Virtual Learning Environment as a Tool for Educational Learning

A virtual learning environment refers to a set of teaching methods and educational learning tools using computers and the Internet that is designed to enhance a student's learning experience. The principal components of a virtual learning environment includes the following:

• curriculum mapping
• student tracking
• online support for both student and teacher
• electronic communication (e-mail, forums, threaded discussions, chat, Web publishing)
• Internet links for outside curriculum resources

The difference in how educational learning figures in the lives of students and teachers is that the teacher what the student sees in their communication portal, except that the teacher has additional capability to create or modify curriculum content and track the student's performance. The introduction of a virtual learning environment to educational learning changes the way a student tackles his or her course of study. Data compiled from a virtual learning setup has its share of imperfections, but at the same time it provides an easily available albeit rudimentary, measure of a student's learning activity.

Although a virtual learning environment supports flexible study, many academics are also concerned that they may foster a belief in students that they are not that closely being monitored due to the physical absence of a tutor or professor. Such a student may become disengaged towards study, failing to actively participate in academic life. This interferes with the traditional learning that they will still receive as part of their curriculum requirements because students may believe that learning or coursework can be deferred to some vague future date.

Educational Learnings

Using Educational Learning Games as Teaching Tools

I am now a second year bachelor of science in education student and I have already learned specific concepts in teaching and learning such as the ideas for educational learning games that I could use when I start teaching for kindergarten and elementary school students, which is my planned specialty. Our professor told us that educational games and activities are important for kindergarten students and for first to third grade students due to several reasons. So when our instructor gave as an assignment paper on educational learning for elementary school students, I focused my paper on the importance of educational games for kindergarten and first to third grade students.

In my paper, I stated that the importance of educational learning games are based on the specific types of games and the benefits they could offer to the students. The traditional educational board and card games are still the best for children in the five to seven years old age group because they would catch the attention of the students since various board and card games show images and other colorful visuals that would attract their interests.

I also said in my paper that educational learning games of boards and cards have become effective teaching tools because they improve sensory skills on how to distinguish various colors, shapes and sizes, alphabets and numbers in a way that is fun and not boring for children in the five to seven years old age bracket. Board and card games of alphabets and numbers would also teach the children about the basic skills in reading and counting.

Educational Learnings

Educational Learning Theories and theorists: The Man behind the words

So many educational learning styles are out there, and the theorists behind them conclude to one thing: each individual has distinct learning styles and respond differently to various types of stimuli. Here, we review some of the important educational learning theories ever constructed, the rationalities of each, and the theorists behind the words.

Ausubel Subsumption Theory

Mechanism by which new material presented in academic settings (lectures) can be integrated into existing mental structures. For subsumption to occur, the presentation of new knowledge should be preceded by "advance organizers."

Bruner Constructivist Theory

Individuals actively construct knowledge by comparing new ideas or concepts with their current knowledge (schema or mental models).

Comenius Pansophism (universal knowledge)

The idea that learning, emotional, and spiritual growth are interwoven. This theory proposes that teaching be made through stimulation of the senses, not merely through memorisation. Comenius Pansophism happens to be considered the "Father of Modern Education."

Gagne Conditions of Learning

The different kinds of learning (motor skills, verbal skills) require different conditions; therefore, different strategies should be used.

Gardner Multiple Intelligences

Each individual possesses seven distinct and measurable forms of intelligence: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, body-kinesthetic, musical, intrapersonal, and interpersonal.

Locke Tabula Rasa

The idea that individuals are "blank slates" on which teachers could "write" knowledge. John Locke was a renowned forerunner of behaviourism.

Maslow Hierarchy of Needs

Humans naturally strive to satisfy needs. The five levels of needs, from lowest to highest, are:

physiological, safety, love, esteem, self-actualization.

Lower level needs must be satisfied before the individual can move on to satisfy higher level needs. Miller Information Processing Theory Short term memory can only hold 5-9 "chunks" of information at a time. A chunk can be any meaningful idea like a word, an identifiable image, or a digit.

Rogers Experiential Learning

This theory explains there are two types of knowledge: academic and experiential. In comparison to academic knowledge, experiential knowledge is acquired to meet the needs of the learner, usually to complete an important, real-life task. Example: Learning to drive a car.

