This is an archive of the 2013 version of ocTEL.

Week 3: What is learning?

Working somewhat out of sequence (diving straight into Week 3, before even starting Weeks 1 & 2), I’ll think about the last time I (deliberately) learned something.

Research by Dayna Bateman

What did I learn? I tried to remember the meaning of various terms used in research in Higher Education. Easier said than done.

How did I learn it? What strategies did I use? I started by making notes. I tried to summarise what my tutor said. You’d think this would be relatively easy. I though this was recall of facts (I: Know that – I-a Facts from the learning types table). However, even after a few seminar sessions, I would get completely tripped up by the same words. I realised I needed to have a clearer picture in my mind of how these terms fit together and are related to each other (ie I-b Concepts).

I created a Glossary in Evernote, using my own description, online dictionary definitions and a few quotes from relevant books / websites. I drew a kind of rough mind map on a piece of A1 paper. Feeling a little more comfortable with the words, but still not quite there, I started to create a Haiku Deck, editing the glossary I’d made before. Now things were coming together and I felt ready to start writing my coursework and was able to describe different research approaches to a colleague without referring to my notes. Phew! It took a fair amount of effort for a few words, but without them, I would be unable to use appropriate terminology in my next coursework, so it was worth the effort, I think (so in fact, that probably counts under IV Other: Motivation).

I don’t _think_ that I covered Know How or Knowing in Action, but I’m not entirely sure whether I’m interpreting the table correctly or whether I should have chosen an example where the learning is self-directed. How could I “level up” to Know How and in fact, is it appropriate / necessary / possible / desirable?


Blended Learning Facilitator / Lecturer at London Met

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