Types of Learning

Transmission is the process by which information, knowledge, ideas and skills are taught to others through purposeful, conscious telling, demonstration, and guidance. Over the course of a lifetime, this method accounts for only about 10% of learning. Unfortunately, this is the most traditional and, currently, the most predominate method of instruction. However, we are finding out it is not very effective and moving toward acquisition and emergence, and examining the lessons of accretion.

Acquisition is the conscious choice to learn. Material in this category is relevant to the learner. This method includes exploring, experimenting, self-instruction, inquiry, and general curiosity. Currently, acquisition accounts for about 20% of what we learn.

Accretion is the gradual, often subconscious or subliminal, process by which we learn things like language, culture, habits, prejudices, and social rules and behaviors. We are usually unaware that the processes involved in accretion are taking place, but this method accounts for about 70% of what we know. Social learning certainly plays into this type of learning, as does the hidden or covert curriculum.

Emergence is the result of patterning, structuring and the construction of new ideas and meanings that did not exist before, but which emerge from the brain through thoughtful reflection, insight and creative expression or group interactions. This form of learning accounts for the internal capacities of synthesis, creativity, intuition, wisdom, and problem-solving. This method is greatly dependent on the allocation of time, and opportunities to reflect and construct new knowledge. This method plays an important 

Hypermedia

There have been a number of theories concerning hypermedia and learning. One important claim in the literature on hypermedia and learning is that it offers more control over the instructional environment to the reader or student. Another claim is that it makes level the playing field among students of varying abilities and enhances collaborative learning. A claim from psychology includes the notion that hypermedia more closely models the structure of the brain, in comparison with printed text

Connectivism

Connectivism is the application of network principles to define both knowledge and the process of learning. Knowledge is defined as a particular pattern of relationships and learning is defined as the creation of new connections and patterns as well as the ability to maneuver around existing networks/patterns.

Connectivism addresses the principles of learning at numerous levels - biological/neural, conceptual, and social/external. This is a key concept that I'll be writing about more during the online course. What I'm saying with connectivism (and I think Stephen would share this) is that the same structure of learning that creates neural connections can be found in how we link ideas and in how we connect to people and information sources. One scepter to rule them all.

Connectivism focuses on the inclusion of technology as part of our distribution of cognition and knowledge. Our knowledge resides in the connections we form - where to other people or to information sources such as databases.

Schema Theory

Schema theory emphasizes on the importance of generic knowledge that will help the formation of mental representations. In the educational process, the task of teachers would be to help students develop new schemata and establish connections between them –something that will eventually improve their memory. Of course, background information and prior knowledge are vitally important, as well. Schema theory can been applied in various areas, such as:

Mathematical problem solving A research showed that 3rd graders taught to use schemata to solve mathematical problems performed better than their peers who were taught to solve them in four steps (read – plan to solve – solve – check).

Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

The two rows of the model represent the two information-processing channels: the auditory/verbal channel and the visual/pictorial channel (dual-channel assumption). The five columns each represent the modes of knowledge representations or physical representations, such as words or pictures. Sensory representations are those that take place in the ears or eyes of the learner, while shallow working memory representations are the sounds or images a learner notices or attends to during the instruction. Deep working memory representations are verbal and pictorial models constructed by the learner, and lastly, long-term memory representations are what the learner already knows about this particular instruction.

Multimedia Learning requires a lot of cognitive processing in both channels. Working memory has to make representations of sounds and images. Deep working memory is busy making verbal and pictorial models, and long-term memory is searching for and retrieving relevant prior knowledge.

How People Learn Online

What is learning?

Think using the brain

Measurable and relatively permanent change in behavior through experience, instruction, or study. Whereas individual learning is selective, group learning is essentially political its outcomes depend largely on power playing in the group. Learning itself cannot be measured, but its results can be.

What is cognitive learning?

The Cognitive Learning explains why the brain is the most incredible network of information processing and interpretation in the body as we learn things.

Human being learns through what they see and what them here.