Learning Theory

After studying Week 1 course material on Creative Commons, I utilized the License Chooser tool to select my license. I preferred a license that will give me credit for my work yet allow users to copy and distribute my unadapted work for academic purposes in a noncommercial capacity. 

Behaviorism is a learning theory that focuses on observable behaviors that are influenced and modifiable based on their environment and is theorized to be equally effective on humans and animals. Based on this theory, most behaviors and learning are simply a response to the environment of the subject, and by adding/subtracting positive or negative stimuli to the norms of the environment, and through association, behaviors can be changed in response. Gaining relevance in 1920s, Behaviorism remains significant even today and can be observed in academic and professional training programs.

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) – Pavlov’s story of classical conditioning to teach dogs to salivate is well-known. Pavlov, a researcher studying the digestive process through experiments with animals, noticed the pattern of the dogs salivating when receiving their food, and decided to investigate further. Pavlov paired a bell when feeding the dogs; eventually, he noticed the dogs had made the association of the sound of the bell with feeding time and would salivate at the sound even where there was no food. The salivation is an unconditional response (UCR) to food, which is an unconditional stimulus (UCS); the bell is a neutral stimulus, and when paired with food, becomes the conditional stimulus (CS), resulting in salivation, which is the conditional response (CR).

Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) – Thorndike built on Pavlov’s theory with the study of operant conditioning, which is learning through the consequences of behaviors. Thorndike incorporated psychological principles and presented that behaviors can be increased through positive reinforcement (adding a good to the environment), negative reinforcement (removing a negative), positive punishment (adding a negative), or negative punishment (removing a positive). He also theorized that if the reinforcement/punishment method is stopped, it’ll result in extinction of the learned response.

 John B. Watson (1878-1958) – Watson is known to combine various schools of thought on behaviorism. He believed that when analyzing behavior, internal process such as thoughts/feelings isn’t relevant as it can’t be measured; rather, Watson theorized that focus should be only on observable behavior and how it changes in response to external stimuli. Watson conducted a human experiment with a baby called Little Albert, where he conditioned the baby to go from having no adverse response to a particular rat in the room to eventually fearing and avoiding the rat by making a loud noise with a hammer every time the baby tried to get close to the rat.

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) – Skinner continued to further the development of behaviorism learning theory but unlike Watson and others, he believed that internal process such as thoughts and feelings are pertinent to analyzing behavior and can be influenced by environmental variables. In his book, Skinner introduced the concept of operant conditioning, which theorizes that behaviors can be modified through a reward/punishment system, where reinforcement is used to increases repetition of behavior and punishment is used to decrease the behavior. Skinner also experimented with various schedules of using reinforcement/punishment to determine which method remained effective, and which was like to result in extinction at a faster rate.

Key principles of behaviorism are evident in all levels of education as well as professional training and development programs, and rightfully so, having proven over time to be an effective way to promote learning. This simple cause and effect teaching method of ‘if this, then that’ can assist learning at all age/competency levels. However, behaviorism tends to be an overly simplistic approach to more advanced learning and doesn’t factor in nuances of thought processes, developmental disabilities, abstract or experimental learning, complex scientific or mathematical configurations, or even social and cultural differences that impact learning. I believe behaviorism can remain effective as a learning theory but only as a starting point of a layered learning system, particularly for younger learners and new learners, to develop a foundation for fact-based content. To promote advanced learning and creative or critical thinking, I believe learning methods must evolve to be more versatile, complex, and individualized.

Elevating Skinner’s operant learning theory, Robert Gagne’s 9 Events of Instruction, explained in his book ‘The Conditions of Learning’, focuses on developing a process designed to best aid the students’ internal learning process. Instructional designers employ Gagne’s 9 events to develop courses/curriculum that engages, challenges, and encourages the leaners to grasp knowledge, test curiosities, while providing guidance and feedback, practicing recall, and improving learning to match the course objectives. I’m new to this field of study but feel fairly confident that most learning environments today K-12 and beyond incorporate some, if not all, of Gagne’s 9 events to best deliver content and desired results.

