How do I learn, in general?

I am quoting from Tony Wagner's The Global Achievement Gap...

[I] want to turn the thing on, get in there, muck around, and see what works.
[I] get on the Web and link, lurk, and watch how other people are doing things, then try it for [myself].

This is a reasonable description of how I learn in general. I will also read a lot, but more in the spirit of lurking and watching how others do it, than in the spirit of directions I must follow.