Epistemology

Based on the readings for this topic, how would you characterize your epistemological beliefs? How have these beliefs been facilitating or inhibiting to the ways you learn?

Growing up in a conservative country and religious family has shaped my beliefs in knowing. I had dualistic epistemological beliefs back then. My truths were based on what my family has said and based on my religion, as a Catholic. I only believed in one single truth and that was always related to what my religion has thought as morally good. I had these type of beliefs up until I was in college and still living with my family. I would say that the way I had these beliefs was limiting. When my classmates and I would engage in a discourse, often times, I have already set my mind and close it with any views that my classmates were giving. I was respectful of their opinions but I was never accepting of it. In my mind, there was only one absolute truth.

But after college, when I was separated with my family, was living on my own, and had the opportunity to travel in different places and learned other people’s cultures, everything has changed. I started to develop relativistic epistemological beliefs. Being away from the family and living independently has helped me to view things differently. I was on my own and left to construct my own knowledge of the world. Being in the “real world” and experiencing it on my own has changed the way I perceive things. The social media has also helped me in changing the focus of my beliefs. I get to read different sides of stories which all made valid points thus widening my understanding of things.

It has been since liberating to have these type of beliefs. I have become less judgemental and more accepting of ideologies thus I have learned more. I started to become open to more ideas and acquire more knowledge in the process. So I can say that it’s been facilitating my learning to a great extent. I started to reconsider how others perceive their truth and understand why they came up with such ideas. I believe that I still have more knowing and learning to do. Their possibilities are endless and if I stayed the way with my beliefs of knowing before I would have limited the knowledge that I have learned and am learning now.

Final entry for EDS 103

Weew! After 10 weeks of grueling tasks, finally, we are here.

The first feeling that encompassed my whole being when I finally received the email that FINALS for EDS 103 was open was—–worry. I was worried about it because it means that I have a new task added to my currently piled-up to-do things. I was worried that I can’t squeeze my brain for more to answer the questions even if I want to.

But suddenly things have changed. I don’t know why but as I was about to open the Microsoft Word and make a file named “FINALS EDS103” I felt so excited. I was giddy and highly motivated while finishing the exam. Although there were times that I needed to take a break because my brain doesn’t function anymore :). Overall I was just happy that finally I am doing it and that just means that I am going to cross it out on my list and that it that I am finally (almost) tasked free. I was inspired to do it because, in the beginning, I have never thought that I will be able to finish the course but look at where I am now— writing my final blog for Theories of Learning.

I just want to echo what I have said many times, “I can’t emphasize how much I have learned in this type of education”.  I will always be in awe of the impact of distance education. The sleepless nights have been so worth it as I have felt the change both in my personal and professional aspect. I felt that I grew as a teacher and couldn’t be more thankful enough. The Final exam is altogether the combination of what I’ve learned on this subject. It felt like a review, which I think is one of the purposes of the exam.  I have been reminded again of how important it is that I must redefine my role as a teacher and change the way that I teach. I have realized that the education system is facing a lot of problems from the workforce to the politics that comes with it. It is not only between the teacher and the students but with other factors as well such as teachers versus colleagues and admins, education and the government, etc. That there’s till so much to change in the ways of how our education system is built right now and I am part of that change. That I have a huge responsibility to fill to make that change.

As I am writing this final entry, I  am just happy because  first, I thought I couldn’t do it but here I am, done with the FINAL EXAM and writing the last entry for this subject and second that I continued and now I am thankful because I have accumulated so much information that has changed and will change the way I handle things inside my classroom. Cheers, everyone!

 

MODULE 7: Creativity, HOTS and Motivation

Does school really kill creativity? When I look back at my schools years during elementary and high school and compare what I have learned about learning and teaching now, I can’t help but wish that I have gotten to experience school the way it is promoted now. In contemporary learning and teaching, it emphasizes that teachers need to be creative and they need to teach children to be creative. But creativity here doesn’t mean teaching them to paint and draw but rather— teach them how to create something novel and useful. Teachers must provide activities that will flourish their students to use their creativity.  We must engage them in something that allows them to think out of the box. Teaching students to be creative is important because it will help them prepare in solving real-life problems. If we are faced with roadblocks–to be able to overcome it, one must look for other ways and that there requires creativity. If we teach them the traditional way, where the answers to the questions are explicitly stated then we are one reason that kills that creativity.

