The change in my view

Instructional Design Course I am following offered me a great opportunity to explore my knowledge on learning theories especially during past few weeks. After gaining deep knowledge now I feel I should review my perspective of learning with furbishing up my previous view.

The social constructivism emphasizes the social environment as a facilitator of development and learning and it influences cognition through its tools (Ormrod.E et al). I mentioned that when I studied for my M.Sc there was a behaviorists approach sometimes. I observed behaviors in community to learn the area of community nutrition. However now I understand that was the social constructivism rather that behaviorism. Earlier I had a view that the constructivism is only a process that self-construction of knowledge, but it is not only that, constructivism vary from students thinking self to socially mediated construction those match reality. In my learning Cognition has influenced by cultural tools such as food patterns, research data and anthropometric data of individuals. Scaffolding was experienced when we learned anthropometric measurements, initially our instructor was behind us to guide to get correct measurements. Later we did ourselves with minimum involvement of instructor. Earlier I just had a basic knowledge on cognitive learning and information processing. I had a view that there was a cognitive approach during primary and secondary education. After studying cognitive learning process few weeks ago , I came to know about conditional knowledge (when and why to employ declarative and procedural knowledge) , so now I can recognize and best explained information retrieval according to these facts. I mentioned that I prefer and I can remember well if a concept or fact is in a procedural arrangement. I mentioned the self-directedness of my learning and metacognition I used during my tertiary education. That view is supported and furthur shapened after I explored my knowledge with connectivism and Adult learning theory.



Personal learning preferences

According to Felder et all I identified myself as an abstract perceiver and reflective processor rather than concrete perceiver and active processor. According to the index of the learning style now I can identify my learning styles. I am a sequential learner rather than global learner specially during my tertiary education, I prefer to have information presented linearly and in an orderly manner. They put together the details in order to understand the big picture emerges. In the past, I was really a verbal learner because in school system learning process was not student-centered and teaching was transformative. It was actually not a preference but became a habit because the visual materials were hardly available. But during university education I became more visual and sequential learner. If the information was presented in diagrams, sketches, flow charts then I was able to understand quickly. I was used to make notes, group information according to concepts and then create visual links with arrows. Visual learning style is best suitable for some areas of my learning and I will be able to improve my learning in future as well. If I can develop my skills in this area then I can significantly reduce time spend for learning and absorbing information when the things are confused and difficult. I can have opportunities to learn through audio-visual presentations (such as CD-ROM and Webcasts.). However now I think If I can learn using other styles whenever suitable I will be amazed at how much more I catch and how much easier it is to assimilate information and make sense of what is going on. If we stick on to one or two learning styles we limit our ability to take in new information and make sense of it quickly, accurately, and effectively. Therefore learning preferences should be changed according to the objectives and content. e.g. Although I am a sequential learner rather than a global learner I should not stick on to this style always, and I should understand why I am doing something and how it is connected to the overall purpose or objective and should know how my actions are going to help in the long run. I should practice to see the big picture as well.


The role of technology play in my learning

When I need to search information I use search engine ‘Google’ . It can be done using my PC and also I use my mobile when traveling and when I am away from home. I record information in my USB pen drive and also in CDs and for storage of documents I use Google as well.