Paper Example on Process of Learning

Learning is a process that incorporates several steps, acquiring knowledge undergoes through various phases elaborated in this paper. This process of learning is reliant on an individual's prior knowledge it is this knowledge that forms the basis of understanding of oneself. Learning involves the changing of one's current opinion and hence embraces new meanings. The learning process is characterized by individuals who are eager to gain new knowledge, the people involved in the learning process need to know what or what to know more.

Definition of learning

Learning is merely a phenomenon common in the entire animal kingdom; it is a habit exhibited by all creatures. The ability to learn is demonstrated by all beings including small ones like bees and ants, for instances paying close attention to my cat I noticed that close to its meal it meows a lot and follows me around the house. This is a behavior that my pet has learned over time. Any creature starting from complex ones like humans to simple ones like insects acquire knowledge due to any systematic study in any specific field (Piaget, 2006). People learn over time, the knowledge they had today cannot be compared to the one they have tomorrow, they enrich themselves with a new understanding of things from time to time. Learning is therefore acquired information that was absent before a certain exposure.

Prominent theorists

Mark Haselgrove (2016) theorizes that learning is an individual's relative permanent change in behavior resulting from a certain experience. Haselgrove emphasizes in his definition of Learning that there is a direct connection between experience and change in behavior. This theorist defines learning using all creatures, for instance, he states that when an individual reads a book and gains some knowledge that they later utilize in life, it is clear that those people have exhibited the ability to learn (Haselgrove, 2016). Mark Haselgrove also defines learning using a cat that follows its owner around the kitchen during meal times; the cat has been attentive and memorized meal time, this way the cat has demonstrated the ability to learn. Mark Haselgrove correlated experience and change of behavior, it is the constant repetition of a certain habit that results o a change in behavior. For instance, in the case of the pet, the owner has repeatedly served a specific meal like breakfast at six o'clock. It is the owners repeated behavior of serving the pet a certain meal at a certain time that has made it attentive at that hour whereby it changes behavior and follows the owner around.

Jean Piaget, A very influential development t psychologist, noted that learning is a process majorly provoked by external situations. Piaget states that what one experiences or sees around prompts the process of learning since it is the acquisition of information. According to Piaget, learning is not spontaneous it, therefore, has to be provoked, this means that an individual has to see a book to gain the interest of reading it. He goes further to states that learning is a limited process, limited to a single problem, therefore, it can only take place step by step. Piaget, (1964) noted that learning is an active process, one that engages and manipulates objects, experiences, and conversation with the sole purpose of building mental models of the world (Piaget &Cook, 1964). Additionally, he stated that Learners amass knowledge as they explore the surrounding world; knowledge is also built when learners make observations and interactions with phenomena, and hence they gain ideas and use them to advance on their prior understandings of things.

My Personal Learning Theory

Apparently, learning cannot occur in a field without new experiences, observations, and interaction. Learning can only take place where an individual observes new things that bring new meaning objecting their prior understanding. At this instance, an individual's perspective changes and takes another turn. The process of learning also relies on an individual's knowledge base; it is their current level of understanding that determines their future learning. I perceive learning as a social activity since it cannot occur in a simple social environment. Learning occurs typically in a complex social environment, it, therefore, involved people and cannot occur at an individual level.

Learning requirements

As earlier stated, learning is not spontaneous; it, therefore, has to be provoked. Considering this fact, a learners motivation and their cognitive engagement are imperative during this process. A learner should be equally motivated to be able to grasp complex ideas since a lot of mental effort is required as well.

The process of learning and how it occurs

Learning is an active process that occurs over a considerable time; it is the repeated behavior or experience that exhibits the ability to learn. Learning is a process of changing behavior that results from the any repeated act. Learning is a process that goes on in an individual's entire lifetime. Learning occurs when an individual comes across a new observation or experience that differs with their prior understanding.

Important outcomes of learning

Learning opens up one to the diverse world since it is a complex social activity that involves several people. Learning elaborates and makes an individual's former knowledge clearer and meaningful. Learning is exhibited in an individual's behavior; it, therefore, models their habit for the better.

My experiences as a Student

Learning is an active and continuous process, and I consider a concept that has to be repeated over and over by the instructor until it finally sticks. The instructor has to emphasize on a certain concept to ensure that students learn. For a considerable time, it was difficult for me to differentiate two close colors, I, therefore, decided to constantly wear clothes of those two colors until their distinction was clear to me. In this case, I learned from experience and close observation since I constantly interacted with the colors just the same way an instructor repeats a concept until the students completely acquire it.

Conclusion

In effect, learning does not occur easily but require commitment; motivation and engagement are involved from the learner's side. Learning is also a process that therefore requires patience and persistence. It is the process of acquiring information and learners cannot, therefore, absorb knowledge one time like a sponge absorbs water. The process of learning is an active one that requires learners to give their best mental effort to be able to sustain the complex ideas involved in the learning process. The process of learning provides learners with the chance to engage with specific ideas and concepts and get to know them better. It is clear from the above texts that future learning relies on an individual's prior knowledge just that during this process they expound and advance their understanding of things.

References

Haselgrove, M. (2016). Learning: A very short introduction. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Piaget, J. (2006). Piagets theory. In Piaget and his school (pp. 11-23). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Piaget, J., & Cook, M. (1964). The origins of intelligence in children (Vol. 8, No. 5, p. 18). New York: International Universities Press.