8.1 KiB
Knowledge Hydrant
Introduction
A study group can make a difficult book easier to understand, it can succeed where an unsatisfying class fails, and it can support you if your environment doesn't support your ongoing learning and growth.
A study group is a collection of individuals who meet regularly to improve their understanding of some non-trivial subject, like a body of great literature, by participating in dialogue.
The authors and architects of the original pattern language understood that individuals vary in how they obtain knowledge. Some don’t have a lot of time and want to gain knowledge as fast as possible. Others prefer to extract as much knowledge as they can by pondering a work’s every paragraph and page. Still others prefer to study a work’s visual elements–its photographs and sketches–before diving into the words.
There are 21 patterns in this pattern language. They are grouped into four sections called Spirit, Atmosphere, Roles, and Customs. As you study the patterns from each section, consider the structure of this language: the patterns from the Spirit section, at the beginning of the language, help to define the study group's core, its spirit of learning. The patterns that follow this section, in Atmosphere, Roles and Customs, are all intimately tied to the earliest core patterns and serve to re-enforce them.
Concepts
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| [Great] Literature | Piece of information in it's original form, un-destiled, no summarized, etc. |
Summary
1. SPIRIT
After identifying a great source of knowledge in a subject, work to create a rewarding, intellectually safe environment for the study of that subject.
- KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT
- POOL OF INSIGHT
- SAFE PLACE
- ENDURING ENERGY
- KINDRED COLLABORATORS
2. ATMOSPHERE
Establish a home for the study group that is centrally located, comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and conducive to dialogue.
- COMMON GROUND
- PUBLIC LIVING ROOM
- INTIMATE CIRCLE
- VIRTUAL SPACE
3. ROLES
Lead and energize the group, come prepared, and help guide dialogues so that they are insightful and productive.
- ENTHUSIASTIC LEADER
- MOTIVATED MODERATOR
- ACTIVE PARTICIPANT
- PREPARED PARTICIPANT
- DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANT
4. CUSTOMS
Follow customs that will re-enforce the spirit of the group, piquing participant's interest in dialogues, accommodating different learning levels, making the study of literature easier, recording group experiences, and drawing people closer together.
- OPENING QUESTION
- SEQUENTIAL STUDY
- AGENDA
- SUBGROUP
- STUDY CYCLE
- DISTRIBUTED DIARY
- AFTER HOURS
1. Spirit
1.1 Knowledge Hydrant
. . . where can one obtain knowledge in its fullest, unfiltered, unsimplified, form?
This ignorance about great literature is widespread. It exists today primarily because several important ideas about great literature have been forgotten. These include some of the following facts:
- The hard work put into the study of great literature is worthwhile because it ensures that people retain the knowledge they wish to obtain
- Great literature is much easier to understand when it is studied in an intelligent sequence (4.2 SEQUENTIAL STUDY)
- It is easier and more rewarding to study great literature with other people (1.2 POOL OF INSIGHT))
Discover the great literature in your profession or area of interest—the finest books, articles, and speeches ever written—and then begin an earnest study of these works.
So how do you find the great literature worthy of study? Ask people. Ask knowledgeable people which authors they like, what are their favorite books, what profoundly influenced them?
After identifying the works, form or join a study group (1.2 POOL OF INSIGHT), order the works to be studied (4.2 SEQUENTIAL STUDY), and compose an 4.3 AGENDA.
1.2 Pool of Insight
. . . once you've discovered your KNOWLEDGE HYDRANT, it can be overwhelming to drink from it. This pattern suggests how to make the study of great literature easier and more rewarding.
To obtain the fullest understanding of great literature--to penetrate its meaning – it is tremendously helpful to read and study a work on one's own and then engage in meaningful dialogue on the work with others.
In dialogue, people get the chance to learn from themselves and from their colleagues. In communicating how they understand something, people may:
- clarify what confused others
- expose their own misunderstandings
- reveal new ideas
- articulate that which they didn't know they knew
There is a spirit present in dialogues that one doesn't find in many other learning environments. Frequent meetings help sustain this spirit. When a group doesn't meet frequently, it can struggle to keep its momentum and enthusiasm; lively subjects and debates can fade between meetings, and if people miss just one meeting, they will be absent for a very long period. Many groups sustain a group's spirit by meeting weekly or biweekly.
Group study also helps motivate people to learn, especially when they are no longer officially "in school." A reading assignment every week or every other week can help individuals continue to learn while balancing work and family life.
Read and study literature on one's own, but discuss it with others in a regular study group. Aim to ask questions about what you don't know and explain what you do know. Your exchanges with colleagues will enrich your understanding immensely.
The best study groups are those in which individuals feel comfortable learning with others (1.3 SAFE PLACE).
Atmosphere plays an important role in a dialogue. Some environments promote dialogues (2.1 COMMON GROUND, 2.2 PUBLIC LIVING ROOM) and some don't.
The most enriching study happens when a group has a MOTIVATED MODERATOR and PREPARED PARTICIPANTS...