Thursday, September 6, 2007

Week 1- Meaningful Learning

"Is it possible to learn without engaging in some activity: that is, is it
possible to simply learn by thinking about something? Can you think of an
example?"




I don't think that it's possible to learn by just thinking about something. People need hands on interaction to fully experience something. For example, if someone were to just explain to you the rules of a game, you might be really confused. You need to be able to experience the game with the hands on approach to really understand it. Think about someone trying to explain how to play basketball. They can tell you how to shoot and dribble, but most likely, you won't be an expert without actually playing the game.



When students are tested by their teachers, many of them can do well without actually learning the material. That is, most students can do well by simply memorizing. Therefore, this may not be such an accurate measure of learning. Students can repeat what they have been told but they may not actually understand what it means. To me, this isn't really learning. It's more like a way of beating the system.

3 comments:

Aimee said...

I agree with what you say in terms of some students have the ability to memorize things while others dont. Therefor it's good to do hands on activities, that way it accommodate all.

AK said...

You had some great points. Curiosity is usually the thing that sparks our attention and makes us want to actively try out something. Your explanation was definitely well said.

Anonymous said...

I chose the same side you did, that engaging in activity helps you learn better. I like the example you chose to write about though, know matter how many times someone tells you how to dribble or shoot, you'll never actually get it until you try.