Barbara Oakley author photo
Image via Wikimedia Commons, concesso in licenza sotto CC BY-SA 4.0.

Barbara Oakley

Nato: November 24, 1955 – Lodi, California, United States

Barbara Oakley is an American engineering professor and author who writes about how people learn, especially in STEM and adult education. Her notable books include A Mind for Numbers, Mindshift, and Uncommon Sense Teaching. She co-created the widely used Learning How to Learn course, extending her influence to millions of learners worldwide.

Biografia e Percorso dell'Autore

Barbara Oakley’s route to prominence as a writer on learning was notably nonlinear. After struggling with math and science in school, she enlisted in the U.S. Army, studied Russian at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, earned a B.A. in Slavic languages and literature from the University of Washington, and served in Germany as a signal officer, eventually becoming a captain. A decisive turn came when her work with communications equipment showed her how much technical fluency mattered. She returned to school, earned a B.S. in electrical engineering, later completed an M.S. and Ph.D. at Oakland University, and joined its faculty in 1998. ((https://barbaraoakley.com/about-me/))

Mostra Di Più

Citazioni

quote
I love to bring fresh perspectives into my books by applying knowledge and experience from many different disciplines, as well as from “real world” experiences
-Welcome
quote
If you’re simply convinced you don’t have a knack for numbers or science, this book may change your mind
-A Mind for Numbers
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An ability to recall—to generate the ideas from inside yourself—is one of the key indicators of good learning
-10 Rules of Good Studying
quote
Modern careers are like nonstop conveyor belts — you have to keep moving and learning no matter what stage you’re at
-Could Singapore hold the secret to preparing workers for an uncertain future?
quote
What changed wasn’t his innate ability—it was the techniques he learned and practiced, under pressure, in real competition
-Recommendation: Everyday Genius
quote
When working memory gets overloaded, the brain defaults to the model-free system
-Recommendation: Why We Have Two Learning Systems

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Voci della Community

"In A Mind for Numbers, polymath Barbara Oakley reveals how to unlock the analytic powers of our brains so we can learn how to learn"

Adam Grant

"Barbara Oakley opens the door to an entirely new way of seeing and reaching our potential"

Seth Godin

"Barbara Oakley is a renowned researcher and professor at Oakland University whose long and unconventional career is difficult to sum up"

RSU News

"Barbara Oakley is a great teacher"

Mike Rowe

"Dr. Barbara Oakley disagrees, and she has the science to prove it"

Coursera Blog

"Barbara Oakley is to be commended"

Joyce Carol Oates

"Barbara Oakley’s MOOC Learning How to Learn is the exception to this trend"

eLearning Industry

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