Week 3 Theory to Practice

Monday's learning theory class began the third week of classes in the TCPCG program. Our brains are now filled with information from all of classes including Learning Theories. Monday's class including a wide range of learning theories from several influence theorist of our time. Class proved to be challenging based on the sheer amount of information being presented but at the end of the day I was able to walk away with a well rounded outlook on learning theories across the board.

Our homework before class was to research of a particular theorist and come class prepared and ready to discuss the information we found with a small group of our peers. This was an "ahhh haaa" moment for me as my team debated our thoughts about the material we researched before coming to class. As our group members took turns battling over who's research was correct, GNA intervened! She encouraged us to hear one another out, allow each one of group members the opportunity to express who they interpreted their research.  No only did my team agree to disagree about Piaget's theories, I was able to tie the material later read on a second theorist to my own personal "intelligence". I was able to truely understand H. Gardner's theories on the learner and how he/she learns. For most of us in the group, we all gathered information from a discussion session differently depending on the learning preference we are geared to. After interacting with my team mates I was able to come to a better interpration of the material. I used the facts I brought to the table to further expand on the basic theory of learning as described by Piaget. Others looking at tables provided by different team mates and websites shared from personal research. All in all, we all left the discussion with a deeper insight into our assigned theorist view on the learner and how they learn. Not only did I leave the discussion with a boarder outlook on Piaget's theory, I was also left Week 3 of class with boarder outlook on how individuals learn through Behavioral Learning, Developmental, Social Learning Theory and finally Emotional learning. I was able to gather the tools I need to practice these theories with my own students as I began to teach.

Becoming aware of all the possible avenues learners take in the process of gathering and obtain knowledge, I feel that I am capable of incorporating several different learning preferences and theories into my future lesson planning. Piaget's stages of development reminds us to stay with our cognitive abilities of our students and realize when were our students are lacking in grasping knowledge. Ultimately, the theories we investigated this week in class will open our minds to the endless techniques we should use in our lessons in order to explore the learning theories these theorist have broken down for us.