Personal Beliefs About Learning

I believe learning is when a person gains knowledge, or learns something that they didn’t know before. It happens by practicing things repeatedly, asking clarifying questions, exploring new ideas, and trying it out in various ways. The best part is that learning can take place anywhere, not just in the classroom. Nowadays, learning goes beyond just using paper and pencil, and it’s important to include a flexible, blended learning approach with technology, projects, and having a mentor or facilitator to help you. This makes learning more engaging and meaningful, and relates back to my innovation plan.

“Good learners are curious; they pursue understanding diligently; good learners know that a lot of learning isn’t fun; failure frightens good learners, but they know it’s beneficial; good learners make knowledge their own; good learners never run out of questions; and they share what they’ve learned” (Haeve, 2015). We should note that everyone learns in their own, unique way, through seeing, doing, talking, and listening. In my classroom, I like to provide different ways for my students to learn so that they can find what works best for them. In essence, everyone learns at their own pace, and in their own time. Learning is investing in yourself. Before I went to college, my dad would always say, “An education is something that nobody can take from you.” I understood this as learning is a gift. It means that once you gain knowledge and skills, it stays with you forever. What you’ve already learned is yours to keep. Therefore, I think education is a lasting treasure that will enrich you in years to come.

As a facilitator in the classroom, I like to create a safe space where learning is fun and hands-on, where students work together and learn from each other, preferably with a partner, or in groups. I think students should feel comfortable asking questions, being curious, and making mistakes. Learning isn’t just about getting the right answer all the time, it’s about understanding how to solve problems, and growing confidently along the way. It is important to recognize the process that got you to where you are now, or what you want to be later on. Growing up, my mom said, “When it floods, roll up your pants.” I took this as when faced difficult situations, I should be prepared to handle it. It is about taking practical steps to deal with challenges as they come. This is also how I see learning, and how we should approach something that is hard to understand, or learn. It is the never give up attitude that we need to keep us going, and growing. And, having room to make mistakes, and not always being right or knowing the answer to a problem. It is okay to fail or struggle, especially the first time around, and it’s more important to overcome the challenge, and meet it with commitment, dedication, and determination. We need to keep on trying, be persistent, and persevere. In other words, we need to have the grit to back it up.

I also believe that learning never really stops. We keep learning all through life, whether in school, at work, or in everyday situations. It’s about staying curious and open to new ideas. “If students better understood why they are putting time and energy into being successful with their studies, they would become more engaged and active in their own learning” (Haave, 2015). I want my students to see learning as an exciting journey that helps them grow, not just in school, but in life too. “Unless students develop a learning philosophy, I suspect they will not understand why they are enrolled in particular courses and will thus view them simply as hoops to jump through during their life journey” (Haave, 2015). Learners should see the value of what they are learning and how this will benefit them in their futures. It is not just a “class” that you have to take, where you are told what to do, and you never do it again, or can’t remember it because it wasn’t useful. Students need to see and feel that it is purposeful,  meaningful, and relatable to themselves. An important question I ask is, “Is learning helping me become the person that I want to be in my future?”

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” — Benjamin Franklin

Learning Theory I Identify With

I see myself as a constructivist learner. This means I believe learning happens by building on my own experiences and knowledge. I prefer to explore new ideas, ask questions, and learn through doing, rather than just being told what to do. According to the journal Constructivism Learning Theory: A Paradigm for Teaching and Learning, “students learn by fitting new information together with what they already know”  (Olusegun, 2015). In other words, my beliefs and attitude will influence the new things that I am learning, or being taught. Jean Piaget is a key theorist in this area. He believed that learning is a process of actively constructing knowledge rather than passively receiving information (Olusegun, 2015). “Piaget’s theory of Constructivist learning has had a wide ranging impact on learning theories and teaching methods in education and is an underlying theme of many education reform movements” (Olusegun, 2015). As a constructivist, I connect with the idea that learning is about relating it to my past learning experiences, and what I have gained through it. I agree with Olusegun’s view that this theory supports my belief that learning happens best when we engage with the material and relate it to our own experiences (Olusegun, 2015). By applying constructivist principles, I find that I can better tackle hard ideas and make meaningful connections between what I already know and what I’m learning.

