Cognativconnectionbehaviorsocialadultism

So now we are working on how the learning process works not just what it is. Focusing on the different theories or models that make up learning. Looking at this weeks resources and reading the blogs of Kerr and Kapp, I find that I can actually believe a little of what they are speaking of. Looking at the different theories that make up the process of learning, it is easy to see why people debate how we learn. I mean look at the compendium that is learning theory. We have everything from behavioralism, where any action is a behavior to cognativisim which runs counter by saying the way people think impacts their behavior. By looking at learning this way one can see that behavior cannot be tied to how people think, and that thinking cannot be a behavior. Then you throw connectionism or Constructivism In the mix which states that learning is tied to relating knowledge to past experience. Then you have the sub sets of operant conditioning, learning is from external stimuli, for behaviorism and humanism, learning is a personal act, under constructivism. Each of which points to the same conclusion that being from the Socratic ideal that the only knowledge is that we know nothing. Which I find quite poignant when discussing learning.

Look at all of the schools of thought that we have. Look at how intertwine and all point to the same conclusion over and over again. We have no clue what triggers learning or how the mind works. Sure with RFMRI we get a cool technicolor light show, but do we truly have a grasp on how the mind works, where the information we assimilate daily and through instruction really goes or how it's stored? The answer is we have no clue. We can find patterns with recognition and we can find similarities in how the brain functions. Yet as proven time and time again nature is unpredictable. Just when you think you have something figured out, or that we are on the cusp of a break through, wham nature slams the door and goes on guess again. It's like playing let's make a deal, you get a winner every once in a while, but more often than not you get the zonko.

One thing that can be attributed to the learning process no matter what theory you cling to is that humans are visual. This is the aspect that we as ID students need to hone in on. We are working in a realm of education that is based in the visual world. Using video, multimedia presentation, audio, imagery and text, we are given a blank canvas and much like Michelangelo we have to see the masterpiece inside the the canvas we are given. Granted we are not using paint, marble, chisels or scaffolding, but we create worlds of knowledge, interaction and bring it all in a contextual format hopefully designed and implemented in such a way that learners are able to use what ever tools or learning style that works for them to make the knowledge part of their everyday life and future.

http://www.learning-theories.com/cognitivism.html
http://tip.psychology.org/thorn.html