Allison's Theory Review

Allison Hillis commented on:

• Denise Hile, Emotions and Learning
• Christina Guy, Relationships and Learning

Theory Review of the Natural Learning Process and the 6E Learning Cycle

Allison Hillis

Ball State University

EDAC 635

Dr. Bo Chang

Introduction

Learning is a process with multiple components.  Ideas and models are abundant within theories of how people learn.  Varying ideas of how the learning process moves and through what stages can be seen in multiple perspectives.  As an educator, knowing that learning is a process and that there is a different starting point for every learner can help to set learning in motion.  One’s knowledge is ever changing.  People are always going through the learning process as they experience new ideas and activities. “Ideas are not fixed and immutable elements of thought but are formed and reformed through experience” (Woods, 2012).

Themes

Having several cycles and models to review, this paper addresses only two of the learning models.  The first is the Natural Learning Cycle.  Children have a natural curiosity and development pattern.  When they are learning to walk, they have already mastered sitting, bearing weight on their legs, and some degree of balance.  The stepping movement is the next typical developmental stage.  Children have motivation to engage in the movement and receive feedback that the movement is good.  The Natural Learning Cycle proposes five steps to the process:

1.          “Observe 
     2.  Form a mental image
     3.    Imitate
     4.    Trial and error
     5.    Practice” (Criss, 2008)

Learners observe to help them set a goal.  Observations can be of a large goal and also need to include the steps towards reaching that goal.  Through their observations, learners are then able to create their mental images.  These mental images need to be more than rote memory, when they memorize a set of steps or a set idea.  The mental images should be applied to problem solving and be able to morph into multiple strategies towards achieving their final goal.  Learners also have the opportunity to imitate or reproduce the image that they have in their mind of the goal.  The trial and error piece to the process helps learners determine their best, most effective strategy towards reaching their learning goal.  The practice phase allows the learner to use their strategies to embed them into their lives, thus encouraging the learner’s new knowledge to be utilized.  (Criss, 2008).

Another cycle that could reach many learners is the 5E cycle written by The Biological Sciences Curriculum Study.  The 5Es consist of Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.  Duran, Duran, Haney, and Scheuremann add a sixth E of Express to modify the cycle.   

As learners start through this learning process, the first step for them is to engage.  The engagement is started with a connecting a new idea to prior knowledge.  This engagement can lead the learner to then explore the new idea.  Through the exploration phase, learners will address potential misconceptions of their previous knowledge and continue engagement through skill practices that encourage them to try the new idea in training activities.  The learner would then have the chance to explain their own understanding of the new idea.  This can help teachers guide the learner to clarification of misconceptions or continued growth of the concept.  The express phase that was added as a modification focuses on formal assessment of the learners.  The goal of the formal assessment is to help the teacher differentiate instruction to support all learners (novice, typical, and advanced) where they are.  The differentiated instruction can be seen in the elaborate phase.  Learners who are at different levels of understanding and practice of new concepts need different levels of support.  The elaborate phase allows instructors to plan and engage learners at various levels.  The final phase in the 6E cycle is evaluation.  The goal of the evaluation phase is for learners to assess their understanding and abilities towards their learning objectives.  Teachers can also evaluate the students’ progress (Duran, Duran, Haney, & Scheuermann, 2011).   

 Implications

When we as educators prompt learner inquiry, learner are able to engage and experience activities that lead them to developing new knowledge.  “The Natural Learning Process works because learning is an activity as natural as breathing” (Criss, 2008).  Sometimes, adults have to relearn how to engage in their natural learning, almost as if they are relearning to trust their learning abilities without over thinking.  This includes educators in the potential need to relearn.  Educators are not exempt from the observation phase.  As much as a learner can gain insight and ideas from observations, so can educators.  (Woods, 2012)

Knowledge of multiple processes can help educators develop their own process of teaching and observing learners to support growth and development.  Reflection can be a powerful tool for educators to use as they review their practices.  Do educators encourage students to explore topics of interest and individual inquiry within the established goals of a course?  What does the educator do to facilitate student observation and exploration of new ideas?  How does the educator allow for a student’s trial and error process and explanation of ideas?  What is the practice that the educator encourages for students to implement new ideas in a meaningful manner?

Jeffery C. Wang wrote an editorial piece in the Global Spine Journal discussing the importance of the learning process.  While his intended audience is doctors who are writing articles with the goal of publication, his statement that “many times we are focused on the end result, but forget about the journey to reach that endpoint” (Wang, 2016) holds true for any practioner.  As educators, we craft trainings and courses that have an end goal of what the students should learn during their time with us.  Through student expression of learning and elaboration of plans, educators are able to differentiate instruction to guide students to refine any questions they have about topics or research interests, help them make improvements in research strategies, and redirect attention to details that may have been less important in previous work can help students further their learning process. 

Reflections

Starting this paper, I read and reviewed at least five different models.  As I reflected and read past theory reviews, I realized that I was taking it too broadly.  Having the background knowledge of the Basic Learning Cycle, Kolb’s Learning Cycle, and Taylor’s Learning Cycle I wanted to explore two different cycles and models for the learning process (MacKeracher, 2004).  Reviewing the Natural Learning Cycle and 6E Learning Cycle gave me more ideas and knowledge on the learning process.  With the various cycles, I have placed phases of each into a chart created for my own comparison and learning.

References

Criss, E. (2008). The Natural Learning Process.  Music Educators Journal, 42-46. doi: 10.1177/0027432108325071 

Duran, E., Duran, L., Haney, J., & Scheuermann, A. (2011, March).  A Learning Cycle
            for All Students. The Science Teacher, pp.  56-60.  Retrieved from
            http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.bsu.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=76f725a
            7-3053-4d58-bcbc-a8226c29c5c6%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3
            QtbG12ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=59777985&db=aph

MacKeracher, D. (2004).  Making Sense of Adult Learning.  Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Wang, J. C. (2016).  The Learning Process.  Global Spine Journal, 523.  doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1592123

Woods, H. B. (2012).  Learning and teaching in action.  Health Information and Libraries Journal, 172-176.  doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2012.00983.x