Nicole Colligan

CEP800

Personal Theory of Learning

Learning can be defined as the ability to acquire knowledge and skills in some way overtime.

However, the ever-changing and active process of learning can be characterized as much more

than just the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Learning is unique to each individual and

reliant upon a variety of different factors including background knowledge, social environment,

and motivation to learn. This suggests that prior experiences can determine how new information

will be interpreted by an individual. Opportunities for observation or interaction with others can

also shape a person’s behavior. In addition, a desire to learn can motivate an individual to obtain

a greater amount of knowledge. Although these are not the only aspects that contribute to

learning, they are extremely influential to one’s ability to acquire knowledge and skills. Overall,

learning is a continuous journey that develops and transforms through the exposure to new

experiences and situations.

Our brains are constantly acquiring new information that is stored in our existing schema.

According to Cherry (2019), “A schema is a cognitive framework or concept that helps organize

and interpret information.” Our schema develops at an early age and continues to change

throughout our life based on the knowledge we are exposed to. Our prior knowledge and

experiences have a large impact on how we interpret new information and organize it into

meaningful patterns for easy and efficient retrieval (Bransford, Brown, Cocking, p. 33). This

new information can fit into our pre-existing schema or cause our existing schemas to be altered

when presented with new experiences. Knowledge is acquired through our own trial and error as
well as through our ability to reflect upon successes and failures in order to make sense of the

world around us. Throughout our life we are exposed to situations which can challenge us act

upon our own thoughts and ideas and learn from these experiences. People have the ability to

create meaning by making connections between new ideas and prior understandings which

strengthens learning overtime.

In addition, our social environment can also influence how we develop and grow as learners

throughout our life. We are constantly observing the various behaviors present within our

surroundings through the process of observational learning. This idea is evident and closely

linked to the Social Learning Theory and Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment. This experiment

studied how children’s observation of an adult model can affect their behavior. During this

experiment, children observed adults interacting with the Bobo Doll. Some children were

exposed to a model exhibiting aggressive behavior towards the doll while others watched a non-

aggressive model who played with the doll in a calm and quiet manner. The results of this

experiment showed that the children who observed the more aggressive behavior, produced

similar reactions to the bobo doll. These findings suggest that children learn social behavior

through the observation of another individual.

The importance of observation and social environment is further supported by Vygotsky’s

theories which stress the critical role that interaction plays in cognitive development (McLeod,

2018). Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development exemplifies the importance of observation

and interaction as it distinguishes what an individual can do with support and what they can do

independently. This gradual shift of learning allows us to initially develop our understandings by

following others lead, to eventually taking responsibility for our learning by establishing our own

beliefs based on the information we have acquired through social groups within our culture. We
continue to look to others in our community to deepen these understandings of behavior,

language, and social cues overtime. Through engaging in conversation and collaborating with

others we can develop our own perspectives and ideas by discussing and comparing them with

people in our social environment.

Motivation also acts as a driving forces that impacts learning. Motivation can be influenced

by extrinsic and intrinsic rewards or punishment which all affect the frequency in which the

exhibited behavior occurs. When an individual has an internal desire to learn, it typically yields

more positive results in comparison to someone who is attempting to please someone else.

According to Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (2000), “Learners of all ages are more motivated

when they can see the usefulness of what they are learning and when they can use that

information to do something that has an impact on others” When individuals are exposed to

information with real world applications, they feel that they are making a contribution for a

greater purpose. In addition, learning must be challenging enough to motivate an individual, yet

not too difficult or too easy as this may cause boredom or frustration. These factors of motivation

are unique to each individual, as we all have our own interests and passions which can change as

we age.

Learning is an ongoing process that can change throughout our lives. Our learning can be

defined by a variety of components that impact us all differently. We can learn through or own

experiences by building upon prior knowledge. We can also through social encounters that shape

our beliefs about the world. In addition, we can learn through our own thirst for knowledge.

Overall, the complex process of learning is so much more than just the acquisition of knowledge

