Updated Personal View Of Learning Sample Essay

This paper is an evaluation of previously held views of learning before class. I will reflect and review these views so that ineffective views will be changed while effective views will be supported with the theories posited by Marcy P. Driscoll.

In her book “Psychology of Learning for Instruction,” Driscoll pointed out that learning as an active process involves acquiring new knowledge through support, engagement, facilitation, and interaction with the environment. She contends that learning is a complex process of intermingling inherent knowledge with new knowledge, not a simple process of gaining new skills or facts, as many think.

Previously, I viewed learning as an active process. An effective learning process requires learners to be active. The active cycle involves progress evaluation, stipulating goals, and motivation. The behaviorism theory suggested by Driscoll augments this view. According to Driscoll, behaviorism as a learning theory stresses the environment’s function in molding human behavior. According to this theory, “response (R) came to be established, or learned, by its association with an environmental stimulus (S)” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 32).

Further, learning occurs when a stimulus occurs, and the learner responds in a specific manner. The learner’s reaction can have positive and negative effects and determine whether the behavior is accepted as good or punished. The consequence of the action will influence the likelihood that the response will be repeated. The purpose of reinforcement is to encourage desirable conduct, while the objective of punishment is to undermine or nullify the chances of that behavior occurring again.

Behaviorism’s emphasis on the importance of observable behavior and measurable consequences has contributed to developing techniques like operant conditioning and behavior modification. Adapting one’s surroundings to affect one’s actions is at the heart of these methods. Driscoll illustrates this point when she asserts that “t observed behavior was a function of these as well as environmental variables such as degree of hunger (drive), size of reward (stimulus-intensity dynamism)” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 32). This theory has been applied in the learning cycles to create learning materials and methods that stimulate learners to behave in a desired manner. As I pointed out earlier, setting goals and motivating students’ plays illustrate this motive. Using rewards in motivation creates positive reinforcement, which encourages desired behavior in the learners.

In addition, I viewed learning as dependent on meaningful context for the learning process to take place. My thoughts were directed to that context is determined by the learner’s interest and experience. In explanation, new knowledge depends on the previously held schema. This view is supported by the cognitive theory suggested by Driscoll (2014). The cognitive learning theory emphasizes the functions of the mind in the learning process. Driscoll suggests that cognitive learning theory involves gaining, processing, and retaining new knowledge based on existing knowledge.

Further, the cognitive theory of learning stresses the significance of students’ schema and existing knowledge. Schemas are people’s mental structures or frameworks to collate and make sense of new information. For new knowledge to be effectively learned, it must be linked to the preexisting schema, or a new schema must be constructed as needed.

Driscoll states, “for instruction to be meaningful and relevant, it must build upon learners’ prior knowledge and help learners to construct cognitive connections between what they already know and what they are being asked to learn” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 77). The emphasis is not on the environmental stimuli but on preexisting knowledge and its relationship with new knowledge. Moreover, Driscoll (2014), when discussing learning and cognition, puts stress on metacognition. She defines metacognition as “one’s awareness of thinking and the self-regulatory behavior accompanying this awareness” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 107). Therefore, learners aware of their cognitive process can monitor their learning, identify areas for improvement, and adjust learning strategies. This explains why older learners are more purposeful and planful in their learning approaches.

Applying this theory requires that teachers inculcate teaching materials that encourage reflection and elaboration. For example, drawing on childhood experiences to explain concepts will awaken the integration and application of new knowledge.

The other view I previously had was that learning requires feedback and assessment. The learning process requires feedback from both learners, and teachers should monitor the process and adjust techniques where necessary. This thought is elaborated by Driscoll (2014) when she discusses the theory of behaviorism. When discussing the importance of feedback, she says, “Feedback not only reinforces a response, it also provides information to the learner as to how performance can be improved. Knowledge of results provides feedback on the quality of a particular performance, and knowledge of progress provides feedback of performance over time” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 63).

The necessity of feedback in the learning process must be considered because it not only offers an assessment of the current level of understanding but also offers strategies for improvement. On the other hand, as suggested by Driscoll, “It is in the assessment that the learning process so heavily emphasized by situated cognition theory conflicts with the products of learning” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 178). It is important for teachers to come up with assessments that analyze the learning process and adaptability of the learning environment to meet learners’ needs. This point is new because I was accustomed to pen-and-paper tests.

