Dr. Givens had just had a difficult meeting with the Governor of her state. The Governor had received numerous complaints that graduates of the university were functionally illiterate. “They can’t do anything, and they don’t seem to recall anything they learned,” the Governor complained. “We have to do better.”
When Dr. Givens returned to campus, she called together her Deans to express the Governor’s concern. They were largely in denial. When Dr. Givens challenged them, the standard response she got was that young people don’t want to learn. She didn’t believe that, but she didn’t have an informed rebuttal. That’s when she turned to Dr. Roy Shaffer, the head of Neurology. She asked if he would meet with her Deans to help explore what could be done to improve learning.
“Let me start,” said Dr. Shaffer, “by asking you a question, ‘How did the football get it’s shape?’ Please write down your answer.” The Deans thought for a while and then began writing. “How many did you have an answer that related to the spiral of the ball as it is thrown.” Virtually every hand was raised. “Sorry, no one got a correct answer. Now why do you think I began today’s session with that question?” There was no response.
“We are now discovering more about how we learn and remember. There is a rather simple answer: Curiosity. Let me point out what neuroscientists have now discovered.
- Curiosity-based learning supports information retention.
- Curiosity motivates the desire to learn by activating; the brain’s reward system that releases dopamine.
- The brain prioritizes learning when curiosity is sparked.”
“But here’s the challenge. How many classes are taught without involving curiosity? The use of Power Point lectures is fatal to learning.” The Deans were getting angry because Dr. Shaffer was challenging the standard teaching practice. Finally, one spoke up in an angry voice: “So good doctor, what do you recommend?”
“There are a number of ways to involve curiosity. Here’s a few:
- Start classes by asking students what they want to know about the subject.
- Use stories to evoke curiosity about the material that will be covered.
- Leave out important information from the presentation and ask students to ask questions to discover the missing information.
- Use small group discussions to teach each other.
- End class by asking students to tell you what else they would like to know.”
“Each of these are designed to make students curious learners. Now what are your questions?”
The session continued for another two hours with intense discussion about curiosity and learning. At the end, Dr. Shaffer added some final words: “I hope I’ve stimulated your curiosity about learning. What we did today is how all of us learn. Curiosity is also critical in decision making and problem solving. Whenever possible, begin any effort with curiosity questions, before you explore the direction you want to undertake.”
“Now, how did the football get its shape? You could have asked curiosity questions about the origin of football. This would have led you to discover that the original football was a pig’s bladder. Without curiosity questions, you were lured into assumptions from the modern game. Curiosity allows us to explore what we don’t know.”