Reflections on Learning Theories and Instruction

Although everyone’s brain has the same basic make up and functions, it is striking to me that learner’s perceive information differently through multiple intelligences and learning styles. We all generally have the ability to retain information that we hear, see, smell, or use motor functions to learn. However, for some of us what we see triggers memory recall or retains memory. For others, it is the use of motor function or performing a task that triggers a retained memory or causes a memory to be retained for later use. Furthermore with learning styles, I now better understand that rhythm, pictures, and motion can be used to increase the transfer of knowledge.

For my personal learning, I have found that my learning style has changed based on my experiences and having to adapt for work. While still a kinesthetic learner, through my online courses, I have learned to be more comfortable at learning with and recalling information read, seen in matrices or pictures and heard during my studies. While before my online learning experience which started almost 4 years ago, I had a hard time remembering what I heard during classroom lectures and relied heavily on the notes that I took. So, by entering an online education forum where more independent learning was required, I adapted my learning style in order to be successful. This has also taught me that all learners have the potential to adapt their learning styles based on their own drive and need for success.

Learning theories are the basis on which teachers and instructional designs base their own styles to teaching and designing. Learning styles are the method by which learners perceive the information being provided through their senses. Teachers and designers can use these various methods of perception to aid in the transfer of knowledge for learners. Educational technology takes the theories and styles to another level. Through blogs, wiki’s, mp3’s, iPods, DVD’s, online chats, web camera’s and real-time live chats, the various theories can be applied. For instance, behavioral theory can be used in the form of DVD’s where the learner can watch, observe behaviors and actions in order to retain the memory and repeat the actions later. Another example is the internet and how it can be applied in a constructivist manner by allowing the learner to research current events to apply what they have been learning in the classroom to real-world occurrences.

Motivation is a necessary element for a learner regardless of which theory you subscribe to, your learning style or technology that is available. Motivation is the foundation of how well a learner takes in the information, retains it and uses it. Instructional designers have to remember that no matter how well the content in the course is, there has to be triggers imbedded to increase motivation which will increase participation and focus during the class which will in turn increase the likelihood of the learner retaining greater amounts of information.

The Learning Theories and Instruction course has provided a needed and firm foundation for the remainder of the certificate program in Instructional Design. It has taught me the importance of taking the firmly established and the new concepts as well as technology has to be considered when designing courses. It has reinforced the importance of looking at instruction from the point of view of the learner and not be so focused on what I believe is needed. In other words, be sure to think about the different ways learners gather and process information; incorporate those elements in the design of the instruction; and include methods to continue to motivate the learner.

As an instructional designer, I feel I have the privilege and responsibility for helping teachers teach and learners learn. This is not a responsibility to be taken lightly, but to be taken seriously with an emphasis on the learner and ensuring that the instructor or teacher who has the responsibility for delivering the information to learners have the information that they need to aid in learning transfer.

Theories and Learning Styles: How it Fits Together

My view on learning has been affected by a deeper understanding that I have regarding how the brain works to learn and the importance of making learning memorable. Learning can occur either through muscle remembrance by having what is being learned demonstrated and then modeled or by intelligence remembrance and demonstrated in actions or behaviors. Learning transfer takes place when the information being learned is retained and retrievable using triggers.

What causes transfer and what triggers memories are different for different learners and have a lot to do with their natural intelligence or multiple intelligence (MI) and can be through seeing, hearing, movement, interpersonal or intrapersonal understanding. Closely related to MI are learning styles that further describe how individual learners perceive and process information. Using the varying styles of learning and teaching will trigger the transfer of learning. It is highly unlikely one single instruction can incorporate all of the intelligences and styles at one time. However, understanding MI and learning styles and how they trigger learning can make it possible to design effective and transferrable instruction.

