📘 Part 3: Teaching and skills

This episode's vocabulary

Early adopter (noun) - someone who is one of the first people to start using a new product, especially a new piece of technology.

Concrete (adj.) - clear and certain, or real and existing in a form that can be seen or felt.

To engage (verb) - to become involved, or have contact, with someone or something.

Readily (adj.) - quickly, immediately, willingly, or without any problem.

Sole (adj.) - being one only; single.

Avenue (noun) - a method or way of doing something.

To master (verb) - to learn how to do something well.

The former - the first of two people, things, or groups previously mentioned.

To plug (verb) - to provide something that is needed, because there is not enough.

To get the hang of something (phrase) - to learn how to do something, especially if it is not obvious or simple.

Tailored (adj.) - made or changed especially to be suitable for a particular situation or purpose.

To pick something up (phrasal verb) - to learn a new skill or language by practising it rather than being taught it.

Attention span (noun) - the length of time that someone can keep their thoughts and interest fixed on something.

Prior (adj.) - more important.

Self-directed (adj.) - making your own decisions and organizing your own work rather than being told what to do by other people.

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Questions and Answers

M: What practical skills can young people teach old people?

R: Just about any skill connected to technology such as using smartphones, tablets and computers and young people are usually early adopters. They could also impart a lot about social media and new trends and cultural phenomena.

M: Do you think showing is better than telling in education?

R: Well, in general showing can be a lot more effective as it allows learners to see and experience something for themselves. And that can help to make the material more concrete and memorable but also allow the learner to engage with the material in a more active and hands-on way with visual cues.

M: Do people in your country like to watch videos to learn something?

R: Well, I couldn't say with any accuracy. Although videos probably play some roles, since they're readily accessible and provide visual demonstrations, which we just discussed. I'm not sure it's the sole avenue they'll take, though, especially if it's something like a skill as opposed to a technique for a quick fix. You usually need a teacher to master the former.

M: How can we know what to do when we want to learn something new?

R: Well, there are several important steps in such processes. You need to identify a goal so you know what you're aiming for, and work out your current level of knowledge before researching to plug any gaps. And then it's important to get practice and feedback on it to get the hang of it over time.

M: How can we teach the older generation to use technology?

R: It's probably a bit trickier than with younger people. But they'll have the same things in common. I mean, starting with the basics, being patient, providing opportunities to practice and explore with tailored, positive and encouraging instruction. All of these things you use with kids, you probably just do the same thing with adults.

M: Where can we learn practical skills?

R: That probably depends on the individual, though it's not like there's a shortage of options. Online courses offer a wide variety of choices on a similarly wide range of subjects. And there are community colleges, vocational schools and apprenticeships. And of course, you can always pick up a book and read about how to get better at something. If you have the money to burn, then there are also in-person workshops and classes as well.

M: What's the difference between the ways of how children and adults learn things?

R: Well, everyone is unique. But there are a few generalizations that you could probably make, like the speed of learning in children is generally faster, though their attention span is shorter. There are also differences in memory and prior knowledge. Young people tend to be motivated by things like play, whereas adults are a lot more self-directed.

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