Introduction to Learning and Development

WHAT IS LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT?

Learning and development is the process of providing individuals with the opportunities for learning, gaining skills and improving competencies in order to align individual performance and group goals. Think of the Fraternity, especially a chapter, as a business ran on brotherhood. You can see how the fraternity experience is a leadership and development laboratory where personal/professional development can take place with proper learning and development strategy.

Learning is an iterative process, especially when it comes to learning about a specific piece of content, which takes place across three learning domains:

• Cognitive: mental skills (knowledge)
• Affective: emotions or feelings (attitudes)
• Psychomotor: physical skills (kinesthetic skills)

These three learning domains coupled with a classification system for learning, known as Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956), help categorize learning.

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

1. Remember – Recall facts and basic concepts (verbs such as define, duplicate, list, memorize, repeat, state)
2. Understand – Explain ideas or concepts (verbs such as classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate)
3. Apply – Use information in new situations (verbs such as execute, implement, solve, use, demonstrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch)
4. Analyze – Draw connections among ideas (verbs such as differentiate, organize, relate, compare, contrast, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test)
5. Evaluate – Justify a stand or decision (verbs such as appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, critique, weigh)
6. Create – Produce new or original work (verbs such as design, assemble, construct, conjecture, develop, formulate, author, investigate)

Think about Bloom’s Taxonomy as a progression for how learning occurs for an individual around a specific topic. For example, if an individual is learning about the English language, first they will learn about English from the Remember objective level where they might learn grammar and sentence structure, then as they travel through Bloom’s while learning English, they will eventually get to the Create objective level where they begin to author their own content. In the TPE, it will typically take member through the Remember, Understand, Apply and Analyze objective levels.

LEARNING STYLES

Typically, learning varies based on an individual and can be categorized in four different areas:

• Visual: Individuals with a strong visual preference for learning such as different formats, space, graphs, charts, diagrams, maps and plans.
• Aural/Auditory: Individuals with a strong aural preference for learning such as discussions, stories, guest speakers and chat.
• Read/Write: Individuals with a strong read/write preference for learning such as lists, notes and texts in all its formats, and whether in print or online.
• Kinesthetic: Individuals with a strong kinesthetic preference for learning such as senses, practical experiences, examples, cases and trial and error.
• Multimodal: Having a combination of the above learning preferences.

By understanding information about learning and development strategy and learning styles, you and the member development cabinet will be better prepared for your roles and responsibilities in the chapter’s member development program and ensure the chapter’s members are making the most of their experience.

TEACHING METHODS UTILIZED IN THE TPE

These are teaching methods that will be utilized throughout various sessions of the True PIKE Experience:

Flipped Classroom – A teaching method where students learn content material outside of the classroom (i.e. watching videos, read material, etc.) and the class session is dedicated to having discussions, conducting projects or exercises.

Case Study Method of Instruction – A teaching method that has students look at specific scenarios (cases) in order to draw conclusions that solve problems based on prior knowledge and/or to improve critical thinking skills.

Gamification of Learning – A method that motivates students by using game elements in a learning environment in order to capture the interest of learners in an engaging way so that they are inspired to continue learning.

Peer Instruction – A teaching method where the instructor gives students a concept related to what the students are learning, and it is the student’s or groups of students’ responsibilities to analyze the information and present the concepts to their peers.

Co-Curricular Learning – Refers to activities, programs and learning experiences that complement, in some way, what students are learning in school that are connected to or mirror the academic curriculum