Learning scenario:

A pizzeria restaurant has 2 order takers and a 3 person cooking staff and on average serves 50 takeout dinner orders of varying products and quantities. When orders are taken and input into the system, each item appears on the screens mounted above the cooking area, along with a timer. Once an item is completely prepared and placed in the over, the item is checked off the screen by hitting a ‘done’ button that makes a ding sound. If an order remains on the screen, it begins blinking/flashing at the 10-minute mark, and at the 15-minute mark it begins to sound a loud beep every 5 seconds until it is checked off the screen. The staff are motivated to complete the orders at a steady pace to avoid hearing the annoying beeping. In this scenario, the observable behavior is the pace of the cooking staff in completing orders under 15 minutes, the stimulus is the loud beep, and the positive reinforcement is the ‘ding’ sound when an order is checked off the screen.

Rather than relying solely on observable behavior to design a learning environment - as last week’s learning theory of Behaviorism emphasizes – Cognitivism learning theory focuses on the internal processes that take place while learning. According to Cognitivism, observable behaviors are still important factors in research, but they are the result of internal ideas, thoughts, curiosity, memory, and problem-solving functions, rather than simply an ‘if this, then that’ response to stimuli in the learning environment. In the 1950s, Cognitivism became the prevailing learning theory, as researchers began rejecting the limited scope of Behaviorism, and focused on studying mental processes which allow learners to gain new knowledge and add it to their existing knowledge, beliefs, and schemata.

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) – Piaget shifted focus of learning from behavior to mental processes, and through his studies on children to observe intellectual development, posited that children’s thought processes are different from adults, and that their knowledge is influenced by their cognitive abilities and their interactions with their environment. Piaget outlined four stages of cognitive development that learners experience as that grow through various levels of age and cognitive abilities:

• Sensorimotor Stage – Birth to 2 years old. Children explore their environment through their senses and motor actions.

• Preoperational Stage – 2 to 7 years old. Children develop language, use imaginative play and symbolic representation.

• Concrete Operations Stage – 7 to 11 years old. Children are able to utilize logical reasoning about events and objects in their surroundings.

• Formal Operations Stage – 11 years old and beyond. Development of hypothetical reason and abstract thinking capabilities.

 Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) – Vygotsky Social Development Theory posited that active participation in social interactions are the key component in learning process and development of thinking skills, knowledge in children is constructed through meaningful interactions, and that children’s play serves as practice for cognitive growth and later actions. Vygotsky developed the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), which is a unique to each individual learner. ZPD spans 3 zones: what the learner can accomplish independently, what they can accomplish with guidance from a competent person (parent/teacher), and learning that isn’t in their current capabilities. The middle zone, where learning is challenging but attainable through provided guidance and support necessary for their individual needs (scaffolding), is the most effective in assisting learners expand their knowledge.

Jerome Bruner (1915-2016) – Bruner believed that learning/cognition is shaped not only by social interactions, but also past experiences and engagement, and can potentially be adversely impacted if knowledge is presented differently than the learner’s perceptual training. Similar to Vygotsky’s concept of ZPD and scaffolding, Bruner’s Spiral Curriculum concept suggests that learning best occurs in a progressive manner, adding to and building on previously acquired knowledge, which builds connections between topics, encourages deeper understanding, and reinforces the knowledge gained.

Albert Bandura (1925-2021) – Bandura’s research focused on the role of social experiences in shaping learning and proposed the idea of self-efficacy – a learner’s belief in their ability to complete specific tasks – and its significance in enhancing the learner’s effort and motivation. Self-efficacy can be positively impacted through scaffolding, where receiving support from trusted individuals can assist in mastering challenging tasks. Bandura believed that learners utilize imitation and observation of others and monitor and adjust their own behaviors to achieve desired results.

Cognitive Load Theory – refers to the amount of mental effort, working memory, and attention that’s required to process the provided information at any given time, and how a learner’s limited capacity of these mental processes can impact their ability to gain, process, and retain new knowledge. The two types of cognitive loads are Intrinsic (the complexity of the information being learned compared to the learner’s existing knowledge), and Extrinsic (the method in which knowledge, tasks, or activities are presented to the learner). Similar to Bruner’s scaffolding concept, chunking – breaking down complex ideas or large pieces of information into smaller pieces – can reduce the amount of cognitive load and increase knowledge and expertise gradually.