Another view on learning I previously held was the importance of collaboration in the learning process. This view demonstrates the need to engage learners in discussion-based encounters, peer feedback, and group projects. This view is supported by Driscoll (2014) when she discusses the constructivism theory in the learning process. This theory implies that learning comes through active engagement with new experiences and information. That is to say; constructivism doesn’t consider learning merely as gaining knowledge. In addition, when commenting on the constructivist view on collaboration, Driscoll states, “constructivists hold to these beliefs about learning and thinking, they emphasize collaboration as a critical feature in the learning environment. Collaboration is not just a matter of asking students to work together in groups or to share their individual knowledge with one another. Rather, collaboration enables insights and solutions to arise synergistically” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 396).

Further, collaboration is important in the learning process because it allows learners to understand other people’s points of view. Through discussions and peer engagements, learners can learn from other people’s points of view. For effective learning, egocentric thinking must be broken through sharing and transmitting knowledge understood and applied by group members. Teachers must understand the implications of constructivism since they are the ones who have to develop learning experiences that enable students to actively construct their view of the world rather than simply collecting information passively. Teachers can facilitate this process by giving students chances for inquiry and discovery, encouraging students to ask questions, and offering feedback supporting students’ academic growth. In addition, instructors can facilitate social interactions among students by encouraging group work or collaborative projects, for example, to assist students in building their knowledge through collaboration. Constructivism is all things considered, a good paradigm for understanding the learning process and devising educational interventions that are both successful and efficient.

Finally, the other view I hold regarding the effective learning process is the importance of social learning. Learning as a social process enhances top-notch thinking and deeper insight. This paradigm is supported by Driscoll (2014) when she deliberated on constructivism. Social interactions with others allow students to demonstrate their understanding, get feedback, and build upon each other’s knowledge. Driscoll emphasizes learning as a form of social negotiation. She says, “Learning in most settings is a communal activity, a sharing of the culture” (Driscoll, 2014, p. 396). Humans’ capacity to develop mental prowess happens through social interaction. Since constructivists share these views on learning, they stress social interaction as a crucial component in the learning process.

After studying Marcy P. Driscoll’s book “Psychology of Learning for Instruction,” my views on learning were supported by the theories explained therein. I was able to integrate my views with the theories suggested and obtain a more excellent insight regarding learning.

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2014). Psychology of learning for instruction. Publisher: Pearson.

Various Types Of Management Styles Essay Example For College

Thesis statement: Managers and supervisors require management styles to motivate their staff. Managers should understand their management styles to improve performance, lead by example, identify employee strengths, and stay competitive.

Annotated Bibliography

Namiq, F. A. (2018). Most effective management style for the modern workplace. International Journal of Engineering and Management Sciences, 3(3), 402-411. http://dx.doi.org/10.21791/IJEMS.2018.3.33.

Namiq et al. (2021) aimed to elaborate on the most effective management style for the modern workplace. The author explains the different styles of management in order of effectiveness. The management styles included in the article are innovative or imaginative, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, autocratic, and Laissez-faire styles. Namiq et al. also explains the role of managers and the importance of management in the workplace. Namiq also conducted research whose findings indicated that managers who are friendly and communicators promote respect and work organization. A good manager engages employees in daily operations and supports continuous improvement and productivity. The article is credible as the author works in the Department of Management and Enterprises and is published less than five years ago. It contains up-to-date information, and the citations for sources used are available. The author examines more than one perspective of the issue. The article is relevant to my research topic as it explains the various management skills and their effectiveness.

Ghaziasgar, S. M. (2021). What is the Management Style? How Management Style Can Lead to Efficiency in Workplace. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351127664_What_are_the_management_style_How_management_style_can_lead_to_efficiency_in_workplace

Ghaziagar et al. (2021) proposed to answer the question of different management styles and their effect on an organization. The author elaborates on the different management styles and factors influencing their application and evaluation. The author also explained the existing relationship among the different management styles and their effect on organization efficiency. The article states that the most effective leadership skill should be flexible, adaptable, and appropriate for a particular situation. Factors influencing the type of management style in an organization include business type, amount of work, manager personality and intrinsic personal characteristics, and employee personality and approach. This article is credible because the author is a doctor in business administration, and the article is unbiased. The article is relevant to my research as it contains up-to-date information on the various management styles and their effect on an organization’s function. The article elaborates on what it takes for good performance in an organization and also provides the pros and cons of some of the management styles. A good manager should refrain from exerting pressure and forcing demands on the employees.

