The Essentials: The Importance of Understanding How People Learn

As a learning designer, I understand that everyone learns differently. We all have different experiences, skills, knowledge, environments, and talents that impact how we learn. That's why one-size-fits-all doesn't work when it comes to creating effective learning experiences. My job is to develop an environment that makes learning easier and more efficient. To do this, I rely on different learning theories that help me determine effective learning strategies. These theories also help me understand individual learning preferences, such as cognitive, behaviorism, and constructivism. With this knowledge, I can design instruction that caters to various learning styles, making the learning experience better for everyone.

The relationship between learning theories and instructional design.

Learning theories and instructional design have influences on each other. Instructional design focuses on the creation of effective learning experiences, while learning theories support how those experiences are designed. For example, learning theories explain how people learn, how they acquire knowledge, and how they process information. This information is useful to learning designers by helping them understand the cognitive, constructive and behavioral components of learners.

My beliefs and values related to teaching and learning.

I believe that each learner has unique learning requirements that cannot be categorized into one type of learning instruction or method. It is imperative that each learning need is unpacked in order to understand how new information is acquired, processed, and ultimately translated into behavior changes in learners. Teaching opens up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to learning. The purpose of this work is to provide learners with new information while course correcting incorrect concepts.

As a lifelong learner myself, I understand that learning experiences are not limited to formalized training. It must also include the experience from the learner's perspective. Student-centered learning puts the student at the center of the learning process, allowing them to invest in their own learning process as well.

Communication and collaboration with your target audience also fosters the exchange of ideas and information that encourages learners to become actively involved in the learning process.