Cognitivism helps instructional designers by going beyond observable behavior and better understanding how learners utilize internal processes such as memory, curiosity, and problem-solving to receive, process, and retain information. This theory encourages designers to also factor in the environment, the amount and complexity of information shared, and the need for proper guidance and support to promote learning. Scaffolding and chunking are effective methods to allow learners to gain knowledge in smaller, more manageable pieces, which enables better retention, retrieval, and stacking of new knowledge on the existing expertise.

Strengths – Cognitivism enhances learner’s self-efficacy by focusing on internal processes and their impact on learning. This approach also emphasizes the impact of the learner’s social interactions, and individualized need for guidance and support. Cognitivism also utilizes stacking learning methods such as scaffolding and chunking to encourage attainment of varied levels of complexity by breaking information into smaller pieces or sessions to better manage cognitive load. This approach is effective in K-12 education as well as professional training.

Limitations – From an instructional designer’s perspective, I find it a tall task to apply this individualized, internal process focused theory to training courses designed for a mass workforce which includes all levels of expertise. Another potential limitation is ascertaining the limit point of cognitive overload. Lastly, this approach does not factor in how learning and internal process are different for those with developmental disabilities and does not incorporate differing cultural norms and social barriers that may affect the learners.

What is cognitive behavioral therapy? - Harvard Health

This material in review is an article publicly made available by Harvard Health Publishing. The purpose of this article is to introduce the reader to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), what it is, how it works, which health issues it can help with, and for whom it may be effective.

This resource is designed to be a quick read and provide a simplified description and various elements of the topic. It’s evident that the author’s goal is to take a complex medical topic, especially for those unfamiliar with the subject, and offer a basic, easy-to-grasp breakdown. This article effectively manages Cognitive Load by utilizing the Chunking technique; in addition to the introductory paragraph, the article is broken into 7 subheadings and subsequent short explanations. The article also manages extraneous load well through a simple design layout, bold headings, short paragraphs, and uses only one image to reduce distraction and keep the reader engaged. There’s also a little scaffolding technique applied by the author, by providing active links to various topics in the short paragraphs, providing the novice reader more information to build knowledge.

Constructivism learning theory built on the principle that knowledge can’t just be transferred to learners; rather, the learners are active participants in this process and utilize their opinions, beliefs, and unique experiences formed through effort and interactions to construct their own understanding of the world. Constructivism promotes development of the learner’s problem-solving, questing, reasoning, and exploration through intrinsically motivating activities to reflect on and justify their understanding.

Prominent Constructivism theorists: 

Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980) – Piaget believed that learners gain new knowledge in stages of cognitive development, where their existing understanding meets new information (cognitive conflict) and they modify existing schema to incorporate that new knowledge to update their understanding (cognitive equilibrium).

Lev Vygotsky (1896 – 1934) – Vygotsky’s Social Development theory highlighted the integral role of meaningful social interactions in increasing learning and thinking. He also developed the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), where the zones are unique to each individual, however, the most effective method of learning is the middle zone, where new challenging information is added to learner’s understanding through guidance and support.

Jerome Bruner (1915 – 2016) – Vygotsky’s ZPD and Bruner’s scaffolding concept work hand in hand. Within the learner’s ZPD, a trusted and knowledgeable individual provides the learner guidance, support, resources, and advice as they navigate the challenging task. Scaffolding is critical for learners as they increase grasp on a task by coalescing their existing knowledge with new information and can be gradually reduced as the learner becomes more independent.

John Keller (1938 – Present) – In 1979, Keller introduced the ARCS Model, which focuses on creating a motivating learning environment that enhances learner engagement and enables the learner to gain new knowledge and self-efficacy:

• Attention – Learner’s interest is gained by providing content that engages and stimulates their thinking

•  Relevance – Content being communicated to the learner holds importance and impacts their intrinsic motivation

• Confidence – Learner’s develop belief in their ability to achieve success in a task through constructive feedback

• Satisfaction – Learners complete the task at hand and increase motivation through a sense of accomplishment and success

Constructivism continues the trend of progress in the field of learning theories. It’s a learner-centric approach and focuses on learning through building confidence and enhancing motivation, and its impact is evident in K-12, higher education, and corporate training. Students learn independence and self-efficacy - increasing their intrinsic motivation - through the activities designed by and guidance received from teachers as well the by interacting, collaborating, and exchanging ideas with their peers – increasing extrinsic motivation. Corporate training, similarly, fosters a culture of learning through driving curiosity and engagement through group discussions, collaborative tasks, and trainers’ guidance to ensure the learners are motivated to grow their existing grasp and expertise with new and challenging but attainable knowledge. Instructional designers utilize principles of Constructivism, particularly the ARCS model, to engage learners, and create personalized content that successfully gain knowledge