The Relationship Between Teaching and Learning

I think teaching and learning go hand-in-hand. Teaching is about guiding, facilitating, and supporting students, while learning is about how students take in and apply what they have learned. “We need to move from the passive educational environment of main lecture points, rubrics, individual competition, and standardized testing to an active educational environment of interactive presentations, critical and analytical thinking, collaboration, and meaningful projects” (Harapnuik, 2021). Good teaching involves making sure lessons are engaging, authentic, relevant, so students can make connections to what they are learning. “Rather than allow the environment to come together inadvertently and respond reactively to the learning dynamics that arise, I suggest that educators become proactive and create significant learning environments that inspire, foster, and facilitate deeper learning” (Harapnuik, 2021). In turn, it can be considered a continuous cycle that goes round and round because when students are actively learning and enjoying what they’re doing, it makes the teaching process more effective. Which means, as a student progresses this can help the facilitators improve their own strategies. 

Learning Philosophy vs. Teaching Philosophy

“Learning is an active and dynamic process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge” (Harapnuik, 2021).  A learning philosophy is how a learner can learn best in their own setting, and how to make it purposeful to them. Yet, a teaching philosophy is how a teacher can approach the learning, and consider various ways to guide the learning for students. This includes how to create a significant learning environment that focuses on what the student needs. “Therefore a teacher is a person who imparts knowledge or skill through instruction or example while a learning facilitator is one who creates an environment in which someone can come to know something, acquire knowledge, or gain information and experience” (Harapnuik, 2021). As a facilitator, the teacher helps the students learn instead of just giving them all the answers. Facilitators provide learners with tools to allow them to be successful, and understand how to become better learners for themselves (Harapnuik, 2021). This way, students take charge of their learning, and feel like the learning is meaningful for their own reasoning. “A learning facilitator is focused on the learner and on creating a desirable environment in which the learner can come to know, acquire knowledge or make a meaningful connection” (Harapnuik, 2021). 

In conclusion, my learning philosophy focuses on the different ways of learning for my students. Meanwhile, my teaching philosophy is how lessons, or content will be delivered. Essentially, I want to set my students up for success, and help them understand themselves better as the type of learners they really are.

REFERENCES

Haave, N. (2015, October). Developing Students’ Learning Philosophies. Faculty Focus. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/developing-students-learning-philosophies/

Harapnuik, D. (2021, November). Learning Philosophy. It’s All About Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=95

Olusegun, S. (2015, November). Constructivism Learning Theory: A Paradigm for Teaching and Learning. IOSR Journals. https://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jrme/papers/Vol-5%20Issue-6/Version-1/I05616670.pdf

Annotated Bibliography

Christensen, C. M.,Horn, M. B. & Johnson, C. W. (2008). Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns. McGraw Hill Education.
This book explains how to use digital learning tools to adapt to various learners in a blended learning classroom that supports individualized learning experiences. Technology can adapt to each individual, and their particular needs, which makes the combination of blended learning and digital tools transforming in an educational setting.

Couros, G. (2015). The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity. Dave Burgess Consulting.
This is a great reference book for educators that are interested in innovation that supports the benefits of a learner’s experience of student autonomy, ownership, and creativity in a blended learning environment that integrates technological learning tools.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset : The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books.
Carol Dweck, a doctor and psychologist from Stanford University compares fixed and growth mindsets. She explains that a change to a growth mindset can help you accomplish and achieve success, whereas a fixed mindset can make you feel stuck in your thinking with limited room to grow, or expand. Therefore, having a growth mindset can change your life, and allow you to reach your goals as you put forth the effort to deeper growth and understanding.

Horn, M. B., Staker, H., & Christensen, C. M. (2015). Blended : using disruptive innovation to improve schools. Jossey-Bass.
This book tells you all about the different forms of blended learning and how to effectively implement blended learning in the classroom. It is very in depth, and has extensive research to back up the benefits of using a blended learning community to support learners at all grade levels. It offers a step by step framework to build upon learner centered education.

Thomas, D. & Brown, J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change. Soulellis Studio.
This book talks about what learning looks like in today’s digital world. It encourages collaboration with others, playing as a way to learn, and asking valuable questions. It talks about the difference between this new way of teaching versus a traditional, classroom setting. 

Vanderkam, L. (2014). Blended Learning: A Wise Giver’s Guide to Supporting Tech-assisted Teaching. The Philanthropy Roundtable.
This is a good book to support educators and philanthropists with blended learning and gives advice on how technology can offer an enhanced learning environment. It offers case studies and examples of technology that can assist learners in an educational setting.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. ASCD. 
This book is about having the end in mind when designing educational curriculum.  It is a way to first think about your learning outcomes, or goals, and then using this method to plan lessons and activities in order to support student centered learning, by focusing on critical thinking, and problem solving that connects to real world situations.

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