Module 6 - Philosophy

How do we learn? This is a question that plagues all who are involved in education. With a wide array of -isms to choose from, it is easy to get lost in the world of learning theory. Throughout my professional and educational career, I have been faced with the question, "What theory of learning do you believe? How do YOU think people learn?"

I tell you, that is not an easy question to answer. In fact, attempting to answer it fully would certainly require more than the two paragraphs I am supposed to write for this assignment. Much more.

Today in education terms are thrown around such as: 21st century learning, differentiation, collaboration, integration. All these terms attempt to provide tools to help teachers teach changing students. Reformers and administrators and educators point to constructivism, cognitivism, behaviorism, multiple intelligences. And they all say "There...that is the one! That is how people learn!" Then comes new research, society changes again, reformers sing different tunes, and politicians use education as a platform to promote their parties.

Here is what I believe. No single theory is correct. No single theory is incorrect. There is something valid and worthwhile in all of them.

In other words, people are different.

No surprise there, I am sure.

If people are different, why assume they all learn in the same way? That makes no sense.

I believe in the hodge-podge learning theory (I made that up myself!). People have different strengths in different areas - as described in multiple intelligence theory. I also believe people learn by doing as constructivist will discuss. People are ready to learn different things at different stages in their lives - Piaget, anyone? But those stages are not necessarily always going to happen in the same order (hello, Bruner!).



As people grow and learn, their needs change - their desires change - their priorities change. As a student in high school, my priority was music and friends. I was motivated to learn the notes and melodies for the instruments I played. I was engaged and interested in things that were intriguing and new. Today, I am motivated to learn about technology and ways to engage my own students. My strengths have shifted to meet my own personal growth and learning. My learning styles have changed as much as my teaching styles.

And, yes, I work to integrate technology. Not necessarily because I think they will learn better...but because I think they will learn. Period. Today, technology is one of the motivators that gets kids engaged and learning. Technology has changed the way I learn - case in point - I am working on my PhD online. Before this program, a PhD was simply a dream...something to add to my list of things to do someday - it was right between touring Europe and flying in a hot air balloon.

With technology I can access a world of information with one click. I can read, watch videos, listen to music, study, visit with friends and colleagues, and connect with people from all over the world. How cool is that? Naturally, it is this excitement I want to bring to my classroom. This is what I want to share with my fellow teachers and my administrators.

I am a lifelong learner. My theory of learning is that we are all lifelong learners. How we learn changes with our motivation, our needs, our moods, our interests, our abilities, and our teachers.

I learn math best with pictures. I learn literature by simply reading the words. I hear a song and can remember it. I cook by sense of smell...how much oregano? I know because it "smells right". I learn writing by doing it. I learn new skills by practicing it. I learned to paint by practicing. I am learning to be a PhD recipient by reading, studying, researching, interacting, questioning, connecting, talking, listening.

There is no single learning theory. With billions of unique people on this planet, it is only logical to conclude that there are a billion different

 "right ways" to learn.