For seven weeks now I have read and debated, and investigated learning theories and styles. Now comes the time where I look at what I have learned and compare it to what I thought I knew about myself as a learner. So...... here it goes.
To begin I have included a couple of pictures of myself in order to illustrate a point. The first is a picture of me at age four. The other is me at age 14, and the final picture is me at 40.
As you can see, much has changed in that time. But there is more that has changed that cannot be readily observed from these photos. The changes I am speaking of have to do with my learning throughout my life. Early in this class, I stated that in terms of learning theory I tend to have leanings toward the cognitive portion of the learning theory wheel. I do enjoy organizing material into outlines and graphic organizers, and I am often very aware of how I am applying acquired knowledge to complex tasks or problems. However, since that first week I feel I can expand my learning to include constructivism. Constructivism deals with how we construct knowledge through meaningful experience. I include this because I am constantly trying to apply new information to a context I already have in mind. I can also expand the definition of me as a learner by my newfound understanding of adult learning. As an adult learner, I have a far different perspective on learning compared to my youth because of my ability to self-direct, the life experience I bring to my learning, and the reasons why I am choosing to educate myself. As an adult learner, I don't have to if I don't want to.
Ok, so what do we have so far? I am an adult learner who is motivated, self-directed with a wealth of life experience to bring to my education. The learning theory that best encompasses my beliefs and practices is a mix of cognitive constructivist based on how I organize information in my brain and attach meaning to information as it is processed. But wait there's more! I cannot create a true definition of myself as a learner without touching on the theory of multiple intelligences as well as reflecting on my learning styles. The theory of multiple intelligences was proposed by Howard Gardner, and has to do with our various cognitive abilities. Gardner's theory states there are approximately eight different types of intelligence and that people have different strengths based on their proficiency within these intelligences. Based on the results from a multiple intelligence assessment as well as assessing my own life experiences it turns out my proficiencies lie in kinesthetics, linguistics and naturalism. I cannot say that I was surprised, because I have always had an affinity toward mind/body, the written word and the natural world (hence the degree in Geology). As far as my learning style, I would still classify myself as I did earlier in this course visual and kinesthetic.
Ok, almost there. But not quite. At the beginning of this course, I would look back on this extensive definition of myself as a learner, and I would have called it a day. However, as I come toward the end of this course, there is still a huge piece of the puzzle that remains. That piece of the puzzle has to do with a newer learning theory, and how it pertains to me as both a student and an instructional designer. It has to do with the idea of learning and connectivism. Conncectivism is a learning theory that equates learning with the number of "nodes" or connections of the learner. The collection of connections becomes the learner's network. Connectivism says, the larger the network, the more learning that can take place. In this day and age, where technology now plays a major role in our lives socially, academically and in our work life, our connectivity allows us to learn from a variety of sources very quickly. Each connection we make is another path to more knowledge, and those paths are as important as the learning itself. As a result, it is up to me as both a student and an instructional designer to be current when it comes to finding and implementing technology into my learning and teaching. The days of being able to stick my head in the sand when it comes to technology are long gone.
Ok! So there it is a nice up to date streamlined definition of me as a learner. Ok, so maybe streamlined is not a great word choice. But learning isn't necessarily a streamlined process. Learning can be a complicated and messy business. To me the key to finding that direct line from designer, to teacher to student will be to reflect on my own learning, keep in mind the needs of the students, and be a responsible designer by staying current in the world of technology and the positive role it can play in education.
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