Metro Infanta Foundation

Now, I know why during my law school days, my experience was I learned more by simply listening to the lectures of our professors, summarized them in my mind and later on upon arriving home jot down on my notebook what were given to us during the lecture.

My own experience was that if I jot down while hearing the lecture, I paid more attention on what to write so as not to miss a single word what our professor was saying. Thus, I had no time to absorb, reason out and summarize the important points of the professor´s lecture.

I doubt if "visual aids" would be of great help to me personally. Probably, I would remember or visualize what I saw but not integrate it well in my mind due to lack of reasoning or selecting the finer or important points of what I saw. . It is like seeing a "silent movie" or picture. All what you remember are shapes and colors.

It is not only a question of visualization and imagination. I think the two should be also accompanied by reasoning. Personally, I could reason more by imagination than by visualization.

The art of education these days boils down to the same old problem -- "spoon-feed education."

Methinks more reading and research is essential. And writing two or three term papers per week in my experience is more effective than merely listening to lectures with or without the facilities of visual aids.

By the way, according to a columnist, she laments that readerships or people engaged in reading have declined these days. She blames this trend on television, computer and modern technology in communication. When everything is done on a fast speed.

We do not engage anymore in the art of dining when one does not only enjoy the food with the use of fine cutlery; engage in leisurely conversation and bonding process with people whom you are dining with. It is like gulping your food at a "fast-food chain" or eatery with the use of paper napkins, cardboard plates and plastic glasses, spoons, forks and knives.

Everything now is rush, rush, rush. As an old auntie of mine used to tell me when she was still alive:. during her youth she traveled by cart pulled by a carabao and she had time to pray or meditate and enjoy the scenery along the way. Now, you travel at a fast speed and arrive at your destination when you could hardly catch your breath and remember what you saw along the way.

The same is true with modern education? We give more emphasis on speed? So the use of visual aids, overhead gadget which flashes momentarily graphs, pictures or even words or quotations on the screen?

Posted June 8, 2005