Thorndike Connectionism

Learners form associations or connections between a stimulus and a response. Through trial and error, rewarded responses would be strengthened.

Vygotsky Social Development Theory and ZPD

Social interaction is critical for cognitive development. Related to this is the idea of a "Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)." Some skills, an individual can perform independently. Other skills can be performed if the individual has assistance. Skills that can be performed with assistance are said to be within an individual's ZPD.

Wertheimer Gestalt Theory

Some ideas can only be understood as part of a "bigger picture" Important in problem-solving.

Educational Learnings

How to make educational learning more efficient

Educational learning gives focus on the intellectual development of individuals as opposed to technical development derived from hands-on training or practice promoting particular skills. Contrary to the classroom environment as the typical strategy in giving education, each individual do have his/her own personally accepted ways in their approach to learning and using information.

As complex as how the brain processes and stores information, so does picking an educational learning strategy that would work for you. No matter, your strategy hinges on your preferences. In some situations, students benefit from having a different approach to specific areas of study.

For instance, some strategies are devised for reading, writing, studying and remembering information, improving assignment and test performance, interacting with others effectively, motivation, and math.

Normally, you put focus on a subject you have difficulty in. Yet, this might not suffice for a successful educational learning. This can happen when you approach a subject the wrong way. Even if you do gain some success, certainly, you will achieve better results had you used the suitable strategy. In short, no single strategy is a panacea simply because the brain’s approach to different fields also varies.

Another consideration is your own learning style and preferences of learning environments. Unbelievably, some individuals are more productive in classroom environments; others fare better in solitary environments; others can put their best foot forward when working in a team; while some people accomplish more things when doing them in public, such as cafes or fast food joints, etc.

If you had seen the best results from your projects, do not always blame yourself or mislabel yourself incapable of such endeavours. Perhaps you have not discovered the most suitable strategy for you. Knowing one’s self is a must, if you want to see fruitful results.

It is similar to career success. Most people who reach heights in their career are passionate at what they do which is the motivating factor. If you have both the passion and the correct educational learning strategies, and belong to an organisation that supports skills development, chances are you can get good results.

Read on topics about educational learning strategies to know about your specific learning style.

Educational Learnings

Beneficial Uses of Educational Learning Toys for Children

Toys that could be used for educational and learning purposes are commonly known as educational learning toys and are usually used as supplements in the educational and learning process for kindergarten and primary school students. Many educational experts for children have stated that toys that could be used for dual purposes for both educational and learning tools could have the potential to be used as supplements in the classroom or in the home for educating children and they could also use the toys as learning tools in their learning process.

Many experts for children's education have stated that educational learning toys have proven to have beneficial effects in the development of a child in the classroom and in the home. Educational or learning toys could improve the progress of the emotional, physical, intellectual and social development of children especially during the kindergarten level and in the early years of elementary school levels. Those toys could also enhance the children's learning skills such as good hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, observation and memorization skills, distinguishing the differences of letters, numbers and objects, and other skills that would stimulate and develop the learning skills of the child.

During the kindergarten and early years of elementary education, teachers and other child experts would recommend educational learning toys that would encourage children on how to learn on their own. Traditional educational toys such as building blocks, board games, and puzzles are highly recommended for children. However, educational electronic toys and computer games could stimulate the children to learn about reading, pronunciation, spelling, mathematics, logic, and other basic learning skills.

Educational Learnings

Educational Learning Theories

In the fields of psychology and education, learning is known as the process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing or changing one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views. Explanations of what happens when learning takes place constitute learning theories. Many research studies have been carried out regarding the nature of educational learning. What follows is a list indicating the features of some educational learning theories and their corresponding proponents.

Subsumption Thoery – This educational learning theory proposed by David Ausubel describes how mechanism by which new material presented in an academic setting, such as lectures, can be integrated into existing mental structures. The presentation of new knowledge should be preceded by 'advance organisers' in order for subsumption to occur.

Observational Learning Theory – This educational learning theory by Albert Bandura states that behaviour is learned through observation and imitation of others.

Constructivist Thoery - This educational learning theory by Jerome Bruner states that individuals actively construct knowledge by comparing new ideas or concepts with their current knowledge, also known as schema or mental models.