In addition to understanding MI, understanding the actual content can aid in transfer. In an article by David Glenn in the Chronicle of Higher Education (Chronicle Article), an outstanding point is made about not working so hard to understand learners styles, but adapting teaching styles to reflect what is needed by the content (Glenn, 2009). In the same vein, instructional design should be as focused on content as MI and learning styles to ensure the content is meaningful and the actions taken in the course reflect how best to transfer the knowledge. For example, a chef does not learn to cook only by reading a book; they learn to create dishes by taking what is read and acting out what is read or what they have watched someone else demonstrate for them. So whether or not a learner perceives through active or reflective process or perceives through direct experience or observation, the method that needs to be employed needs to be one that will result in knowledge transfer.

My own personal learning style has been more concrete in nature with direct observation and action; however, as I have matured, I have also adopted a reflective and analytical learning style. Of course, when I am learning to prepare a new recipe, I do not learn it by analyzing the recipe and discussing its pros and cons, I still learn by preparing the recipe to emulate what I have read and seen. However, when I am designing an instruction for content that I have not experienced before, I take the information from interviews with SMEs and reflect upon it, analyze the best way the learner may understand and then work on the design. So as the Glenn article identified, it is not just the learning style but the content that drives how learning is transferred.

Technology aids me in learning through the ability to seek and find information that interests me or that is required by course work. With the new RSS feeds once a site is found, keeping up with changes and updates to sites that have pertinent information has become easier. Also the varying types of information that is available can play to many learning styles. Through You Tube, I can see someone demonstrate how to do almost anything and other websites have incorporate video to also provide demonstrations and a more personal feel to the learning experience. The technological advances in word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software makes creating document to share much easier. Also the improvement in mobile phones and mobile computing makes it easier to surf the net from where ever you are which makes it easier to keep up with assignments for work as well as school.

What I have learned from these past weeks of researching and learning about learning theories is that balancing the knowledge of MI, learning styles with content specific needs and using technology can aid the instructional designer in developing impactful courses where learners will benefit most.

References:

Glenn, R. (2009). Matching teaching style to learning style may not help students. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved on December 21, 2009, from: http://chronicle.com/article/Matching-Teaching-Style-to/49497/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

Connectivism

The mind map of how I apply Connectivism learning theory shows a number of different avenues including interpersonal connections like family, and friends; solitary connections like observation; and reflective connections like making a mistake and reviewing it for corrective measures next time; and connections designed for escape from the every day, like reading. All of these various connections have changed the way I learn by providing resources and outlets to allow my mind to connect the dots when needed and wander to wider spaces to allow connections to happen on their own.

As I began to use my connections, learning became easier. I do not try to force learning – or very rarely – I use the different connections to help me learn. For instance, if I am tackling a difficult concept, I read about in a text, then surf the web to try and put it in practical terms, and then I may take a mental vacation by reading something not related. After this, I can then return to the concept and look at it from a different point of view and am able to grasp it better.

The internet has helped with growing my connections by being able to “Google” something that I do not understand and more recently or finding almost everything you ever wanted to know by video on “You Tube”. Both provide the tools necessary to dig deeper into information and gain a better understanding while comparing it against the tried and true published texts. When I have questions, I can usually Google it and dig until I find the information in a form that I can comprehend and apply practically.

The central tenets of Connectivism include: learning by connecting with new resources; acting blindly to learn new information; continual reflection and evaluation used to shift mindset; and emotion and cognition and their role in learning (Siemens, 2004). My personal learning network supports these tenets through my seeking new knowledge through web resources; allowing myself to make mistakes by at times acting blindly and then learning from them so as not repeat the same mistake; taking the time to vent in order to put things into perspective or take mental breaks or escapes when learning gets too “heavy”.

Connectivism to me is a theory of learning that incorporates the ever increasing role of technology in learning and the importance of our fast-pace to provide a framework of how we can apply these things to learning.



Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: a learning theory for the digital age. eLearning Space. Retrieved on November 29, 2009, from: http://www.elearnspace.org/media/Connectivism.ppt.