Definition of Learning - Discussion

My discussion input - Pasted from Blackboard
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Forum: Definition of Learning
Date: Tue Mar 18 2008 16:47
Author: LAMBETH, PAULA <lamb8433@bellsouth.net>
Attachment: @67726f757020646566696e6974696f6e.doc (29184 bytes)
Subject: First List for Group Definition
Hi
I think Emily is out of town, her email said sent by a blackberry? So I am not sure about her access. I have taken what I think is everyone's definition of learning and put just it and the resourses in one document. This can be the starting point for us to discuss what we want our "group defintion" to be.
Not trying to take over for you Emily just wanted to get a starting point.
See attachment.
Susan:
The constructivist believes that knowledge is best acquired when a student discovers and constructs it himself. The behaviorist believes that learning occurs when knowledge is given or told to a student. I think that students can learn both ways, depending on the subject and depending on the student. I do feel, though, that only when a student assimilates that knowledge and makes it a part of them, true learning occurs.

Paula :
Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge to learn about the world, the product of this knowledge it to acquire skills needed to live in the world.

Emily:
assimilates that knowledge and makes it a part of them, true learning occurs.

Fran
To me, learning is a process one engages in, a process involving several factors that come into play for knowledge (the product of learning) to become acquired and useful knowledge.
It involves several things at the same time, three of which are key ingredients.
Learning involves the body of knowledge to be acquired -handed out to the learner by experts or sought out by the learner. At the same time, learning requires the willing active conscious behavior to engage in the act of learning. Finally, learning is dependent on the context in which this active conscious behavior takes place – the more relevant to one’s life and real-life, the more learning will take place and will stick.

Kathryn:
To me learning is creating your own knowledge from the world around you. You can create the knowledge through experiences you have. I belive that teachers are facilitators of learning and that students are creators of learning.
Thanks
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Forum: Definition of Learning
Date: Sun Mar 09 2008 21:10
Author: LAMBETH, PAULA <lamb8433@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: Fran's Definition of learning
HiI love the quote from Jean Piaget! I also liked how your definition included the idea of "willing act". I think this is important to keep in mind when we are teaching. You really can't "make" someone learn something . I think we have all been there!I am glad you looked up the www.idfed.org article and were able to add to what I found. I love the quote "life-long learning has to do with curiosity to some extent and desire to understand the world we live in". After all isn't life long learning/learners what we really want our kids to do/ become!?!Thanks
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Forum: Definition of Learning
Date: Sun Mar 09 2008 21:03
Author: LAMBETH, PAULA <lamb8433@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: Susan Larkin - definition of learning
HiWell done! I loved your idea of interviewing different people, especially the kids. I thought it was very "smart" for Sarah to say "that you have to be smart enough to know the difference". (Humorous responses)I like how you said that students need to use and assimilate learning. I also agree completely with you when you that"students learn both ways, depending on the subject and the student". In my opinion no single learning theory is right for everyone. I guess my only question was I am not real sure what your definition is? Is it the last sentence?Thanks
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Forum: Definition of Learning
Date: Sun Mar 09 2008 21:26
Author: LAMBETH, PAULA <lamb8433@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: Not sure my definition is readable!
HiI liked your example about how learning the parts of car did not necessarily make for a mechanic. I know I did my fair share of memorizing material just to get through the test. Which for certain situations in life, memorizing is not necessarily a bad thing, just not in my opinion how all things should be done. For example I would not want a surgeon to just have memorized the anatomy and procedures, I would want them to have become VERY skilled. :-)I am glad you liked the definitions I included for Websters' and used them in your notes. I love that little pocket version. My mom gave me that book a few years ago because I am such a poor speller and I hated lugging around the larger version. (Of course she couldn't spell either, so I "got it honest" as they say.)My only question, is I wasn't exactly sure what your definition of learning is, I did not notice a specific place that pointed it out. Thanks
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Forum: Definition of Learning
Date: Sun Mar 09 2008 21:17
Author: LAMBETH, PAULA <lamb8433@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: Definition of Learning
HiThanks, yes I completely agree that we want to incorporates learning into our daily lives. That was what I was trying to imply with "to acquire skills needed to live in the world". If I think about some of the things we learn, for example the solar system. Now for most people knowing the names of the planets and their specifics is interesting but probably is not something I a going to use in everyday life. But learning about the planets teaches me HOW to learn. For a simple example - relevant to me since I am trying to teach my son to brush his teeth. :-) We learn the steps of brushing our teeth. When we first "learn" the steps it is a challenge to remember each step. Now for we adults, most of us do not think about each individual step to brush our teach. We have acquired the "skill" of brushing our teach. I think if we can teach kids to learn to learn, that is one of the most important things we can teach them.Thanks
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Forum: Definition of Learning
Date: Thu Mar 06 2008 21:56
Author: LAMBETH, PAULA <lamb8433@bellsouth.net>
Attachment: @77686174206973206c6561726e696e67.doc (45056 bytes)
Subject: Definition of Learning
Hi Please see the attached document. Sorry it is kind of long. I got excited about "learning what learning was" :-) I tried to "cite" everything as well as I could it is not a formal paper so it was kind of hard. But I think I gave proper credit to everything. My definition is at the very end. Thanks Paula
ENT 630Dr. WangPaula Lambeth (my thoughts are in red)What is Learning?