Growing up, I can say that degree of my creativity has gradually diminished. The fear of what others might think of my ideas, fear of failing and making mistakes are just some of what stifles my creativity. It’s the fear that I created and the society is the catalyst. As what Mr. Ken Robinson in his TED TALK video “Picasso once said this, he said that all children are born artists. The problem is to remain an artist as we grow up. I believe this passionately, that we don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out of it. 

Now, as a teacher, how can I ensure that I am reinforcing my students’ ability to be creative? What can I do to avoid these circumstances? One way  I can do is designing instructions that will develop their Higher Order Thinking Skills. I think what I really admire in the contemporary education is the importance given to developing the critical thinking of students. In developing the learner’s critical thinking, they must be allowed and pushed to be creative. Instead of giving the students questions with straight answers, teachers must generate questions that will use their critical, logical, reflective, metacognitive, and creative thinking (King, F.J., Goodson, L. & Rohani, F. Higher Order Thinking Skills, p. 1). One way of achieving this is through project-based learning. Luckily, there are teaching strategies that one can follow and is readily available on the world wide web. According to King, Goodson, and Rohani, lessons involving higher order thinking skills require particular clarity of communication to reduce ambiguity and confusion and improve student attitudes about thinking tasks. As teachers, we must be clear on what we want our learners to achieve. Teachers not only students need to develop their creative skills too. Every day, as teachers, we encounter different scenarios. Situations vary every time. As we face these problems, we need to come up with different plans and if one is not creative, finding the best solution is impossible. With HOTS, teachers need to redefine their roles and create a  student-centered classroom. The learners are in the center, constructing and actively participating to their on learning.

There many factors that drive our motivation but one thing is for sure, it is one of the things that will lead us to success. In Mr. Covington’s talk, he explained that “Students’ tendency to focus excessively on their grades is related to their fear of failure” (Martin Covington: Why Students Learn and (Sometimes) Don’t Learn). I must admit I was the type of learner that he discussed as studying and working hard to get good grades. That was my motivation. I didn’t learn the lessons because I really wanted to learn and be competent. It was all about the numbers on that small card that mattered.  But with online learning, it has been a different experience for me. Although I still strive hard to get better grades here, there’s this drive to learn more. Maybe because the responsibility of learning lies in my own efforts. If I didn’t understand the lesson that doesn’t mean that I am incapable but rather I just have to work harder and read as many articles as I can until I get a grasp of it. My personal motivation is driven by wants. If I really want something, I strive harder to achieve it.

http://gsi.berkeley.edu/programs-services/hsl-project/hsl-speakers/covington/

https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativit

http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/teaching_higher_order_thinking,37431.html?issueID=12910

Constructivism.

For Module 6 of EDS 103, we covered the topic of CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORIES. Constructivist Theory has two key principles:

〉Learning is an active rather than a passive process. In other words, this theory promotes “student-centered” type of learning.  In my other subject, this type of learning belongs in the contemporary pedagogy of learning. The students are not merely sponges that absorb the knowledge that the teacher feeds them but rather they are an active ingredient in their own learning. In this way, students develop independence as well as critical thinking.  I can really attest that learning-by-doing is an effective way of teaching. I remembered that I’ve always enjoyed our lessons. back in high school,  when we were pushed to move around rather than sitting and listening to my teacher talk. My classmates and I were always excited during our P.E. classes and find the subject the most enjoyable. We were having fun and we were learning as well!

Learners as an active constructivist also imply that teachers need to define their roles as facilitators and guide. Back in the days, I would always remember my mom saying  “Hayaan mo para matuto” when my brother would volunteer in doing the household chores or when they see that I’m struggling with a certain task. Clearly, even when I still don’t have a name for this type of learning, constructivism is already practiced inside our own household. And, believe me, it has taught me a lot being the active one and experiencing the task instead of just my mom talking and relaying the information to me. I can also recall the tasks better in this way.

Another supporter of this theory is Vygotsky. Unlike Piaget, Vygotsky emphasizes the influences of cultural and social contexts in learning and supports a discovery model of learning (Clark, D.R. (2004) Constructivism). In his theory, he introduced the term Zone of Proximal Development (PZD). PZD is a level where a learner is under the guidance of peers while accomplishing a task. In PZD, learners need a more knowledgeable other (MKO) to facilitate them in doing a certain task.  The role of an MKO is important because they provide the learner the needed support that will enable him/her to accomplish the task. Learners should be guided appropriately but they would still need to be given the space to think for solutions to problems independently.

