Week 4 Engagement activity

Concept map: Learning theory

Firstly Popplet was easy to use, but frustrating at times because it kept zooming out - seemingly of its own accord.

Secondly I was fascinated by the historical aspects and trends that the whole milieu of learning theory seems to have travelled - maybe even circuitously at times.

I found the concept map was a useful exercise - this iteration is the third effort - could do with a few more iterations too!

Superficially it appears that learning theory has moved from prescriptive one way transfer of information through to the opportunity for the learner to take an idea and create something else from it.  This is a simplistic view because we know that humans have 'learnt' throughout the entire evolutionary journey. This development process has occurred more readily in tribal groups than through sole practitioners. Doesn't that sound familiar!

As previously mentioned, the whole area of learning theory is multidimensional. This concept map is a case in point - it simplistically mentions a few researchers and some theories with their main points and shows how they loosely relate to each other. More importantly - the 'overlay' or other dimension is the learner themselves - complex, pre-conceived schema, responsive to environment and human...

I found Prof Eric Mazur's confessions of a converted lecturer interesting, but not really surprising when I reflect on my own learning journey in physics and chemistry - a long time ago now... The engagement of the learner and the encouragement to take ideas and analyse and create something better appears to be the same aim we had back at the beginning...