Self Directed, Intrinsically Motivated, Active Learning

For years, there have been many theorists who have shared their views on how individuals learn. Such research has determined that individuals have different learning styles. It is important for teacher to understand the learning styles of both themselves and their students because it helps them to relay the subject knowledge to the students. The teacher is in a position where they must be able to assess the learning styles of their students. This means that the students and teachers are both in a process of learning.

I recently read in the book ‘Skills for Success’ by Stella Cottrell, that you need to take responsibility for your own learning and recognise your own learning preferences. This is a valuable thing to pick up on as being able to recognise how you learn best can help you complete a task to your best ability, and taking responsibility for you own learning rather than replying on others shows what a resourceful worker you can be. After reading this I realised the best

Engaging students in the classroom can be a difficult task. Understanding the process of how students learn can help a teacher adapt the lesson to meet the needs of all students. I will encounter students that are not intrinsically motivated so I will need to find different ways to motivate each and every student. Understanding how my students learn can provide me with insights as to how to help each student learn which will minimize classroom management problems.

Behaviour for learning refers to the pressure on schools to constantly attempt to raise attainments (Department for Children, Schools and Families 2009). This has come about because of schools trying to raise standards for their students that can be identified in the teaching standards which promotes the raising of standard for students. Adams (2009) says 97 percent of new qualified teachers believe managing student behaviour is one of the most important issues for them in the teaching field. Behaviour cannot be separated from learning as they are intrinsically linked together (Ellis and Tod, 2009). Behaviour for learning therefore becomes one of the most important issue for newly qualified teachers and trainee teachers. This reflective writing will look at how the trainee teacher will building relationships in the classrooms as a means of promoting behaviour for learning.

It is practical to assume that students will do better in tasks that reflect their particular style of learning, so knowledge of students’ learning styles, including a variety of tasks will make teaching more inclusive. A learning style questionnaire could be handed out at the start of a course which, once completed will inform the teacher about the learning styles of the students.

“Just as students have different personalities, they also have different ways of learing (Slavin, 107).” Learning styles are another important factor to incorporate when implementing the best learning environment. Learning styles are defined as an individual's mode of gaining knowledge. The most common learning styles addressed are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Auditory leaners understand information through hearing. Visual learners need more visual aids in the learning process, such as diagrams, webs, or pictures. Kinesthetic learners learn better by using manipulatives or by being physically involved in the learning process. Learning styles is a piece of the “backbone” of differentiated learning. Both are used to individualize instruction to help students achieve the most success.

To travel more smoothly along their educational journey, it is also helpful to students to have a good understanding of their personal learning style. For example, I have discovered that I learn best by reading, audio or demonstrational video. In sitting through a lecture, I find myself easily distracted by the presenter’s mannerism or style. Having good reading resources, listening to recorded lectures, or viewing technical videos allows me to productively maintain my focus. Others may not be as comfortable with reading, and would prefer learning in a live lecture environment. Knowing their learning style and using it to their advantage will provide the student with the assurance that they will learn productively and stay on track with their goals.

Each child has a personal learning style that results from innate tendencies and environmental experiences. In every culture and ethnic group, individuality is more common than any general pattern. But because cultural groups often share common values, the experiences of children growing up with those values are reflected in their classroom learning behaviors. The philosophy of learning styles is based on three major grounds are , all students can learn, they learn differently, and learn better when they are taught in their specific learning style .Research indicates that African - American students are often described as being physically active, valuing verbal experience, and engaging on personal relationships. Hispanic students are often

There are many aspects of a self-directed, intrinsically motivated, active learner. After reviewing the readings from this week, there are a few that stand out as being essential. This person will take initiative. It is one of the most important aspects of this type of person as the first step is usually the hardest. Enjoying learning, and having a high degree of curiosity is very important especially to the intrinsically motivated individual. These aspects provide the internal motivation that helps spark the initiative to begin another task. Also in this category is having a strong desire to learn or change. The desire to improve oneself is

Evans points out that creating a caring, and trusting classroom is one of the most important factors to being a successful teacher. He goes on to say that in order to achieve this you must make yourself present to consistently be there to support your students. Secondly, a teacher should get to know his student by inquiring about their activities outside of school, a teacher must learn all that there is to know about his student. By knowing students interests outside of school a teacher can apply some of those things into classroom activities. This is called using intrinsic motivation, which is defined as doing something because it is fun, or because it is the right thing to do.

It is practical to assume that students will perform better in tasks that reflect their particular style of learning, so knowledge of students’ learning styles, including a variety of tasks will make teaching more inclusive. A learning style questionnaire could be handed out at the start of a course which, once completed will inform the teacher about the learning styles of the students.

Education benefits individual mentally, emotionally and physically by placing them in better place than they were previously before. Everybody would agree that learning something new would take place throughout the life. Learning style defined as "A term that describes the variations among learners in using one or more senses to understand, organize, and retain experience" (Reid, 1987, p. 89). Furthermore, Felder and Henriques (1995, p. 21) explained learning styles as "the ways in which an individual characteristically acquires, retains and retrieves information". However, different learners possess different characteristics and different preferred learning styles to perceive, process, take in and understand information.

Learning styles and barriers to learning can be by the VARK to give a profile of learning preferences of how a person takes in and gives out information or Tidwell and Rodgers Practical learning styles Questionnaire. The VARK learning styles determines if the person learns by being a theorist, reflector, activist and/or pragmatist. The practical learning styles questionnaire looks at how people learn by their orientation, whether they are a realistic or creative, by their interaction, are they a doer or a thinker, by how they represent things, either by words or pictures, and how they process information, whether they are a surface or deep processor. There are many other

A self-directed learner is comfortable with independence. He is reliant on his network to learn effectively. He must take initiative to do things he must do and not wait for someone told him what to do. A self-directed learner views problems as challenges, not obstacles. He has a growth mindset when thing do not go as planned. A self-directed learner is self-confident. He always believes in himself that he could achieve every goal. A self-directed learner has a strong desire to learn or change. He has will to get knowledge and views learning as a positive way forward. A self-directed learner is able to organize his time to work productively.

Being motivated is a good start, but personal motivation alone is no guarantee of achieving an educational objective. The first step that I need to take as I move into my career path journey is assessing my learning styles. After been out of school for sixteen years, it is clear that the world I learned from is different than today’s method of teaching; therefore, it is important for me to assess my learning style to find out what works for me. After I had completed the Multiple Pathways assessment test, I discovered my learning styles were interpersonal and intrapersonal. As I was reading the definition of these two styles, I was not surprised that I fall into this category. My interpersonal learning style defines my character. It helps me understand my ability to