The multiplicity of learning

I’m wary of consultants and sales people and such who claim they have a single solution to all my problems. I would be just as wary if a teacher or researcher was to tell me there was only one way to learn. It seems like there are multiple learning theories, because, well, there are different ways to learn. After reading chapter 11 in Learning in Adulthood, I would posit that the way you learn depends on where you are at in the learning continuum from novice to expert in that particular task or knowledge base.

As fashionable as it is to downplay the importance and relevance of behaviorism in learning circles these days, it strikes me as a darn good method to use to build basic skills and knowledge. I think back to my days of when I first was learning music. There was lots of repletion and feedback, with the instructor setting the agenda and my learning goals. It made sense because when you don’t know anything about a subject, how could you know where to begin? I can’t imagine taking a constructivist approach. Although, today, I need to pick my own repertoire and identify my own learning needs as I now have 20+ years of expertise.

In contrast, I’m learning ball room dancing, and I pretty much need that same behaviorist, teacher centered approach with lots of reinforcement. When I think of my work on the job, though, I get pretty bored quickly sitting in classes and excel when I get to make my own learning choices, explore my own path and especially if I have a mentor to nudge me here and there. The humanist and cognitive approaches speak to me most in this regard. Finally, as I strive to enhance my business partnering skills, the social cognition approach would work best for me, where I get to observe someone very experienced work through conversations and difficult issues.