I'm sorta sad it's over...
I learned a history of this topic. For instance, I learned how dry wall came from plaster litterally being "plastered" onto a wall, and then smoothed out. Drywall is a vast improvement over that method, which often included chickenwire, or some other "form" that would hold it all together. Tools, materials, techniques and You-tube, are all something I know better now. I also have a great appreciate for the craftsmen of the day, but just as much respect for the newer methods which are less expensive in time and money. Either way, it is an art of sorts.
I learned a history of this topic. For instance, I learned how dry wall came from plaster litterally being "plastered" onto a wall, and then smoothed out. Drywall is a vast improvement over that method, which often included chickenwire, or some other "form" that would hold it all together. Tools, materials, techniques and You-tube, are all something I know better now. I also have a great appreciate for the craftsmen of the day, but just as much respect for the newer methods which are less expensive in time and money. Either way, it is an art of sorts.
I learned how to ask for help from the guys in the orange aprons. (They are a real blessing). And they love to be asked. In fact, I was amazed how much people like to talk about the thing they are good at. It's a skill that must be earned, not just learned. Pride, and honor, as well as a little bit of ego here are good things. But we should feel good about learning something that others value. It's sort of that envy factor of having a really nice car, house, spouse, etc. But this is a skill others are envious of. The cool thing is that we can share the skill, and only increase our own knowledge in the process. That feeling of confidence is pretty priceless I must say.
I learned how to pace myself, and time out how long things will take, and to do so in a more civilized manner. I normally work like an insane little bee trying to get it finished. Planning the process of learning, slowing down and digesting what I know and what I need to know is a really smart thing to do. There is no substitute for time and soaking in the experience and allowing for a bit of "play" in the doing. If I don't feel stressed to the hilt for time, learning doesn't feel like work. It really is sort of synonomous with fun. (Detering's video on gaming was pretty influential to me) Hmmm. Novel idea, having time to play and enjoy what you've learned.
I learned that even though I may have learned the "right" way to do something, sometimes I need to c
onvince myself with a less effective method. I see the same tendency in my students. It's a necessary evil in learning I suspect. There is something to following a recipe, and then there's something to tweeking it a bit to see if things come out better-or worse. Good or bad results, I remember and grow in my skill. I do think this has something to do with schema. I think we have a desire to mess with it a little. Make it our own and sort of force it to go somewhere.
I learned that I know more than I thought I did. I really had a better understanding of pre-existing knowledge and how that effects how I approach a new subject. If it feels familiar in any way, I'm more confident about taking it on. I also draw more connections to knew knowledge I believe because I have more old knowledge to connect it too. Altogether, that means a greater foundation from which to understand, and create new solutions from. Horizontal transfer? Yes. Vertical transfer? Yes. It makes me think: new vs. knew. Coincidence? I think not.
I very much enjoyed reading about different learning theories while learning something new. I really did consider what my mind was doing (without really trying) while working. I also discovered that if I was trying to digest a lot all at once, something had to give, and it was usually my tacit learning. I would really stink if doing (or thinking) too much at once. That would increase my frustration, which in turn would limit my cognition. My level of challenge must be slightly under my level of motivation. Too much of that challenge thing and I lose the love.
I also learned to incorporate all three learning paradigms into my process: Behaviorism at times I thought was an antiquaited idea, and though there's much more to it in learning, we can use it still to influence outcomes. I am very motivated to get busy and get to work by the desire to have this room finished, entertain, decorate it, etc. That is my reward for learning. And for feeling inadequate and akward in the beginning stages. (We all need a reward don't we?) I utilized systematic approaches to my learning, breaking it down, watching, doing, watching, doing, etc. I appreciate the ideas of cognitivism and how we can learn with that prescribed sort of method. And I recognized my continuum of learning, my reality of knowing, step by step, stage by stage through understanding contructivism. I have a high degree of respect for these theorists, as thinking about thinking is, well, pretty brainy. But it's also pretty courageous in that it's uncharted territory, and being "off" a bit in one's calculations are part of that territory.
This was an excellent activity, and a very appropriate kickoff to the entire graduate program. I am looking at how I act, how I plan, teach, assess, how students learn, and how my entire school is operated based more on the most important thing: not just how much we teach, but how much our students learn. It's so easy to get off that ideal with all other distractions of being a teacher, many of which are also super important. I do believe this class has had large part in making me a better educator overall and that's pretty humbling. I have graduated consciously incompetentm but that's where the best learning lies.
