I am fascinated with Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Constructivism. This theory is something new to me but significantly explains something I encounter almost regularly in leading and training people in the workplace, in the ministry, in the community and even at home.
In leading diverse people, oftentimes, I get different responses and quality of responses about the same subject. Apparently people could be looking at the same thing, but obviously seeing it differently.
In training people, from time to time I also encounter the same. The quality of learning outcome differs from person to person. Some get the point, some don’t, others seem to be clueless of the point, and few others have other points. Needless to say this scenario is exhausting to any facilitator of learning.
As a leader, trainer and teacher, my mission is to facilitate learning and to cause learners to learn from my teaching. When I do not see them all getting it, I sometimes start asking myself if I explained it well, were my illustrations sufficient, or do I need to change anything, etc.? This is of course good, but in the long run, it will only frustrate me and I may give up on them sooner or later.
Now that I know what is going on in the cognitive architecture of an individual after studying Cognitive Constructivism, I would have a different perspective of them and their reactions to learning. I will also adjust or create new teaching strategies, tools and techniques to cultivate learning in them.
I understand now that there is a huge disequilibrium that causes the gap between assimilation of new concepts and old schemas embedded in their storehouse of knowledge. The more cemented the schemata of a specific subject, the harder it is to mitigate disequilibrium to be able to accommodate the formation of new schemas or sub-schemas of the existing ones. As I say this now, I also find myself forming new schemas about the diversity and characteristics of learners and how they learn and unlearn.
Knowing the principles of cognitive constructivism, I can make some adjustments in my strategies on how to help them manage the disequilibrium without intimidation or judgment in order for them to open their curious mind to accommodate new mental concepts to add to their existing schemata.
How will I do that? Ah, using social cognitivism – slowly but surely with scaffolding, More Knowledgeable Others and Zone of Proximal Development.
This sounds pretty good but I will end here for a while as I try to take this point toward developing my eJournal for my finals.
My learning experience with Module 5 in this course is precisely what the subject is all about. This is some kind of meta awareness I guess. As I study the module I have clearly observed the Information Processing (IP) principle as it applies to me. For example, I started studying with divided and selective attention. I only schemed through the Module 5 reading material which was provided by Teacher Malou. What naturally caught my attention from this Module are those that interest me, particularly the topics on attention and memory. I learned later that these topics have associations with the storehouse of knowledge in my long term memory that’s why they easily caught my attention and it did not take longer for me to understand the contents and concepts of the materials.
But my executive-driven mind is pushing me to know how each of the topics in this module is connected to one another and how they are all integrated to comprise the Cognitive Learning Theory. My daughters will however call this behavior something else, that I am just a FOMO 🙂 (fearful of missing out) especially on things that really interest me. Subsequently, I went back and forth to Module 5 reading other materials but they did not register effectively in my mind. Until I had quality time last night to read about Cognitive Load Theory, and I was glad I spent time studying it. It was a breakthrough for me.
RECAP
If I had the luxury of time, I would study this module in depth, but I cannot afford it as of now. So I will just make time to review this during the trimestral break to have increased knowledge and higher quality of the same for long term memory which I know is very relevant for educators.
Teacher Malou at the onset already forewarned us that this Module covers a broad range of topics and she does not intend to over burden us with all the topics if we seem to find that we do not have sufficient time to go through all the resources and to engage in each TID. Now that I have learned about the concept of Cognitive Load Theory, I think that Teacher Malou was applying the principle of CLT to us her students. She allowed us to exercise critical judgment and to choose the resources that we find relevant or important to us for more effective learning outcome and knowledge stored and retained in our long term memory. I wonder if she did this intentionally so that we have a first-hand experience of the subject itself.
Anyway, I have readily selected the discussion about ‘attention allocations’ in this module which is relevant to my current work program in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, until I read more about memory in relation to cognitive load theory. Ah, I was glad I did because, this explained a lot about IP and it created new schemas of the subject that readily connected to my storehouse of knowledge.
The materials in Module 5 also reiterated and validated how I learn best which is using the memory techniques cited in the resources. I am also a visual learner, and I greatly learn best from visualizing the information that I study. I cluster ideas, and draw charts and outlines to help me visualize the concepts. Many times I also apply some kind of measurements in my charts to figure out the size, amount, distance, time elements related to the subject for my better understanding. So here is my attempt to recap my learning from Module 5 via a schematic diagram.
This diagram shows how Information Processing works in the cognitive architecture of the learner. It begins from the stimuli which refer to a vast of information, concepts and data that come from different channels and bombard the learner’s attention. The stimuli pass through the sensorial receptors competing to call the attention of the learner. These bits of information can be clustered as schema manually or automatically based on association with prior knowledge stored in the learner’s long term memory. The allocation of attention works as these sets of schema and lone bits of information are received. The clusters of information are almost simultaneously perceived selectively as new sets of information (sensory register) and comparatively with the stored knowledge already in the long term memory (selective register).
