Learning, thinking and doing

Introduction

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This unit is from our archive and it is an adapted extract from Systems thinking: principles and practice (T205) which is no longer in presentation. If you wish to study formally at the Open University, you may wish to explore the courses we offer in this curriculum area. [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]

This unit has been written because it is all too easy not to take an active approach to learning, thinking and doing, merely reading information but not actively engaging with it. The unit itself is a mixture of the theoretical and the practical, the academic and the vocational, and the readings that follow are designed to stimulate an active approach to learning, thinking and doing. There is no right way of engaging with the material covered in this unit – you have your own reasons for studying it and your own favoured styles of working.

This unit deals with the strategies for coping with the demands of learning, but does not cover the tactics required for successful learning. It does not cover specific study skills such as note taking, effective writing or preparing for assignments. If you believe that you need to learn, or brush up on, these types of skills then you are strongly advised to get a copy of The Sciences Good Study Guide by Northedge, Thomas, Lane and Peasgood, 1997, Open University, ISBN 9780749234119.

Next: Learning outcomes