Strengths – Constructivism enables instructional designers to develop content that engages and encourages learners to be active participants in the learning environment through collaborative activities, group discussions, and team projects. This approach is equally effective in both K-12 education and corporate training and development. Constructivism utilizes motivation, both internal and external, to foster a ‘can-do’ attitude; i.e. learners grow confidence and feel accomplished through progressive growth.

Limitations – From a designer’s perspective, Constructivism does pose the challenge of creating immersive content for their respective audience, which would require more research, time, and other resources. Secondly, since this approach is learner-centric, it would require consistent communication and collaboration between the content creators and the teachers/training instructors to ensure the learners’ knowledge needs and motivation needs are met. Lastly, while this theory values learner’s engagement and motivation, there’s still room for further refinement to incorporate flexibilities for cultural differences in communication and developmental disabilities.

A small community bank has determined the need to update their current financial operating system to keep up with the market needs and to reduce customer complaints, improve wait-time efficiency, and increase employee productivity and morale. Management plans to implement the new system in 6 months’ time. Leaders are aware that they employ a diverse workforce of all ages, experiences, and technological savvy, and have contracted a vendor to carry out training prior to rollout. Planned training will be in four phases:

Phase 1: Determine employees’ grasp of computers, ability to adapt to advanced user systems, accessibility needs, and expertise in use of MS office suite through an initial assessment, in order to develop need and skill-level based training tiers

Phase 2: Provide instructor-led training sessions for beginner and intermediate level users, with 1-week long course for each level. Each day will include topic introductions, task demos, walk-throughs, group activities, and a wrap-up trivia game. Lunch will be provided for all trainers and employees attending the courses.

Phase 3: Provide self-paced courses and training resources employees may utilize for review, reference, and continuing education. Course utilizes gamification of financial transactions, fulfilling customer requests, and system usage interactive scenarios to promote employee engagement and enhance system knowledge. All scenarios may be repeated as often as needed.

Phase 4: To ensure availability of hands-on guidance, 2 people in each branch will attend advanced level train-the-trainer courses and will serve as subject matter experts available to provide guidance and troubleshooting as needed.

Identifying employees’ Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) skills:

1. Employees should be able to complete all typical financial transactions, provide customers a variety of banking solutions, and ensure compliance with all policies and regulations using the new system

2. Employees should be able to increase efficiency through utilizing MS office programs such as Outlook to manage schedules, calendars, and appointments, Excel to develop reports for tracking, and Word and PowerPoint for effective communication

3. Employees should gradually be able to complete tasks independently and develop expertise on more advanced features of the new operating system

Scaffolding strategy:

Training program will include instructor-led topic introductions and lectures, demos and tutorials, interactive assignments, individual tasks, and group activities. Learners will take notes, ask questions, interact with peers to resolve scenarios and complete tasks, and participate in an end-of-the-day trivia game to gradually grow their understanding of the new system with new information building on what they learned and practiced the previous sessions.

Social Constructivism strategy:

Employees will engage in group discussion to complete interactive scenarios and partake in role-play practice sessions with the guidance and constant feedback provided by the instructors. Employees will also participate in group trivia games to promote engagement and participation and build confidence.

Connectivism is a rather recently developed theory (2005) that tends to focus on a more contemporary methodology to refine some concepts introduced and developed under previously discussed theories. Connectivism emphasizes leveraging technology to transform communication, particularly as it pertains to learning environments. Similar to Constructivism, learners are actively involved in the learning process and constructing their understanding while receiving proper guidance; the difference, however, is the added layer of utilizing digital literacy, networking, collaboration, and critical thinking to enable learners to seek information, evolve, and grow knowledge though a collective, connected, and dynamic learning approach. Connectivism is a learning theory that highlights the significant role technology can and should have in development of learning environments, which include large networks that enable learners to build connections, exchange ideas, and gain exposure to diverse thoughts and approaches to refine their understanding and build knowledge.

