Professor M. Enayet Ullah
Editor in-chief
North East Medical Journal
Learning begins at the mother’s lap and ends with the last breath. Indeed, the very first utterance of a baby is the universal word “Ma” (Amma, etc) and it ushers in the beginning of the process of learning in the child and also heralds the process of spontaneous or intuitive learning that continues throughout life. In children, the process of spontaneous / intuitive learning is propelled by the mental and physical need of the child independent of external intervention or stimulation on the whole The more is the need felt by the child faster is the process of learning. The vocabulary and spectrum of spontaneous activities of a child are the measure of the speed of learning as the child continues to pick up nouns, pronouns and various skills to enrich its abilities at a rate determined by its mental faculties and the richness or otherwise of the environment. As said, even at this early stage of learning the process and the purpose of learning is basically need-based or interest based intertwined with the mental craving for joy or possession in the subconscious. Chance learning is uncommon. Deviation from this pattern of purposeful and delightful productive learning occurs from faulty or careless upbringing and/or deviant or corrupting environment at home. educational institution or neighborhood.
As one goes up the ladder of formal learning (education) the art of learning is greatly lost as the ‘science of learning begins to take over by stealth replacing spontaneity with effort” and “delight” with “obligation” so as to enable to cope with the increasing burden and requirements of learning in terms of its scope, spectrum, intensity and authenticity at those levels. Besides, at those levels learning turns progressively less guided and more self-guided if the ultimate objective of the learning is to lead to a worthwhile personal achievement in the form of a hypothesis, thesis, discovery or invention or the likes deserving national /international recognition or at the very least and institutional acclaim. This achieved would be the fruition of an objective and ambitious learning.
The easier and enjoyable it is rendered by the means and methods adopted in the process of teaching and training the more attractive and inspiring the process becomes to be that much productive and rewarding. Thus it is essential to ensure that learning (education) is not turned into a dull and drab exercise in that already tenuous and taxing pursuit by the application of uninspiring, mundane or inappropriate methods and approach. Never to allow monotony to permeate to lead to distraction or inattention. It is equally important that the learner must be abundantly self-inspired to be able to generate sufficient urge, interest and inquisition for acquiring tangible knowledge and proficiency in the given sphere throughout the process. It shall be further enhanced by the knowledge that a worthwhile and successful course of learning, regardless of the branch, is almost certain to be rewarded both academically as well as socioeconomically