Michael Gervais
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Ontario Tech University – Faculty of Education
Abstract
Learning is a process, not just a destination. The pathway that a student takes in the learning journey and construction of transferable knowledge and skills can be as important as the learning goal. Modern learning requires that students have opportunities to engage in learning that allows connection, construction through experimentation and socializing with peers during the learning process. Technology in education has provided more significant opportunities to enable learning within these parameters. Interacting and learning with technology can foster increased opportunities for learning to be long-lasting in the digital age. Future learning also needs to take into account the evolution of technology and its impact on how, when and where students learn. Learning that allows students to develop their critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and communication skills is more likely to promote deep learning of concepts. Interacting and learning with technology can foster increased opportunities for learning to be long-lasting in the digital age.
Keywords
connectivism, constructivism, constructivist learning, customization, digital learning, educational technology, experiential learning, experimentation, learning, modern learning, pragmatism, 21st-century competencies
Introduction
Defining learning is a complex task. There are several different theories on how people learn or attempt to learn. Depending upon epistemology, there are different definitions of learning. Further complicating the process is the “what,” a noun, of learning versus the “how,” a verb, of learning. Defining learning as a noun, focussing on the outcome instead of the process, can include acquiring knowledge or skills that can be applied to future problems and used in future learning opportunities (Thomas, 2020). Defining learning as a verb can include engaging in a process that leads to a change in thinking or behaviour resulting from experience (Mayer, 2002). If we lean towards Mayer’s definition of learning, then we must accept that:
- Learning is a process, not a product.
- Learning involves a change in knowledge, beliefs, behaviours or attitudes.
- Learning is a direct result of how students interpret and respond to their experiences – conscious and unconscious
(Ambrose et al., 2010)
Background Information
The historical learning method was based upon the transmission of knowledge from those who had it to those who did not. A commitment to developing a literate society offered some expansion of who could obtain knowledge. Reading literature for learning became more accessible. The development of radio and television provided exposure to different cultures, ideas and norms. Learners had minimal choice or the ability to filter what they learned. Shifting to the modern digital age, learners are now in control of what, where, when, how and with whom they learn. Foundational math and li