Shades of Learning

Walk this Way, the one day conference organised by Spring Harvest that I attended recently, focused on being better followers of Jesus Christ. The main thrust of the day was how we learn and by extension I guess, how we are taught. It was also a book launch!

There wasn't much information that was actually new to me, but this is probably because I've had some connection with the ideas about individual learning styles through my role as a governor at a local school. But it was still fascinating to listen to well informed speakers reflect on learning and how it relates to the church and its disciple-making ministry.

In a nutshell we were introduced the the concept of shallow, deep and profound learning. Shallow learning is focused on information. It's the gathering of facts and data in order to be able to regurgitate them at the right time (think University Challenge). I guess you could say that at this stage you know stuff but you probably haven't learnt anything yet!

Take learning to play an instrument. you might, at the shallow stage, know where the notes are on the instrument but you can't be said to be playing it yet. Deep learning occurs when the information becomes knowledge and to keep to our music theme, this is when you can play something accurately and recognisably. Profound learning is that point where when you play someone is moved by what they hear.

Some people seem able to go straight to the deep or profound stages, but most of us have to start shallow and progress towards profound. The problem is that we don't always progress. Fixated too often on getting the right answer, we are more concerned with amassing information and that means we're stuck at the shallow end of learning. But shallow learning does not transform.

To become a wholehearted follower of Jesus Christ requires, no demands, that our learning is deep and ultimately profound because profound leads to change and change is the goal.

So the question becomes: How do we promote profound learning in our churches? I don't have a full answer for that yet, but I do think it has a lot to do with changing the culture of the church. We need to move away from testing knowledge and approving people on the basis of what they know. In the past this type of approach has produced the users that John Ortberg speaks about. Secondly we have to take more responsibility for our own development instead of looking constantly to experts to guide us. In other words we need to get some self-discipline into our lives and take responsibility for our own discipleship. Third we have to learn in community as well as in isolation. In other words, what you do in private to grow as a follower needs to be tested and challenged and accountable to a community. That community maybe two other people, ie a group of three along the lines of Todd Hunter's Three is Enough model.

I'm sure there's much more to explore and develop in this, and I'm going to continue to reflect on it all, but that will do for now.

Any thoughts?