and skills.
 Instructional Activity
Title: Building Reading Comprehension through Accountable Talk
Grade level: 1st grade
Subject: Language Arts
Content Area: Identifying story elements through key details using text and illustration clues
Materials:
• Conversation Starters Posters
• “Enemy Pie”
• Anchor Chart Poster Paper
• Crayons/colored pencils
• “Mix up a Summary” Graphic Organizer
Objective: The goal of this lesson is to introduce the concept of accountable talk to while
building upon student’s comprehension skills in order to promote more active, meaningful
discussions using the gradual release model of instruction.
I do it-(This can be described as the focused instruction portion of a lesson. During this time, the
teacher models their thinking with a think-aloud or a direct explanation.)
• “Boys and girls, today we are going to be learning how to talk to each other! These
conversation starters (point to visual posters on wall) are going to help us do that.”
• Review conversation starters that can be used during our discussion
o I think…
o I wonder…
o I agree with___ because…
o I disagree with____because…
o This reminds me of…
• “We will be using clues from the words and pictures to help us answer key details about the
story and the lesson it teaches us.”
• Introduce the book, “Enemy Pie.” Read the title and author.
• Do a picture walk and think aloud while flipping through the pages. Use the accountable talk
conversation starters “I think…” and “I wonder..” to describe feelings about the book. Allow
students an opportunity to try this after modeling.
We do it- (This is also known as guided instruction. During this time, you might hear the teacher
facilitating a discussion related to the concept(s) being taught. At this point in the lesson, students
should be asking and answering questions through a collaborative class discussion.)
• Encourage students to make predictions about the story. Students will turn and talk to their
carpet partners to answer the question, “What is Enemy Pie?” Call on a few students to share
out
 • While reading, stop and ask the following questions, prompt students to use conversation
starters as necessary:
o “What do you think the word enemy means?”
o “What reasons does the boy have for disliking Jeremy Ross?”
o “What does the boy think is in enemy pie?” “Do you agree?”
o “How does his dad help?”
o “Does the boy’s feelings change about his enemy? How do you know?”
o “How can you get rid of an enemy?”
• After reading discuss the setting, characters, problem, solution, and lesson of the story.
You do it Together- (This can be referred to as collaborative learning. During this time, you would see
students working together in small groups and communicating their thinking to each other. At this time,
the teacher doesn't often intervene, allowing students to form their own ideas within their groups.)
• Students will work collaboratively in small groups to create their own recipe for friendship pie
on a large piece of chart paper. They will be encouraged to talk about why that ingredient will
contribute to making friends and relate it to the lesson of “Enemy Pie”
• They are required to draw and label each ingredient.
• Monitor student discussion by walking around the classroom.
• Present friendship pies posters
You do it Alone- (This is also known as independent practice. This is an opportunity for students to see
that they are capable and self-sufficient, or that they are struggling and need to ask for help. This is a
great time for teachers to meet with students to correct any misconceptions.)
• Students will work independently to complete a graphic organizer of story elements.
 Connection

Through reflecting on my personal theory of learning and making revisions to my initial ideas,

I have realized that I feel strongly about learning and its association with prior knowledge, observation

and interaction within our social environment, as well as motivation to acquire knowledge. These three

components of learning are closely tied to my instructional activity which is designed around the

concept of accountable talk used as a tool in order to build upon student’s comprehension skills.

To begin the read-aloud, I chose to implement the use of a picture walk and encourage

students to make predictions about the story in order to tap into background knowledge present

within their existing schemas. This allows students to make meaningful connections to the text

through prior experiences they may have had with friends or enemies. In addition, many of the

comprehension questions asked during the read-aloud, prompt students to reflect on personal

experiences, using the “this remind me of…” conversation starter. These components of my

lesson work to strengthen students learning by allowing them to draw upon their prior knowledge

related to the theme of friendship. New ideas about friendship that will be learned through this

activity can also build upon information already present within their schema.

In addition, students have the opportunity to learn through observation during this activity. As

evident in Bandura’s experiment, young children can learn from observing the behavior of an adult

model. Therefore, modeling accountable talk using conversation starters strengthens student’s ability to

establish productive discussions on their own. The think-aloud method used by the teacher gives

students clear expectations for what this communication tool should look like and sound like. Students

are able to observe the way the model shares their own feelings and ideas, allowing them to imitate

adult behavior before attempting to try it out in a whole-group setting. Providing a model for students
gives them more confidence and allows them to reference back to the intended behavior as often as

they need to while participating in the accountable talk discussion.

The Gradual Release of Responsibility instructional model I used to structure my lesson also

allows the opportunity for students to learn first through modeling then gradually gaining more

cognitive responsibility as the lesson progresses. This is closely related to Vygotsky’s Zone of

Proximal Development as it highlights the difference between what a child can achieve with guidance

and encouragement from someone else and what a child can achieve independently. At the beginning

of the lesson, more teacher support is provided through direct instruction, modeling, and think-alouds.

During the lesson, guided instruction is used while students work collaboratively. At the end of the

lesson students are expected to work independently based on the information they have gained from

both whole group and small group instruction.

Whether we are aware of it or not, the people that surround us have a large impact on our

learning. This is not only possible at a young age through observational learning, it is also relevant as

we mature as learners and begin to share our thoughts and ideas with others. Because the social

environment is such an important factor impacting student learning, I believe it is essential that students

are taught how to communicate with each other effectively. I chose to design this instructional activity

based on accountable talk in order to promote meaningful discussion within my classroom. Not only

does this lesson give students the opportunity to identify important story elements in a text, it also

provides a chance for students to share their thoughts and ideas on a deeper level. Students are given

the opportunity to build upon and consider others perspective, allowing them to construct a stronger

classroom community while making important connections to the text. Opportunities to interact with

peers is encouraged through the use of comprehension questions and during the small group task that

requires students to collaborate with one another in order to create their own friendship pie.
 I also attempted to implement this instructional activity in a way that would motivate students

to remain in engaged in their learning. Because friendship is a relatable topic that can be considered

when applied to real life experiences, students may feel a desire to learn more about it. In addition,

students are frequently given the opportunity to contribute to the conversation and collaborative with

their peers to create their own recipe for friendship pie. When given the responsibility of contributing to

a group task, students feel more motivated to do their part.

 References

Bransford, J., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,

Experience and School. (pp. 1-61). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Cherry, K. (2019, January 20). What Role Do Schemas Play in the Learning Process? Retrieved
April 24, 2019, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-schema-2795873
McLeod, S. A. (2018, Aug 05). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved April 25, 2019, from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html