Week 12: What is learning? How can learning be best effectuated by a teacher?

To commemorate the final week of blogging for Inst 6325, I went back to my answer the first week of class to “What is Learning?” I gave the dictionary definition, which I still think is excellent, and also said the following:

The most important concept, when considering learning (which, from my teacher perspective, is directly related to my teaching) is brought up in the above definition: “To gain knowledge” and “To acquire experience” and “[To] find out.” For real learning to occur, I have to introduce a concept that is not something my students already know, or help them see concepts in a different light. While I may build on knowledge previously acquired, my students should walk away from me each day having learned something new.

While I still stand by that definition, I realize that I have built on it quite a bit in the last 12 weeks. I now believe that learning should cause a change in behavior or offer a new way of looking at something. For example, when I teach students about the credit cards, giving them that knowledge alone is not enough. I need to impact their decisions regarding their use of credit, and cause them to think deeply about how (or if) they will use credit cards in the future.

Effectuating the learning process includes teaching students how to continue along with their knowledge of a subject. Using the credit card example, I need to give students the tools to gather information about credit card companies and their own credit scores. Their desire to research and understand a subject that will be with them their entire lives should not stop when they walk out the door of my classroom.