Saturday, September 1, 2007

Memorising vs Understanding

Memorizing n understanding, seem to be synonymous in meaning to LEARNING, but are they really?
Memorizing or loading some observation in the human storage device-BRAIN-hard disked (permanently) or RAMed (temporarily), is the first step to learning.
The primary step in the development of a human child is HARD –DISKING. Children start memorizing things that are helpful to them-calling out to parents, walking, picking things-all these include the storage of observations permanently. Hence it is but natural for every human to have a reasonable HDD. But as the HDD starts to store data the memory space goes down and like PC-HDD’s humans do have a limitation to their storage capacity. Hence, in the course of time, as the child gets mature, he starts to economically and resourcefully fill the HDD. He, now tries to learn things-have a common memory for similar things (understanding)-so that not much for HDD space is used. Now this thing, understanding, is a whole lot different as to memorizing.
In the process of understanding, there has to be a widely open mind that is
a better PROCESSOR. All have a different level of PROCESSOR speed-understanding capability- some have high speed processors with better cooling system while some others can’t afford to run their PROCESSORS fats enough because of fan problems.
As there are differences in each human being-physical, mental-so are there differences in their HDD n PROCESSOR combination. Some have high capacity HDD-very powerful of memory-while some have high speed processors-highly understanding ones.
Now the main thing-which one is better or superior?
Well, I don’t want to give a verdict as to which one is better,I just want to present my views about the two types.
Memorizing, gives an impression of something good. As adults and particularly students we certainly have to remember a lot-names, addresses, passwords, course material etc. But people try to extend this process to a large dimension. They develop a tendency to directly write to the HDD without even bothering to run their PRCSRS. Memorizing is a good thing but every body has a capacity.Also storing data in HDD requires quite a lot of time-by reciting again and again-very boring process. You can also store data in RAM but it has limited capacity and life.
But certainly this HARD DISKING is a lot easier method than PROCESSING-which requires a wide open mind to think.Hence most of the people incline towards HDDing.
Actually we students in India are groomed in such an environment where theres too much to remember and too little time to spend and thus most child develop this ability and tendency to HDDing and suppress the more logical way of learning thing.
I am a supporter of former approach, as is clear from the above views. I don’t want to waste time in reading over and over again the same thing till it gets stored in the RAM or HDD, I like to devote my time to learn phenomena and process from the basics and there by storing little amount of information but having access to a very large store of data. Still I have to HDD when it is the only feasible path butnot by heart. I sometimes don’t spend much time in reading as do others and hence is able to remember less. I don’t like the method of mugging up without any PROCESSING and also devoting much time in order to write to the HDD. Whether I am right or wrong I don’t know and als I don’t want to know but I certainly want to show that the HDD approach certainly not the way that I like.
What do you expect a student to do-mug up a pile of crap and reproduce it in ink? Certainly most of the students will do that to score,but I am not of that class. I don’t understand how can you judge someone’s learning ability through this process of CRAP TRANSFER. Learning is a different thing and mugging is a different one.
You can remember things through constant attachment to the process. Remembering stats of, say, some sport involves constantly following it. Remembering words involve constant attachment to literature. There are so many examples but each indicate one common thing-you have to devote time and interest. And thus each person has a HDD containing information relating to his interest and time devoted. But the amount of DISK space and utilized space varies from person to person according to the habits and mentality of each.