At the center of my philosophy of learning and teaching is the core idea in the previous section regarding “education as liberation” (Freire). However since I have already explored this practice in the previous section, here I will explore specific theories of learning that should be drawn from when considering pedagogy and curriculum that consider the best ways in which students learn.

 

As an intern at The Franklin Institute, I was able to attend a few professional development courses normally reserved for educators and administrators called “Demystifying the Brain” which essentially looked at the science of learning and explored basic practices that were best for student retention and learning. The pamphlet for educators is located on the image to the side and describes the program as a way to "empower educators with critical knowledge in neuroscience to make informed, research-based decisions that advance student learning" (See Image). This course wasn’t intended to tell teachers how they should be teaching, but rather looked at the science of behind attention and retention rates and find ways to apply them in the classroom. An example of this is the idea that information that is only heard is less likely to be remembered over time than information that is learned through doing, so teachers might consider how to engage in less lecture and more hands-on experiences. It also debunked many misconceptions about learning related to learning styles, multi-tasking, and more. As a result of this experience, I have been able to gain a greater appreciation for science-based learning practices where possible. Although, it is not an exact science, understanding the brain and how learning even happens in the classroom are good places to start thinking about what practices should be transferred to the classroom.

 

Accordingly, some theories of learning warrant exploration in relation to teaching philosophy and practice. These theories include constructivism, and the resulting theories of socio-constructivism and experiential learning as well as situated learning theory and community of practice. Constructivism is a “learner-centered approach whereby the teacher becomes a cognitive guide of learner’s learning and not a knowledge transmitter” (International Bureau of Education). This serves as the foundation for the other theories in which the teacher is no longer the center of the classroom, and rather the students are centered in their own learning. Socio-constructivism is “‘situated cognition and learning’ that emphasizes the significant role of context, particularly social interaction. In the new view, cognition and learning are understood as interactions between the individual and a situation; knowledge is considered as situated and is a product of the activity, context, and culture in which it is formed and utilized” (International Bureau of Education). Building on student-centered learning, socio-constructivism begins focusing on how students can learn through experiential learning that incorporates learning of the context and interactions in the moments of learning. Lastly, Carl Rogers’ “experiential learning theories build on social and constructivist theories of learning, but situate experience at the core of the learning process. They aim to understand the manner in which experiences - whether first or second hand - motivate learners and promote their learning. Therefore, learning is about meaningful experiences - in everyday life - that lead to a change in individual's knowledge and behaviors (International Bureau of Education). In this more developed model, student centered learning through experience can happen in the classroom specifically if those experiences and the learning tied to those experiences is made more meaningful through the students own understandings of meaning. The idea that meaningful experiential learning has also been a core aspect of my understanding of how learning works because often what students remember most about a class is not the content or the knowledge, but rather the most interesting part of the class, such as a really cool science experiment, or something that really interested them personally.

 

To push these theories to their next level, a newer theory from Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger goes further to develop a theory of “situated learning theory and community practice.” This theory recognizes that “there is no learning which is not situated, and emphasized the relational and negotiated character of knowledge and learning as well as the engaged nature of learning activity for the individuals involved. According to the theory, it is within communities that learning occurs most effectively. Interactions taking place within a community of practice - e.g. cooperation, problem solving, building trust, understanding and relations - have the potential to foster community social capital that enhances the community members’ wellbeing” (International Bureau of Education). This idea is slightly more complex than previous similar theories, but at its core speaks more to the relationships developed within the community of the classroom that foster learning that is content based and skill based. This can look like students working effectively working together on a group project as they learn and utilize various communication and problem solving skills.

 

Most of my own personal long-lasting knowledge has been done through experiential learning and/or experiences that were made interesting or meaningful. This is true of learning that occurred in both formal and informal situations. While it is not possible to always use experiential learning for everything in a lesson plan or even to find ways to make all activities and learnings meaningful to each individual student, meaningful experiential learning can still be a powerful tool for educators to draw on when thinking about what might draw students into a lesson and keep them engrossed in their learning.