EAD 860: Concepts of a learning society
EAD 860 was one of the most intriguing and influential courses I took while pursuing my degree. This course explored the problematic phrase "learning society" used by many people across different cultures, generations, and professions when discussing educational activities, experiences, and future goals. This course was broken up into six different units of study aimed to explore what is meant by the phrase learning society, the social contexts of learning, and various people's different experiences and viewpoints. This course impacted what I believe it means to be a learner and the various experiences that can lead to learning. There is variation in the ways people picture learning to occur. This course helped me understand that learning can be framed around the way people learn, whether formally or informally, and the doors for learning that this can open.
The Learning Society: Past to Present
We explored different uses of learning through different readings and viewing assignments and their parallels to the learning society. The concept or idea that I focused on was the comparison of formal schooling and personal learning experiences. Resnick believed that personal experiences, not just formal education, can aid in learning. We were introduced to the concept that, as a society, we cannot ignore how some groups in society manifest learning and those different domains exist to create learning. However, we live in a society that places such high value on a person's level of education when seeking employment that sometimes we may turn away someone who holds the "right stuff" but not the highest degree.
In this course, we also viewed the film, Erin Brockovich. This film provides a practical example of individual learning within society. Though she learns informally, Erin's learning was valuable in presenting how our learning society can use the learning that occurs inside of a classroom and the learning that occurs through lived experiences to create a robust environment of success. She does not try to lie about her lack of formal schooling, but instead, she explains what characteristics and lived experiences she has that will provide insight and value to the line of work. She displays many learning goals within a learning society, such as learning how to learn and hacing a passion for learning. Her learning benefits her own sense of personal growth, provides for her family, and allows her to participate in the local community as a good citizen. In the example of Erin, we see someone who takes advantage of the opportunity she is given and demonstrates one way in which learning can take place within the learning society, even if it challenges our concept of how learning often occurs.
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