Learning to learn

I came across the following graphic on retention:

Many programs focus on teaching students a mastery of the fundamentals. However, in many technical fields education is short lived and continuous learning is the norm. Does learning to learn then trump a mastery of the fundamentals?

If we become autodidactic masters, would we not then be able to overcome any learning gaps?

Much graduate work at MIT, by its nature, is independent learning. At the undergraduate level I see good efforts in this direction but the promise is still unrealized. In either case, I think MIT does better than most colleges at creating self teachers.

My personal learning cycle is:

1) Build a knowledge base
    - read, read, read

2) Test your knowledge
     - test, experiment, and challenge

3) Summarize and structure your findings
    - write, write, write

4) Teach what you have learned
    - explain it to others

The process is often iterative in steps and in cycle.

Something that was not obvious to me was "self feedback". On a traditional teaching structure, the feedback comes from the instructor. In self teaching, you give feedback to your self.