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Rachael Bryant
Professor Borowiak
English 111
16 March 2014

Deep Learning in a Society Demanding Instant Gratification
Learning as an adult has posed a challenge for many people because we are used to
instant gratification. The society that we live in and have grown up in has taught us that when
you want something, you get it now or do it now and move on. We do not spend lengthy
amounts of time on one subject or digging deeply into one specific area. It is all about moving on
to the next idea with very little processing. At fingertips length we can text, make phone calls,
use social media, check email, do our banking, order lunch, check our stocks, search the net,
check the weather, and listen to music. These are the most basic applications performed by our
smart phones. It is incredible the TO DO list I can get done in about 5 minutes on my phone.
That means the expectation to get more done in shorter amounts of time has increased. Between
family, work, school and any resemblance of a social life most of us run very TIGHT schedules
that leave little room for slowing down and enjoying or even investigating one area any further.
After all, we wouldnt want to pay too much attention to one area of our lives and not another. It
is all about balance. Everyone strives for balance in their lives and the assurance that each aspect
of our life gets an equal part of us. There are very few people, even young kids fresh out high
schools, which have the luxury of JUST going to school. Most have to work as well, or go home
on the weekends to help with family. With the expanding demand to increase skills, more and
more adults with children and careers must return to school as well. The positive aspect is, with
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so much technology at our fingertips, the demand of instant gratification in an ever changing
society is possible. More so with all of the advancements in technology each learning
environment is not created equal.
Each student expects a certain learning environment when entering a classroom. The
expected environment for each learner is different. We are not all created equal. For example, I
do not thrive in the exact same setting as all of my peers. I do expect however when I enter a
learning environment to gain SOMETHING. It may not be the subject matter of the class that I
walk away remembering, it may be a learning tool or teaching style that the instructor burned
into my memory bank. Bell hooks - teacher, writer and scholar, states, I entered the classrooms
with the conviction that it was crucial for me and every other student to be an active participant,
not a passive consumer. (254) Hooks conveys conviction for learning. Conviction for life, that
in our modern times is just not there anymore. Conviction or passion for what we are doing could
encourage deep learning. I do believe she is on the right track. If we actively participate,
learning becomes part of our story. No one begins a memory or story by saying When I was
sitting in the back of my history class texting my friend I learned about the civil war. We
usually recall an ideal that has stayed with us by saying When we were discussing or I read
How do we encourage students or learners to become more active in their education when we are
stretched so thin? Our society promotes passive consuming. We take what we can get and we
take it RIGHT NOW. Hooks uses her personal learning experiences as well as inspiration from
other teachers to engage her students. Her commitment to learning kept her attending classes
even though most of the classroom settings and instructor teaching styles were not impressive.
Hooks ideals are inspirational and on the forefront of what our educational system needs to
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grow, improve and thrive. Giving each student the conviction and passion to create their own
story, thus allowing deep learning.
The habits of adult learning start in adolescence. If we are never encouraged to
deeply engage and deeply learn from early on, how are we supposed to know that the education
we are receiving and the way we approach learning is wrong? I do not recall in my early
elementary or through to High School being encouraged to deeply learn. It was more about
deadlines and how much of the text we could get through in the semester. It was not until the last
few college classes I have taken did I experience this format. We have to take a look at the
motives behind adult learning. Why are we here? There are many different reasons we find
ourselves in a college course. As a young adult planning for a future career, as an adult trying to
get a better career, because your parents made you. The list could be endless. The reasons
behind going to college can determine the amount you actively participate in your learning.
When existing in a society that demands instant results we find ourselves pressured to get the
grade and move on. Barry Alford, professor, believes that critical literacy grows out of the
experiences of those who develop and express it, and, like all things authentic and meaningful; it
is well worth the mess and inconvenience. (281) Emphasis on the last portion for a reason, to
point out the mess and inconvenience the process of critically thinking and deeply learning can
create. In the society we live in where instant gratification is a must, not many teachers and or
students will tolerate that mess. Think about how time consuming it would be to spend class
after class discussing, re- discussing and discussing more Most professors and students may
not feel like that is a valuable use of their time. Especially when a course calls for a certain
amount of curriculum getting covered. Alford understands the importance of the process and
what it could mean for each student.
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Darrell Worthy, an assistant professor of psychology at Texas A&M University who
studies decision making and motivation, examines the trend of instant gratification. Were
becoming more focused on quick fun such as a game of Angry Birds on the iPhone than on
reading books or magazines. Researchers found the rapid pace of technology can lead to more
nimble thinking, but that trends are leading to a future in which most people are shallow
consumers of information. A lot of things that are really valuable take time, Worthy said. But
immediate gratification is the default response. Its difficult to overcome those urges and be
patient and wait for things to come over time. This article and Worthys statements make a
prime example of how instant gratification can consume our learning environments. We do not
take the time because we do not have the patience after living in our right now society. His
statement A lot of things that are really valuable take time is exactly the message that many
adult learners do not receive. Adult learners may not see the value in taking time to process and
evaluate a subject. If deeply learning is not looked at as valuable then it would not be considered
worthwhile to some.
At last we are posed with the questions; can an instant gratification frame of mind deter
adult learners from deeply learning? Is society at fault for pressuring adult learners to passively
consume in order to effectively time manage? Hooks and Alford make great arguments about the
process and road to deep learning and creating critical thinkers. Which support the argument that
it takes time and patience, which in our society are becoming a rarity. Worthys research
supports the argument even further by supporting the impatience of our society and the
unwillingness to take time to achieve great things. The combination of societal pressure,
impatience, an instant gratification frame of mind and the demands of trying to balance everyday
life create passive consuming among adult learners. As an adult learner it is up to me to gain
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patience in my learning environments in order to create long lasting learning experiences, and to
steer away from the pressures of society in order to create a more engaged experience.







Works Cited
Alford, Barry. Freirean Voices, Student Choices. Exploring Relationships: Globalization and
Learning in the 21
st
Century. Pearson Learning
Solutions, 2013. 279-280. Print.
Hooks, bell. Engaged Pedagogy. Exploring Relationships: Globalization and Learning in the
21
st
Century. Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013. 253-259. Print.
Worthy, Darrell. Instant Gratification is Making Us Perpetually Impatient. The Boston Globe
February 20, 2014, Web.