Some bits of information and schemas will fall out and be forgotten from point of attention and perception (selection). The filtered information will move to the working memory (short term memory). Attention allocation and the short term memory have limited capacity to absorb all information. Thus, some of those filtered information need to be rehearsed or repeatedly practiced via memorization, repetition, association, and other learning techniques to be retained and subsequently get encoded to move to the long term memory bank to be part of the learner’s intelligence and competencies, among other things. They are stored in the LTM for retrieval as the need comes.
The Cognitive Load Theory however reminds us that for understanding to begin, the load should not exceed the capacity of the working memory. Teachers should be mindful that attention and working memory have limited capacity to receive, process and store information therefore the instructional design in teaching and learning should not overload the learners to ensure that the process is less striving for better quality and depth of retained knowledge. The objective of the instructional design should make the information palatable for useful retention in, and retrieval from the long term memory bank.
REFLECTION
The study of Cognitive Learning Theory reiterates to me how crucial attention is. This subject is the most resonating to me in this module. Learning surely begins with attention. What calls our attention and where we allocate our attention will define the information that will be processed, encoded and stored in our cognitive architecture that will be permanently recorded (unless otherwise reversed by brain injury or something else) in the long term memory bank. The stored information will ground and grow our competencies and mastery of learned subjects. Human intellect comes from this stored knowledge. As a learner myself and an educator, I should consider how to guard the attention of learners because from it comes the selection and registration of information that will be stored and organized in the LTM. The question is, what kind of information do we want retained in the LTM?
When we study we learn. Consciously or unconsciously our learning increases and enriches our competency. In educational context, competencies are enabling abilities of learners to recognize the problem, define new problems and solve them. Based on studies, one’s competency is grounded and developed from the human intellect which is housed in the long term memory of the learner. Competency is a by-product of quality processing of information in the cognitive architecture.
RESPONSE
I will go back to the diagram that I attempted to create based on my readings. The best utilization of what I have learned from this Module is probably attempting to create an instructional design that takes into consideration how the IP works in our cognitive faculty. But I am not ready yet to show here the instructional design at this point, maybe in the Module 6 eJournal in my summative assessment of the course for this trimester. So stay tuned.
In reply to the teacher-guided question i.e. if we notice or experience misapplications of IP principles, such that they have been more detrimental than beneficial to my learning, my response to the question is I found none so far. But what I found is how crucial it is for teachers to be intentional and student-centric in designing the teaching-learning instructions. The article from Mind Toolsonce again is helpful to me. I am sharing the following which can help educators design training or curriculum that reduces the demands on learners’ working memory, to help them learn more effectively using the concept of cognitive load. The details for each action is in the Mind Tools web link.
Measure Expertise and Adapt Presentation Accordingly
Reduce the Problem Space
Reduce Split-Attention Effect
Take Advantage of Auditory and Visual Channels in Working Memory
In closing, I took a leave from work today to attend to my eJournals and assignments as part of the final requirements in the two courses that I am enrolled in, for this trimester. I know that I needed to give undivided attention to my learning objectives for today. But guess what? As I have calculated, I was only 50% of the time attentive to my task at hand. I have identified the list of to-do according to my set schedule, but I am still halfway as of this writing as my mind gets distracted half the time with relevant and irrelevant topics. Effective and efficient learning is really a constant practice and discipline. There is a vast of stimuli calling my attention, and I needed to fully engage myself to one thing at a time to heighten my attention quotient to achieve desired results with efficient and effective use of time and other resources. I guess I have no excuse, the message is resounding left and right, even the scripture reminds me as well:
“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it” – Hebrews 2:1
“Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established.” – Proverbs 4:25-26
What are the assertions/ assumptions behind Cognitive Load Theory?
What are its implications to teaching-learning practices and instructional design?
Cognitive Load Theory was developed by psychologist John Sweller in 1998. He said that, since working memory has a limited capacity, instructional methods should avoid overloading it with unnecessary activities that are not directly contributing to learning.
‘Cognitive load theory is based on a number of widely accepted theories about how human brains process and store information (Gerjets, Scheiter & Cierniak 2009, p. 44). These assumptions include: that human memory can be divided into working memory and long-term memory; that information is stored in the long-term memory in the form of schemas; and that processing new information results in ‘cognitive load’ on working memory which can affect learning outcomes (Anderson 1977; Atkinson & Shiffrin 1968; Baddeley 1983).’1
Cognitive load refers to the amount of information which the working memory can hold at a given time. For learning to begin, the load should not exceed the capacity of the working memory. But we can circumvent the process to increase the information that is registered in the working memory through schematic approach.
A schema is an outline or symbolic representation of information. It omits details that are unnecessary to learning. It can hold a large amount of information elements, integrate them and process them as a single unit in the working memory, which therefore requires less storage. Schema filters and clusters the information by logical association to reduce the size of the information that will be absorbed by the working memory, because STM is limited and short. Schemas are like zip files of large data to reduce memory space requirement in the computer. Schema construction aids the storage and organization of information in long-term memory and reduces working memory load.