Taken from :http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html

〉〉Learning, to be effective, should be whole, authentic, and “real”.  The students learning should be relevant to them. Learners should be able to connect the knowledge they gain to the real-world problems. This is a way to make the learning more meaningful to them. If the learning is more meaningful this information can stay in the long-term memory and be classified as episodic memory and they can recall it easier. If the learning is also authentic the information gathered can be used to a life-long learning. The lessons learned will not be limited to the subject content but can be applied in the student’s personal life and thus preparing students to be more competent and well-prepared individuals. Developmental psychologist Jerome Bruner reminds us that there is a tremendous difference between learning about physics and learning to be a physicist (Lombardi.M.M (2007) Authentic Learning p. 2). If learning is to be perceived this way, students will realize the consequences of the lessons and they will understand what this information can do for them and the whole world in general.

As a teacher, I still have a lot of constructing and accommodation to do until I’ll be able to effectively integrate authentic learning in my classroom. It will take a lot of time and maybe a bit expensive but if I want what’s best for my students then this should not falter me in any way. I believe with the support of my school, my new learnings, and the help of technology, this type of learning can be fully integrated into my classroom.

Sources:

http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html

Click to access ELI3009.pdf

Clark, D.R. (2005). Constructivism. Retrieved from http://nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html

Information Processes

Information overload. That’s what happened when I finished reading the resources of Module 5. But I’m happy to say, I did it! But the question is, how much of it will I be able to recall? If my brain is a computer I might be able to retrieve all the information without a sweat. I am a lover of technology. I have always been updated with the latest trends in the tech world. Every year I just get more and more in awe of its abilities and capacities.

 I have never been good in recalling information but never have it entered in my mind or wished to have the ability of the computer to process information. Albeit it’s impressive abilities, I always see technology as puppets. Something that won’t function without the control of humans. Computers will always be better in processing information. Humans can’t compete with that because that’s what they’re built for. It’s their main role. But what lacks in our ability to process information is what makes us unique. I can’t imagine living in a world where everyone doesn’t forget. Imagine what it entails.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane. 

In all honesty, I don’t remember much about my first teacher anymore. But I can remember that I call her “Ma’am Navarro”. I don’t remember her face or how she looked like, all I could remember was I would walk in front of the class, and ask her to fix my hair for me in front of everyone and she would always do. Her/our classroom was located at the end part of the building. The end part of the side wall is next to a small garden that connects to a gate. That same side wall was also where our blackboards were hung. Our desks were made of wood and were the types where two people can sit. Recalling these memories felt very nostalgic and brought happy memories to me. I can say that it was easy to remember those moments because they were an important part of my personal life or what we call episodic memory.

What memorizing strategies have you found useful?  What factors positively or negatively influence your ability to remember information? 

The strategies that I utilize vary depending on the situation. In my college days, I would always use chunking and clustering when memorizing my lectures. I would always write them down and group them accordingly. As, for names or important information, I would always use association. I remember when I had identical twins in my class that I had a difficulty identifying who is who. So, what I did was, I associated her name, which was Lotus , with her long hair. The major factor that influences my ability to remember is the degree of importance they hold to me. When I know that something is really important and would result to something undesirable when forgotten, then I try to remember this information as much. The relevancy of the information is also another factor that plays a role in my ability to remember.

 Say no to cramming.

I was really never the type of a person who crams. Some say that cramming does magic for them but it’s always not been the case for me. I find it too difficult to focus my attention on a task knowing that I am working for a limited time. In other words, I don’t do well when I’m under pressure. I would only remember the feeling of stress that I had been in more than the information that I need to take in. If somebody would dare me to take an exam 5 years ago, I would say yes. I am willing to try but I know that my ability to remember will fail me greatly. What does it tell me about my learning goals? I would say, again, that it’s about the relevancy, time and practice. I don’t remember the answers to the quizzes I have taken 5 years ago but I can still remember how to use photoshop and video editing tools until now because I practice them and that it’s something personally I enjoy doing.

 Learning strategies and goals.

I can say that my strategies and goals are greatly motivated depending on the pedagogy and design incorporated. In my high school days, I had this teacher in Chemistry who was so organized and really good in what presenting her lectures that she made me like Chemistry. She would explain things in a way that it was easier for us to understand the complexities of Chemistry. That same reason motivated me to do well because I was actually having fun learning what she has taught. With regards to online learning, this type of learning has really pushed me beyond what I thought was my limit. With UPOU I have learned to watch closely over my goals. I have become more vigilant and aware of my own learning.

