Paradigms and Efficient Learning

1. Paradigms and EfficientLearning (orhow I wentform a mediocre student to thebeststudent in theclass, and howyou can, too) Manuel E. Bermúdez, Ph.D. CISE, University of Florida manuel@cise.ufl.edu http://www.cise.ufl.edu/~manuel Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

2. Contents • Paradigms. • Paradigm definition. • The paradigm shift. • Paradigm blindness and paralysis. • Examples. • The Learning Process. • Significant Learning: Paradigm Acquisition. • How to be an EXCELLENT student. Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

3. Definition of Paradigm. • Thomas Kuhn (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions): "… accepted samples of practical methods in science” • Adam Smith (Powers of the Mind): ”A shared set of assumed facts. Water to the fish, a paradigm explains the world and allows us to predict its behavior. When in the middle of a paradigm, it is difficult to imagine any other". Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

4. Definition of Paradigm (cont.) • Willis Hartman (An Incomplete Guide to the Future): "… a basic way of perceiving, thinking, valuing and doing things that are associated with a particular vision of reality”. • Marilyn Ferguson (The Aquarian Conspiracy): "… a framework for thought… a scheme for understanding and explaining certain aspects of reality". Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

5. Definition of Paradigm (cont.) • Joel Barker (Discovering the Future: The Business of Paradigms): " … a set of rules that define limits, and establish what’s necessary to be succesfull within those limits". • NOTE: We humans subscribe to paradigms composed of a SMALL set of rules, and we have a STRONG tendency to resist letting them go. Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

6. The Paradigm Shift • A change in rules: old rules notonly stop beinguseful, butthey GET IN THE WAY. • Examples (in general): • Nomadism to Sedentarianism. • Geocentrism to Heliocentrism. • Creationism to Evolution. • Catastrophism to Gradualism. • Regionalism to Globalism. Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

7. The paradigm shift(cont.) • Examples (specific to computing): • Structuredprogramming. • Objectorientedprogramming. • The WWW. • Agile software development. • Personal, ubiquitous, cloud-connectedcomputing • NOTES: • Paradigmshiftsoccursuddenly. • Theirtimingis VERY difficult to predict. Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

8. The paradigm shift (cont.) • Change is instigated by an “outsider”. • The new college graduate, or a scientist moving from one discipline to another: • Unfamiliar with the established paradigm. • Not “vested” in the old paradigm. • Example: ”If I had thought about it, I wouldn’t have done it. The literature is full of examples that show that this cannot be done" -- (Spencer Silver of 3M, inventor of Post-it notes). Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

9. Paradigm Blindness and Paralysis • The mortal disease of certainty. • Paradigms act as physiological filters; a colored filter before the eyes. • The rules for the new paradigm are often completely INVISIBLE to those still subscribing to the old paradigm. Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

10. Paradigm Blindness and Paralysis • Example: In the late 1930’s, Chester Carlson showed Kodak, IBM and 41 other companies his new “photographic system”: • a steel plate, some black powder, a piece of cat fur, a piece of amber, some wax paper, and an iron. • Only the Halloid Corporation adopted the new system (they later became ???) Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

11. Paradigm Blindness and Paralysis • Example: Who invented the quartz clock? • The swiss! • Characteristics of paradigm blindness: • ”That’s not the way we do it". • ”It is not going to work". • ”That’s impossible". • ”If you had my years of experience, you would know you are wrong“ Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

12. Paradigm Blindness and Paralysis Example: • A personal computer for the year 2004: Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

13. Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018

14. Paradigms and Learning. SignificantLearning: • Notmerely training orabsorbtion of facts. • SkillAcquisition. Level of Expertise time time Skill acquisition Learning Curve

15. Skill Acquisition: • Long Process • Suddenchange in skilllevel • Difficult to predicttiming. Soundfamiliar ? ParadigmShift: (Old Rules → New Rules) SkillAcquisition: (Absence of Rules → New Rules)

16. Learning Efficiently The worst way The best way The second worst way! Threeexperiences: • UCR, 1976: Recursion (startingearly). • UCR, 1978: Algebra I (dailyeffort) • UCSC, 1981: Solveproblemswhileyousleep: findpatterns, consolidatememories.

17. How to be an EXCELENT student: • NEVER miss class. • NEVER go to classwithoutlooking at the material thenightbefore (absorptionrategoesfrom 30% to 70%. • NEVER go to classwithunresolvedissuesfromthepreviousclass. • Class time: themostintensivestudyperiod. • Evaluateprogress DAILY. Simple, huh ? Butnoteasy (paradigmshift)

18. QUESTIONS ? • Thank you ! Paradigms - Learning ACM 2/21/2018