A New Look at Learning Theories: The 5th Time's the Charm

When I was 19 years old, I took my first educational psychology class.  It was here that I first learned about Pavlov, Piaget, Skinner, Vygotsky, Kohlberg, and others.  I then transferred schools and took a human growth and development class where we studied many of the same theorists through a developmental lens.  The following year I took Psychology 101 with more of the same theories.  A few years later I enrolled in a graduate program where I took a graduate level educational psychology course.  I thought we might look a little more in depth at the different theories but it was more of the same.  I know my learning theories.  I knew them quite well after the first course.

When I realized my next course was a learning theories course, I thought it would be just like the previous 4 classes that I had taken.  I am happy to say that I was wrong.  While the course did include all of the theories that I had studied previously, it also included theories that I hadn't spent much time studying.  I thoroughly enjoyed studying the brain and the physiological aspects of learning (something I have always been fascinated with).  I am also intrigued by Constructivism.  The Maryland State Department of Education's Mathematics division ran some professional development sessions for my county when I taught math and they were leaning heavily toward Constructivist practices in the classroom.  We were learning how to guide our students toward constructing meaning with new math concepts.  When I put this up against what we learned about the limitations of the working memory (Ormrod, Schunk & Gredler), I decided that Constructivist practices would be better used when applying knowledge.  

One thing that set this course apart from other educational psychology courses was the incorporation of learning styles, technology and motivation with the learning theories.  When I am teaching, I always consider the learning styles of my students.  I have realized through this course that I am not only considering their learning styles, but I'm also looking for what motivates them.  Then I am adding this information to what I know about the different learning theories when I create lessons for my students.  I am also using the technology I have available (and making suggestions to my students) in order to increase attention and possible retention.  The technology makes incorporating different learning styles much easier (not to mention, more efficient). 

In relation to the technology, I am still thinking about Connectivism and how I use my network to learn.  I am a self-professed "techie" and I love my tech toys.  I use my laptop, desktop, work computer, iPhone, and iPod when I want to learn something.  If I can't find it on my own, I will use one of the above devices to then contact someone I know that can help me find the answer.  In specific instances where I know that I own the book that has the answer, I will go to my actual bookshelf and look something up.  This usually happens when I'm looking for a calculus or statistics concept (since I have a large collection of math books).  I'm curious to see where this theory goes.  It is something I will continue to follow as the technology and the theory develop over time.

When I started this course, I had a limited knowledge of adult learning theories.  I have taught adults and noticed obvious differences in motivation and the need to make things relevant but I had not studied the underlying theories.  After learning about and reflecting on adult learning, I feel better equipped to analyze and design adult instruction.  When analyzing the needs of an organization, I will be able to decide which theory or theories would best apply and then design the instruction appropriately.  I learned that no one theory trumps the others and many times, multiple theories might be appropriate.  Along with the theories, I can continue to ensure that different learning styles are addressed.  Lastly, and certainly not least, is motivational design.  I am always assessing the motivation of my students and adjusting my instruction as needed.  As an instructional designer, I will need to ensure that motivational design is incorporated in the course from the very beginning and this course has helped me realize how that could be done.

I am glad that I had the opportunity to take this 5th course in learning theories. I have been able to expand and challenge my previous thinking about how people learn. In some cases, I have been able to solidify my thoughts on learning. One piece that I would recommend to people is that of Gardner’s own reflection of his Multiple Intelligences Theory 25 years later. It is fascinating how his circumstances led him to develop this theory and how it has been used and misused over the years. Ultimately, my increased understanding of how we learn will allow me to stay in control of both my learning and my instruction. For now, I am right at home in Bucket One.

 

References:

Conlon, J., Grabowski, S., & Smith, K. (2003). Adult Learning. Retrieved October 24, 2010, from Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology: http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Adult Learning

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. Retrieved October 24, 2010, from Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology: http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/intex.php?title=Connectivism

Foley, G. (2004). Dimensions of adult learning: Adult edcuation and training in a global era. McGraw-Hill Education.

Gardner, H. (2003, April 21). Multiple intelligences after 20 years. Retrieved October 31, 2010, from Harvard: http://www.pz.harvard.edu/PIs/HG_MI_after_20_years.pdf

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

Personal Learning Theories, Revisited

I love to learn!  I love acquiring new knowledge and furthering my understanding of different topics.  I prefer to learn new things by researching on the internet, reading what I find and then following links to read more. I will sometimes comment on blogs or articles I find or I will keep track of my thoughts in my OneNote software, which is organized into different notebooks so that I can find things easily.  As far as learning styles go, I prefer visual and kinesthetic; I am more abstract than concrete; and I prefer to reflect on information rather than react to it. (Gilbert & Swanier, 2008)  I find that if someone simply tells me something, I tend to forget it, so I often will write things down or record them in my mobile device so that I will remember or have easy access to the information later.  I need time to think things through and time to formulate and solidify my thinking before I can discuss it.

