Creativity can be cultivated. The following is my previous blog post about this, please refer to it.

Psychological basis of educational reform

According to reports, the results of the triennial International Student Assessment Program (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) were published on February 7, 2008. Shanghai students aged 15 who participated in PISA for the first time ranked first in reading, mathematics and science literacy evaluation. This result has aroused widespread concern in education and media at home and abroad. Many countries in Europe and America exclaimed "accident". It also analyzes the successful experience of education in Shanghai and Asia, reviews the backwardness of basic education in China and calls for educational reform. In China, it caused controversy. (Nanfang Daily 65438+February 2 1)

In our country, our education is "exam-oriented education", which is characterized by cultivating applied talents who are good at remembering and killing the growth of creative talents! Education in Europe and America is relatively more conducive to the growth of creative talents, which is not conducive to the growth of rote-learning talents. They intend to reform. Personally, I think their reform is not difficult, and there are many choices. For example, China's Olympic strategy, focusing on cultivating a few diligent students with strong memories, can immediately shorten the gap between them and our competitors. However, the education reform in China is very difficult. So for more than ten years, there has been endless debate and little progress has been made. Personally, I think the lack of psychological knowledge is the main reason. I will analyze what is quality education and what is creative thinking from the perspective of "knowledge structure" of human brain.

From the philosophical point of view, quality education should be: the education to cultivate individuals to master the basic knowledge necessary to adapt to their social survival. If this definition is correct, then, firstly, its knowledge content is different in different times, different regions and different countries. For example, in the Qing dynasty, it was hopeless for girls to squeeze into the upper class without tying their feet; However, it is inconceivable that a poor peasant's daughter can't do rough work after her feet are tied. If she wants to survive, she can't do a girl's job, which is incredible. This is the difference of the times. Who doesn't understand Chinese in our country? How many people in Britain know Chinese? This is the difference in the content of basic education in different regions and countries. Second, regardless of age, region, country and race, the basic knowledge of "survival of the fittest" in human society can be summarized as: 1, language knowledge. 2. Labor skills. 3. Good health. 4. Healthy personality. 5. Social activity ability. 6.

In the "knowledge structure" of the human brain, other knowledge does exist independently except physical quality (all information about whether the body is healthy is reflected in our "knowledge structure" all the time). Such as English knowledge, mathematics knowledge, swimming skills, cooking skills, geographical knowledge, social etiquette and so on. , can become a large or small system, play a role when needed. Never learned how to cook? How dare you swim in the sea without learning to swim? If their existence is not suitable for the individual's social norms at that time, it will harm the individual's interests. For example, when a rude bully grows up, his popularity will be bad; People who don't know how to help each other will have fewer and fewer friends; Narrow-minded people are often depressed and so on. Obviously, it is wrong to pursue the education of scientific knowledge unilaterally! In particular, it is a big mistake to pursue book knowledge at the expense of other abilities-it is difficult to cultivate the above-mentioned all-round talents, but it is easy to cultivate applied talents who can skillfully use certain knowledge (in fact, the current education is more about cultivating "all-round talents with book knowledge", and if you want to cultivate applied talents who can skillfully use certain knowledge, you don't need such an education method), such as pianists, engineers, painters, translators, etc. For many families, for many individuals, it is quite satisfactory. China's rapid economic growth in the past 30 years is inseparable from the contribution of a large number of applied talents. However, almost all the core technologies in the cutting-edge science and technology field are in the hands of others. Even the space technology that China people are proud of is still "a successful precedent" from the perspective of scientific research. We can safely catch up with the non-original development. All these are enough to show that the current education in China is really not suitable for the growth of creative talents. National education should not only cultivate applied talents, but also cultivate a large number of creative talents in order to be invincible in the more intense wave of scientific and technological revolution in the future. Otherwise, we will always follow others to accept new technologies.

According to the "knowledge structure" of the human brain, creative people are those who are suspicious, thoughtful, dissatisfied with the existing results or answers, and have a habitual "independent thinking" system. In addition, indomitable will, broad mind, suitable social environment or opportunities are all important factors for success. However, they are not as important as the habitual "independent thinking" system, that is, how it works and so on. Please listen to my following analysis:

First, the basis of system establishment

1. Establishment of permanent nerve connection pathway: Temporary nerve connection is the basic function of brain nerve cells. Simply put, when two nerve cells are excited at the same time, that is, they get strong exciting energy at the same time, the two nerve cells are connected. This is the temporary neural connection, which can also be called the establishment of temporary neural channels. It is called temporary because the connection between them is weak and easy to "fade". It is manifested as common phenomena such as "drifting away", "forgetting" and difficulty in "remembering". However, when two cells are excited many times at the same time, the temporary neural channel between them will become stronger and stronger and become a permanent neural channel. For example, when you see a word and hear its pronunciation at the same time, they establish a connection, but it is easy for you to forget and forget it. However, it is repeated many times.

