The concept of learning is more complex than one would think. I would explain learning first by defining what it means. To me learning is the process of receiving and processing new information. Learning takes place almost every aspect of life and not just in school. If I were to explain this to someone that has never taken this course I would explain that in order to learn you have to be receptive to it.
When considering this issue, sociologists should also consider that participants should also be offered the right to refuse. This is an important ethical issue for sociologists to consider throughout their studies as refusal to participate in parts of the study could also alter the data. Another ethical problem sociologists may face is vulnerable groups. Special care should be taken when the participants are particularly vulnerable due to their age, disabilities, physical health or mental health. For example, children being studied in
Some people may find that they have a main style of learning, with a lesser amount ofuse of the other styles. Therefore learning can be affected by your learning styles, but there are many other influences on learning which I will describe in this leaflet that an affect you’re learning here at South West College. The main influences on learning that I will describe in further in detail are: - Theories of learning - Influences on learning - Skills for learning - Support for learning - Learning opportunities Theories of learning: A learning style is "the way in which an individual experiences the world and how that individual processes and integrates new information." Through the use of "'Learning Styles' just as we receive information about the world around us through our five senses, we also have individual sensory preference as to how we recreate and make sense of that information." (Smith, 2001) These preferences can be visual, auditory or kinaesthetic (VAK).
First of all I am going to explain what exactly the sociological imagination and common sense explanations are, and then go on to discuss how each justify educational outcomes. ‘The sociological imagination’ as explained by C. Wright Mills(1959) asks people to question everything that goes on around them and not just to conform to what they know and to what they have come to accept as normal, but to question their own beliefs and question why things happen the way they do. This concept hoped that people would put their own problems into perspective and consider them on a universal scale and in doing so; they would have more knowledge and a better outlook to make decisions and more empathy to situations. Mills wanted people to challenge their own beliefs and ideas and in doing so this could even change society. Common sense is such a simple concept but when it comes to a defining it, it’s difficult to explain.
Defined roles also allow personal and organisational objectives to be met. Extensive research on teaching roles concludes that these differ greatly in various parts of the country and also differ depending on whether it is adult education, children’s education or special needs (Skills for Business, 2008). All teaching and learning organisations are also subject to legislation and professional standards which can be externally assessed and have to be met. In addition, there is a raft of legislation, standards and professional codes which require teachers to maintain and update their own knowledge and reflect and improve upon their practice (National Union of Teachers, 2012). It is therefore thought to be essential from an organisational, professional and personal point of view to fully understand the teacher roles and responsibilities (Department of Education 2013).
Vygotsky's theories are constantly compared to that of Piaget's because they are both considered to be constructivists in the field of cognitive development. While there are many differences in their theories in the field of cognitive development, there are some similarities among the way they both, Piaget and Vygotsky, view the nature, or development, of human intelligence. For example, they both believe that students learn by fitting new information together with the information that they already know. They also believe that learning is affected by the context in which an idea is taught, as well as by beliefs and attitudes because the boundaries of cognitive growth are established by societal influences. They also agree that children's speech is an important part of their cognitive development and that it occurs in distinct stages.
These books help to explain Dewey’s views on education. Dewey recognised the delicate situation which arose when trying to design a whole new schooling model. He stated ‘whenever we have in mind the discussion of a new movement in education, it is especially necessary to take the broader, or social view. Otherwise, changes in the school institution and tradition will be looked at as the arbitrary inventions of particular teachers, at the worst transitory fads, and at the best merely improvement in certain details’ (Dewey, 1990) for this reason when looking at Dewey’s laboratory school it is important to ensure that we know what the main aims of this school were in order to get a greater understanding of why Dewey used the methods of teaching that he did and also to
Although the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, and Kohlberg are relatively abstract, we had to find ways to put them into practice in our teaching. I believe this unit also addressed the same TPEs as the second part of Unit one, going from theory to practice and synthesizing our knowledge about students in general to guide our specific teaching practices. The second part of this unit involved learning how socially developed ways of thinking about race can inform teaching. This learning was specifically related to TPE 11, “Social Environment,” in which teacher candidates must create a positive learning environment including fairness, respect, and caring. During Unit 3, the class explored students with exceptional needs, such as students with learning disabilities who have an IEP.
Action research might guide us to try to become more aware of our own beliefs and how they frame the way we teach and think about teaching. It brings an appreciation of the existence of this frame, and rigour about surfacing our unconscious slants, skews and biases if we want to make real changes to our practice. Ruddock, quoted in Psychology for Language Teachers says: Not to examine one's practice is irresponsible; to regard teaching as an experiment and to monitor one's performance is a responsible
The term ‘teaching’ I believe refers to the practice of giving knowledge to someone else. The term ‘learning’ I believe refers to the actually gaining and the remembering of knowledge. These terms seem quite simplistic when looked at in the above context; however the theories behind teaching and learning are much more complex. For example there is the debate over whether child development is best characterised as driven by biological or environmental factors, this has resulted in studies on emotional, social and cognitive development (Keenan 2002, p.5). In this assignment I’m going critically analyse three influential theoretical perspectives on teaching and learning, these are; Constructivism; Social Constructivism and Behaviourism.