Should ambiguity be taught as an essential study skill?
Are you interested in mastering the art of ambiguity? Source: Shutterstock

More than just a word, ambiguity is a quality of being open to more than one interpretation. Mastering the art of ambiguity, therefore, is important to help you understand how to be more open to differing views and situations.

Instead of adopting a rigid format of thinking, your opinions are free and there doesn’t have to be a definitive answer to everything.

By releasing the habits of constrictive thinking, you’re more likely to produce well-thought-out strategies and implement balanced solutions to critical issues.

Plus, you’ll be open to new ways of thinking and won’t always have to stick to outdated theories of learning.

With this skill, you’ll easily adapt to any environment! Source: GIPHY

So, why is ambiguity so important to learn in today’s education sector?

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) becoming more mainstream and new digital tools and techniques slowly transforming the way we act, think and live, there are concerns that we will become too reliant on technology.

Eventually, we may allow machines to think for us and computerised systems to speak for us, and this will prevent freedom of thought and speech.

Therefore, we must outsmart the machines with diverse ideas and intriguing inventions that only a human mind may create. By mastering the skill of ambiguity at an early stage of higher education, we will awaken our inner innovator and gain the leading edge on any future robotic competition.

Man vs. Machine. Source: GIPHY

Academics across the world have already caught onto the rewards that ambiguity attracts and support the fact that we must treat the concept as a core study skill.

For instance, as Lisa Kay Solomon discusses in her article for the Entrepreneur, there must be a change to the classic ‘Business of Administration’ degree framework.

As Solomon suggests, “Today’s rapid pace of change, dynamic market conditions and emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation require a very different type of education.

“The result is that the MBA needs to be redesigned. We can do this by keeping the abbreviation for ‘master’s of business administration’ but change what it stands for.

“In fact, I believe that instead of ‘administration’, the ‘A’ should stand for ‘ambiguity’.”

You may now be wondering- why should there be such a dramatic change to one of the world’s most sought-after degrees?

Well, as Solomon answers, “The rise of artificial intelligence means that humans will be focusing a lot less on ‘administering’ things and more on coming up with ‘big picture’ strategies and ideas.”

That’s why universities need to keep their study skills curriculum updated and aligned with the world’s changes, by doing so, their students will fill in the gaps of creativity and present themselves as a valuable asset to potential employers.

By treating discovery as a discipline and entrepreneurial engagement as a necessity, the theme of ambiguity will rise in popularity throughout every student’s academic journey.

As it allows learners to be adaptable, mindful and prepared for the next big thing in the digital realm, it’s a valuable study skill to acquire.

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