Process of learning has been shifted fom only the change in behavior as behaviorists believe to the attaintment of knowledge as cognitivists believe. Recent theories in learning have suggested that not only cognitive that should be considered but also what they call as beyond cognitive. This beyond cognitive has been later known as metacognitive. In metacognitive, there are some other beyond knowledge that can optimise the success in learning, ones among others are the awareness in learning as well as activation through interaction and reflection that are believed to be another aspects that can maintain the quality of learning. These recent theories also suggest and promote atonomous learning on the part of learners.
Meaningful vs Rote Learning
Any learning tends to forget easily, especially if teachers just involve one sense, eg. listening. To retain the results of learning, the materials should be presented meaningfully, and involve the all five senses engagement that can accomodate the uniqeness of learning styles of the students, through using interesting media, and engaging the students actively in the learning.
Remember with this philosophy: ‘I listen I forget, I look I remember , I do I understand’. It means that when the students just listen to the learning materials, eg, through only using ears, they will forget the lessons easily, but when they listen to the lessons and look the lessons through the media that the teachers provide (use the ears and the eyes), the students will remember, but remember in the long run will tend to forget also. Then, if the students experience by their own the lessons, eg. in the form of practicum and doing projects, it is believed that the results of learning will be effective, because after they understand they hopefully will remember for the rest of their lives. This learning by doing then later known as experiential learning.
Language is premium in any learning, because language becomes medium for the interaction and engagement in learning. Whole Language Approach can trigger up the learners’ critical thinking in learning, especially if the learning presented in a democratic climate classroom.
Krashen has suggested that to have an effective learning that can conform to this queries, the input shoud be presented in interesting and fun strategies and approaches, in the way that students can be able to well understand motherese talk, relates and leads to the real classroom condition here and now principle, and minimise threat lower anxiety, but always stick to the regulation and rules monitor filter.
This awareness has led to focus on fun and interesting materials that can promote the readiness in learning as well as retain the longer result of learning. Besides maintaining learners with knowing what they really want in their learning awareness in learning, readiness in learning can also contribute to the success of learning. The followings are some other factors that can support to the success of learning: pre-learning, whilst learning and post learning endeavors.
(First launched @wordpress: nusadjaja's blog, dated July 12, 2012)