Pansophism – Jan Amos Comenious proposed this educational learning theory which espouses the idea that learning, emotional and spiritual growth are connected to one another. He proposed teaching not merely through memorisation, but also through stimulation of the senses.

Learning by Doing - This educational learning theory by John Dewey proposes that learning occurs through experience.

Socioemotional Development – Erik Erikson's 'Eight Stages of Man' describes a series of crises that individuals pass through at different stages.

Cognitive Dissonance – Leon Festinger's educational learning theory, which is one basis for constructivism, states that inconsistencies between behaviours and beliefs motivate people to change.

Educational Learnings

How to Develop and Use Emotional Intelligence for Educational Learnings

As a student or a professional, you do not stop learning and accumulating education. Professionals and all other adults continue to improve. Most of the advancement achieved by adults are through continuing learning and education. If you look at successful people, you will notice that most of them achieved success because of continued accumulation of knowledge and skills. Behind this means of achieving success is emotional intelligence. Without emotional intelligence, these people would not be able to persevere in their studies and other endeavours.

To be able to continue learning in further studies, professional development and in life as a whole, you should develop or improve emotional intelligence. Follow these steps:

1. Assess Yourself with Complete Honesty

Being honest to yourself, observe and describe the way you react to people and situations. If you are quick to judge others before validating the information involved or you stereotype them, you should improve on this aspect. If you quickly judge others, you will get upset easily and this will affect your plans for the next few hours. Instead of studying for your masters class as planned, you will be going out for a hike outside to address your being upset or your anger. Hasty reactions can be detrimental to relationships in the home, work or school and will affect your plans for the coming days.

2. Expect Less of Appreciation

This is especially applicable to work group settings in your career or in higher studies. Do not worry about not getting the recognition you deserve. There will always be people who know the true value of your contributions and these are the more intelligent and emotionally intelligent people. Be humble of your contributions and achievements. Overly expecting appreciation from others will just result to frustration when not realised. This frustration will lead you to achieving less, instead of continuing your work and gaining more learnings.

3. Evaluate and Accept Yourself

Know your weaknesses, accept them and improve yourself on these aspects. Be very honest to yourself and tell yourself to be confident and assured despite these weaknesses which you will work on. People with less emotional intelligence do not improve because they succumb to their weaknesses.

Educational Learnings

How to Use Creative Education in Games for Older Students

Games are proven to be effective facilitators of education and learning. Most educational games are designed for younger students from preschool to intermediate. However, older students from high school to postgraduate can still use a little amount of games in their academic studies. Here are grown up and not-so grown up game ideas for educational purposes:

1. Memory / Enumeration Championship

This kind of educational game can be used for lessons that involve enumeration of items. For example, for a biology lesson, participants will be asked to stay in another room. They will take turns in going to the room where the rest of the class are and enumerate, let us say for example, as much species of a certain genus as they can. Each of the contestants should not be told the scores of the others. The contestant with the longest enumeration wins.

2. Table of Elements Contest

This game is a contest on the mastery of locating elements in the periodic table. The teacher or any game master, could be a classmate, will say in this order a property and an element. Contestants will beat each other at giving the unit or answer to the property.

3. Charades

Charades with words from a specified lesson will provide simple recall and contribute to the retention of terms, theories, principles or concepts. This game is very versatile in the sense that it can be used in any course or lesson. The key here is to focus on a certain lesson so that there will be a theme because charades are played using a theme for the words to be guessed.

Educational Learnings

How to Use Creative Education

Student life has many aspects – academic, social and personal. A student is not only an academic person; he or she is also a social being and a private individual. The academic life may be the main occupation of the student but he has also a social and personal life which he needs to attend to and play important roles in his academic life.

The student needs to handle his social and personal life well so that they will contribute to and assist in his academic life. His social and personal life could cause problems to his academic life sometimes. In these cases, he could use creative education. Using creative education in his social and personal life problems will not only address the problems, it will also add to his total learning.

The use of creative education in social and personal problems can be done in various ways as what the word “creative” means. Given below are just some examples which you can apply or use as guide in making your own.

1.Treating Your Studies as Your Job

You are a student and your occupation or job is being a student or studying. When you encounter personal or social problems, you still need to do your job. When you will be employed or earning a living, whatever happens to your personal life must not affect your performance in work. The same goes with your job as a student.

