Saturday, February 2, 2008

Stevie Joe on Learning

Often, folks write to me to ask, "Stevie Joe, how can I get as smart as you?" Well, hold on there, partner. It's okay to reach for the stars now and then, but that don't mean you can become as smart as old Stevie Joe. Still, everyone can improve (look at me, I was born broke and stupid). So, I am sure that we can tune-up that old gray matter of yours.

Now, when some lad asked for assistance a little bit ago, I told him to Google "Mortimer Adler." This is still good advice. If you have already done this and are still a bit confused, consult a local or online Great Books program. As Professor Adler developed the whole Great Books concept at the University of Chicago, the fine folks running these programs can probably help you out.

Now, some people need their education spoonfed to them. If you are one of them, you might want to consider the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You might be saying, "Heck, Stevie Joe, I ain't got the dough to be going to no Massachusetts Institute of Technology!" If you did say this, you might want to brush up on your grammar skills first. Then, you can explore the MIT on the cheap by checking out their Open Courseware program.

See, what MIT does is offer a way to experience many of their classes (nearly) free and online. The MIT OCW website offers syllabi, reading assignments, homework assignments, tests, and lectures via downloadable audio and video files. The syllabus for each course will indicate the textbook needed and will often provide a link to purchase one. Since many textbooks are updated every year, some OCW courses were built around an older edition of the text. These editions are often available at a closeout price or used.

So, go on out there and start your learning. You have no more excuses!

You're welcome,
Stevie Joe Parker

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Dr. Adler was a brilliant and prolific author, educator, philosopher, and lecturer. He wrote more than 50 books and 200 articles, all of which can be read with pleasure and profit.

I advise anyone to read Dr. Adler’s “How to Read a Book.” Here is my experience with the book. I had been a voracious reader all my life. I never thought that I needed to know anything more about how to read. However 1990 I read about a book by someone named Mortimer Adler whom I had never heard of. The title of the book was “How to Read a Book.” Even though I thought I knew everything about how to read I became intrigued by the title. I finally bought the book. I read it and then I read it again, and again, and again. Over the course of several years Dr. Adler dramatically changed what I read, how I read, and why I read. I used to read predominantly to be entertained. Now I read to learn. Using what Dr. Adler taught me, I now get in order of magnitude more out of books that I ever did before.

For more information on Mortimer Adler and his work, visit The Center for the Study of The Great Ideas

Ken Dzugan
Senior Fellow and Archivist
The Center for the Study of The Great Ideas

Anonymous said...

Have u try the online bookstore Cocomartini

http://www.cocomartini.com/

I get all my textbooks for this semester from this bookstore. All are brand new and half price discount.

Good luck and wish some help.

hehe ^_^