As a result of the limitation of the working memory, the instructional design in teaching and learning should make working memory capable of processing the instruction. Construction of schemata in the instructional design can help promote learning from the doorsteps of the information process. The objective of the design should make information palatable for useful retention in the long term memory bank which is the storehouse of knowledge where human intellect comes from.
What are the examples of schematic approach in the instruction? We can use acronyms, acrostics, rhyme-keys, the method of loci, keywords, image-name techniques, chaining, phonetics, etc. Above these grassroots instructional design, there are other key elements that the teacher or the learning facilitator should take into consideration, including but not limited to: causal factors (subject, environment, mutual relations of learners); assessment factors (mental load, mental effort, and performance); inherent nature of the material (intrinsic CL) and the manner which the material is presented (extraneous and germane CL).
I love this Module 4 about Social Learning in this course, Theories of Learning, because it talks about learning by modeling and observing which is very close to my heart. I am passionate about this subject and in fact my personal mission is anchored on the same. To give you an idea of what I am talking about, here is a short version of my personal mission, “To multiply myself with a better version of my kind by intentional teaching and modeling.”
Admittedly though, I am not being a good role model at this point in my Distance Learning (this is my very first term, but it is not an excuse ;-)). I came in late to start reading this module (Social Learning Theory) as a consequence of being late also with the previous module (Behaviorism). Obviously, it is like a domino effect.
No blaming, but just saying that for some reasons, our family and community group trips were booked one after another this month of June. Add to that are my tight deadlines this month for the submission of proposals and concept notes to pitch for international grants for our projects which I am closely involved with as I am the Donor Development Manager of our organization. This is not to mention my other commitments, duties, obligations, including meeting up balikbayan friends, counseling couples, and new potential job opportunities that just came in by surprise.
What is in this month of June, why are all of these happening all together now? I have no regrets though for their occurrences, they are to me ‘welcome interruptions’. This is apparently a vicarious learning experience for me to which I am now making the necessary adjustments to be able to come back soon to the current pacing, by God’s grace.
This is a reality in Distance Education based on my first-hand experience. I had estimated and planned my schedule beforehand, but on the ground when the rubber meets the road, anything can disrupt the plans. Advance reading and studies will surely be able to help because we never know what will happen the following days.
Of course, making a definite and reasonable study time as a discipline will spell a big difference, though I see you frowning now as you read this part. True, it is easily said than done. By experience from learning what does not work, it really pays to seize time to study to make way for necessary adjustments with other responsibilities, surprise events and interruptions.
You know what became very helpful for me to catch up and keep going in my studies, so far? It is something related to social learning, particularly the concept of reciprocal determinism and self-efficacy. Let me share with you, how is that happening in the RESPONSE part of this eJournal. Meanwhile let me have a RECAP of Module 4 and my short REFLECTION. Hold on for a while :-).
RECAP
In a nutshell, the social learning theory proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura explains that people learn by observation, imitation and modeling. Bandura’s theory is rooted from behaviorism but it integrates cognitive theories by taking into account attention (or interest) and memory (or retention) in the learning process.
Bandura’s theory is saying that we learn not only by direct experiences (using reinforcement or punishment) but also by observing the behaviors of others even without direct experience of the behavior. Also, less like behaviorism which conditions (or can I say “manipulate”) our behavioral learning, the social learning theory suggests that we have an elbow room to choose to imitate or not the observed behavior depending on our perception of the consequences of the behavior observed (as good or bad) and our association and impression of the person modeling the behavior. The more we can identify ourselves with the model or the more we admire him/her, the more likely we will watch, follow and imitate the model.
REFLECTION
We are social beings created for relationships. The moment we are born we are automatically connected to our first relationship – our family. We start to hear, touch, smell, taste and see with them. A baby’s first learning steps come from observing the immediate natural environment.
Association with our immediate company over the course of time affects our behavior and forms our set of values and perspectives. We begin to think, speak, and behave the same language and manners with the people we live with. If we continue to live, move and grow with the same set of people in the same place over a period of time, we will naturally reciprocate each other’s behavior and interests, and influence each other in full circle. This is reciprocal determinism. As the saying goes, birds of the same feather flock together. The longer we hang out with them, the more we become a-like.
Modeling is a powerful simulation of behaviors. A child’s first models are obviously the parents or significant adults in the family. We often say that young children are like empty containers or sponges that easily absorb and receive whatever comes to them. As parents or significant adults to the children, we are highly accountable to them as to what they will become with our modeling and influences.
I am particularly alarmed by the truth about Bandura’s experiment of the Bobo doll. It is a powerful illustration of how (bad) modeling can seriously affect a child’s behavior. The experiment clearly shows how the children can become more violent than what they have actually observed without them probably knowing about the danger of what they are doing. Apparently, we who are ahead of the younger generation are by default accountable to make the right modelling for them.
Seriously, although the experiment seems to be antiquated already, it certainly holds timeless truth about modeling. This should be a wake-up call to us to be very careful and intentional about parenting and modeling to our children or to the next generation, by being intentional in guarding what our children watch, what they read and hear and generally observe.