Back to the future.

This module has imparted a lot of new information that I can now use inside my own classroom. The Primary-recency effect alone can make so much difference in how I will lay out my plans for my 1 hour and 40 minute- class. Lost of student’s attention can now be avoided and classes with longer time can now become more efficient by using block scheduling and learning will be much more effective and down-time can be shortened. With Cognitive theory, instructional designs are going to be better planned out in a way that information can be recalled much more easily and students will gain more information instead of easily forgotten ones. This theory can also help learners alike to get better results in their exams by using the memorizing strategies. I, for one, will retrieve all these strategies and use it as I take my Licensure Examination in the future. 🙂

“If you can believe, you can achieve.”

The photo that you’re looking at is my current desktop wallpaper. Yep. I changed my wallpaper to that since I started my official journey on UPOU as a sort of encouragement for me when things get overwhelming and I am feeling like giving up. And I tell you, it will, but I’m not trying to scare you. I just want to say that it’s going to be okay.

I posted that picture because it is very apt to our topic which is the Social-Cognitive Theory. This theory was proposed by Albert Bandura. He suggested that we learn through observation, imitation, and modeling. But not everything that is observed can be learned. Not even if you believe. An example would be a 90-year-old woman who wants to learn Muay Thai or for a 5-year old to build a house. There are other factors to consider. Out of the topics that had been introduced that were rooted from Social-Cognitive Theory, the idea of “self-efficacy” is what I had been most interested in.

Self-efficacy is your belief in your own abilities to deal with various situations (Cherry, K. verywell.com). This belief will greatly affect the outcome of your goals. Self-efficacy is significantly relevant right now to me, being a student on UPOU. Contrary to what I believe, at least, it’s not easy-peasy. I can attest that it’s much harder than learning in a traditional class. That’s why it is consequential to develop this strategy for myself.

Bandura listed four sources to develop you Self-efficacy. They are Mastery Experiences, Social Modeling, Social Persuasion, and Psychological factors.

Let’s start with Mastery Experiences. I have been studying for 3 weeks now. Mastery Experiences is something that I have not yet to develop. I think it also comes with time. But, so far I have successfully able to accomplish tasks that are needed to be done and I’m rather consistent on that part. Next is Social Modeling. Who are these people? They are the role models of our life. The one we aspire to be. For this category, I would say my classmates are my role models. You may not have any idea about this but you inspire me to finish every task. Seeing your posts make me want to work harder and finish my own task. If you have successfully done it, then I can do it too. Quite a few people know about my studies. I am an introvert. I don’t usually talk about of my life to other people. I can say that Social Persuasion is my weakest source of self-efficacy although I have friends who I can occasionally share my feelings with and my mother’s occasional “You can do it” messages. Psychological factors is the last source in the list. I believe this is the most important and the toughest one to develop. These are our moods, feelings, and emotions. Everything goes back to this. It is our ability to handle our emotions. A strong sense of mental ability is highly needed in this aspect. I get anxious most of the time and it’s something that I have been working on overcoming for a long time now. It’s not easy but I still get by every time because I believe in myself.  Sometimes, I get surprised too about what I can do.

If there’s one thing that I want to impart to my fellow UPOU students it is to be a strict follower. Strictly follow the tasks and goals that you have set up for yourself. Made a timetable for your activities? Follow it.  Need to finish your eJournal today? Follow that gut that told you so. Do you think you need to take a break? Go and follow what your body tells so. Take a rest but never quit.

Punishments and How effective are they?

        I’ll give you a scene of the environment I grew up in: My father was a soldier and I have three older brothers. Just try to picture that out and let it sink in for a little bit. I was the only rose among the thorns and being the rose has its privileges. Fortunately for me, I have never experienced those disciplinary actions that my father used to ensure that my brothers grow up as good men. Conversely, it was not the case with my mother. My mother usually does the disciplinary for me. In our home, spanking or pinching were the most common disciplinary actions that my parents used. That’s how they stopped unwanted behaviors. On the other hand, good behavior was rewarded by buying us our favorite snacks. I remembered my brothers’ favorite tale, it was about how they would scramble and rush back home upon hearing my father’s whistle. The sound of that whistle evoked fear within them.

