Optimism towards studying and acquiring knowledge contributes to proper comprehension and retention of information in memory.
Personal learning experience and constant practice of what I’ve learned were among my considerations while in school. I was closely acquainted with the act of studying, and the motivation to learn and re-learn prior knowledge was a significant factor. My positive attitude towards studying and learning contributed to proper understanding and immediate retention of information.
In reminiscing how I learned in school, my formal education or schooling offered venues for a holistic formation. Opportunities were provided to develop ones full potential – intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. In school, I learned to nurture my mind, heart, and soul.
I came to a realization that my educators’ teaching method was in congruence to Huitt’s (2011) definition of teaching – a process of providing guided opportunities for students to produce relatively permanent change through the engagement in experiences provided by the teacher. We were not merely given information but encouraged to actively participate in the learning process. We were called to engage in the formation process to create a positive impact in the society. Guidance in our commitment to the immersion process was clearly emphasized.
Opportunities on values formation and spiritual growth were provided to us. Highlighted were values on making a difference, caring for the human person, and providing selfless service to others characterized by a preferential option for the poor. Tangible application of learning from the classroom was highly encouraged among its students.
During typical classroom sessions, I came to enhance my skills through learning visually; and sometimes a combination of both auditory and visual. When presented with images and hand-outs in class, I enthusiastically retained the information. In some cases, I preferred listening from a recording file. Most importantly, I learned the importance of self-reflection in the context of my experience and through commitment in the experiences presented by the facilitator. This idea of knowledge from self-reflection can be attributed to Plato’s philosophical learning theory that ‘knowledge is discovered from self-reflection’.
How do I learn most effectively?
From my perspective, learning takes place when an individual is able to apply ones understanding about things in a given context, and respond appropriately to the challenges met.
Each person learns in multiple ways vis-à-vis having the positive behavior in learning. I learn effectively through further readings, listening to recorded documentaries about a given topic, creating an outline of the subject or taking down notes, and through peer and group discussions. Given that learning is not only restricted in a classroom environment, I learn best through immersion and in-depth reflection.
How do we know if a person has successfully learned?
Responding appropriately to the environmental conditions is one way of determining that a learner has successfully learned. Not solely limited to providing the correct answers, but being able to question the facts presented. Questioning the facts at hand stimulates creative and critical thinking skills.
In sum, learning involves an active participation and optimistic approach from both the learner and teacher to successfully achieve the desired behavioral changes.
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