Reflections on a Wealth of New Knowledge

As the course comes to a close, the Christmas season begins, and thoughts turn to the new year and new possibilities, I can’t help but feel a sense of optimism, both for opportunities in the new year, and for the future of my Instructional Design program. At no point in my scholastic career can I remember a class that has taught me more on a subject I found so fascinating. I’ve always harbored a certain curiosity on the subject of learning, mostly because, to be perfectly honest, it has come so naturally and easily for me. I was always the student in class that grasped the idea or lesson right away, and was often deployed to the class to help tutor others. I’ve always wondered what made me so different in this sense. What is it about my brain or my technique that allows me to grasp concepts so quickly and fully? I feel that the material presented in this class allowed me to crawl inside my own head and to understand that question more deeply. While I believe several lifetimes can be devoted to the subject of learning styles, learning theories, and motivation, and still not be able to unveil all the mysteries therein, the concepts I’ve learned in this class will be very applicable in my future career as an Instructional Designer.


What struck me most about the concepts presented is the vastness and diversity of the subject matter. I found myself exploring one theory or style, grasping the concept of it, then being introduced to another concept that was completely different. While all of the theories presented different angles and sought different explanations, they all shared a common bond of a sincere quest for the understanding of the inner workings and processes of the human mind. This quest was not for personal gain, but for the advancement of human kind in an attempt to streamline and strategize the learning process. If efficiency in learning can be established, then learners can advance themselves to their full potential, helping all of human kind in the process. This altruistic vision is one that I hope to contribute to in my life as a designer of instructional environments.

Fortunately, I find myself more confident in my ability to achieve my contributive goal, because of the depth of knowledge I’ve gain in how people learn, and what approaches to take to best serve the learners I’m to communicate with. The largest lesson that I’ve learned is that no two people learn in the exact same way, so for me to design effective learning environments, I must incorporate as many strategies, styles, and stimuli as I can, to reach as many different learners as I can. I most associated with the Multiple Intelligences Theory of Howard Gardner. As I said in several discussion postings, it’s the idea that intelligence moves beyond the conventional logical/mathematical and linguistic categorizations, and considers the artistic and personal intelligences as well. All eight intelligences are given equal weight, and the ability and opportunity to develop and grow these intelligences is granted to all. I am inspired by this theory and plan to utilize it to its fullest potential in every learning environment I conceive, from the smallest training module, to the grandest of online educational institution. I have several of Gardner’s books on the way, and I can’t wait to delve deeper into his world.

The knowledge I’ve gained in the class will go a long way in the development of my future learning environments. There is no correct way to learn, so my challenge will be to incorporate as many techniques and styles as I can in my designs, for the benefit of a greater cross-section of humanity. I look forward to my continued studies, especially to the exploration of the Adobe design software. It is encouraging, however, to know that the foundation that has been built in the program is a strong one, and will serve me well in my future endeavors.