Definition from Webster’s New World Dictionary – (Agnes, M., 2003 – Pocket Books, NY)
Learn
1. To get knowledge of a subject or skill, by study, experience, etc
2. To come to know hear (of or about)
3. To memorize
Learning
1. The acquiring of knowledge or skill
2. Acquired knowledge or skill
I thought it was interesting that the Webster definition include “skill” I guess I always just thought about learning meaning to acquire knowledge.
Wikipedia Definition - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning
Learning is the acquisition and development of memories and behaviors, including skills, knowledge, understanding, values, and wisdom. It is the product of experience and the goal of education. Learning ranges from simple forms of learning such as habituation and classical conditioning seen in many animal species, to more complex activities such as play, seen only in relatively intelligent animals.[1][2] Learning has also been mathematically described as a differential equation of knowledge with respect to time, or the change in knowledge in time due to a number of interacting factors (constants and variables) such as initial knowledge, motivation, intelligence, knowledge anchorage or resistance, etc.[3][4]
"Thought," in a general sense, is commonly conceived as something arising from the stimulation of neurons in the brain. Current understanding of neurons and the central nervous system implies that the process of learning corresponds to changes in the relationship between certain neurons in the brain. Research is ongoing in this area.[citation needed]
It is generally recognized that memory is more easily retained when multiple parts of the brain are stimulated, such as through combinations of hearing, seeing, smelling, motor skills, touch sense, and logical thinking.[citation needed]
Repeating thoughts and actions is an essential part of learning. Thinking about a specific memory will make it easy to recall. This is the reason why reviews are such an integral part of education. On first performing a task, it is difficult as there is no path from axon to dendrite. After several repetitions a pathway begins to form and the task becomes easier. When the task becomes so easy that you can perform it at any time, the pathway is fully formed. The speed at which a pathway is formed depends on the individual, but is usually localised resulting in talents.[citation needed]

Wikipedia’s definition has some “citation needed” places, but I like how it put in the physiological aspects of learning, but to me learning has to be more than just a physical response. This lead me to keep searching and I found one of the fundamental questions about learning:
Is learning product or process?
Smith, M.K. (1999) ‘Learning theory’, the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm, Last update: December 28, 2007.
(By the way the www.infed.org website is very interesting, their theme or logo is ”exploring informal education, lifelong learning and social action”. I am not sure about all of their ideas, but I am trying to stay focused on what is learning)

The main parts of the cited reference are a discussion about learning as a product or a process. To paraphrase: it says under learning as a product, that learning is defined as a change in behavior, learning is approached as on outcome – the end product of some process, it can be recognized or seen. (p1) “Learning is something external to the learner.” (p2)




There was also a ‘simple, but useful piece of research’ Saljo(1979) that asked adult students what they understood to be learning. These were their responses:
Learning as a quantitative increase in knowledge. Learning is acquiring information or ‘knowing a lot’.
Learning as memorizing. Learning is storing information that can be reproduced.
Learning as acquiring facts, skills, and methods that can be retained and used as necessary.
Learning as making sense or abstracting meaning. Learning involves relating parts of the subject matter to each other and to the real world.
Learning as interpreting and understanding reality in a different way. Learning involves comprehending the world by reinterpreting knowledge. (quoted in Ramsden 1992: 26)
The aurthor states that 1-3 are a less complex view of learning. However, the last two (4 and 5) are “’internal’ or personal aspects of learning. Learning is seen as something that you do in order to understand the real world.” (p2) Also as the author discusses learning as a process said that “learning could be thought of as 'a process by which behaviour changes as a result of experience' (Maples and Webster 1980 quoted in Merriam and Caffarella 1991: 124).”
The article moves on to a discussion about learning theories. It has an excellent table on page 5: with the following categories: Learning theorists, view of the learning process, focus of learning, purpose in education, educator’s role, manifestations in adult learning. This was very interesting to me, I had not seen some of this categories.
So with all of this said, I think learning is both a product and a process. My definition of learning would be something like this.
Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge to learn about the world, the product of this knowledge it to acquire skills needed to live in the world.
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Forum: Definition of Learning
Date: Tue Mar 04 2008 16:55
Author: LAMBETH, PAULA <lamb8433@bellsouth.net>
Attachment: @7465616368207265666c65637473.bmp (308994 bytes)
Subject: Still thinking but...
Hi
I am still thinking about this assignment, but I found a really neat image awhile back. I call it "teaching reflects learning". (see attached file). I thought it was pretty neat.
Some other thoughts that are:
One of the best ways to know you have learned something is to teach it to someone else.
There is not always a set method of determining if someone has "learned" something. That is why I dislike standardized test. Sometimes the person may not have even realized they learned something until later when they have an "ah ha" moment. :-)
Just some thoughts to get us started.