Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, you guys. What's up,
what's up, what's up? It's your host, Neogentrics,
and this is Food for Thought. Thoughts if it
were you, this is Season 3 in 2022. How you guys
doing? How is your day? It's great to be back,
guys. It's great to be able to speak again. It's
great to not have to be sitting in the corner
crying and wondering about my life choices. Because,
you know, life sucks, and it always seems to
throw you a hardball. Uh, when you least expect
it, but what can you do? Right? So let's go ahead
and have a look at some of the interesting topic
topics that I have for you guys today. Today,
we're going to talk about what is learning. Okay.
Last time I told you that we would be covering
learning topics and learning skills this year.
So I figured I'd kick it off with starting off
with what the heck learning even is. And you
know, It's one of those topics that is overly
debated across the world, to the point where
most people have a general analysis of learning
being just the ability to absorb information
and use it, which is not quite right, okay? To
be technically accurate, that's not quite the
best definition I would, or best definition anyone
should use, okay? To simplify, almost every action
we take is a result of some form of past learning,
yet most people learn in different ways and they
still remain in an activity state of undertaking
those learning features as well as associating
with an educational context, if you will. The
idea here is that... How do I simplify this?
I guess the best way I can word this is that
as babies, we learn to eat, gain attention, crawl,
walk, etc. You know, until we develop into a
type of child where our bodies are more functional.
And then we learn how... to use our body in different
ways so we can learn inordinate range of skills.
So, basically, learning is something that is
indebtedly embedded in our DNA. It's something
that we just naturally know how to do. There's
not a single person in this world that's not
born without the ability to learn in some way
or capacity. Okay. Because as a baby, you want
attention. So you have to figure out how to do
it. You want to crawl to get where you need to
be. You want to be able to walk because you see
everywhere else is able to walk. So the only
way to do it is to learn. Okay. Traditionally,
research and studies around learning focus primarily
on just the early years of learning through childhood
and adolescence. But it's not been recognized
that learning is a continuous process that commences
at birth. but continues until the day you actually
die. So you continue to learn even when you're
not learning. It's a process through which we
use all of the experiences that we have in our
life to deal with new situations and even develop
our relationships to move further in life. So
it's not something that it's easily glanced over.
One of the topics that I plan to cover this year
is lifelong learning, something you can look
forward to. A lot of learning occurs randomly
throughout our life. So from those new experiences,
we gain information. And from our perceptions,
we can improve upon our abilities to do certain
things or how we perceive certain things and
grow. For example, reading a newspaper or watching
news broadcasts or even talking with a friend
or colleague increases our chances in meetings.
allows for unexpected experiences to occur. You
know, running into people who you'd never think
we'd run into, getting a job we never thought
we would land, being able to get an apartment
that you never thought you'd be able to afford
because your credit is bad, you never know. Okay?
Many experiences in life provide us with learning
opportunities from which we can choose whether
or not to learn. You can choose to say no. But
in the end, it's probably not in your best interest,
because when all things fall or fail, it's those
experiences which you ignored in the past you're
going to look back on and be like, dang, I wish
I took that skill, or I wish I had taken the
time to learn that, or maybe college isn't so
stupid after all. You know, and don't get me
wrong. A lot of things about college is stupid
and the way they handle it. But that is a whole
other topic for another day. And again, it's
still up for debate. But keep in mind that this
type of experimental learning is still in contrast
to more formal approaches to learning, such as
training, mentoring, coaching, teaching, all
of which have some structure in that they are
planned learning. In, you know, involving different
facilities and such. So to keep this as simple
as possible, teaching, training, and other structured
learning opportunities are activities that one
person does to another while learning is something
we do only for ourselves. Okay? You can't teach
someone else to learn, but you can learn how
to teach. right so we're back and i did mention
the difference between teaching and learning
so i guess i would be in the classification of
a person who is learning but at the same time
teaching because if you're learning something
from this then i'm able to teach it to you in
a way where you're able to understand it so learning
involves far more than just thinking first off
I want you to understand that it involves the
whole personality. This includes your senses,
your feelings, your intuitions, your beliefs,
values, and your will. Which nobody can override
of, but they can still find a way to crush. So
you need to protect your will with all your might.
If we don't have the will to learn, we won't
learn. And if we have learned, we're actually
changed in some way that allows us to progress
faster, more efficiently. move along in society
a lot more effectively. If the learning makes
no difference, it can have little significance
beyond being just random ideas that float through
our consciousnesses and allows us to exist, but
who would want that? Learning needs to meet learning
needs to meet some personal need and recognizing
and identifying such needs That enables us to
evaluate whether the learning has been worthwhile
or successful. That's something to keep in mind.