RESPONSE
For my response, I would like to bring it close to my actual experience at this point in Distance Learning.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this eJournal, I will share with you my experience in Distance Education in relation with social learning theories. If you are reading this as a student of DE or you are planning to take DE, hopefully this eJournal can add something to your learning.
I am late and I am currently working double time, trying to catch up with the modules. I am not alone though. The visibility of many others like me in our online discussion forum and help desk, is liberating but should not make me complacent. For its worth, at least I know I am not alone, and we can take this as an opportunity to encourage each other to keep going.
What am I particularly learning from my first hand experience among other things that keeps me going in my studies? My simple direct answer is this — the learning environment with my classmates and my teacher plays an important part. Let me share with you how this is happening.
Every time I receive email notifications from my classmates in DE, I get excited reading their generous comments about how much they learned and loved to read my posts way back from our earliest modules’ discussion forum. Oh men, they have no idea how timely and how much they reciprocated the learning appreciation to me with their comments. I am making it a goal now to make time to revert to them and tell them the impact of their comments and inputs to me that enabled me to keep going to catch up in the succeeding lessons to proceed with what I have started. This experience reminds me of a related verse in the Scriptures, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).
More importantly, in any classroom set up, this one thing that I am about to mention is, I think the most critical in motivational learning.
What else motivated me to catch up and keep going without compromising the quality of my learning? I say to you, no less than the modelling and engagement of our teacher.
Teacher Malou’s real time engagement in the class is uplifting and reinvigorating. just when you feel you are already down, when you get to read her posts, your spirit will be lifted up.
As a teacher, she is ahead of us laying down the roadmap to help us make smart calculations of our study time. At the same time, she is beside us walking, understanding our pace, waiting for us and guiding us step by step. But wait there is more! She is also behind us, gently reminding us to pick up the pieces of our tools along the way, giving us a little more push to move even for one step at a time, and never leaving us behind. I keep to my heart her message regarding the students’ common fear about submitting late assignments and activities. She wrote this:
“Please do not hesitate to turn in late outputs (assignments, quizzes, posts). Any effect on your grades will be insignificant, but the effect of doing the activities, regardless of the delay, will be tremendously beneficial for your learning.”
What a huge encouragement to us! Oh, it surely pierces our heart and mind as a student to keep on keeping on, regardless of where we are coming from. I am almost sure that if all of us will take her word to heart, we will finish the course in time, without compromising the benefits of learning. Thank God for Teacher Malou, who models the kind of teacher any student-learner would aspire to become. God bless her and may her tribe increase. “How to be her”, sabi nga natin.
My experience apparently sounds like reciprocal determinism in real life, and self-efficacy in the making from my end, coming to life (not yet active though but coming), and of course modeling prestige and competence from our teacher.
This kind of motivation from my environment reinforces my love language of affirmation, and refuels my interest to succeed in this learning journey with my classmates. I am telling myself, I will come back real time in the discussion soon, by God’s grace. Yes, it shall be my goal, after learning the principles with my hands on experiences right on.
It is worth coming back with the modelling of the Apostle Paul, who disciplined himself to reach the goal. He said this in his epistles:
“Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things…So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air. I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to others” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). “I will press on toward the goal to win the prize” (Philippians 3:14).
Yildirim, C. (24 May 2011). Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory The role of self efficacy and the sources of self efficacy. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrzzbaomLmc
This eJournal is my last entry to complete Module 3 under Theories of Learning course. Admittedly I started the Module late because we were in a week-long family trip. But by God’s grace I was able to catch up in our readings so I got to also participate substantially in the Discussion Forum and Group Activities.
I was honestly so impressed with my classmates’ contributions in the discussion and group activities when I was reading their entries. Although there was no deadline to complete the requirements or this Module (was there?), the fast flowing discussion entries of my classmates every time I open the portal made me a little edgy. I think the Operant Conditioning of Self-imposed Reinforcement and Punishment is on me (emphasis mine).
I will now list down the salient points of my learning from this Module. This helps me review my learning in bite sizes per module.
Behaviorism is learning from the consequences of our observable behaviors toward an external stimulus.
We learn that there are stimuli that naturally make us respond by instinct. For example, if I see green mangoes, I will find myself salivating with sour taste even before I get to taste the mangoes, if I ever get to eat it at all. This is classical conditioning.
We learn from the consequences for our behavior. Either the consequence reinforces the repeat of the behavior because we like the object added or subtracted to us as a result of our behavior (positive and negative reinforcement); or the consequence decreases the chances of the behavior repeated because the punishment either adds or subtracts something that we would rather not have (positive and negative punishment).
We learn that when our responses are satisfying they will become firmly attached to the situation and more likely to reoccur when the situation is repeated. On the other hand, if the situation is associated with discomfort or unfavorable experience, the connections to the situation become weaker, and the behaviorial response is less likely to occur when the situation is repeated. This is Law of Effect.
We learn that some stimuli reward us for consistently achieving the target goal with certain amount of response or time, which give us passport to keep going for bigger and greater reward if we respond within the succeeding required responses and time which is either fixed or varying. These are Fixed Ratio,Fixed Interval, Variable Ratio and Variable Interval schedules of reinforcement.
