How we learn: Key Theories

As we learned last week, learning is a very active process that requires engagement to the material and participation. The Key learning theories discussed all display that learning takes much more than just simply reading an overly detailed PowerPoint to understand the material. One of the most recent theories, the Socio-constructivism theory of learning, established by Psychologist Jean Piaget, emphasizes how learning is an interactive process requiring collaboration and discussion  with others (Polimi Open Knowledge, 2017). Through interactive discussions, one can actively construct information into knowledge by examining and creating theories with others, promoting deep learning. 

A personal example of this theory and how it was successful for my learning was a class I had taken in first year, SOCI 100. In the course, memorization of theories, ideas, and direct examples was necessary for the exams. In preparation for the exams, a group of my peers would get together to collaborate our ideas and help each other better understand the theories. Through active processing, we would integrate the formal definitions into more meaningful information that would stick in our heads better using day to day examples and ideas. Those study sessions helped immensely with my understanding of the material and I still to this day will use the same structure in other classes to collaborate with peers to promote a deeper learning. 

References:

Polimi Open Knowledge. (2017, September 13). A brief history of learning Theories (ariane Dumont). YouTube. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgnd4rj2pT8&t=364s. 

Photo Reference:

King, A. (2021, May 12). Why social constructivism is what lone elearners need. eLearning Industry. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://elearningindustry.com/social-constructivism-lone-elearners-need.