With the number of excitation or the amount of excitation energy, the permanent communication path will show the difference between wide and narrow. I think the neural communication path becomes wider and wider with repetition. In my book, I describe the microscopic differences of these neural communication paths as temporary paths, narrow paths, roads, wide roads, automated highways and so on. Of course, there are other mechanisms for establishing permanent neural communication channels, which will not be described here.

2. System establishment: Multiple nerve cells are excited at the same time, and they are also interconnected to form a multi-point network system. For example, when looking at a picture, books, puppies, people and several different colors appear at the same time, acting on the eyes and generating excitement in the corresponding areas of the cerebral cortex. Many stimulus points are connected, and what we see is a unified thing. There are also differences between temporary and permanent communication paths between multipoint network systems.

In the process of individual growth, these multipoint network systems can be constantly changed. One of the main mechanisms of the change is that when a small system with relatively stable neural pathways is excited at the same time with a new nerve cell (or a new multipoint network system), or when a part of it is excited at the same time with a new nerve cell (or a new multipoint network system), it will temporarily stay with this new nerve cell (or a new multipoint network system).

Second, the difference between "independent thinking" system and other knowledge systems

1. Preconditions of "independent thinking" system: Doubt, thinking too much, and dissatisfaction with existing results or answers are prerequisites for independent thinking. What else do you need to consider? Secondly, when individuals need to think, they often can't get help from others, or others' help is the existing answer, which can't meet their own requirements and can only think independently. Therefore, the prerequisite for children to establish this system is the habitual education of "doubt, deep thinking and dissatisfaction with existing achievements or answers", which should be all-round, multi-field and multi-system.

2. Connotation of "independent thinking" system: Unlike other knowledge systems, "independent thinking" system only has the habit of doubting, thinking deeply and being dissatisfied with the existing results or answers. Other knowledge systems have their own specific knowledge objects, which are attached to other knowledge systems. That is to say, it can only be attached to 1 2 system, or all knowledge systems. Everyone knows how to think in multiple steps. But in daily life, he is an "honest man" who believes everything when learning other knowledge. In other words, he only has the habit of independent thinking in the knowledge system of chess. Therefore, the system of cultivating children's independent thinking should be all-round, multi-disciplinary and multi-systematic.

Third, the important role of "independent thinking" system

"Independent thinking" system has an important function that other systems do not have:

1, the bridge between knowledge: Sometimes, independent thinking in a single knowledge system cannot go beyond the scope of this system. For example, the above example of playing chess is not beyond our own knowledge. In most cases, the existing knowledge (or answers) can't meet the needs, so the "stream of consciousness" will leave this system and reach other systems under the action of "attraction" or "push". This is thinking. The powerful excitation energy carried by the "stream of consciousness" connects these systems and forms a super-giant new system. Just because of the classification method used by human society, I can only call the original system system and describe the new super-giant system as "many broad communication channels have been established between systems" In this way, when solving new problems, it is easy for him to absorb enlightening knowledge from outside the knowledge system, and make contact and imagination. On the contrary, applied talents can skillfully solve problems in their familiar fields, but they can't solve problems beyond their original knowledge. The reason is that there are not many communication channels between systems in their knowledge structure, it is not easy to find inspiring knowledge, and their thinking is slow, "there is no way to start" and "nothing can be done".

2. The engine of new thinking: In the process of learning, children are suspicious and thoughtful, dissatisfied with existing achievements or answers, and are good at cultivating independent thinking. Repeatedly, they will form a solid thinking response model; If we insist on the cultivation of independent thinking in the process of knowledge transfer in many different systems, then this mode of thinking response will become larger and larger just like the expansion of other knowledge systems, and it will become more and more accustomed (except that its expansion is attached to other knowledge) until it finally forms a conditioned reflex. In my theory, conditioned reflex is the most spacious road, where excited energy runs without resistance and can run at the fastest inertia speed. This is an automated communication channel. Therefore, no matter what happens to individuals in the future, what answers and what problems they encounter, the excited energy will quickly follow this broad road and return to "Ask one more why?" Is there any other truth? Is there any other answer or method? Is there anything that can be improved and so on. In this way, a new task came and his new thinking began, so the "independent thinking" system had the function of a new thinking engine.

3. Information recombination: The function of building a bridge between systems is essentially a process of combining seemingly unrelated knowledge to form a unique and unique new information system in the world, and it is also a process and function of thinking.

4. Balanced communication channels: When individuals think independently, the "stream of consciousness" often starts from the "problem", spreads in all directions, and then concentrates on returning to the original starting point. This is a process of divergent thinking and centralized thinking. In this process, the starting point has obtained many times or even thousands of times more communication channels than the original knowledge. Because the excitation energy used by these channels is basically the same (the excitation energy carried by the stream of consciousness is basically the same), there is not much difference in the number of times of thinking back and forth, so there is a feature that the road width is roughly the same and relatively balanced. This is very important, which is related to the flexibility or rigidity of thinking. Let's not discuss it now, but introduce it later.

