21 Sept 2009: My Own Learning Theory

I believe that learning is not easily divided into one theory only. Instead, I feel connected to certain aspects of several theories:

Behaviorism:
- I know positive reinforcement works (win-win) - where the good outcomes are achieved in tandem with good feelings (personal example: "If you practice the piano for one hour, Tiffany, you can go play with Andrea.")
- I know that tailored environments help achieve desired outcomes (personal example: "I ran faster than I ever had when I was chasing a soccer ball to score a goal for our team.")

Cognitivism:
- I know that repeated practice helps me with recall later (personal example: "I memorized Sheherazade and played it successully without sheet music because I worked at memorizing it for 3 straight months before my recital."
- Structuring (timing) and sequencing (time) matter for me to learn more: (personal example: "As an American female going for 3 weeks to Pakistan in Post-9/11 2004 allowed me great insight to the anti-American sentiment in that country.")

Constructivisim:
- I know that focusing on real-world problems makes learning more exciting to me (personal example: "I learned through my literacy internship in South Africa that women who learn to read and write gain confidence to interact with their broader community."
- I know that drawing from prior experiences help learners gain more knowledge (personal example: "Women in Nepal gather at one another's homes to talk about water issues - irrigation, fertilization, weather - and I know they can discuss the bigger issue of environmental conservation because they know a lot through their daily observations/interactions in their rice fields.")
- I resonate with the idea of the learner as a free agent because it respects the most unique aspect of each soul - and the most common connecting point of all humanity: free agency!
- I know that social negotiation brings meaning because it fosters context and works through meaningful relationships

Learning by the Spirit:
- I also know that there is particular internal motivation, clarity, resonance and understanding I have gained when influenced by the Spirit of God (personal experience: "I prayed in Nauvoo for a testimony that Joseph Smith is and was a prophet of God. I felt a burning and happiness that I can't deny that he is, indeed, a prophet of God.")
- I know that I have taught with the Spirit and had extrinsic motivation, influence spoken fluent Tagalog (when in other instances I couldn't get my sentences out) and I know that those whom I've met have understood (and learned) in a powerful way ("alam ko na alam mo na totoo ito!")
- I know that agency is a big factor which levels the playing ground (in a sense, because we all have it), but also affords differences (because we all have different degrees of confidence to exercise our agency as we would like)

Other ideas:
- motivation
- desire
- curiosity
- discovery learning is an approach/method - what is the underlying factor that guides that (curiosity, choice, agency)
- learner's personalities
- structure of the materials
- relationship between teacher and student (communication) - what specifically? element of trust? the love? the perceived competency?
- prior experience (education in Mexico is not as natural as it is in USA - these implications affect learning)
- desire (nais) - ganas (desire + humph) --> people who don't want to learn so they resist learning vs. those who want to learn and find an opportunity no matter where they are
- what about the cultural background (the imporance of learning in that culture) influences how much people learn? (is it hierarchical relationships)
- processing (time on task)



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How do people learn?
(in a specific context)
Women in Nepalese Literacy Classes

What are the two most important factors that influence learning (learning theory)?
- focus on real-world situations (constructivism)
- self-efficacy - esteem, confidence, awareness amplify learning

possibly avoid:
- positive reinforcement (behaviorism)- but, what baggage applies with this word?

How can instruction best influence learning (how to best create instruction on those ideas)?
- teaching by the spirit (tailoring the environment to learner's needs & honoring agency)
- scaffolding (enough support)

* It is okay to cite scripture
* It is okay to share personal experiences
* You can use hypotheticals from the things we have read
* Show several kinds of evidence
* Include relevant references
* This is a chance to use APA style

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Sept 28 Due: Personal Beliefs About Learning
1 page theory about how I think people learn
Limit the scope
* What are the two most important factors that influence learning?
* How can instruction be structured to best facilitate learning?
* What examples can you cite?