De La Cruz, L. (2018). Leadership Styles and Communication: A Look at Leadership Styles and Their Impact on Communication and Performance (Doctoral dissertation, California State University, Northridge). https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/9593tz37k

Cruz et al. (2018) examined the leadership styles at the local city level and their influence on communication and performance. The paper examined the various leadership styles and their effectiveness in business. Research findings showed that a leader’s leadership style affects communication at various levels in a city. One of the cities under study was large, with more sources and a large executive team, while the city was small and contained all the desired leadership skills. The article is credible as it includes diverse information on different topics and has been approved by reliable personnel. Cruz is a Master of Public Administration, Public Sector Management and Leadership, and the article contains a well-detailed and elaborative literature review from reliable sources. The article is relevant to my research topic as it explains the impact of leadership style on organizational performance. In the research, communication is an essential leadership skill, and managers who practice effective communication promote individual success and the entire organization’s success.

Gandolfi, F., & Stone, S. (2018). Leadership, leadership styles, and servant leadership. Journal of Management Research, 18(4), 261-269. https://www.lasnny.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Leadership-Leadership-Styles-and-Servant-Leadership.pdf

Gandolfi et al. (2018) aim to clarify leadership and leadership style, identify the critical attributes of effective leadership, and illustrate how servant leadership meets the criteria of effective leadership. The authors acknowledge the different types of leadership, including democratic, transactional, and transformational leadership, and introduce another management style referred to as servant leadership. The authors explain the significance of leadership and what it takes to be an effective leader. From the research, servant leadership is a crucial management style as it encourages diversity, builds a culture of trust, and fosters leadership in others. The article is credible since the information is unbiased and up to date, and the authors are respected persons (vice chancellor and adjunct professor, respectively) in well-known universities. This article is relevant to my research as it provides another leadership style for managers and leaders. Servant leadership promotes personal and professional growth, success, and workplace satisfaction.

Thompson, J., Camp, J. R., Trimble, J. E., & Langford, S. (2020). Leadership styles. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Clinical, Applied, and Cross‐Cultural Research, 499-504. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347343260_Leadership_Styles

Thompson et al. (2020) elaborate on the various leadership styles. The authors incorporate the aspect of psychology in leadership and describe the different leadership theories and their relevance in leaders and managers. Theories held develop human traits, and understanding this theory helps understand leadership from a behavioral perspective. The article elaborates on management styles, including autocratic, democratic, Laisse-Faire, transactional, transformational, benevolent, and situational leadership. The article is credible as it contains up-to-date information from relevant sources, and the authors have published other articles related to business and administration. This article is relevant to my research topic as it explains leadership development. Leadership skills can be taught or learned; therefore possible for every individual to be an efficient leader.

Malkoc, N., & Dal, S. (2021). The Relationship between Management Styles and Trainers’ Job Motivation in the Public Institutions. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 10(1), 108-114. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1286021.pdf

Malkoc et al. (2021) aimed to determine the relationship between the perception of management style and the trainer’s motivation. The authors also examined the effects of management styles on job motivation. Research findings indicated that democratic and paternalist management styles positively affects the trainer’s motivation, while liberal and authoritarian style negatively influence the trainer’s job motivation. Managers have authority over all other employees in an organization, and how they utilize their power affects the achievement of the organization’s goal, employee interaction, decision-making, and production process. The article is credible as it has been revised, accepted and published by the international journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE). The authors work in a university in Turkey, and they provide more than one opinion making it unbiased. This article is relevant to my research as it allows for a detailed literature review of the different management styles. It also compares the different management styles to determine the most efficient and effective in enhancing employee motivation. Managers influence the performance and productivity of their employees; therefore, they should integrate a management style that promotes teamwork and improves motivation.

Dike, E. E., & Madubueze, M. H. C. (2019). Democratic leadership style and organizational performance: An appraisal. International Journal of Development Strategies in Humanities, Management, and Social Sciences, 9(3), 129-138. http://www.internationalpolicybrief.org/images/2019/APRIL/IJDSHMSS/ARTICLE8.pdf

Dike et al. (2019) elaborate on democratic leadership style and organization performance. Democratic leadership style is essential in identifying employee performance in an organization. The authors provide a detailed literature review on democratic leadership and theoretical frameworks supporting its implementation. They also explain the benefits of adopting a democratic leadership style and engaging employees in decision-making and constant consultation. The article is credible as the cited sources are reliable, and the information is unbiased. The authors work in the Department of public administration at the University of Ojukwu, Nigeria. The article is published in the International Journal of development strategies in Humanities, management and social sciences. The article is also peer-reviewed and published less than five years ago, making the information relevant and up to date. This article is pertinent to my research topic as it elaborates on one management style. Leaders should integrate democratic leadership as it helps them make the right decision, involve employees in decision-making, and build trust between employees and managers.

