Theory of Learning
What is Learning?
When I think of learning I think of a wobbly baby taking their first steps in the process of learning to walk, a kindergartener sounding out words in the process of reading, and students in a fifth grade classroom learning to multiply fractions after learning the process of adding and subtracting fractions. In all of the examples listed, there is a process of learning. Some of the learning is observational, whereas other learning is scaffolded based on the learners Zone of Proximal Development. I believe that the process of learning is the acquisition of new knowledge, changing or adjoining the learner's schema. The background knowledge that one possess influences the way the learner procures knowledge. There are many different ways in which the procurement of learning can happen.
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Children may learn the lyrics to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'' after their parents sing the song to them multiple nights in a row at bedtime. On the other hand, a child who never heard the song could learn the lyrics in a music class when a teacher presents the lyrics accompanied by a piano. There are multiple ways students can learn and teachers can present information. Learners may have a preferred learning style, changing the method of presenting information during a lesson or a unit would benefit students. Differentiating instruction helps to keep students engaged and actively learning. Using Project Based Learning is an effective instructional method in my classroom. Students are engaged and working collaboratively while participating in a Project Based Learning unit.
In a classroom, the manner in which a concept is taught varies by the teacher who is teaching it and the subject being taught. The routines in the classroom also vary based on teachers. For example, I teach math after reading aloud. I use a lot of songs to teach grammar concepts but use a lot of modeling to introduce new math concepts and allow students to test out concepts during an exploration time. My colleague teaches math first thing in the morning and uses videos he has previously recorded. We both teach in very different manners and have different habits but we expect all students to be successful. Duhigg’s book The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business (2012) described how our brain changes as we create new patterns. We are asking students to change habits or routines every time they change grades or even more frequently if they move from class to class during a school day. Students that are unable to adjust to various teaching styles and routines or habits will be at a disadvantage compared to other students. In addition to teaching styles, I feel students' background knowledge affects students ability to learn new knowledge.
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A student's background knowledge can hinder or facilitate learning. “They come to formal education with a range of prior knowledge, skills, beliefs, and concepts that significantly influence what they notice about the environment and how they organize and interpret it. This, in turn, affects their abilities to remember, reason, solve problems, and acquire new knowledge,” (How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School, 2000). Student B came into a 5th grade classroom reading at a kindergarten level. He did not have the ability to access the standard English Language Arts curriculum in the 5th grade classroom. Modifications were needed to help facilitate his learning. Student G and Student B both started their 4th grade year scoring above 4th grade level norms on the NWEA Math Growth Test. Student G had a strong desire to learn and was able to learn not only the 4th grade math content but the 5th grade math content during his 4th grade year. Student B was invited to participate in 5th grade math but stated, “he didn’t want more work,” and thus did not participate. Students' backgrounds and desires to learn can affect what and how they learn. I believe a student who comes from a background that encourages education will start school with an eagerness to learn that may not be initially instilled in other children. I feel that although a child's background can be an influencing factor in learning it doesn’t necessarily mean it is a hindrance. As an educator, we can encourage students to reach their full potential. Student B did not initially want more work but as the year progressed and Student B witnessed the gains his peers were making, and encouragement, he asked to join the 5th grade math group and was very successful in learning new content.
References:
Blumenfeld, P., Soloway, E., Marx, R., Krajcik, J., Guzdial, M., & Palincsar, A. (1991). Motivating project-Based learning: Sustaining the doing, supporting the learning, Educational Psychologist, 26(3-4), 369-398, DOI: 10.1080/00461520.1991.9653139
Bransford, J. L., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. (Expanded Edition). National Academy Press, https://doi.org/10.17226/9853
Cherry, K. (2020, April 16). Biography of psychologist Lev Vygotsky, One of the most influential psychologists. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/lev-vygotsky-biography-2795533
Cherry, K. (2019, September 6). How observational learning affects behavior. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-observational-learning-2795402