Yancho

I shared this in an e-mail to a couple of my classmates in an e-mail discussion we had. I thought I'd share: I imagine that implicit learning is often unexamined learning. It is probably a result of underdeveloped metacognition (if I am using that term correctly -- if I am not, correction is certainly welcome). Dogma, ideology, and talk radio appeal to the self-interested and, therefore, defy self-criticism and perhaps, as a result, such ideas land like a hairnet on top of tousled, unkempt ideas and keep them in place. Is that implicit learning, where there is no critical reflection on the material, where it just seems to make sense, so let's roll with it -- like a flat earth or seasons caused by an elliptical orbit?

It appears that all three fields pay better than a small-town newspaper, and that's the whole sandwich as far as I'm concerned. I'm still aiming toward academia, but it's good to know what's out there. It's hard to tell what you would really enjoy doing until you really have to do it on a daily basis. Mostly, I want to be a dad and a husband and I feel like there is flexibility in the academic schedule that allows for that. That's not to say it isn't a time-consuming profession, it is. But it appears relatively autonomous and allows intellectual exploration. That's appealing. I came back to graduate school because I wanted to teach and I've had some opportunities to teach at the university level. I'm really enjoying exploring the historical conceptions of learning and how the instructive professions have tackled the myriad problems associated with trying to help learners grow. Personal growth is really an essential element of the whole reason

From Design Observer: Thoughts about designerly thinking. Roger Martin discusses the concept of "abductive logic" or the art of taking a logical leap outside the realm of both inductive and deductive logic. You might call it thinking outside the box or being creative. Although interesting, I've been under the impression that this sort of conjectural leap is part of inductive reasoning. Perhaps I've been laden with a misapprehension. It's an interesting read: http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=11097

Dear Mom and Dad, My current assignment in my foundations of instructional technology class is to write a letter explaining to you in layman's terms a little about the field I am entering. I figure that, since you are often faced with questions about the status of my pursuits in life and because my current life pursuit is labeled with a long-winded title of uncertain meaning, it will be of benefit to actually send you the letter rather than just turning it in for credit. Both of my graduate degrees (first Youth and Family Recreation and now Instructional Psychology and Technology) are a bit unwieldy to the tongue and not immediately clear as to their actual practical value or educational objectives. Although the value and meaning of my YFR degree may be lost in the ether, I hope this letter will at least give you a better idea of what I study now and what will be the likely outcome for my career when I graduate. The field of my current endeavor started out as instructional techn

Russell Osguthorpe's statement -- that learning and teaching are the way we receive our salvation -- pruned my mind's rosebush a little. I was crowded with a lot of complex ideas about learning and teaching and theory and design, but Dr. Osguthorpe cleared out a lot of that to get at the meat of what I'm here at BYU to do -- enhance my ability to help others to progress toward salvation. If that is not my ultimate goal, then these stems and thorns will crowd and poke until I lose sight of the flowers. Elder Bednar helped add some perspective as well. His points were directed toward encouraging greater attention to the home. This is certainly a key element of happiness in this life and in the life to come. His image of the painting of the wheat field was particularly useful to me. He suggested that each event we experience is a brush stroke in the canvas of our lives. I enjoy painting and I understand the fundamental nature of each brush stroke adding to an overall image, th

Reigeluth [1] takes the position that the field of instructional design is in need of a paradigm shift. He says industrial-revolution-inspired educational practices have lingered into modern times, but have little relevance for modern needs. The fact that education systems have changed little since his chapter was published seems to indicate there may still be a need for change. Reigeluth's call is to move from a "Sage on the Stage" approach to a "Guide on the Side" approach to instruction. That is, instruction should be tailored to the needs of the individual learner. The information age demands workers with adaptive and creative skills, Reigeluth asserts. Workers need to be able to deal with complexity and change, rather than fill a specific task-oriented role. Thus, the instruction model of a teacher simultaneously instructing a mass of students with the same material is outdated. Reigeluth says learners should be able to advance at their own pace, with guida