2.Committing to Study Groups

If you do not have a study group, you should consider having. Your commitment to a study group will facilitate structuring your studies and contribute to your academic success. If you have a study group, you are creating an environment that will enhance your education.

3.Converting Your Study Corner to an Office Desk

Be creative! Design your study corner to appear as an office desk. This will not only facilitate better studies, this will also give you a playful simulation of working in the future.

There are still a lot of creative education ideas out there or inside your unexplored mind. Explore both; just always keep in mind the goal of solving your difficulties in studying and achieving academic success and see to it that you achieve them.

Educational Learnings

How to Improve Your Educational Learnings through Effective Note-Taking

Note-taking is very important for students. It is like having a print out of your brain’s files. Studying notes you yourself have written has many advantages. It is a personal memory recall; and there is nothing better than personal learning.

Note-taking done during lectures can be modified into a process so that it will bring better results. This kind of note-taking which is seen during class discussion or lectures, to be effective or more effective, should be supported by other steps:

Start the Process before the Discussion

Yes, you should start the note-taking process before the discussion starts. How to do that? Read and study beforehand in advance. There are a lot of ways to know what the next topic is and stay ahead. If your professor does not tell you to study in advance, you can try asking him or her. Do this humbly to show your sincere intention of learning. Some professors also provide students with module outlines or syllabus.

In advance reading, you will be able to understand better what the professor will say in the lecture. You can focus more on what he will be saying and jot down notes that you understand. You can also concentrate less on note-writing and more on listening. When you listen better, you can do the next step which is taking note of pointers or hints.

Listen Up for Pointers or Hints

While the lecturer or professor is discussing the topic, he or she will mention points that will be included in the coming examination on the topic. Because you are paying good attention, you will be able to intercept the alert that your professor is giving you. This will greatly help you as you are able to narrow down remaining areas which are not sure of being included in the examination.

Educational Learnings

How to Use Creative Education

Learning is a necessity in life. If you stop learning, you will be left behind. But how will you go on learning especially if you will experience learning or study burn out? The answer is creativity – be creative.

So that you will continue studying and learning during burn out, exhaustion or boredom, you should be creative and find creative ways which will give learning a renewed interest and enjoyment. Here are creative education ideas that you can use or use as guide:

1. Vacations

What could be better for burn out than vacations? But the vacation you will go into is an educational vacation. Book an educational field trip to historic educational tourist destinations in your country or outside. There are still a lot of destinations like this in your country in which you have yet to explore. These include historic shrines, museums, art galleries, zoos and ecological attractions among others.

2. Picnic

Have a picnic with your friends or family. Bring along encyclopaedic quiz games. This will be a lot of fun and wits matching. You will get to refresh stock knowledge and accumulate more with those questions you did not give the correct answer.

3. Creative Reporting

If you are a student and all your classmates’ oral reports bore you and the rest of the class plus your teacher, it is your time to shine and get a better grade than theirs. Use innovative ways in delivering your report. Think of a unique and entertaining way of reporting. You can use magic tricks especially with science and math lessons.

Educational Learnings

Secrets of Effective Learning Practice in School and Work

Taking into consideration factors including the type of subject matter, your personal background and the situation under which you are acquiring knowledge, you will be able to develop your own effective learning practice.

Based on learning principles, the following learning practice tips will help you develop the best learning practice that applies to you.

1. Look for Important Portions of the Study Material

The first step in studying anything is knowing what are its important portions and aspects. This will save you time and effort and accelerate your learning. Before going into thorough study -- scan the whole material and identify its important portions. After this, you may proceed with going through the whole material by giving less time and effort on less important portions and more on the important ones which are highly likely to be given by your professor the corresponding emphasis in lecture and examination.

2. Cultivate New Viewpoints on Learnings That Contradict Your Previous Concept

When you encounter principles or theories that contradict your personal concept on a certain subject matter, develop a new mindset regarding it. It is not enough that you merely accept it because it will be reduced to memorization and will have a high percentage of being forgotten.

3. Practice Makes Perfect, Repetition is the Mother of Learning

After understanding the principles and theories that you formerly had a contradicting perception, putting it to practice or applying it repeatedly will be helpful. This will reinforce your true learning.

