1.4 Process of Learning
There are many facets of learning that can lead to its comprehensive and working definition. Learning is defined as a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary process of change within a person. It imports critical, scientific, and experiential factors to achieve outcomes for someone through learning approaches by an educator and engagement by the participant.
Lachman contended that learning is a change or a stable modification to the stimulus-response of events and interactions within a natural environment that identifies the process of learning within the environment and that the learning process is natural and effective in human cognizance[18]. Throughout this book, the attempt will be to focus on learning that relates to the concepts of constructivism, experiences, and classical liberal tendencies of learning. There will also be an opportunity to experiment with your learning style.
A practical approach can create the process of learning through four steps:
- Prepare: Readiness to pursue knowledge
- Absorb: Obtaining the ideas from a teachable moment
- Capture: Re-interpreting the knowledge for better understanding
- Review: Use the captured information to prepare for new information[19]
The four steps of learning are cyclical in nature and follow a continual pattern of learning by reviewing and preparing for new knowledge to pursue. Below is a graphical representation.
Questioning Procedures of Learning
Even with a practical approach, the process of learning can be complex at times. The inclination may be to look beyond this analysis of the natural environment and attempt to find meaning in learning. Mezirow stated that meaning within learning comes from critical reflection, causing perspective transformations in epistemology. Furthermore, the area of adult education imperatively focuses on the area of connecting a meaningful learning experience with the transitional and transactional nature of life[20]. Moving forward, it is important to keep this critical notion intact as it will provide the opportunity to assess different processes of learning. Fill in the blanks below to better develop your understanding of the procedures of learning.