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PROMPT #5

Respond to the lesson on how people learn.

Here are some questions to help guide your response:
  1. Did you agree with the material presented?  Why or why not
  2. How do you learn best?
  3. Think of a class you retained particularly well (ie you can still remember the material a year later).  What was unique about the class?
  4. How do you like to be taught new material? What works best for you?
For me, learning is definitely understanding something well enough to be able to apply that knowledge in any problems and still be able to use it in the future.

I kind of agree and disagree to the video that we watch entitled Changing Paradigms. The whole world is really trying to standardized the quality and quantity of education that they offer; giving the students no choice but to take required courses to be able to go to University and have a job. It is like giving you an order, telling you that there's no other way but THEIR WAY. What I don't like about this system, we are forced to study the subjects that we don't really need after High School or even in real life. On the other hand, I strongly agree to the powerpoint presentation about learning, about those things that we remember and what affects our memory, and it is really important that someone will teach you in order for you to really learn. As a human, and as a student, I can relate myself to most of the ideas presented about learning.



So how do I learn best? I learn best if I do my homework and not procrastinate. Whenever I do it, the ideas, concepts and information are retained in my memory that if I am writing a test, it will just be normal for me to write the answers without stressing myself too much. I learn, not just with memorizing, but also applying the knowledge. So for me, writing or rewriting the lessons is a must. I also have to study the lectures again on my own, and to think patterns and connections to other information that I already know so I can remember all the new information.
The classes that I have retained pretty well is Math and Programming. First are my Math classes in the Philippines. I think what really made the information remain on my mind until now is that my teacher speaks my first language and they really do help you throughout a Math problem, gradually and step-by-step. Those information that I have learned are enough background information for me to understand the lessons that they are teaching here in Canada. Here in Mackenzie, my Math teacher gives practice questions for homework and this really helps us students to exercise and apply the new lessons immediately, so we will not forget the concepts. Second, in Programming, the teachers' unique approach for teaching is that he tries to connect the lesson with a concrete idea in which we can relate for us to learn. It is really an advantage for me, since that is how I learn. I have to make a guide or steps to be able to process and remember all of the information that the teacher gave us. The teacher also provides complicated problems which we solve. I really enjoyed this part a lot because I like solving problems where my brain really needs to do work.

Whenever we learn new lessons, I would like to be taught as moderate as possible so I can let my brain process and chew those new information. It works best if the teacher connects it to real life situation and scenarios. Because if I can remember those examples, I would most likely remember the material taught as well. I also like it when teachers do not pressure the students too much and still do a guided practice of answering a problem or a question with the students. For me, it works best if I am able to apply the knowledge that I have learned right away. So any homework or assignment that the teacher will give helps me a lot to try and exercise my mind if I understood those new information.

As I would like to define it, learning is a continuous process, it never ends, and this is my story. This is how I learn.



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