4. Solicit Comments and Suggestions

Ask other people like your professor if you are a student, your immediate superior in work or colleagues or peers for comments and suggestions on the output in which you applied your learning. Request them to analyse your work and tell you their observations.

5. Set Expectations and Goals for Yourself and Ask Your Professor or Supervisor for Their Expectations of You

First, you can hardly learn anything if you do not have the confidence that you will be able to do so. So tell yourself that you can learn the material at hand. Then after some time, set expectations and goals on your learning like increasing scores in school or more output in work. Next, ask your professor or supervisor of their expectations of you. They might have higher ones but have valid reasons for not telling you.

Educational Learnings

Study Less, Learn More – Learning Strategies

Create a mix of basic learning strategies to study less and learn more for your academic studies, professional development or business improvement. Try practicing one or a mix of any number of these learning strategies and develop them to learning habits.

1. Be curious and excited.

Inculcate curiosity and anticipation in everything you want to learn. Start and end each lesson or topic with questions you have thought of that provoke your thoughts.

2. Condition your mind for receiving information.

Be receptive of the lessons you are studying. Have a mindset of getting new ideas every time you study or read.

3. Connect new lessons to old ones.

Upon studying a new lesson, figure out relationships it has with previous lessons. When reading new sources, recall stock knowledge that it has connection with.

4. Take breaks.

Learn more by studying less. There are stretches in your study or reading wherein your brain is no longer receptive to ideas. Continuing and forcing yourself will be just a waste of time and effort. You will be better off taking a break and resuming after around ten minutes break.

5. Relate your learning to the real world.

Use your imagination and ask yourself how you can apply the specific lesson in the real world. It will add to the retention of the lesson and will prepare you for actually applying your learning.

Start applying these learning strategies and you will be on your way to being a life-long and constant learner.

Educational Learning

How to Acquire Skills on Educational Learnings

Knowledge is power. Acquiring knowledge is acquiring power. You need learning skills in acquiring knowledge. Thus, you need learning skills in acquiring power. So here are the steps on how to acquire power, the steps in acquiring learning skills:

1. Equip Yourself

Learning through reading or observing is not enough. Learning is not complete without doing the things you want to learn. If you want to learn how to make a website, if you want to learn how to write essays, you need to have writing materials – pen and paper or a computer with a word processor.

2. Comprehend

You cannot learn without comprehending or understanding. Know the difference between listening or reading and understanding what you have heard or read means. Grasp the gist of the principle, theory or concept. Aside from this, ask your teacher or research what is the importance of a lesson. Knowing the lesson’s importance will give you the knowledge that what you are learning is useful and you will be motivated more.

3. Look for Evidence

Look for concrete examples of the lessons you are studying. For example, grade school pupils use experiments on plants to show evidence that they really grow towards where the sunlight comes from. By doing so, the pupils will not forget their lesson. And so will you.

4. Demonstrate, Practice and Apply

In learning a new skill, you should try it for the first time, do it again and again to acquire mastery and apply it to finally make use of it.

Educational Learning

The Fastest Learning Method for Everybody

Here is a learning method that young and adult students and non-students or real world learners can use to achieve the best results. Even studying subject matters that does not exactly interest you can be an easy task if you use applicable portions of this learning method.

1. Motivate Yourself

Set an incentive for yourself for the task of studying and successfully learning a certain topic, module or course. Motivation enables your brain to concentrate on the task and perform information absorption faster and more effectively. Instruct yourself to sacrifice a little to get the prize that lies beneath the task.

2. Have a Positive Attitude

Positive attitude is a very powerful aid in learning and remembering things. It allows you to have a good feeling which makes you receptive to incoming information, have better focus and absorption of learning.

3. Moving On, Having Breaks and Getting Back

While studying, if you encounter a portion which you really find hard to digest or reach a point when you are no longer receptive, move on to the next topic if possible or have a short break otherwise and then get back to it. Lingering on the topic will waste your time.

4. Write Notes or Outlines, Make Illustrations or Personal Mnemonics

As you write notes or outlines or make illustrations or personal mnemonics, you are actually showing the first signs of learning, developing a learning foundation and leaving a trail for review and recall.

Studying and learning is an essential element of personal development. You have the capability of learning anything from your interests to career pertaining subject matters. Use the best mix of these techniques and develop your own fastest learning method.

Educational Learnings