Fitting the pieces together

Before this course I was not very familiar with what learning theories were or how they worked but now as this course is nearing completion, I have learned a great deal about how we learn. In the beginning I described myself as a constructivist learner (learning from prior experiences and relating it to new knowledge as well as being hands on). I still think of myself in that way but I also think it could be a combination of the different theories we discussed because there are bits and pieces that could be taken from the different theories to assist in the learning process.

What I learned about the different theories and what distinguishes them from each other is how learning occurs within each one. For instance:

·         Behaviorist associate learning with response to stimuli

·         Cognitivist relate learning to receiving, storing and organizing information

·         Constructivist learn through past experiences and are actively engaged

·         Social learners learn through modeling, imitating and observing

Connectivism is a term that was brand new to me before this course and now that I am familiar with it I know how it’s applied. It’s used through technologies such as social networks and communication and it is also used in classrooms by the use of smart boards as well as online training courses on the job. Another aspect to the learning theories is Adult Learning. This allows learning to be self directed and self motivated. As an adult learner it’s useful and beneficial to me because I have the flexibility to go at my own pace and the ability to balance work, family and advancing myself educationally.