Prominent Connectivism Theorists:

George Siemens (1970 – Present) – Siemens, a professor of psychology at University of Texas at Arlington, believed that knowledge is constantly changing, and rather than focusing just on the individual learner and their participation in the learning environment, it is more beneficial for the leaners to rely on networks to grasp the fast-changing information and ideas that expand learning.

Stephen Downes (1959 - Present) – Downes, a philosopher and researcher for Canada’s National Research Council, has been a pioneer in the Connectivism realm, leveraging computers and internet’s growth since the 1990s to develop online learning technologies. Downes believed learning is not constructed; rather, learning happens through activities and interaction in connected networks, where diverse ideas and open discussions take place.

Siemens and Downes designed a ground-breaking massive online open course (MOOC) in 2008 in their effort toward a more open learning platform that provides a large, diverse group of learners to interact, exchange ideas, and grow knowledge as a large network.

Connectivism’s impact on instructional design is evident in scanning today’s K-12 and corporate learning environments, which rely on modern technology to connect learners to various networks at their learning level. Students can learn and complete activities with others in and out of the classroom, and professionals utilize social connection platforms such as LinkedIn and MOOC platforms such as EdX to communicate, collaborate, and exchange ideas in real time and apply creative and critical thinking to find technologically advanced applicable solutions.

Strengths – Utilizing today’s technology has made gaining access to learning significantly easier. Rather than a compartmentalized, formal approach to learning as previous learning theories focused on, Connectivism expands the boundaries of the realm and redefines what is considered a learning environment. This approach allows real-world knowledge to be communicated in real time to learners anywhere in the world.

Limitations – Learners must have an adequate level of digital literacy to utilize the modern learning platforms, which poses a challenge for elder learners for whom this is an unfamiliar territory, as well as those underprivileged or in part of the world where high speed internet and modern technology is less accessible.  Additionally, while the internet opens a vast world of knowledge at our fingertips, learners must vet the sources from which they receive information and be cognizant of mis/disinformation readily available.

A Personal Learning Network includes a variety of participants such as colleagues, professional groups, subject matter experts, organizations, and peers etc. who share common goals, pursuits, or interests. Usually available in social networking sites and specific professional organizations (but not limited to this), PLNs provide access to interactive experiences and exchange of information and offer learners opportunities to further their grasp on any topic or field by building relationships with experts or those with unique professional experiences and skillsets. While there are limitless choices in this growing field, I've selected the following PLNs to grow my knowledge:

1.  OLDaily ~ by Stephen Downes

OLDaily, or Online Learning Daily, is a newsletter site by Stephen Downes, one of the most influential figures in development of Connectivism. Downes, being a true proponent of digital learning, allows readers access to his posts on the web, a daily or weekly subscription, an RSS feed, as well as social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Mastodon. This PLN takes me straight to the source of not just relevant content in the field of learning design, but also the perspective, expertise, and resource made available by one of the creators of Connectivism learning theory.

2. The Training, Learning, and Development Community (thetldc.com)

The Training, Learning, and Development Community (TLDC) provides an open network to anyone in the field of learning design or interested in learning more about the field’s functionality. TLDC provides weekly live video broadcasts available on social media, as well as podcasts, group discussions, and a community showcase that introduces and shows content from learning and design professionals. TLDC seems very welcoming of all parties interested in sharing ideas, asking questions, and finding guidance on learning design regardless of experience, and is appealing to me as a newcomer in the field of instructional design.

Andragogy, which is a study and practice of creating and facilitating learning experiences targeted specifically toward adult learners. Andragogy, through this focus, differs from Pedagogy, which is the more tradition approach that focuses on studying frameworks and techniques that are best suited for children, to encourage learning in a classroom setting. Andragogy highlights that learning is influenced by the individual’s life experience and diverse background and therefore is different for different learners.

Prominent Andragogy Researchers

Alexander Kapp (1799 - 1869) – in 1833, Kapp, and educator and editor, became the first person to use the term Andragogy to describe educational theory of Plato, and consists of learning strategies for adults.

Eugene Rosenstock-Huessy (1888 - 1973) – in 1925, Rosenstock-Huessy, a historian and a social philosopher, created the theory of adult education tailored toward practical application of knowledge gained.

