Reflection: Learning Theories and Instruction.

 Learning Theories

The way humans think and learn has been the focus of curious scientists and psychologists for over a hundred years.  The development of learning theories that consider observable behavior, mental processing, sensory influence, age, and technology has provided insight into the different ways people learn and process information.  

When I started the course, Learning Theories and Instruction, I was unaware that so many learning theories existed.  As we studied six learning theories, it was interesting how each one was developed to address concepts not addressed in a previous theory. As a result, the theories having some overlapping features while focusing on specific learning conditions.  It was surprising to learn that learning theories have continued to be developed, with the newer theories centered on how technology has affected learning.

Learning Theory	Purpose
Behaviorism	Developed to explain how we learn observable behavior such as habits and routines.
Cognitivism	Developed to explain the mental information processing that takes place in the brain to acquire new knowledge.
Constructivism	Developed to explain how we develop new learning using our previous experiences.
Social Learning Theory	Developed to explain how we learn from others.
Connectivism	Develop to explain how we learn using technology.
Adult Learning Theory	Develop to explain how adults learn, notably their ability to use their experiences to apply relevant information.

 

My Personal Learning Process

As a teacher, the information I learned is crucial to how I address the educational needs of my students.   Knowing what a learning theory is and ways my students can acquire new knowledge will help guide my lesson planning.   Through this course, I have gained an understanding that I was not considering these theories when developing lessons.  I had fallen into the trap of planning lessons based on the curriculum and not how students may learn.   

I realize those learning theories cannot be converted into direct teaching and learning methods. Developing lessons based on the learning theories requires understanding the difference between Learning theories, learning styles, and learning strategies.  Theories can be scientifically tested and have a specific methodology.  Learning strategies are methods related to learning theories used to design and teach lessons. Using the correct strategies in the classroom or during online learning can increase student motivation. Learning styles, defined as ways people collect information from their environment, are controversial due to their lack of validity.   It was shocking to learn that the concept of learning styles was a controversial topic. At the beginning of this journey, I described how I learned using the sensory descriptions that I understood to be learning styles.  I now know that I learn best using multiple learning methods aligned with the Social Constructivist and Connectivism theories.

What’s Next: Instructional Design

As I continue to study instructional design, I realize that it would demonstrate a poor work ethic to continue to design any teaching and learning opportunity without investigating and incorporating how learners acquire information. The goal is to facilitate effective learning, and “without knowing how people think, you cannot teach effectively.” (Laureate Education, n.d.). 

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). An introduction to learning [Video]. Baltimore, MD: Author.