REFLECTION
Looking back at my early childhood, I realized now that I learned a lot from Operant Conditioning, both with reinforcement and punishment. I am sure my parents and grandparents did not study Behaviorism, but their teachings were more most likely coming by instinct or that they were also passed on to them by their parents. I am curious now to list down my learning experiences and try to identify which behaviorist approach is most applicable to each of my learning experiences . Let us see if I can do this.
When we were growing up, I have learned the following from my Lola:
After lunch, we must sleep for at least a couple of hours. If we do, we can play outside with our neighbors; if we don’t, we stay inside the house and attend to whatever chores in the house that Lola could think of. Who would want to stay inside the house when all children in our neighborhood were outside playing? It was a very effective Positive Reinforcement, something is added to our obedient behavior, and Negative Reinforcement for being spared from chores and being a “hostage” in the house, with a flipside of Positive Punishment because the chores will be added to us if we do not behave properly toward the desired goal. This approach was effective for my siblings and I because I don’t remember a single day that I was punished for this. I would always comply even I had to “fake” sleeping in the afternoon, in order to get to play outside when it was play time.
As soon as we woke up, our merienda would be already set at my Lola’s dining table for me and my siblings and my cousins. That was also a Positive Reinforcement of my Lola so that we would sleep in the afternoon. I wonder now what was the big deal for my Lola to make us all sleep in the afternoon to the extent that she rewarded us generously for the behavior. Merienda time with my cousins was one of my most cherished childhood memories. We would eat homecooked ginataang mais or mungo, banana cue or camote cue, ginataang halo-halo, o maruya.
From playing outside, we must be back home before or 5:00 p.m., or we would have to stay outside the door house until dinner was over. So that means we would miss to eat dinner with the family. This is Negative Punishment, removing something from us as a consequence of our behavior.
Regardless of how engrossed we were in our street plays, our biological clock would automatically pull us home before 5:00 pm for dinner. I guess all parents in our neighborhood had the same parenting style for play time because all of us children would instantly wrap up to get home at our curfew. Oh yes I remember now, there was warning siren before 5:00 pm from military camp near our neighborhood to signal the start of curfew. This was in the 70s. We never missed our curfew, we were all disciplined to obey. I guess every child of my age in our neighborhood was.
But wait there is more to item #2. If we do not come home on time in the afternoon, we would not only miss dinner with the family, but we would also wash the dishes for the family. Only after then we can eat, but alone. So this is Positive Punishment, because a chore is added to our task as a consequence of our (mis)behavior. I also don’t remember being punished for this, but if I remember it right, one of my cousins was a frequent candidate to this “punishment”.
This is getting more interesting for me to know how much of the behaviorism principles I grew up with and this is just with my Lola. I have not included yet my learning experiences with my father and my mother. Looking back now the teachings were actually almost at the same extent with my Lola’s. But admittedly, they were effective only during early childhood :-).
How did behaviorist approach change my behavior? I realized that I became more obedient and respectful to my Lola and my parents. I also developed the habit of watching my time and beginning any task with the end in mind with calculated risks (although admittedly I am still learning and forever a work in progress in this area, but the intention is present to begin). I also developed gratitude attitude and sense of appreciation. It also helped develop my social skills and helped build friendships with my playmates.
Was there a time when my behavior became undesirable rather than improved?
Oh yes, I learned to “fake” my siesta to comply to my Lola’s house rules. All of my siblings actually did the same “trick”. We were lying down on the “banig” with closed eyes but actually not sleeping but just waiting until sleep time was over. I also learned to put foam or cardboard under our shorts when Lola will spank our “pwet” (butt) for our disobedience or repeated noisyness whenever we were told to keep quiet.
I guess any ordinary young kid of my age, had misbehaved one way or another to prevent the punishment. But the flipside of it of course was, I behaved most of the time for the positive and negative reinforcement.
Another interesting learning experience was related to the Law of Effect and Classical conditioning. When I was about eight, I had unfavorable experience with a flock of geese who ran after me, and successfully caught me and bit my legs. Consequently, in my growing up years, I dreaded places with geese. Whenever I saw a goose or even heard its quack sounds, I had an instinct motion to walk slowly away from it because in my mind, the goose would run after me and would bite me. Through the years, I have also overcome this as I grow older because I knew already that I could run faster than them, hahaha!
RESPONSE
Consciously or unconsciously we are passing on to the next generation the same ways we learned and developed certain behaviors from our parents especially when we were growing up. I realized this with my own children. I found myself doing positive and negative reinforcements and punishments to my children as part of my “teaching instincts”.
