The Learning Process

According to constructivist theories of learning, an individual learns innovations by interpreting and maturation meanings of things, such as their experiences or study encountered, based on their existing knowledge. (Newhouse, Trinidad, & Clarkson, 2002, p.7 Richardson, 2003, p. 1625) Accordingly, individual learning occurs in two ways first, by acquiring knowledge from his or her interaction with his or her immediate purlieu and second, by gaining knowledge from formal settings and instruction. (Newhouse, Trinidad, & Clarkson, 2002, p. 7) Thus, an individual learns from his or her active participation in making backbone of new information and experience obtained from either an informal or formal setting.Critical mentation is a form of a higher order seeing skill or metacognitive process that involves collecting, sorting, analyzing, and concluding from information to meet a goal or objective. (Wilson, 2000, p. 7) Critical thinking goes beyond mere knowledge and concept acquis ition. (ibid) It involves being able to judge the relevance of the knowledge acquired and knowing how to apply knowledge to varying areas or domains of learning.Improving thinking skills necessitate approaches that stimulate the learners interest and provide opportunities for the individual to pertain his or her existing knowledge to new realities and experiences. For instance, Newhouse, Trinidad, & Clarkson (2002) suggest the use of calculator-based learning systems in the classroom as a strategy to teach higher order thinking skills and improve the learning of students. (p. 11) The authors argue that computer technologies have the potential to create learning environments that support the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills in students by exposing them to experiences that require extending and challenging their ways of thinking and acting. (p. 13) Hence, computers allow students to improve the way they think and use knowledge.Work CitedNewhouse, P.C., Tri nidad, S., & B. Clarkson (2002). Quality pedagogy and effective learning with Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) a brushup of the literature. Perth, Western Australia Specialist Educational Services.Richardson, Virginia (2003). Constructivist pedagogy. Teachers College Record, 105(9) 1623-1640.Wilson, Valerie (2000). Can thinking skills be taught? In Education Forum for intellection Skills (appendix 3). Scottish Council for Research in Education. Retrieved April 27, 2008 from http//www.scre.ac.uk/scot-research/thinking/index.html