I try training them on a variety of jobs and even putting them on the job with a more adept professional. Who knows? The programmers are pretty sharp. How else are scientists going to learn if not from another scientist? Maybe it's just the teacher in me coming out.

That's the truth about dense villagers. I had to uninstall my game, then reinstall it & start all over, because of technical difficulties...Now all I have is a village of idiots! I can't get anyone to learn anything!

If you have never done a sim game(other than plant and fish) her are some helpful tips from lots of posts.
This is not a game that is quick; once started, you can't ignore it.
To build your village drag the people to sites, then check the skill you want them to learn. Keep dragging them to site(table, farm, etc.)To change a skill, check another and drag the villager to the new site a few times. Train people in lots of skills as soon as you have food taken care of.
The detail screen shows if your person is learning the skill--all start out "Trained at Nothing, move to "trainee" then "adept" then finally become "masters." It takes a very long time to get to master--watch the blue lines.
The "puzzles" aren't conventional, most solve themselves as you get more tech. points or when "incidents" occur on the island that you have nothing to do with.
You can starve everyone to death. Note, the field yields crops, but eventually (quite a few times),the field will empty so drag "farmers" to the field. Don't panic;the villagers will figure out how to replant; the bush will rebloom.
When they breed, check mark that skill;make sure you have a number of women to breed (of course some men)then drag one male to one female. At first don't get it. Keep dragging if you are in a hurry. Remember to recheck a skill once children leave female.
Breeding females "nurse" for many hours; they eat and (so do the new babies), but do no other skill. Recheck their skill after the baby matures.
There are a number of things that happen that aren't under your control. Not ALL "incidents" occur in every game, in a strict(except some are directly tied to tech. levels.)
The "dead" elders show up at first as gross little skeletons laying about 9disappear in 24 hrs). With more tech. points the villagers will "bury" bodies.
Train a master doctor or two, and train some in healing in case you get sick villagers. Remember, if a nursing woman is your doctor, she will not work, so it's best to train a couple men (kinda a statement about woman's role in here you think?)
Master scientists are the ones who work to give you the most tech points; keep them researching.
Don't give up--ask for help--usually you can save the village. Events unfold even without your making them happen. There you go--Munchie

thanks for the detailed synopsis!! I'm sure it will help future gamers!