Understanding the learning cycle and recognizing the importance of relaxation techniques has been highly beneficial. An intriguing aspect is the link between relaxation and influencing the mind's learning process, as articulated by Zull (2002). Identifying what we fear and love for survival is essential, and this belief has led me to discover that relaxation-induced learning can make survival even more fascinating.
As soon as I grasped the logic of relaxation, I started utilizing it for my own benefit. It's fascinating to observe how emotions, logic, and memories are connected, and the amydala's role in this process. Recognizing that the amydala interprets our past experiences and can become inactive, resulting in dopamine production and self-regulated learning, it becomes clear how mastering relaxation can foster tranquility and enhance learning. Armed with this knowledge, I embarked on my relaxation
...journey. I experimented with different methods, like taking a warm bath or performing a basic yoga pose. Surprisingly, my most effective technique was taking a morning stroll while listening to instrumental music on my iPod.
A relaxation exercise without lyrics, which used visual images to help calm the amygdala, worked best for me. I chose meaningful and relaxing visual images, such as memories from happy holidays, first loves, and times of laughter. Re-experiencing these sensory-rich images led to clearer thinking and a sense of peace in the moment.
After my walks, I would affirm my emotions, mental state, and potential challenges with positive affirmations such as "I feel calm," "I anticipate this time of day," and "I am capable of overcoming obstacles." This relaxation routine benefited me greatly by relieving my anxious thoughts and providing rejuvenation for the following day. Throughout the
day, I noticed improvements in how my mind processed information with a greater focus on positive thoughts. Despite some challenges encountered during implementation, the benefits outweighed any drawbacks.
Based on my observations, it appears that the mind can achieve a state of relaxation faster than anticipated and experience increased perception while in this state. However, external distractions may hinder one's ability to remain receptive. I found that maintaining stillness can aid in sustaining focus. In summary, incorporating relaxation techniques into learning may improve receptivity.
David Kolb's model of adult learning consists of four distinct stages, which most adults engage in without even realizing it. The first stage is concrete experience, followed by personal reflection on that experience. This leads to the creation of general rules that can be applied to future experiences, as well as the application of known theories to the current experience, known as abstract conceptualization or active experimentation. This process can take varying amounts of time, from a quick conclusion to several months.
The learning cycle provides a valuable opportunity to assess an individual's understanding of a specific topic. It not only enhances student learning but also enables tutors to guide them through the various stages of the cycle, encouraging progression from experience to reflection and beyond. Experiential learning is based on the understanding that our comprehension is not fixed but rather evolves through experience and repeated transformations. Fry, Ketteridge, and Marshall (2003) further emphasize that this is a continuous process and illustrated cyclically, where individuals bring their unique ideas and notions at varying levels of elaboration. My realization of this learning cycle led me to appreciate that there is more to learning than
mere memorization, thereby acknowledging the significance of the subsequent stages of learning.
Turning learning into an experience that becomes integrated into one's own way of thinking is essential. This can be achieved through reflective observation and integration, which involves incorporating presented knowledge through the physical senses and merging it with existing understanding, resulting in a reconstructed neuronal structure. This integration of knowledge bases is characterized by our interpretation of the reconstructed knowledge, ultimately leading to an impactful learning experience.
With a fresh, distinct viewpoint - our own - Kurland and Salmon's (1995) breakdown of the learning cycle emphasizes the importance of reflective observation. In the initial stage, learners focus on a tangible, present experience. In stage two, they actively examine pertinent phenomena from said experience. The third stage involves analysis, conceptualization, and generalization in relation to theoretical knowledge. The final stage tests application of the concepts and principles from stage three in novel scenarios, leading to the start of a new cycle.
Zull (2008) emphasizes the significance of allocating ample time for reflective observation in the learning cycle, owing to its crucial role. The biochemistry of the brain, as explained by Zull (2008), is responsible for this extra time because neurotransmitters like acetylcholine trigger a series of chemical reactions that can impact synapse number and activity in the brain, leading to changes. Therefore, uninterrupted time should be dedicated to self-reflection since it involves a lengthy process.
It is vital to allocate time and refrain from making judgments when engaging in reflective observation as this is crucial to our thinking processes. As learners, we must take the necessary time to assess our thoughts on a given subject, merge our
knowledge with our thinking, and manage the transition and fusion as our brains integrate both bases. Engaging in this process of suspending judgement allows our minds to focus on thinking and knowledge, ultimately leading to integration. My comprehension of how effective learning and thinking occurs has been aided by my understanding of the learning cycle. Previously, I had believed that learning simply entailed comprehending an idea and committing it to memory.
Reflective observation never crossed my mind before, and I didn't consider reflection as a part of my learning process. Addition was more accurate to describe how I integrated new knowledge.
The inadequate process was due to the lack of reflection, which prevented integration of new knowledge and old experiences. However, my learning method now includes utilizing working memory and creating knowledge. An instance of this was when I attempted to learn a specific term. Initially using my usual method, I recognized the need for reflection, comprehending the definition nuances, and merging it with existing knowledge. Though the process consumed time, the integration brought the definition to life. After experiencing this learning cycle, I have realized that it is a more effective method for absorbing new knowledge. Moving forward, I plan to incorporate reflection to ensure learning is neither rushed nor focused on cramming information in a limited time.
I am excited to intersperse experience and reflection, giving ample time for observant reflection and integration of new knowledge with existing knowledge.
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