Reflection on Learning

My learning in this course on the theories of learning and instruction has taught me the ultimate secret for teaching students of all ages – bribing them with jellybeans! No, not really, but it has taught me that surprise, humor, and showing students the value in the learning are important factors. In this reflective paper I will outline a summary of what I have learned about historic and recent theories of learning, and describe how I see this knowledge helping me in my future career.

The course began with an overview of the major theories on learning, going all the way back to Socrates and Aristotle, who spent a lot of time philosophizing on the nature of knowledge and reality. I discovered a pattern of cultural, political, and religious underpinnings in the theories of many prominent pedagogists from the time of Socrates up to the present day. While I feel there is an ongoing shift to less biased research, and practices based on the scientific method, I think it is important to keep in mind our tendency to view knowledge and practices through the lens of the society we live in (Ormrod et al., 2009).

Through reading the findings of more modern researchers, I do feel I have gained a better understanding of the theory in which working memory (WM) interacts with long-term memory (LTM), and how this may affect my ability to process cognitively difficult tasks. I think this will really help me with my future learning. Cognitive load theory suggests that solving complex problems relies on having stored procedures and/or knowledge stored in LTM, so that WM is available to hold the current information being worked on (Jong, 2009). This helps me see the value in putting in the work to commit what may seem to be boring information and procedures to memory. For example, times tables, grammar and spelling rules, or programming language classes and methods.

While there are many theories surrounding preferred learning styles, the nature of intelligence, the impact of culture and it’s symbols, and the importance of motivation, my reading so far suggests that many of these theories should only be used in a general way to guide thinking about instructional design, and that there is little evidence to support the idea that any individual learner will benefit from being consistently taught in a specific learning style (Pashler et al., 2008). One thing that does stand out however is that there are benefits to teaching using a variety of learning modes, and that many learners benefit from varying their learning style, or method of approach when trying to master complex problems (Gilbert & Swanier, 2008). Also, by identifying whether certain types of knowledge acquisition can best be addressed by behaviourist, cognitive, constructivist, or social learning methods (as opposed to visual, auditory, or kinesthetic styles), we can identify what types of technological resources can be used to support the learning. Basic fact learning may be served well by a drill and practice “flash card” application, while exploring social issues may work better using an online discussion board.

I hope to apply what I have learned about learning styles very soon, as my team at work is about to embark on developing a professional learning course aimed at helping teachers learn more about the benefits of pedagogical documentation. I will try to use what I have learned about self-directed learning, collaborative learning, the power of learning networks, and the ARCS model of motivation developed by John Keller (Keller, 1999), to help design this course. While I will probably rely on the subject matter expert to write the material in a way that captures the learners’ attention, I will try to make sure we make the relevance of the material clear, that we deliver the course with a clear structure and format, and that the level of difficulty for learning tasks are designed to increase learner satisfaction upon completion. I’ll also suggest we follow a schedule of constructive messaging, as this has been shown to inspire learner confidence and improve outcomes (Huett et al., 2008)

Overall, this course has introduced me to the potential variety in learner needs, and how different teaching modes and technology resources can be used to address different types of subject matter. I have also learned about the importance of learner motivation, and how various aspects of motivation can be addressed through instructional design. Based on this new knowledge I hope to be able to improve the outcomes of students who will be taking part in pedagogical documentation training that I will shortly be involved in, as well as any other courses I may have a hand in developing in the future. Finally, I hope to be able to apply my greater insight into how adults learn to my own studies, and thus improve my personal learning outcomes.

References:

Gilbert, J., & Swanier, C. (2008). Learning Styles: How do they fluctuate? Institute for Learning Styles Journal [Vol. l]. Retrieved from http://www.auburn.edu/~witteje/ilsrj/Journal%20Volumes/Fall%202008%20Volume%201%20PDFs/Learning%20Styles%20How%20do%20They%20Fluctuate.pdf

Huett, J. B., Kalinowski, K.E., Moller, L. & Huett, K. C. (2008). Improving the motivation and retention of online students through the use of ARCS-based e-mails, American Journal of Distance Education (22)3, 159-176, DOI: 10.1080/08923640802224451

Jong, T. (2009). Cognitive load theory, educational research, and instructional design: some food for thought. Retrieved from http://doc.utwente.nl/83024/1/Jong10cognitive.pdf

Keller, J. M. (1999). Using the ARCS motivational process in computer-based instruction and distance education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning (78).

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction (Laureate custom edition). New York: Pearson.

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., and Bjork, R. (2008). Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest (9) pp. 105-119. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x