LEARNING

Presented By:
Dr. Sumona Bhattacharya
Department of Commerce and Financial Studies
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur (C.G.)
What is Learning?
 Learning is the process of acquiring new, or modifying
existing, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences.

  The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals, and some machines.

 Some learning is immediate, induced by a single event (e.g. being burned by

a hot stove), but much skill and knowledge accumulates from repeated
experiences. The changes induced by learning often last a lifetime, and it is
hard to distinguish learned material that seems to be "lost" from that which
cannot be retrieved.

 Human learning starts at birth (it might even start before) and continues until
death as a consequence of ongoing interactions between people and their
environment.

 The nature and processes involved in learning are studied in many fields,
including educational psychology, neuropsychology, experimental
psychology, and pedagogy.
Nature of Learning

1. Learning is Universal. Every creature that lives learns. Man

learns most. The human nervous system is very complex, so are
human reactions and so are human acquisition. Positive learning
vital for children’s growth and development.
2. Learning is through Experience. Learning always involves some
kind of experience, direct or indirect (vicarious).
3. Learning is from all Sides: Today learning is from all sides.
Children learn from parents, teachers, environment, nature,
media etc.
4. Learning is Continuous. It denotes the lifelong nature of
learning. Every day new situations are faced and the individual
has to bring essential changes in his style of behaviour adopted
to tackle them. Learning is birth to death.
Nature of Learning

5. It results in Change in Behaviour. It is a change of behaviour

influenced by previous behaviour. It is any activity that leaves a
more or less permanent effect on later activity.

6. Learning is an Adjustment. Learning helps the individual to adjust

himself adequately to the new situations. Most learning in children
consists in modifying, adapting, and developing their original
nature. In later life the individuals acquire new forms of behaviour.

7. It comes about as a result of practice. It is the basis of drill and

practice. It has been proven that students learn best and retain
information longer when they have meaningful practice and
repetition. Every time practice occurs, learning continues.
Nature of Learning
 8.Learning is a relatively Permanent Change. After a rat wake up from his
nap he still remembers the path to the food. Even if you have been on a
bicycle for years, in just a few minutes practice you can be quite proficient
again.

9. Learning as Growth and Development. It is never ending growth and

development. At reach stage the learner acquires new visions of his future
growth and news ideals of achievement in the direction of his effort.
According to Woodworth, “All activity can be called learning so far as it
develops the individual.”

10. Learning is not directly observable. The only way to study learning is

through some observable behaviour. Actually, we cannot observe learning;
we see only what precedes performance, the performance itself, and the
consequences of performance.
Process of Learning
 Concrete experience (Feeling): A new experience of situation
is encountered, or a reinterpretation of existing experience.

 Reflective observation (Watching): Any inconsistencies

between past experience and understanding of new
experience.

 Abstract conceptualization (Thinking): Creating theories to

explain observations. Gives rise to a new idea, or a
modification of an existing abstract concept.

 Active experimentation (Doing): The learner applies them to

the world around them to see what results. Using new theories
to solve problems, make decisions.
Experiential Learning style
Theory (1984)
Learning is a continuous
process
Factors affecting Learning

1. The Impact of Culture

2. Learning Is Dynamic
3. Mental Models and Learning Strategies
4. Motivation to Learn
5. The Role of Technology
1. The Impact of Culture
 “Cultural influences shape individuals from the beginning of life,”
and cultural interpretations of learning and intelligence can be
quite different depending on the culture.
 Some traditions emphasize learning by observation, for example,
while others stress teacher instructions. And some cultures believe
that when a student veers away from the structured model of
learning he is being creative and intelligent, while others define
intelligence as being able to imitate the instruction with precision.
 Regardless of these differences, most students learn best when
they live in a culture that values not just education but
understanding the material well. So students should be
encouraged to question and test concepts when they are learning.
2. Learning Is Dynamic

 Research in neuroscience shows that the brain

continues to evolve throughout life.
 Learning never stops. After students graduate from
high school, their brains continue to learn new things.
 Interestingly, findings show that the brain develops in
different ways depending on a person’s experience.
 Those parts of the brain that get used most often
receive more blood than those that do relatively little
work.
3.Mental Models and Learning
Strategies
 “Mental models” play a crucial role in developing
knowledge and learning how to apply knowledge to
real-world scenarios.
 Educators need to do more than ensure that students
retain information. They also need to show students
how to make inferences and solve new problems.
 “Effective strategies,” include encouraging students to
summarize and explain the material they are learning,
as well as encouraging learners to enrich their mental
representation of information by calling it up and
applying it in various contexts.
4. Motivation to Learn

 Motivation is crucial for learning to take

place. Students can only learn if they want to
learn.
 Giving people opportunities to share their
work creates social motivation that
encourages more work. For instance,
students will put more effort into writing
stories when they know that they will share
the stories with their peers.
5. The Role of Technology

 Interactive technologies offer some of the most

beneficial options because students can receive
feedback and learn to refine their approach to
learning new information.
 Other useful technologies include digital
libraries, social media that connects students to
diverse ideas, and software that analyzes data.
 Even virtual reality has proven to be helpful such
as when helping students perform lab experiments
they might otherwise not have had access to.
 Importance of Learning to
Managers

1. Improve soft skills.

2. Identifying trends to prevent future skill
gaps.
3. Implementation of Modern Technology.
4. Consistent with global market.
5. Deliver insights on internal skill gaps
Thank You