LEARNING THEORIES - EDUCATION

Learning Theories - Education

Learning Theories - Education

Task 2

Teaching is a profession that continuously requires adjusting and learning new techniques in order to impart education to the respondents. Reflection is a method that allows the professional to learn from the positive or negative experience they have had in the past (McClure, p3-4). Reflection is only effective when it is closely related to the situation which results in some new experience from which you ought to learn something. There are many models that have been proposed by the researchers. For the purpose of this paper, I will be discussing the Gibb's model of reflection.

Gibb's Reflection Model

The model begins with a descript ion of the experience which intends to encapsulate the environmental and social setting in which it took place. Then the learner needs to do some retrospection about their feelings. This is important as it helps the learner to identify the personal biases and psychological barriers that might have impeded in the impact of the experience. This allows the learner to evaluate the experience as a positive or a negative one.

Once that task is completed, the learner is able to analyze the experience based on the evaluation and personal factors to gauge his performance in that situation. This brings the learner to a conclusion as to what he might have done differently to improve the teaching or learning experience. The learner is then lead to develop an action plan that takes into accounts the learning that has been gathered from the experience. So that the learner can improvise in case a similar situation arises in the future (Jasper 2003, p83).

Rolfe developed a framework for reflection that starts off with a description of the situation. This allows the learner to get in touch with the factors that could have limited his resourcefulness and ability. The way the subject performed in that situation provides a good understanding of what ought to have been and what happened in reality. This results in knowledge creation that leads to the next step in the process. This step incorporates the knowledge gathered during the analysis phase into devising a strategy to handle a similar situation in a more harmonious way.

There are different methods that can be used to assess the quality of learning that has bee imparted to the recipients. This involves taking feedback from the recipients after a teaching session that uses oral or written means of communication. For these purpose questionnaires, surveys and focus groups can be observed to aid in data collection. However, the researcher needs to take into account that people have different proffered modes of learning. Some people are comfortable with the oral means of communication, whereas others prefer the visual and kinesthetic ways to learn.

A good teacher needs to be an effective communicator which is dependent on his ability to utilize the various reflective and communication techniques that enhance his teaching capabilities. In the technological advanced world of the 21st century, the learner needs to incorporate social ...