After divergent thinking, it will always return to the origin of the "problem", so the communication channel inside the original knowledge point (the starting point of the problem) is always much wider than the communication channel extending in all directions around it-indicating that "suspicious, thoughtful and independent thinking education" will not shake children's mastery of correct knowledge.

5. One of the ways to construct the "acquired thinking flexibility stage": the flexibility of individual thinking has genetic effects, for example, some people will never forget anything; Some people remember quickly and forget quickly; Some people remember slowly, but it is not easy to forget after remembering, which leads to many subtle differences in the speed, time and channel width of building a "stage of thinking-a huge network of knowledge structure". However, a "genius" does not work hard and eventually becomes a mediocre person; Hard-working people and ambitious people are often "determined to win"! "The stage of acquiring thinking flexibility" is a huge network of knowledge structure in the human brain. Divergent thinking training, concentrated thinking training and independent thinking training are the best ways to build this stage.

6. The best way to stimulate intrinsic learning motivation is to bury a hotbed of interest. Teachers all know the important role of interest and intrinsic learning motivation in learning, so I won't discuss it here. What I want to talk about here is how independent thinking education can leave a hotbed of interest in children's knowledge structure and stimulate intrinsic learning motivation. Take the nursery rhyme Busy Bees Picking Honey as an example. If the kindergarten teacher aims at memory education, what does it mean that only bees are collecting nectar knowledge-even collecting nectar? You can't tell whether you are eating or working! If we adopt the method of inspiring independent thinking, we can lead their thinking in dozens or even thousands of directions. Of course, we should teach students in accordance with their aptitude, and we should not rush headlong into it, let alone encourage them. In the process of thinking, they will have many new questions and gain a lot of new knowledge. For example, why can't flies suck nectar? This is genetic difference, conditioned reflex, and so on ... some educated adults can't answer, so they can be encouraged to study hard and explore the truth in the future. In this way, many interesting questions have been left in their minds, which have stimulated their inner learning motivation and even their lofty ideal of fighting for science all their lives.

4. The mechanism of flexible thinking or rigid thinking: When a new problem needs to be solved, that is, when thinking cannot follow the established path, the flexibility of thinking is one of the important factors to solve the problem. The more repetitive and wider the neural connection path is, the narrower the path is, and the wider the path is, the more difficult it is. When conditioned reflex is automated, most or all of the excited energy will immediately enter the conditioned reflex channel and make a constant response. Some people smoke once they have nothing to do, which also forms a conditioned reflex; Some people go upstairs and count the railings and steps of the bridge. He knew it was unnecessary. Everything was normal intellectually and physically, and it was hard to overcome. This is also the reason for the formation of conditioned reflex. The high-speed reaction of conditioned reflex to the unchanging world is the embodiment of the law of conservation of energy in the living world and the result of "using it to waste it". It is beneficial for animals to conserve energy and respond to the outside world quickly and efficiently. Its disadvantages are as obvious as its advantages: in the face of changing environment, the rigid response mode will not be correct. In short, the wider the neural communication channel, the stronger the ability to grasp the exciting energy and the more rigid the thinking. If the widths of many neural communication channels are similar, the excited energy can enter each channel at the same time and rush to the front of each channel. In this way, it shows a wide range of knowledge, many "reference systems", flexible thinking, many opportunities to produce new "ideas" and new methods, and strong independent thinking ability. Once the new method conforms to the objective law, the problem is solved and new inventions and innovations appear.

It should be pointed out that independent thinking can also become a habit and finally become a conditioned reflex. Therefore, no matter what problems, events, conclusions or answers you encounter, you will return to asking why in a conditioned way. Ask if there is a better plan. What will be the new result of changing the plan? From another point of view, can there be new discoveries and so on. This kind of conditioned reflex is not only the only special conditioned reflex that can promote the flexibility of thinking, but also the product of adapting to the complex evolution of human society.

5. Exam-oriented education runs counter to independent thinking education: Exam-oriented education is the pursuit of memory ability and "standard answer" education, which is beyond doubt. Therefore, the best way to learn is to practice and recite more, that is, to repeat the process of "standard answer" many times in the corresponding knowledge area of the "knowledge structure" of the human brain, forming a broad neural connection path. This runs counter to independent thinking education. So we can only cultivate rigid thinking.

Sixth, the transformation of applied talents: people can be changed. Physiology has proved that no matter how stubborn the conditioned reflex is, it can be suppressed or subsided. The transformation of applied talents can be carried out in many ways, such as increasing the pressure of his work tasks, always dissatisfied with his plans, and asking him to constantly improve. And force him to think, thus expanding his thinking. From the perspective of actively changing yourself, learning many creative methods in the world is a shortcut. They play the role of guiding and inspiring people to think. Restarting the training of divergent thinking is also a way to change their thinking structure. However, just as beginners don't pay attention to posture and learn to change it later, it is very difficult. The best way is to cultivate children's independent thinking ability from an early age and stick to middle school and university, which runs through all aspects of life. We can train thousands of elites who have made great contributions to mankind in Qian Qian.

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