Malcom Knowles (1913 - 1997) – Knowles developed the theory of Andragogy in the early 1980s, which emphasized that adult learners are autonomous, self-directed, and interested in using learning to find solutions to real-world problems, and incorporate their unique characteristics, background and experiences to direct their learning process. Knowles constructed his theory on the following five assumptions and six principles that expand on the assumptions:

5 Assumptions of Andragogy – 1980

1.       Self-Concept – maturation from dependency to self-direction

2.       Learner Experience – utilization of life experience as a resource for learning

3.       Readiness to learn – learning is oriented based on the developmental tasks/roles adults play in their lives

4.       Orientation to learn – learning is desired for problem-solving more so than academic purposes

5.       Motivation to learn – motivation for adults is received more from internal than external sources

6 Principles of Andragogy – 1984

1.       Need to know – adults are more motivated to learn when they understand why they should learn something

2.       Experience – learners’ life experience, both good and bad, is the basis to design learning activities

3.       Self-Concept – adults need involvement in planning of their instruction

4.       Readiness – adults prefer learning that bears relevance to their real-life situations

5.       Problem Orientation – adult desire learning that is problem-driven rather than content-driven

6.       Intrinsic Motivation – adults prefer internal motivation to participate in the learning

By differentiating from Pedagogy and focusing on adult learners, Andragogy has proven to be a relevant theory, especially in today’s climate, where adult learners are investing time and resources in additional education and training to further advance their careers, or may be required to complete continuing education for work. Connectivism highlighted how technology and interconnected networks impact the learning process; instructional designers use principles of Andragogy to develop a variety of content that is relevant to today’s connected world, and

Strengths – Experiential learning seems to fit adults better, as they bring their unique life experiences and can build the learning experience based on these perspectives. Adult education does tend to incorporate more informal and nonformal methods than the formal approach traditionally used for children, as in many cases, the education or training is targeting a specific topic/field, rather than a broad range of subjects. The nonformal and informal education environments offer greater flexibility and variety of options to expand knowledge.

Limitations – Andragogy, particularly the assumptions created by Knowles, may be difficult to apply to diverse group of adults from various backgrounds, life experiences, confidence, motivation needs, medical or developmental limitations, and cultural or social differences. This means that these assumptions, while impactful in differentiating from children’s learning, may not be applicable as a fixed approach, but rather require more or constant adjustments based on the needs of the individual at a particular time.

Formal education experience – University (bachelor’s degree)

I attended a university for 4 years to earn my bachelor’s degree. This experience included a set schedule of classes each semester led by an instructor, and required regular attendance, and pre-determined homework assignments, group projects, and examinations. I was able to complete my program and graduate, making this formal education experience a success.

Informal education – Appliance repair

A few months ago, my treadmill stopped working. It was no longer covered under warranty, so my options were to a) pay for a technician to fix it, b) try to fix it myself, or c) purchase a new treadmill. Considering the quoted costs were more than the original price of the machine, I reviewed treadmill forums and various YouTube videos to learn about the issues other users have experienced and how they’ve managed to fix them. Apparently, this problem was a common occurrence with this brand/model and the effective solution for most was a replacement of wires that connect to the control board. I ordered the wires from eBay (not very expensive) and installed them myself (I did not charge myself labor), and the treadmill has been working fine since then. This was a successful informal learning experience.

Applying Key Aspects of Learning Theory to Formal University Education

Quite a few of Knowles’ Assumptions and Principles were applicable to this experience, but the most notable are as below:

Need to know – my motivation was increased in attaining this education as I planned on building a career on the knowledge gained

Self-concept – college education is different from that of K-12 in that while it is still very structured, the instructors are there more so to facilitate the learning and much of the communication, collaboration, and completion of tasks is managed by the learners, making them more self-reliant.

Readiness to learn – my chosen degree (Accounting) was relevant to me not only for my future goals, but also relevant for my then position as a banker, and allowed me to apply the knowledge to real-life situations and provide solutions to my clients.

I don’t believe learning ever really stops for anyone; rather it just takes different forms, as covered in this assignment. I think there’s a relevance to all learning platforms, and each provides its set of pros/cons. My Personal Learning Network (PLN) preference however, is non-formal learning, as it offers some guidance toward a targeted topic, yet also provides flexibility in approaches and allows for greater individual learner independence. As the non-formal learning communities take many forms such as YouTube channels, LinkedIn groups, Facebook or Twitter channels, etc., how one chooses to engage depends on the format norms. I like the concept of forums as my preferred format, where learners can actively engage in discussions, ask questions, provide solutions, and seek feedback to support personal or professional development.