I remember when my two daughters were very young, I put up a tree made up of cut out colored papers on the wall of our bedroom. I also have apple-shaped and orange-shaped paper cut outs. The apples are for my first born, and the oranges are for my younger daughter. Every time they did something good, they got to pick one fruit to put on the tree. Their goal was to have as many fruits posted on the tree as they can. On the other hand if they did something bad, they had to take away one of their fruits that they had previously put on the tree. This has become an effective motivation to both of them, and I witnessed how excited they were everyday for their growing number of fruits on the tree. They seldom missed putting at least one fruit on the tree every day. Every month we counted their fruits and they would get corresponding gifts. At the end of the year, we monetized the total counts of “fruits” that each of them had on the tree with equivalent amount for a Christmas gift they like from us. You can call it hard earned gifts for them :-). For Christmas? Is that fair? Well, they never complained, but rather enjoyed it 🙂 until their level of aspirations had leveled up.
As one matures, there are behaviorist principles that may no longer be effective. Therefore, as parent-teachers, my husband and I would be on constant look out too, to be creative as best as we can, to make the reinforcements more desirable for their age without compromising values.
I did not know about the Behaviorist theories but admittedly I learned through them, and I have taught my children to develop behaviors using them. But why do I instinctively used these learning principles?
Rewards and punishments are spoken many times in the Bible with universal law of we reap what we sow. There are blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience. God is a Rewarder, but He is also just Judge, He will forgive us but He can allow us to experience the consequences of our (mis)doings. The principles of Behaviorism are aligned with Biblical ways, but there are variations in the objects, the timing, manner and intentions in the delivery. The significant part that is missing in behaviorism is it does not include internal mental state which is key in Biblical teaching i.e. our beliefs precede our behavior. We behave according to what we believe (mental cognition). But behaviorism is a helpful learning tool for young children in shaping good behaviors and forming necessary habits in their growing up years.
It is critical to employ the right principles in forming the behaviors of young children. Whatever they learn at their young age will form their values, develop their character and impact their behavior. The words of wisdom of the Bible tell us to:
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6, The Bible)
Intelligence is a big word. No one can completely define it in all its dimensions, not even scholars of the past and present. Intelligence is almost always associated with the mind, but where is the mind, is it in our brain, in our heart or in our gut? Our mind will blow itself to explain itself.
It really surprised me to know from my readings that the concept of intelligence did not appear in Psychology textbooks until the 1900s preceding the launch of the intelligence test by Alfred Binet. The concept of intelligence may be relatively new, but understandably, intelligence existed before time began from God Himself who intelligibly created the universe and everything in it with man as the best of all His creations. The book of Genesis tells us that God gave Adam the ability to name all created living things in the Garden of Eden. He also gave the first man and woman the free will to choose. Intelligence is inborn to human being, it is part of God’s original design of man.
But before I continue discussing this topic, starting with this edition of my eJournal, I would like to organize my topic in three sections with: Recap, Reflection and Response. After a short introduction of the topic, I will have a Recap of the studies and discussions I had from the class which will be composed of a summary and salient points that I have gathered during my time studying the topic. After the Recap, is my personal Reflection with my learning nuggets and take-away from the topic. Then I will conclude with Response, or my call-to- action of the topic and how I can apply my learning into practical doable activities. and wrapping it up with words of wisdom, quotes or pondering questions. Sounds good so far? So let’s carry on.
RECAP
The concept of intelligence seems to be complex and controversial. There are many ways to define it which led scholars to come up with theories to explain intelligence. I did not know there were many until I read the references and discussion forum in our Theories of Learning class. I gathered the salient points of these theories and here is my quick summary based on my studies:
Theory
Theorist
Brief Description
Theory of the Intelligent Test
Alfred Binet
Launched the first intelligent test, precursor of today’s IQ test; introduced the concept of mental age
Theory of General Intelligence or the “g factor”;
Charles Spearman
IQ score influences the performance of all cognitive tasks; intelligence can be measured and expressed by a single number, like an IQ score.
Theory of Learning
Edward Thorndike
Learning the ability to give good responses to questions; responses with good results are likely repeated, responses with bad results are less likely repeated;
Triarchic Theory of Intelligence
Robert Sternberg
Distinguishes 3 aspects of intelligence: analytical, creative, practical; some students who are not good in school can be good outside the school, “street smart” vs “school smart”
Theory of Learnable Intelligence;
David Perkins
Use it or lose it; intelligence can be increased or decreased by environment
Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner
Intelligences are relatively distinct from person to person
Theory of Emotional Intelligence
Daniel Goleman
Self-awareness + empathy + self-control = EQ
I did not know all these names and theories before except for Gardner and Goleman. Perhaps because their theories are the most talked about and endorsed by credible educators and content experts. I think these theories are the most tested and practical that is why they became more popular especially in the school environment and in the work place.
What else did I learn from Module 2 of this class? Let me list down some salient points that resonated to me.
Intelligence, in a nutshell, is a set of skills and abilities to learn, to recognize problems, to solve problems, to cope and adapt to the ever-changing and growing environment.
Intelligence comes from the Latin word intellegentia which means understanding, knowledge, power of discerning, art, skill, taste (etymonline); or from the assimilated form of “inter” (between) and “legere” (choose). From this reference, intelligence means the ability to understand to choose between options.
“Use it, or lose it” adage which I often use to refer to skills set and talents that we should keep honing for mastery of function, actually came from a theory of intelligence by David Perkins.
