what is T shaped learning model?

This is one of the favorite topics in my learning process. Well, for every subject we take, there will be a related subject or cross-subject, which is associated with the main subject that can be learned. For example,

 This website is all about investment. Investment is a very broad subject by itself, like investing our time or money and getting some return from it.

But there are so many ways to invest our money and time. When you think about investment deeply everything we do in our lives is one or another way it’s an investment like our education, relationship, having kids, building the home, or even parking some time for learning is an investment.

Investment is all about returns, like

• We invest In education so that you get a good job or you earn money from our specialization.
• We fall in love with a person so that you have a better life and live happily
• We buy peice of land so that value of land get appreciated
• we write a blog so that it gets recognized by others

well, if we put effort and time and in turn if we are not expecting any outcome it is called as holy work. I think only a few great people could do it. This is a topic for another day.

Coming back to our main subject of this blog T-shaped learning.  There are two parts to it

1. Horizontal knowledge  or skills
2. Vertical knowledge or skills

Here horizontal knowledge or skills meaning, knowing about the related subject.

Vertical knowledge or skill meaning, going deep into the subject, it’s like doing master in the subject.

Coming back to our example of investment

what is horizontal knowledge or skills?

So on the horizontal scale

• stock market investment
• real estate investment
• cryptocurrency
• NFT’s
• Education as investment

This gives a broad perspective of the subject. And knowing each related subject will help to prepare for change or when the situation raises our transition will be smooth. Say, if there is crash in the stock market due to some global crisis. You can always take your invested money and put it in real estate. It is only possible because, we had some understanding of alternative investment vehicles.  T shape learning always keeps us ready for the next challenges which life would throw at us.

What is vertical knowledge or skills?

Now let us see the vertical knowledge or skill, in this we focus on depth of the subject and deepening our understanding on the subject.  Knowing the latest and greatest on the subject and keeping ourselves up to date. Say for example

we do stock market investment and trading, as you know there are so many types of trading like F and O trading, commodity trading, intraday equity trading, and swing trading.  So based on our knowledge we might develop an interest in one type of trading and we could master that particular type of trading for example swing trading.

So what do we need for swing trading ?

We need Technical analysis of the chart and fundamental analysis. Based on these knowledge we build our strategies related to swing trading.

So simple idea of having T shaped understanding of the subject would help us in opening new opportunities and it would help us traverse during challenging times.

This will also help us in building our portfolio on the subject and keep us insulated from external volatility.

We might be good in vertical knowledge or horizontal knowledge of any subject. However, approaching to expand our knowledge with T shape learning would help in expanding our knowledge wide and deep.

Simple rules around T shaped learning is

When to focus on vertical knowledge or skills?

When we want to earn more, then we have to go deep into the subject and become experts. This yields more income. It’s like having a nish website with high authority.

When to focus on horizontal skill or knowledge?

When you want to have resiliency in our career or life, horizontal knowledge is most important because it helps in adopting the changes. It’s like having multinish websites which might have less authority.  Horizontal knowledge helps interact two or more knowledge areas and creates unique subjects like combinations of elements and mechanics which give raise to electromechanics.

 I hope you found this blog useful. please like and share this blog if you find it useful.