Al Khajeh, E. H. (2018). Impact of leadership styles on organizational performance. Journal of Human Resources Management Research, 2018, 1-10. https://ibimapublishing.com/articles/JHRMR/2018/687849/687849-1.pdf

Al Khajeh et al. (2018) examined the effect of leadership styles on organizational performance. The author evaluated six major leadership styles, including transformational, transactional, autocratic, charismatic, bureaucratic, and democratic. Findings indicated that the management styles of transformational, autocratic, and democratic positively influence organizational performance, while charismatic, transactional, and bureaucratic leadership negatively impact performance. The article is credible, peer-reviewed, up-to-date and edited by an academic editor. The author works at Lincoln University College and utilizes credible sources in his search. This article is relevant to my research topic as it provides deeper insights into the different types of leadership styles. Good leadership should enhance the capability and ability of others.

References

Wall Street Assignment Sample College Essay

Wall Street 1987 revolves around a young stockbroker who is described as impatient, doing anything to climb to the top of the stock chain. He does all he can to meet his admirer, corporate greed and raider Gordon Gekko. Bud Fox, the ambitious stockbroker, entices Mr Gordon to mould him while he provides the inside information. As he continues his ambitious journey, his moves threaten his father’s life, and the young man starts questioning his decisions.

He understood the risks. Bud Fox was a young man without experience in what it takes to be at the top and survive the cold. He needed to be made aware of the risks of being up there. After rising to the pinnacle, he met this that made him question his choices. His plan could have changed if Bud had understood the risks before venturing into the fraud system.

Always avoid shortcuts. Bud is a talented young broker with a great ambition of reaching the top. His method of achieving his dream turns out to be wrong when he chooses to join Gekko, a fraud who cooperates to mentor him. This mentorship led him to do illegal activities, like leaking information. His assignment was to monitor the movements of Larry Wildman. After knowing what happened at Blue Star Airlines, Bud reveals the secret to Gekko that the airline is covering the plane crush to win favour.

Impacts of greed. This movie has highlighted many instances of greed. Bud’s greed and desire to be wealthy and successful pushed him to include breaking the law when he was engaged in the inside training but at the end of it all, he faced an arrest in the morning when he hoes sick to the office. Gekko’s quest for power and money made him become a ruthless person who can do everything to get what he wants. In his efforts to win with Fox, he ends up betrayed and loses everything. Mr Larry Wildman is willing to let his company go bankrupt so that he can make a profit.

Know when to quit. Fox’s statements to Gekko in the open field after their rough meeting with Gekko. Gekko says she hits him and then shows him a good gesture by calling him a son, but Bud responds, “As much as I wanted to be Gordon Gekko, I’ll always be Bud Fox”. It was time to quit, and he knew it. It is good to know when to end whichever behaviour we are stuck into, as did Mr Bud. The latter rejoined his family a fulfilled person.

Always choose the right mentor. Bud wanted a mentor who would make him achieve his dream and meet the right one for himself. Gordon Gekko mentored him until he became a successful young man. He became proud of himself and never listened to his biological father’s advice. At the peak of his power, he becomes a true example of successful mentorship. After knowing what he wanted, he returned to his father, who always wanted him to do well and live with integrity.

Always invest in the right people who may advise you on the risks the direction you take has. Bud invested in someone using him to achieve his goals of maintaining the top rank of money and power.

Learn to be an opportunistic individual, and every opportunity counts and ensure the opportunity you are pursuing is preserving your integrity.

In conclusion, Wallstreet 1987 is a show that I recommend to any young person who is out of college and starting over. The movie addresses an issue affecting youths of this generation where everyone wants a quick none and wealth with knowing the risks behind the success.

Work Cited

“Wall Street 1987 Full Movie.” M4uHD, https://m4uhd.tv/watch-movie-wall-street-1987-20741.html.