Now, let me ask you this. When does learning
occur? Well, it can be simply explained in like
four points. Learning occurs when we are able
to, one, gain a mental or physical grasp of the
subject that we're trying to learn. Two, make
sense of a subject, event, or feeling by interpreting
it into our own words and actions where we can
understand it. And three, use our newly acquired
ability or knowledge in conjunction with the
skills that we already have or don't have and
understanding we have already possessed. In the
process of doing all that, the fourth thing becomes
possible. Do something now with the new knowledge
or skill and then take ownership of it. It's
like learning to code. Yeah, you can learn all
the meaning of everything and know what they
mean, but until you actually use it, it means
nothing to you. Okay? So, key principles of learning.
Okay? There are a vast range of theories that
explain or attempt... to explain and demonstrate
the way that people learn their stuff. And such
theories can often contrast with each other depending
on the type of learning that they reference.
For example, traditional learning theories associated
with children and adolescents engaged in schooling
differ from the theories associated with adult
learning. That's only because the way they take
in information is slightly different. Children
are going to ask a lot of questions, but they
don't understand. But adults understand, but
then they don't answer any questions. You see
my point? Or at least they think they understand.
The following list that I'm about to give you,
I have here, is a generic list that identifies
the key principles associated with all types
of learning. And it can be applied to group situations
as well as... when learning alone or with a mentor,
tutor, or trainer is either possible or not possible.
So the list can contain, there's more that you
can add to this list. Okay. This is just a sample
list, but if you can understand some of the key
concepts of it, then you're learning something
and you're able to use the list that I'm about
to provide you more effectively. Okay. First
off, first off. People learn best when they're
treated with respect, and they're not talked
down to or treated as ignorant. This is a lesson
I had to learn the hard way, and I'm still learning
it now, so I'm speaking from experience. First
off, you need to establish ground rules at the
start of a training session, which will reinforce
this principle in a more effective way. However...
For the train to be most effective and to involve
full participation, the trainer should also model
the same behavior that they expect the trainee
to have. They need to exemplar that behavior.
They need to show it in a way where the other
person knows that they understand that, you know,
we're both on the same level here, but I'm going
to try my best to explain this where you can
understand it so it doesn't sound like I'm talking
over your head or like you're... Talking to you
in a way where, yeah, you're the idiot and I'm
trying to teach you, okay? Next. Learning opportunities
should, when possible, be linked to previous
positive experiences. Unless it requires a negative
experience, but that's a whole other thing, okay?
Learners should be encouraged to be self -directed
in terms of goal setting, since this is a UFO.
It usually improves commitment and motivation
and increases participation. But again, facilitators
should examine the expectations of the learner
at the start of the course or session, whatever
it is, to help encourage self -direction. When
possible. When possible, learners should take
part in the planning of the learning activities.
Why? Because learners should be encouraged to
be self -directed in goals and terms of goal
settings, since this usually helps improve commitment
and motivation. And it helps them out by letting
them be part of the action. Facilitators should
also examine the expectations of the learner
at the start of the course while doing this or
the session. to also help encourage that same
self -direction. So it goes back to the second
point. Most importantly, people learn best when
their physical environment is comfortable to
them. So if they're uneasy or nervous, it's going
to make it a lot harder than it needs to be.
In group situations, though, a positive emotional
and supportive environment is probably more important
than anything else. Individuals in groups tend
to learn best when they can socialize and interact
with other group members. This doesn't work with
introverts, though, but just a heads up. With
them, it's a little bit different. They have
to be a little more hands -on and hands -off
at the same time. Okay. And we're back. So, moving
forward with the information I've been given
so far. Interaction. with a facilitator is vital
for the learner people need to be able to react
question and voice their opinions on what they
learn in group situations quieter members should
be you know gently encouraged to put their input
again most of those people are shy they're nervous
you want to make them feel comfortable so that
you can get them to respond because if they're
not voicing any questions or asking or you know
making their concerns known No one's going to
know if they understand the material or not,
and they just have to figure out on their own
when they leave, or you need to be able to determine
it so that you can help them. Learning activities,
you know, or delivery, and or delivery, depending
on what it is, needs to be varied. Why? Because
you need to be able to cover a range of different
learning styles. This is something that a lot
of teachers don't do, okay? The reason is it
helps the learner maintain interest and motivation.