This incident happened when I was in Grade 1. I was chosen by my school to represent the Spelling Bee competition. It was not an issue for me not until my mother trained me. She would berate me every time I didn’t correctly spell a word. I can still clearly remember trying to memorize the letters to the word “Apple” while in tears. She had also prevented me from playing outside (negative punishment) with my friends not until I had memorized and learned all the words she had enumerated. My mother’s actions have pushed me to follow her orders out of fear but the learning was forced and it didn’t really motivate me to try harder. I easily have forgotten the words she had taught me because I was so eager to forget those memories that I associated with fear and anxiety.

A behaviorist approach that I would say was very effective that my parents used was of Thorndike’s. It is customary for my family to go to the church every Sunday. The mass starts very early in the morning, at around 7 .am., and I wasn’t really a morning person. What my parents would do is, they would reward us by eating at our favorite fast-food restaurant after hearing the mass. The reinforcement of my parents was very effective because it made me want to repeat the action again. Here, we can apply Thorndike’s Law of Effect. I repeated the action again because it was followed by a satisfying effect. It has become an effective technique for my parents to persuade us to go the church with them.

For the approach that changed my behavior but were very unpleasant, I can say the spanking and pinching of my mother. Spanking was not always given to us as a punishment. We usually received it when we crossed the line. There was a time that I talked back to my mother while she was reprimanding me and by the way she looked showed that I was going to receive it, the spanking. It was an experience that I wouldn’t want to go through again. It was a cruel action for my mother but it did produce a desirable result on her part because I didn’t repeat the action again. On my part, I got really mad and didn’t talk to her for a few days. But the experience was etched into my mind that every time she scolds me I would just stay quiet in one place and nod to her for every question she would throw at me. It was not pleasant at all but it changed my behavior for the better towards my mother.

Conclusion:

A friend once told me that my parents were an example of a successful parenting. And I asked her why? And she told me it’s because they were able to raise us well and we ended up in a good place. All of us are working and living on our own. Many researchers proved that corporal punishment is harmful and ineffective (Lee, K. verywell.com). I wouldn’t argue with that because it’s pure facts but I also wouldn’t disregard that despite the spanking we received back in the days, my brothers and I grew up well. We finished our studies (except one) and all of us has jobs that allow us a little luxury in life.  If ever I’ll have my own family someday, I would probably incorporate a little of corporal punishing (positive punishment) and a lot of negative punishment in a way to discipline my children. Corporal punishments should be given as a last resort to an unwanted behavior and an explanation as to why was the action was done should be immediately given to the child. Corporal punishment should go hand in hand with good communication as to avoid unfavorable results. I still believe that talking to a child and explaining things in a parent’s perspective are better. As for school, I don’t agree with corporal punishments. I treat my students as my children but at the end of the day I am not their real parent and I don’t have any right to inflict pain on these people. If a teacher would do that to my child, I wouldn’t like it either. Would you?

Intelligence: What and how important is it?

 

      Back when I was studying in elementary and all throughout out college, I have always thought that intelligent people are the only ones who excel in Math, Science and English subjects. That’s the kind of society I grew up in. People who do well in art and creative department and such are only regarded as talented and never once called intelligent. People who can’t speak English well is being mocked and made fun of and the people who speak the language well are regarded as the intelligent one. I grew up with that notion but as I have become independent and was thrown out to the outside world of the school, my ideology with a lot of things have greatly changed.

What have I learned?   

 First, let’s talk about the theories. There were a lot of it actually. This module has taught me that there were two most prominent and still an ongoing debate about the theory of intelligence. One is from Spearman who noted that Intelligence is one general factor. He believed that there is one general factor where intelligence can be rooted from. The other theory is from Howard Gardner. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences explains that intelligence can be dived into multiple categories and that it can’t be singled as one factor. Single or Multiple? The choice is yours. But for me, I support Gardner’s Theory. Intelligence is a broad subject/topic. People excel in different categories. You can dance well? Then you’re intelligent. You are good with music? Then you’re intelligent.

