Learning Methodologies by Evan

Learning Methodologies by Evan - February 2022 Scholarship Essay

Students are already trying to cram as much various information into their brains as possible. From miscellaneous history facts to math equations, students have a lot of knowledge to keep track of. It can get overwhelming if not managed properly. What better way to manage the workload of school than to get better at learning in the first place? “Learning Methodologies” would be both an interesting elective and a performance booster for the rest of their classes.

The class would start with a week with a quick crash course on the basic psychology behind learning. We’d go over how Pavlov conditioned his dogs and how people learn from their environment without actually performing an act(two words: mirror neurons). Everything from classical to behavioral conditioning, to chunking and word association. Any fundamentals you need to know about the vocabulary and history behind learning will be covered.

After this brief intro, we’ll dive into different forms of feeding someone information. We’ll go over Kahoot as a lesson in gamification. We’ll learn the difference between teacher-centered and student-centered teaching methodologies. Some of the greatest lecturers of all time, from Walter Lewin to Michael Sandel, will be examined in depth. What do they do that helps us absorb information better than your normal teacher? How can I replicate them?

It's well-known that various people learn differently. However, just how do we accommodate these different learning styles? The third and final module of our course will dive into different types of learners. This includes how to deal with those with learning disabilities. The class will try to accommodate both auditory and visual learners at once, and learn how to explain concepts to different demographics.

Towards the end, a presentation-based final exam will be hosted. All of the students will have an imaginary target audience. There’s a wide array of audiences for the teacher to choose from, from ten-year-old boys with ADHD to honors college students. Groups of two will use the methods taught in class to teach a lesson on a professor-approved topic to their assigned imaginary audience. They’ll be graded on the style and methods they choose, along with delivery.

This sounds like a Teaching 101 class, but it’s not just that. Even if you don’t want to become a teacher, presenting ideas to people is important if you want to collaborate with people in the workplace. You can also learn how you absorb information the best and learn faster than you ever have. With “Learning Methodologies”, I hope to leave no information that can’t be passed on effectively!