The original purpose of intelligence test is to identify schoolchildren that needs academic assistance to help them become successful. It is designed to help, and not to label students.
Intelligence changes over time brought by several factors including environment, poverty, nutrition, stress level, education, experience, relationships, media, and many others.
Intelligence Quotient is not intelligence, but a psychometric tool that measures intelligence. IQ scores are not cast on stone and should not label a student or anyone as dumb, slow learner, different, genius, or smart.
Intelligence testing provides an estimate of the student’s current intellectual functioning to assess the student’s needs to better perform.
Intelligence testing in most cases is required to validate or rule-out any learning disabilities of the students. If interpreted properly, it can help educators design and appropriate a special curriculum and educational strategies of the students’ individual educational development plan.
REFLECTION
Obviously there are many definitions and theories about intelligence. After reading a lot about them from various resources, I attempted as best as I can to come up with a definition of intelligence (which forms part of my Assignment for this Module, that is due in a few days from now). So far, this is my definition of intelligence:
Intelligence is a set of enabling skills of the mind-brain (mental), the heart-brain (emotional) and the gut-brain (discernment) to learn, and subsequently to enlarge exponentially the scope and depth of the accumulated learning experiences over a period of time and expanse of space.
Intelligence testing by design and purpose is a good and important tool to check our present intelligence quotient, just like a physical-medical examination that screens our physical health and condition. It is supposed to fill in or close the goal gaps with necessary interventions. However, over time, the use of intelligence testing may have become a tool that unintentionally (sometimes intentionally) intimidates and marginalizes those whose scores belong to the lower percentile.
Who likes to take intelligence test voluntarily for personal development? Oftentimes, we take it only when we are compelled to do it especially when it is a requirement. At some extent, the common reaction in taking intelligence test is either fear, avoidance, trembling or denial. Usually when a person did not get the desired or required scores, he seldom wants to take the same or another test again for fear of failing again. This may be related to the Theory of Thorndike, i.e. good results are often repeated, bad results are less likely repeated, but often avoided (emphasis mine).
I know of one law student who took the bar exam three times and three times failed. The repeated failures had built up anxiety, stress and shame in her ‘nerves’ which somehow also affected other aspects of her life. To release her from stress and anxiety, she could just have shrugged off the idea that she would become a lawyer someday, but she still persisted to take the risk and give it a try for the last time (with hope to pass). I remember she really prepared hard to review everyday even sacrificing other personal needs for the time being to get ready for the bar exams. We supported her and prayed for her, gave her hope, and told her that if ever she would fail again, perhaps, she is designed and called for other things in life. She humbly listened, persevered, prepared, prayed, and took the exam with all her strength, will and knowledge…Guess what? After all the sweat and tears, prayers and passion to pass, she finally passed the bar! Yey! Everybody celebrated with her!
How many are like her who would persevere to take similar tests to pass after failing several times?
Honestly, I found something more than intellectual ability in her case. Her emotional quotient and spiritual quotient are higher than her IQ given her determination and perseverance to pursue her goal. More importantly, the success factors included her supportive family and friends, and her community of supporters from the church. I believe that is the main ingredient of her success — healthy relationships. Shall I add RQ for Relationship Quotient :-)? Her story is just one story similar to the real life stories in the survey studies of other scholars who testified that character traits are great motivators in achieving true success of in life.
Response
According to various definitions of the scholars, who can we say is truly intelligent? Is it the student who tops all tests in the class? The athlete who bags the MVP title season after season? The boy who created a mathematical game that unlocked a whole new way of making math problems easy and fun? Or the girl in the class who is the best friend of all?
My simple response here is, we are all intelligent. First of all God created us with inborn intelligence waiting to be unlocked, cultivated, and developed in order to grow exponentially. Each one of us is uniquely designed with certain skills and capabilities to learn, each one is wired differently so there is no need to compare ourselves with others unnecessarily. Each one is beautifully designed, intricately woven with the handprints of our intelligent Creator (Psalm 139).
My specific part, I think is to make an intentional effort to notice, pay attention, appreciate and acknowledge the intelligence(s) of people within my circle of influence with sincere words coming not just from the brain-mind but from the heart-mind. Moreover, as best as I can within my “intelligent” capacity to help each of them according to the needs to fill in the goal gaps. It does not have to be an extraordinary act of goodness, but a simple verbal and non-verbal kindness will go a long way, I know.
In the Book of Ecclesiastes, the wisest (and the richest) king who had ever lived on earth, King Solomon said in his old age:
“Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief…
“Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:11-14)
I need not add anything to what King Solomon already said and testified, but I encourage you to take some time also reading God’s Word and discover the truths for yourself.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.” (Psalm 139:13-14, New International Version)
“Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.” (Genesis 2:19-20).