They need to be able to learn through multiple
methods, not just one. You can't force them to
do this. Some people are incapable of learning
using any of those other methods, but, you know,
it is possible. In a classroom setting, for example,
include discussions or activities, especially
some sort of... what's the word, problem solving
as part of the lesson or lecture, which will,
you know, help the learners to interact, engage
with the subject more because they're being part
of it. Offer instant reward help, rewards with
help. Instant rewards. help with the discussions
and practice of the material to help them understand
it people learn best if they if the results or
rewards of learning are made clear and they can
you know demonstrate during or immediately after
learning whatever it is that they understand
that they can do it okay uh along with that self
-evaluation and reflective practice is also important
but that's only in the sense that learners should
be encouraged to reflect on what they've learned
but this is like this is a given okay They have
to be able to think of ways that they can further
their knowledge of the said material. But again,
reflective practices and self -evaluations should
be something that most people do anyway. And
most people do it automatically without thinking
about it because they want to improve on what
they have. They want to know if they can go further
with it or if this is their limit. So just to
keep that in mind. The next thing I want to cover
is the packed learning cycle. This is something
I had to go look up, so it's out there. You can
find it. Just search the PACT, P -A -C -T, learning
cycle. The reason I use this is because many
attempts have been made by academics and others
to map and explain learning processes. It's generally
recognized that learning takes place in a repetitive
cycle, an ongoing series of processes that run
over and over again that basically help you learn.
It's the best way I can put it. Okay, it's a
giant circle. I wish I could show you, but again,
you can always look this up yourself. In the
circle, it's split into four sections, like a
pie. You know, cut a pie into four pieces, and
they have top left, procure, top right, apply,
bottom left, transform, and bottom right, consider.
Now, what do these things have to do with anything?
Well, these four things are what is known as
the packed learning cycle. Procure means the
new knowledge, theory, and ability skill is acquired.
That's where we start. The second step is to
apply that knowledge in the sense that the new
knowledge or skill is then practiced in some
way. Then you go to consider, which is the bottom
right. The results of the practice are then evaluated
and assessed and make sure that they flow and
that you understand the material and then transform.
Take that said original knowledge or ability
that you just learned and have mastered. and
then modify accordingly to whatever system or
set that you need, whether it's gaming or programming.
It's basically a learn, test, procure, set up,
enable, transform, start over again, and do this
over and over again. This helps you continue
to learn. You can take information that you just
learned and transform that you can use now to
benefit you to learn more. And then, you know,
the cycle continues to repeat. The pack cycle
should help with... demonstrating that learning
is an iterative process. And, you know, our learning
evolves as we develop and we utilize early knowledge
for later understanding. You're never going to
fully understand it now or until the time comes
for you to understand it. There are many examples
of these processes in action. But that's being
said, you know, usually we learn the basics of
a subject or skill before progressing to intermediate.
advance our expert levels. And at each stage,
we build on the knowledge and the experience
that we already have acquired and gain further
knowledge and experience, techniques, and repeating
that learning cycle, like I said earlier, over
and over again. Alright, so with the back cycle
out of the way, and for the most part, basic
understanding of how learning works out of the
way, we can now get to the last points that I
wish to make about this whole thing in the first
place. First off, learning capacity. Our individual
learning capacity varies considerably, and it
will not only depend on the ability, but also
our motivation, our will, our desire, our personality,
our learning styles, which is something I will
cover later. and awareness of our own learning
processes, okay? It's a thing, trust me. It's
not something that is easily glossed over. Working
on your awareness of your learning processes
means learning how to learn. And yes, you have
to learn how to learn. For example, in university
settings, you know, college students, They are
usually taught some study skills, which include
learning how to seek information when needed
and how to use it appropriately. Sometimes you
have to learn how to learn in order to learn.
And while it does seem roundabout and a really
obnoxious way to put it, that's essentially it.
That's the whole point. Learning is an internal
activity and a key personal development skill
that everybody needs. It's not something that
can be directly observed in others. We can, you
know, however, observe the results of learning
in ourselves and others. But, again, this is
why in formal learning situations, assessments
is such a, I guess I can say, crucial part of
the teaching process. So, the results of academic
assessments, essays, and exams, etc., are simply
attempts to measure how much an individual has
learned. Again, they can't measure the actual
process of learning. The only one who's going
to be able to attest to that is the person learning
themselves, and you can only get so far with
that because an assessor can only attest down
to a certain level. Learning brings about change
in the way we act, think, feel about ourselves
and other people around us, the world around
us, and so on. Such changes can be made permanent
or they can be temporary depending on your perception
of the importance and relevance of the said information
or the gained knowledge that you have. So keep
that in mind. There's so much out there to learn
and there's so many ways to do it. One of the
topics that I look forward to covering will be
critical thinking and fake news and how to be
able to identify them. But for now, just note
that between what is learning and the approaches
learning approaches that one can take, there's
also the different learning styles, which I'll
definitely be going into. Okay? Trust me, you
don't want to miss out on the one for the different
learning styles, as I'm one of those people who
learns and adapts, and I can use just about any
of the learning styles should I need to. Can
you do this too? Yes. Am I saying this to break?
No. I'm saying this because it took a while to
get here. My parents had to teach me this from
the ground up when I was younger, mostly due
to that accent that I was in years ago. But hey,
not everybody can be golden, okay? Life goes
on. We all experience issues. We try to move
forward. The important thing to do here when
you go through hardships and stuff of that nature
is to, when intended, learn from it. Grow, move
on, and continue to learn. Have a great day.