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Chapter VI explores the principle of directness in ultralearning. The chapter begins with the story of Vatsal Jaiswal, an architecture graduate struggling to find a job in a tough market. Jaiswal realizes that firms aren’t hiring him because his education didn’t provide the practical skills they needed. To improve his chances, he takes a job at a print shop that works with architectural designs and learns the technical details of architectural drawings. He also learns the software used by the firms he wants to work for. With his new skills, he creates a portfolio that showcases his ability to work on real projects. This direct approach leads to multiple job offers.

The chapter then delves into the concept of directness in learning. Directness is the idea that learning should closely align with the context and situation in which the knowledge or skill will be used. In Jaiswal’s case, his direct approach involved learning the specific skills and software used in architecture firms. The chapter argues that many traditional educational methods, which focus on studying facts and concepts in a removed context, often fail to achieve significant transfer of learning.

The chapter explores different tactics for learning directly. The first tactic is project-based learning, in which learners focus on producing something tangible rather than just acquiring knowledge. The second tactic is immersion, where learners surround themselves with the environment in which the skill is practiced. This could involve joining communities or spending time in settings where the skill is used. The third tactic is the flight simulator method, where learners use simulations or artificial environments to practice skills that can’t be practiced directly in real life. The fourth tactic is the overkill approach, where learners intentionally put themselves in challenging situations that push them to improve their skills.

Overall, the chapter emphasizes the importance of learning directly and provides strategies for implementing this principle in different learning contexts. It concludes by suggesting that directness can improve transfer of learning and lead to more effective skill acquisition in various fields.

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