I am back to a formal academic school again as a student-learner. It was not too long ago that I attended in 2014 my class in pre-MA in Education with other homeschool parent-teachers for our better equipping in educating our children. It was conducted by the faculty of an international graduate school and was initiated by our homeschool provider. However, the class did not continue because of some logistical challenges. I was hoping and praying it would resume but there was no assurance. So, I looked for other options that would hopefully fit my time and load. God granted my request, so here I am at the University of the Philippines Open University for the Professional Teaching Certificate program. This is my first term, which I almost missed because I happened to know only of the deadline for student’s application too close to the last day. Surely, God has a greater purpose, why He allowed me to make it here and I am excited to know more about His plan as it unfolds.
My Student-Teacher
My daughter who I homeschooled for more than seven years was the one who encouraged me to pursue my studies in professional teaching. She actually wanted me to pursue MA in Education in UP. Guess why? She is in UP Diliman, graduating from BA Philosophy next year. Time flies so fast. I did not notice that it has been almost four years since she entered UPD. She is now successfully completing Philo which is her forte and best fit, I know because I was her parent-teacher. Her Cognate Elective in UP is Education, and her main school org is Philosophy for Children. Her acads are aligned with her special skills and gifting. A few months back, she informed me that her Elective qualifies her to take up LET after graduating from her undergrad studies. Hopefully, we will both become licensed professional teachers next year. Yey! She also intends to proceed taking up MA in Education after graduation, and she encouraged me to continue my Masters too. My student is now becoming my teacher and adviser and will soon become a professional teacher as well, Lord willing.
Learning to Learn
The learning, unlearning and relearning begin. I have probably been more intentional in learning as a student this week than I ever had before. First of all, to be able to cope with my new commitment to take this program, full load on my first term, I need to constantly arrange my schedule and my load because I am wearing different hats in my life. I am a wife, mother, full-time employee, consultant, and co-worker of my husband in the church. I am also a regular volunteer-writer in the ministry with tight weekly writing deadlines.
The first thing I learned in this class is to be connected online always to check the developments in our portal. It is not surprising because this is an online class, what can I expect. But admittedly I need to learn to make some adjustments to comply with the demand for time, attention, intention and engagement to keep up. I am an introvert, and it usually takes me some time to process and reflect quietly before I step up. But that is how I learn best when I generously ponder on and nurture anything that specially catches my interests.
What is Learning
The warm-up exercise in EDS 103 Theories of Learning starts with the fundamental steps: to list down words associated with learning, to define learning without reference to the dictionary or other reading materials, to define learning again using some keywords that we will select from our classmates’ entries, and then our conclusion.
I began the exercise with a raw definition of learning for a warm-up. In the formal module entries, I reconstructed my definition based on my newly acquired knowledge and concepts. Hopefully my definition in the second round was becoming better. When I was moving closer to complete module 1, I had a eureka when I suddenly came up with a unique definition of learning. I was in the car on the way to the office, reading some reference materials, when the thought came up. I composed it aloud and I found it profound ( I think ;-)). Here is my latest definition of learning:
Learning is where the learner’s intention-to-engage and the teacher’s cause-of-the-engagement meet, resulting to a phenomenal change in the learner’s mindset and behavior that naturally leads the learner to regenerate the experience by sharing it with others.
Since learning is constantly progressive, I wonder what will my next eureka as far as definition of learning is concerned.
Time Management
Before I embarked in this new journey, I did some roadmap planning exercise to calculate how much time and attention I needed to invest in this program weekly. I also have to inform my family about my plans so that they can understand me and pray with me and support me along the way.
Part of my preparations was taking the Self-Index Test on Time Management from Mind Tools website, one of the resources I found from the students’ Tool Box provided for us. My Time Management Quotient in the categories of Goal setting, Prioritization and Scheduling, scored high, it means I am excellent in planning (good job!). However, my scores in other categories are telling me that I need to work on the interrupters that affect my set goals. Interrupters include phone calls, message and apps notifications, chores, additional compelling workload, unplanned invites and many other things. I need to be firm and apply discipline in this area.
I am actually writing this eJournal one day past the flashed “soft schedule” and I hope to publish this as soon as I finished writing today. Hopefully, I would be able to manage my time better onwards since I started decluttering my activities and loads. The Interrupters Log from the Mind Tools site is a helpful tool which I tried using to identify interrupters and be able to reduce the invalid ones from my day to day life.
Endless Learning
Seriously, at my age with various major hats, being a student again is no joke. It takes passion, intention, attention, engagement, determination and commitment to pursue this program. But I am encouraged to find many of my GenX kind in this batch when I read others’ self-introduction from the students portal. Yes we are not getting any younger, but if learning and teaching naturally runs in our genes, and the vacuum in our heart and gut for teaching has not been filled up yet, we will always find ourselves going back to it to heed our first calling. After all, it is never too late to keep learning. If we stop learning, we stop growing.
For all of the kind of students in my generation and tribe who have too many roles and responsibilities at middle age, but still pursue our calling to keep learning to teach, especially you who get the chance to read this eJournal, cheers to us! This chapter in our life marks our continuing journey to the path of endless learning in theory, in practice and in the genes. We will carry on, by God’s sustaining grace. Let’s enjoy learning together :-).
Learners' Cornerstone 