Graduate University Course: Sociology Independent Research – Society’s Approach and Public Policy toward Homelessness and Mental Health

Course Objective: Graduate students will undertake a semester-long independent research course to better understand the topics listed below:

• Life for homeless individuals and families

• Society’s treatment of the homeless – respect and equality

• Social stigmas of homelessness and impact on mental health

• Evaluation and efficacy of resources available to homeless community

• Analysis and effectiveness of current public policy and stewardship of taxpayer funds

The class of 20 students will be broken down to 4 groups, with 5 members each. Students will need to spend time researching current policies that impact the underprivileged, visit and engage with those affected, and volunteer/participate in current programs to assist (shelters, soup kitchens, social services offices, and non-profit organizations, etc.). Each group will utilize elements of Experiential Learning, Constructivism, and Project-Based Learning (PBL), and develop a theoretical structure of the issue at hand and create a proposal for a legislation/program/or policy change and a 10-year projected impact to be presented to stakeholders (local government officials, non-profit organizations, etc.) to effect the desired change.  

Formative assessment: Students will create a discussion forum, with weekly topics, to share ideas, provide feedback, debrief peers on tasks and observations, post interviews, and provide photographic evidence and other supporting material.

Summative assessment: At the conclusion of the independent research course, students will be evaluated based on their contributions to the forum, their participation in physically immersing themselves into the environment, their group’s evaluation of public policy, and realistic application of their submitted proposal.

As many of the students taking this graduate course plan to build careers in social work and public policy, this immersive experience, extensive policy evaluation, and development of a legislation/program/or policy change and a 10-year projected impact provides the students exposure to real-life scenarios and tasks they may encounter in their professional lives.

This scenario utilizes elements of Andragogy through its immersive, learner-focused, hands-on approach by encouraging the students to actively engage in real-life situations, including observations and discussions with members of the underprivileged community, as well as the non-profit organizations and public offices that provide this community services and assistance. Elements of Constructivism are evident in formation of groups, participation in discussion forum activities, and experiencing tasks with peers and engagement with community members. Gathering research and evidence, and evaluating current policies and constructing modifications, and other logistical contributions toward the group proposal include elements of Project-Based Learning (PBL). This learning scenario is also strongly influenced by Malcolm Knowles’ assumptions of Self-Concept, Adult Learning Experience, Readiness to Learn, and Motivation to Learn, as well as his principles of Need to Know and Problem Orientation. 

Course Title: It’s Your Money – Know Stuff or No Stuff!

Target Audience: Teenagers at the cusp of Legal Adulthood

Course Overview: This is an online, self-paced course with 10 modules covering various topics. A Formative Assessment will take place at the end of each module in the format of an interactive scenario, where the learner will help a parrot named Buddy make the best financial decisions based on the material covered in the module to work toward his savings goal. The course will also provide a Summative Assessment at the conclusion of the course where the learner will guide Buddy through a scenario using knowledge from all modules.

Knowledge Gap: In the U.S., going from age 17 to 18 opens an entirely new world of legal and financial options, choices, and consequences for young adults. Most of these new adults, whether college students or workforce members, often lack basic grasp on financial literacy and financial pitfalls. This course is intended to provide an understanding of fundamentals of money management tools and know-how for young adults to make smart money decisions and better plan their financial future.

Course Contents:

• Module 1: Paychecks – taxes and other deductions: the money you make is not the money you take home

• Module 2: Banking – types of banking options, maintaining bank accounts, and understanding services and fees

• Module 3: Debts – understanding types of debt: credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, etc., good and bad debt, and what debt to pay off first

• Module 4: Insurance – there’s a policy for everything (even for pets); what kinds you need and why

• Module 5: Budgeting – learning to live within means, making prudent money decisions, planning for purchases, learning inputs and outputs

• Module 6: Saving – creating a safety net for uncertain circumstances – why that matters even more in this decade

• Module 7: Credit Score/Limit – difference between credit scores and limits, understanding credit scores and impacting factors, how to pull/read your credit report and ensure accuracy of your records

• Module 8: Useful Resources – State, federal, college, and work programs. Finding employment, health insurance, nutrition assistance, financial Aid and student loans. Libraries got your back.

