On page 52, Gross mentions the three zones of learning: The Groan Zone, The Drone Zone, and the Flow Zone. What a neat way to put it.The idea, of course, is to avoid the Drone and Groan zones, and I think this section of the book does a pretty good job explaining how to do just that. And for faculty, I think this is a key section to keep in mind as we help our students.
The quote by Roger Von Oech stuck out to me, too: "The ancient Greeks knew that learning comes from playing. Their concept for education (paideia) is almost identical to their concept for play (paidia)."
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The connection between paideia and paidia stuck out for me as well; Plato treats of this connection between education and play in great detail in The Republic.
We often treat work (and education) and play as opposites, but they are not so. Socrates distinguishes between play purely for amusement (video games,?) and play that helps form the soul in ways so that it is led towards soul-forming education (music of certain kinds, physical education). Gross, and Socrates resonate with me here.
Which leads me to a question about Gross: he mentions at one point that his program leads or draws one to the "good life." Yet--and, again, I may be premature here since I have read but 60 pages-- what standards regarding the good life does he provide for his educational program and/or prescription? Osama bi Laden, or a meth chemist, surely meet many of Gross' requirements of an enlightened, flow-driven,self-directed, self-fullfilled learner, playfully pursuing his/her bliss towards his self-determined goal. But are the ends of education merely self-determined, and are some ends better than others?
Can someone help me out here?
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