Inquiring Mind [Paperback]

Cyril O. Houle (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Oklahoma Research Ctr for (June 1988)
• ISBN-10: 9991143777
• ISBN-13: 978-9991143774
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,648,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good snapshot of the adult learer in a quick read book, August 4, 2000

By 

Jerry in Japan (Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inquiring Mind (Paperback)

More than anything else, Dr. Houle has clearly written in a comfortable style about the two educations we all receive. As an Professor of Education, he knows well the difference between the learner in a compulsory system, and the learner who voluntarily and naturally chooses to go further. Houle leads off his work with a tremendous quote from Edward Gibbon, "Everyman who rises above the common level has received two educations: the first from his teachers; the second, more personal and important, from himself." This little 96 page book is a great tool to introduce to anyone who may feel discouraged or unsucessful in public schools. Houle includes examples of people who have not had the opportunities, or who are intellectually endowed, but nevertheless who are as intelligent and learned as others. He describes a group of people who simply are hungry learners and who know there is more out there to explore. The book would also be great for anyone who needs encouragement to become self-educated ...like college students, housewives, businessmen, and retired people. It is never too late. The study reports some of the qualities and influences that people who continue to learn throughout their lives have. I was also surprized to read about the opposition that some people experience from family and fellow workers when they begin to get more education. As I think about my own experience,I would say that I would agree with him. Some people will not follow nor understand the same path of the explorer. Anyway, I found several great ideas in this book that I can use at work to keep myself stimulated and to stimulate others. I think the price of the book my be a bit high but since this book was one of the first books to influence the adult education movement (1961, revised 1988, 1993), I could justify the few extra dollars. I really enjoyed a section near the end of the book where Hould compares the adult learner with the young child who naturally explores the library on his own. It brought back many fond memories of me going to the library when I was a boy. I enjoyed the book as it was like a nice walk that qui etly strengthens the desire to keep on learning.