• Module 9: Smart Consumer – avoiding predatory lending, importance of reading the fine print before signing anything, know the cancellation policy and charges before signing up for contracts/leases, keep record of your tax returns and other financial documents, everything goes on sale; use discounts, coupons etc. and try never to pay retail price. What’s at risk – escalating costs of poor money decisions – homelessness, unemployment, bankruptcy, etc.

• Module 10: What you should learn next – Time-Value of Money, Retirement planning, investing risks and rewards, Real estate (rent or buy), estate planning, and education/career decision that impact earning potential

• Conclusion: Additional resources for each module for learners to further increase their financial literacy, including useful websites, tools, worksheets, and spend plans.

Andragogy – Contextual Strengths and Limitations

Strengths – It can be argued that elements of Pedagogy may be influential for this course, as its target audience is teenagers; however, I believe Andragogy is the better fit as an effective learning theory since these learners are able to not only bring their prior life/learning experiences to this environment, but they will also benefit from the flexibility this informal approach offers. Andragogy’s assumptions and principles are also applicable in this scenario, particularly as related to the very purpose of the course: helping learners be more self-reliant, tap into their readiness to learn, their intrinsic motivation and orientation to learn practical knowledge, and their need to know this information to make better decisions.

Limitations – Since the purpose and scope of this mini-course is limited and provides basic level information, the online interactive format of this course, along with certain elements of Andragogy, particularly the assumptions created by Knowles, may be difficult to apply to the diverse group of teenagers in participation who come from diverse backgrounds. The course provides basics, but is not tailored to satisfy the financial literacy needs for all individuals who may have varying circumstances, motivational needs, or even cultural influences or medical or developmental limitations. This course, in the format created, will serve as a supplemental learning experience, rather than an entire experience.

Connectivism – Contextual Strengths and Limitations

Strengths – Connectivism focuses on utilizing modern technology to enable better development of interactive and creative learning methods and access to these learning environments. As each newer generation is more tech savvy than the previous, this mini-course’s short, online, interactive and engaging environment leverages learners’ digital literacy and allows them to gain real-world applicable knowledge as well as access to additional supplemental resources to further expand their understanding in any topic in an informal, self-directed manner.  

Limitations – Providing this course in an online, self-paced format does present challenges; there’s an assumption that the targeted learners already possess adequate level of digital literacy as well as access to take advantage of this environment. This format will not sufficiently satisfy the needs of those in underprivileged circumstances with limited access to technology, as well as those who may need more hands-on guidance to better grasp the knowledge.

Application of Learning Theories and Design Choices

The instructional design of this course is focused on the target learner: teenagers at the cusp of adulthood who will soon face a litany of financial options and pitfalls and how to evaluate these choices and make good decisions. Andragogy’s assumptions and principles are applicable to the course objectives, by focusing on the leaners’ motivation, readiness, and self-reliance needs as they become legal adults. Each module taps into the ‘what’, ‘why’, and ‘how’ to engage learners is real-life knowledge. The primary element of Connectivism applicable to the design of this course is leveraging the learners’ existing digital literacy to gain better financial literacy. Specifically, this course will utilize Gamification as a primary engagement tool as detailed below:

At the end of each module, for knowledge check (formative assessment), the learner will guide Buddy (an ambitious parrot who currently has $0 in his account but has a goal to save $100 for talking lessons) through an interactive scenario in which they will utilize the knowledge covered in the module to help buddy make good money choices. Successful selections will add money to Buddy’s account, and unsuccessful choices will subtract funds from his account (learners may replay the scenario as many times as needed). Since there are 10 modules, Buddy can earn a maximum of $10 each module, for a total of $100 to help toward his goal. At the conclusion, Buddy will discover a bonus scenario (summative assessment) that is worth another $20 and utilizes knowledge from all modules. If the learner helps Buddy reach his goal and attend talking classes, Buddy will attend the classes, and upon his return, use his newly acquired skillset to verbally express his gratitude to the learner, and gift the learner the bonus $20 for their savings account for helping him make smart money decisions.