified":"2021-06-15T12:04:11","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T12:04:11","slug":"why-it-doesnt-pay-to-be-too-smart-when-youre-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinegourlay.co.uk\/why-it-doesnt-pay-to-be-too-smart-when-youre-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Why it doesn’t pay to be too smart when you’re learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

How quickly do you learn? Are you one of those people who picks things up with ease? Feel slightly smug in training courses? Don\u2019t need anything explaining twice? Well here\u2019s a way of thinking about learning that might give you pause for thought. From my favourite assessment measure, the Cognitive Process Profile<\/a> (CPP), comes the distinction between \u2018Quick Insight\u2019 and \u2018Gradual Improvement\u2019 learning.<\/p>\n

Quick insight learning is when you pick things up through learning a new theory or by putting ideas together to come up with one of those \u2018Aha\u2019 moments (as I did when I came up with this blog post). Gradual improvement is where skills and knowledge are acquired more slowly through practice. We all use both but people often have an aptitude, and a preference, for one over the other. Perhaps unsurprisingly, bright people often prefer quick insight learning.<\/p>\n

Now I confess I\u2019ve always prided myself on being a fairly smart cookie and was pleased when the CPP confirmed my aptitude for quick insight learning. Give me a bit of challenging theory (OK maybe not physics) and I\u2019m in my element. As is often the case, though, pride came before a fall. In my case, I took up drawing. I lapped up ideas about colour theory, negative space and the rules of perspective. But did that mean I could draw? Not a chance.<\/p>\n

When you can\u2019t do it all in your head<\/b><\/p>\n

What I’d overlooked is that when you introduce a physical element into whatever you\u2019re trying to learn, quick insight is of limited use. Art, crafts, sport, music, cooking, dancing \u2013 many of the things which make life worthwhile \u2013 all require a hefty dollop of gradual improvement learning.\"Image\"<\/a> Even if you’re a dedicated workaholic, who shuns anything as frivolous as a hobby, work related skills, such as public speaking, require practice.<\/p>\n

I meet a lot of quick insight learners who \u2013 once they\u2019ve swiftly absorbed the concept \u2013 say they don\u2019t have the patience for gradual improvement learning. In my experience, this masks a deeper truth. People who think of themselves as smart struggle to tolerate the discomfort of being inept. I used to cry with frustration in art classes at my inability to translate the image in my head into an image on paper.<\/p>\n

Missing out the uncomfortable bit<\/b><\/p>\n

You may have come across the four stages of learning<\/a>, which we move through when we learn:<\/p>\n