Dr. Barbara Oakley, author of 'A Mind for Numbers,' discusses the limitations of specialized training, the science of learning, the complexities of studying learning, dangers of molding character traits, contrasting perspectives on human nature, the free rider problem in teaching, and the value of slow thinking in education.
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Barbara Oakley's Transformation
Barbara Oakley initially struggled with math and science, failing throughout her early education.
She later rewired her brain, becoming a distinguished engineering professor.
insights INSIGHT
Learning and Brain Rewiring
Learning involves reshaping brain connections through thoughts and practice.
Santiago Ramón y Cajal, a pioneer in neuroscience, highlighted the brain's plasticity.
insights INSIGHT
Two Learning Systems
The brain uses two distinct learning systems: declarative (step-by-step) and procedural (automatic).
AI is now learning from the brain's feedback and parallel processing.
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Professor Barbara Oakley is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University. Barbara’s research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal. She is New York Times best-selling author who has published in outlets as varied as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Her book A Mind for Numbers, on effective learning in STEM disciplines, has sold over a million copies worldwide.
Together with Terrence Sejnowski, the Francis Crick Professor at the Salk Institute, Barbara co-teaches Coursera’s “Learning How to Learn,” one of the world’s most popular massive open online courses with some four million registered students, along with a number of other leading MOOCs.
Barbara has adventured widely through her lifetime. She rose from the ranks of Private to Captain in the U.S. Army, during which time she was recognized as a Distinguished Military Scholar. She also worked as a communications expert at the South Pole Station in Antarctica, and has served as a Russian translator on board Soviet trawlers on the Bering Sea.
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