Just-in-time learning style

I was recently talking to someone about learning style, in particular how one approaches desired knowledge for a new subject. Nowhere is this more relevant for me than with Simon's arrival. The truth is that I didn't read any of the new dad books beyond a cursory once-over. This might be something that was rooted in my m.o. all the way back in high school. Basically if it doesn't serve me, I'm not interested.

After Simon was born, I did seek knowledge as appropriate, and one book in particular that we have was pretty awesome for that. I was worried (probably because of the scene in the movie Knocked Up) that I was being an irresponsible douchebag, but in the end I think I did OK.

As it turns out, my entire career as a software developer has worked this way. It's not that I don't think some of the broader academic concepts aren't important, but rather if I don't see how they'll serve me, I'm not likely going to look heavily into them. For example, the MVC pattern has been around since the dawn of time, but I never really bothered to understand it thoroughly until a framework was built around it on the platform I use. Sure, I had read all about it previously, I just didn't need it at the time.

I like to call this just-in-time learning. You seek the right information, when you need it. I try to avoid crowding my brain with knowledge I don't need to use. It has generally served me well.

There is some irony, or perhaps hypocrisy around that. I have long advocated college as something that can enrich your ability to function in the world because of its broader teaching. I mean, that's what a "liberal arts" education is all about. Yet, you can tell by my grades that I wasn't that interested. Years later I can tell you that so much of that generalized "crap" (aside from the two semesters of French, which have in fact been useless) has proven valuable many times.

So I guess JIT learning is a mixed bag. For Simon, who changes almost daily, I'm not sure the bulk of the information in the 411 book was necessary, and going forward, I'll probably still wing it and seek new information when it's clear that there is a gap in knowledge I need to fill. Professionally, I do have some desire to learn certain bigger concepts, but I'd still like to know how they'll serve me first.

There's actually a third category of learning styles, and that's one that comes from the application of experience to new problems. That actually works pretty well too, and has served me well in instances of business, coaching and guiding processes. That's a little harder to define.