Intelligence	Examples	Discussion
Bodily-kinesthetic	Dancers, athletes, surgeons, crafts people	The ability to use one’s physical body well.
Interpersonal	Sales people, teachers, clinicians, politicians, religious leaders	The ability to sense other’s feelings and be in tune with others.
Intrapersonal	People who have good insight into themselves and make effective use of their other intelligences	Self-awareness. The ability to know your own body and mind.
Linguistic	Poets, writers, orators, communicators	The ability to communicate well, perhaps both orally and in writing, perhaps in several languages.
Logical-mathematical	Mathematicians, logicians	The ability to learn higher mathematics. The ability to handle complex logical arguments.
Musical	Musicians, composers	The ability to learn, perform, and compose music.
Naturalistic	Biologists, naturalists	The ability to understand different species, recognize patterns in nature, classify natural objects.
Spatial	Sailors navigating without modern navigational aids, surgeons, sculptors, painters	The ability to know where you are relative to fixed locations. The ability to accomplish tasks requiring three-dimensional visualization and placement of your hands or other parts of your body.

This table is taken from http://otec.uoregon.edu/intelligence.htm

The table above shows the divisions of Multiple Intelligence. This theory can greatly help students in enhancing their talents so that later on, they can use it, especially in choosing the right career path.

 After learning about Gardner’s Theory, memories in my senior year in high school came flashing by. I was 15 then and I was already prepped up to plan for my future. Just like any other struggling adolescents, I was not fully ready yet at that time. I was not one of the fortunate teens who knew what they wanted to do in life at the early age. It was such a difficult time for me. I haven’t known what I really wanted to do. Imagine if this theory was presented to me at the time. It could’ve helped me greatly. But, it’s all in the past now and there’s no point dwelling on it. All is well now.

                Now that I’ve learned so much about intelligence in this chapter, I will definitely use Gardner’s Theory of intelligence to discover what other things I can do and enhance it. I will definitely share this theory with my niece. So, she can have this knowledge that I didn’t have when entering college.

Another realization that I’ve had about intelligence is something that I can greatly use in real life and use t motivate myself more. Intelligence doesn’t guarantee success in life. There actually many research that can prove this statement. It is a fact. Growing up,  I have always been intimated by intelligence, thinking that “It’s okay, I’ve accepted it. She will and can do better than me. She’s more intelligent. She will, for sure, succeed”. And that’s not the case. It is a big factor, yes, but there are variables that can determine one’s life success. Intelligence alone won’t take you to that goal. Lewis Terman noted that personality traits such as goal-orientation, self-confidence, and perseverance are important factors too in determining one’s success. In other words, we also need to grind. Push ourselves to the limits to reach what we want to reach. I hope this motivates you.

P.S. I just want to leave this quote here:

         “More important than what a student can do, is what a student is willing to do”

                                               -Kappe, R. & van der Flier, H. Eur J Psychol Educ (2012)

PPS. Let me ask you, what are you willing to do to succeed in this online course? Just something to ponder on.

MODULE 1: Learning. What is it?

Let me share my thoughts with you. This is my first time as an online student and what I can say is, I’m totally blown away by it–all the task that I needed to finish, but I’m coping and adjusting. I have never thought that this is going to be tough. But I’ll find my balance soon and most importantly, I AM LEARNING.

There are many definitions of learning. My number one definition would be learning is a process. The time frame of learning differs to each people. Some people learn instantly and some take time. It comes with maturation. Back in high school, I used to pressure myself to learn this and that but as I mature I understand that learning manifests in different circumstances and experiences. I also believe that for someone to learn, s/he needs to incorporate understanding. It is important that you have a full idea of what you are learning. In that way, the product is more effective and have a greater impact.

Another definition of learning for me is development. We learn so many things every day. We learned that drugs are bad to us—-but do you use this new found information to impact in a good way or you choose the path that will hinder your progress as a person? That’s why it is important to me that when we learn we somehow improve something. May it be for yourself or for others.

Back in school, I learned much because of the help of my teachers. They were imparting what they know to us, students. I have also learned because I paid attention and read and understood my lecture. Sometimes, I learned because of doing the activities in actuality, like doing experiments.  For me, the best way I have learned was through understanding my lecture. I didn’t need to memorize everything unless it is needed to. Although there parts that really needed to be remembered as it is because of the types of test that was given.

I think some people learn better because of biological factors. Their intelligence is inherited. They were born already intelligent and the environment they were in growing up nurtured that intelligence. Another reason is maturation. Some may mature earlier than some of us.

I took this online class because I want to learn, improve and develop something for myself and the profession that I am in. The process is going to take long but I am excited for the product of this learning and where it will take me. 🙂

First blog post

This is your very first post. Click the Edit link to modify or delete it, or start a new post. If you like, use this post to tell readers why you started this blog and what you plan to do with it.