Customer Reviews

Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century: The Six-Step Plan to Unlock Your Master-Mind

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm beginning to detect a pattern in these so-called "accelerated-learning" books. For one thing, their authors seem to be using them to greater or lesser degrees as platforms from which to hawk their seminars and mail-order courses. For another, they all have a gimmick. For instance, Tony Buzan's is "Mind Mapping," Paul Scheele's is "PhotoReading," Wim Wenger's is "Image Streaming"...and Rose's/Nicholl's is Acronyms. Sometimes these gimmicks work--as in the case of Buzan's--and sometimes they're pure snake oil (PhotoReading).

I wouldn't go so far as to call this book snake oil...but I also wouldn't go so far as to call it useful, either. There is very little fresh, useful information here. I have found better information in other books (try Buzan's--his books also smack of hucksterism, but they *do* contain some useful information and techniques). Aside from the "learning maps" technique (that is, Mind Mapping), there is very little here that will seem like more than very basic common sense to even the most mediocre of intellects. In other words, if you're absolutely helpless when it comes to learning, this book might help. If you're hoping, however, that this book will help you more readily absorb material in your graduate Victorian Poetry seminar, forget it.

This book is heavy on background information--research, sanitized for lay people. The instruction the give in analytical thinking is laughable. My impression is that the target audience is for the most part corporations...and I have to ask, "Do they really think business executives and secretaries are so stupid?" Here's their "learning strategy" for problem-solving:

D efinition

A lternatives

N arrow Down

C hoose and check the consequences

E ffect

Then they go on to expand on these hard-to-grasp concepts. Much of the book consists of this type of pablum.

The front cover declares that this book will help you "Master a foreign language with ease." Guess what their instruction consists of...An ENTIRE CHAPTER devoted to peddling their language course. That's it! Unbelievable! They devote several more pages at the end of the book to peddle their program, too.

This is a TERRIBLE book. Anyone who says otherwise is probably working for the publisher! You've been warned.

Loads of hype and salespitch! The methods described in this book are fairly flexible, but they are so hyped up that it is not easy to cope with the dissapointment after the hype. The only good part of their story is the "search for meaning" section of the MASTER learning method that goes some way to promoting thinking before memory.

There are tons of stories and anecdotes in the pages that have already been debunked, and a good amount of serious salesmanship.

One warning though! I did do a websearch on the company and found that they are currently being prosecuted for advertising against the trades descriptions act in the UK. They claimed falsly to be able to teach a foreigh language within just a few hours, amongst other such nonsense.

Lots of dodgy sales methods, but no real payback!

I found Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century to be an enlightening, well-researched, comprehensive and even entertaining book.

It is an excellent introduction to the entire accelerated learning system of learning which the authors seem to have applied from cradle to grave! Although the subject matter ranges from early learning to corporate training, from the value of music to language-learning, there is plenty of "meat" for would-be learners of any age or interest.

It is not a book for intellectual snobs but for people seriously interested in improving their personal ability to learn anything faster and easier.

Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century

The next millennium will surely bring a revolution in the ways people learn. Learn faster, remember more, think creatively, and do deeper and more through analysis will be the demands placed upon every knowledge worker of the future. Anyone who wants to excel in the 21st century must master these core skills. Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century reviews the latest research in psychology, business, and education to bring forward some basic principles for improved learning. The techniques incorporate the work of Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University on multiple intelegences, of Arthur Costa and others on learning styles, and of Nobel Prize winners Roger Sperry and Robert Ornstein on left and right brain specialization.

Colin Rose has synthesized the work of scores of key educational researchers and created a model of learning that allows individuals to understand how they learn best and to use new techniques that accentuate and compliment individual learning styles. The six-step M-A-S-T-E-R program explains how the learner's state-of-mind, input methods, exploration techniques, memory creation, demonstration models, and review techniques improve learning. From early childhood learning to lifelong learning, this book covers it all. The authors offer a simple and practical plan for children, parents, knowledge workers, and teachers to "learn how to learn and how to think logically and creatively."

In the later chapters of the book the authors challenge many of our conventional educational practices. They explore the application of "Total Quality Management" techniques to our contemporary school environments. They propose a plan for high-tech learning utilizing and expanding the concept of networks. And, they identify a new relationship that will exist between employees and their employer's in the next millennium, the idea that every employee will need to perform like and independent contractor in a learning organization.

This is a clearly-written, easy-to-read book that is full of useful information. It provides numerous techniques that readers can apply to any learning situation.

Some of it does, of necessity, review what may be old ground for some readers who have prevously encountered accelerated learning. And, of course, the authors do promote the fact that in-depth study of particular topics will require progressing to an in-depth home study course. Surprise, surprise. One would be naive to expect anything else.

But nevertheless there is an immense amount of useful information throughout this entire book. It's an inexpensive investment and well worth anyone's time.

Out of the books on accelerated learning I liked this one the best. Not only did these techniques work for me but I now combine accelerated learning with biofeedback to help children with learning disorders. Using the techniques from this book I even did a research showing how learning can be improved in ADHD children. Being in Control: Natural Techniques for Increasing Your Potential and Creativity for Success in School A guide for GSR biofeedback techniques for the natural ADHD practitioner

I'm not sure where Boo-Hiss Mithras got his information. I've READ the book and it is outstanding. It is extremely helpful in teaching you to learn faster. Further I've taken PhotoReading and when I went back to the university after 30 years I graduated with highest honors, directly attributible to PhotoReading, if that is snake oil, it is certainly effective. Also, I repeated the photoreading class, repeating the class is always FREE once you're a graduate. Members of the class included the Director of an 80 million dollar fund, the president of a corporation that came from Australia for the sole purpose of taking the course and a man who came from Holland, also with the sole purpose of taking the course. I think that is an indication of the quality of the results anyone can expect of taking the photoreading "snake oil" course. Also thanks to this book, photoreading, and the fact that I am willing to follow through with ordering other things from a proven source, I expect I will be fluent in spanish is a very short time. I found this book well written, enormously helpful and useful in too many ways to mention. I approve of being provided with information that I might want to follow up on, such as language courses and other things. If I don't want them I can always ignore them. If I want them an have to go looking it's takes time that I can use better elsewhere.

This book is a good one for educators and students to read and share. It provides entry level methods for learning efficiently and is a good resource to other material that may further enhance the ability to learn and remember.

My only complaint, though small, is the promo in the first 30-40 pages concerning today's fast pace that necessitates continuous learning. Those who buy this book are already convinced, I should think.

A Comprehensive compendium of everything Accelerated Learning. The Chapters close with mind-maps detailing the main topics covered. The books begins with some explanation of the theoretical concepts and the 'science' of the brain: (left-right brain, types of intelligences, memory, brain states and waves, etc.), the main focus is on practical, usable ideas that can applied in everyday learning situations. These ideas cover everything from memorizing, learning languages, analytical thinking, creative thinking and even corporate learning.

While anybody can derive value from the ideas presented in the book it is most valuable for students and those in conventional academic environments. If I had this book when I was in college, I would definitely have fared much better! Non-students might find it a bit too long, and not as practical.

The book presents a number of useful strategies for learning. Many are not unique to this book but the authors have done a good job of pulling together a variety of material on accelerated learning. Beginning accelerated learners should consider this book and Peak Learning by Ronald Gross. I have used these techniques as a student, counselor, and a teacher to facilitate better learning experiences.