I used to connect more strongly to the Cognitive theory of learning.  The emphasis on information processing and making mental connections made sense to me. (Ormrod, Shunk, & Gredler, 2009) I often employ analogies and metaphors in my teaching and they always seem to be helpful to the student.  After studying the various learning theories and comparing them side-by-side, I see now that it may be the experience or the story that the student is connecting to instead of the analogy helping to make the mental connection.  I had an English teacher that while teaching poem analysis told us that we were not allowed to use the words "is about" in the analysis (as in, "this poem is about…").  He then did his "is about" song and dance; singing the words "is about, is about, is about-bout-bout" to the tune of the "William Tell Overture."  Every time I hear a teacher complain about the phrase "is about" it reminds me of that moment and I will share the story with them.  It seems likely that I have made personal meaning with that moment in that I found it quite humorous and out of character for a teacher, so it stuck with me all these years.  This is more in alignment with the Constructivism or Social Constructivism learning theories. (Orey, M.)  

I do prefer to analyze things by myself before I bounce ideas off of a colleague but this may be more because of my preference for reflection instead of shying away from a more social learning situation.  I enjoy learning from other people and I often will strengthen an argument or change it altogether after a discussion with a colleague.  I prefer to look things up online as opposed to asking someone and I will often head to my mobile device if no computer is available in order to find answers or to research something that may have been sparked by a conversation.  "But even such independent learning is, in a constructivist sense, socially mediated, because it involves the tools (language, signs, and symbols) that have been acquired through previous social interactions."  (Ormrod, Shunk, & Gredler, 2009)

One thing I find striking about my own personal learning is that according to Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory, I have a high level of functioning in the musical intelligence.  I am very sensitive to pitch and rhythms and I can hear the smallest of mistakes in a group and I can often narrow it down to a few students that could be making the mistake.  Yet, I have trouble focusing and listening to lectures or following discussions unless I am actively taking notes or drawing so that my mind doesn't wander.  I tend to have a high level of functioning with the Linguistic intelligence as long as I have ample time to process and choose my words carefully.  Right now, I am chalking this up to my reflective style where if I were given time during a lecture to process information before moving on, I might be more successful in retaining what I hear.  As with any constructivist view, this rationale is subject to change.

Lastly, I have been described by my family, friends, and colleagues as "resourceful."  Basically, they come to me for answers and if I don't know the answer right away, I often know where to find it.  It seems that I have always been this way.  I was the go to when things needed to be found and I would go through a process of rationalizing where the object could possibly be based on who was most likely to have had it last.  If only I could effectively teach this skill to my daughter who has trouble locating things that may be directly in front of her.  But I digress…  After learning about Connectivism, I am now thinking that my 'resourcefulness' is directly related to the multiple connections that I have cultivated and maintained over the years.  (Davis, Edmunds, & Kelly-Bateman, 2008)

So, in the course of 6 weeks,  I've gone from a visual/kinesthetic, reflective Cognitivist to a visual/kinesthetic, reflective Connected Constructivist with social leanings.  I'm still intrigued by the information processing theories and what actually happens in the brain when we learn something but the personal meaning making that happens while we are interacting with others through technology or otherwise seems to be a large part of what actually facilitates the learning. 

Resources:

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Connectivism

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

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

When I was growing up, I relied mostly on people and books in order to learn new information.  My teachers, family and textbooks were the primary sources of information.  Now, there is 24/7 access to other people, information, books, music, and basically anything you could possibly want to know.  I have always been a bit of a 'do-it-yourself-er' type of person.  I like to look up things, and figure them out for myself.  Going to other people is often a last resort if I am relying on my instincts. 

For my formal learning, I use internet resources and books the majority of the time.  I then tend to use other people in my classes or professional development sessions to help me to solidify my position in regards to the new information.  I also bounce ideas off of my colleagues as well as my family or former students depending on what I need at the time.  I use Google Reader to subscribe to RSS feeds.  I have included topics on Instructional Design, teaching, music, educational psychology and other science news.  I have iGoogle as my homepage on my personal computer so that Google Reader along with news headlines and other information is easily accessible.

I read a variety of books.  I often try to read whatever is the most popular at the time so that I can have some common ground with my students.  I also read a lot of self help/inspirational books.  I have found that many books that are written to help someone improve their life have far reaching applications.  I have applied many techniques from authors like Tolle and Vitale in the classroom with much success.  These things help keep me motivated and help me to stay positive. 

I use the internet as my news source.  I don't like watching the news on TV.  I find it to be depressing, so I choose to read the news in order to stay up on current events.  I read MSNBC daily and often go to BBC news if I want another perspective on a topic.  I also use a small local news paper in order to see what is happening in my hometown in central West Virginia which in turn helps me to stay connected to my family and friends from back home. 

I am one of those people that tends to sit back and observe in a new situation so that I can learn from the people there.  Once I feel comfortable that I have assessed the new situation I will start to speak up and offer my opinion or expertise.  In this more informal learning, I rely heavily on other people.  I watch the interactions and reactions to the way information is presented.  I then use this knowledge to my advantage when I start being a more active participant. 

One thing my friends and family say about me is that I am resourceful.  If I want to know something, it typically doesn't take me long to find out.  Often my friends and family come to me when they need to know something.  I will find the information and forward it to them, along with an explanation of how I found it (always the teacher).  I enjoy learning and I am always looking for ways to improve myself and in doing so, I tend to use any and all resources I have available to me at the time.

As I write this, I realize that I may have left off a few other places I go to learn things.  I use television, YouTube, and iTunes on a regular basis.  YouTube is a fantastic resource for me as a choir director.  I often use it to find examples of other choirs singing the songs we are working on or to find exemplary choirs for us to emulate.  iTunes with the access to music, podcasts, iTunes U is also an excellent resource.  I would add these to my Internet Research section with the multiple search engines.