LEARNING DEEPLY

In my quest to understand what deep learning means, I have uncovered many explanations and interpretations of how to foster deep learning or improve/promote deep learning. One that stood out to me is from the book In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School, the authors wrote, deep learning “emerges at the intersection of three virtues: mastery, identity, and creativity” (Mehta & Fine, 2019). Also, according to Mehta and Fine, “deeper learning generally emerges when a number of the associated elements come together;” when learners develop knowledge and skills and connect their core selves to what they are learning and enact their learning by producing. As I think about Mehta’s and Fine’s perception of how and when deeper learning happens, I think of how most people experience learning at work.

My observation of learning across many companies is, instructional designers fit as much information as possible into a training course, with images, narration, and sometimes a quick assessment at the end of the training course. These training courses are added to the Learning Management System (LMS), where they stay indefinitely, and are hardly updated or improved. Sometimes these training courses are assigned to employees annually. As a result, employees became accustomed to the courses, and the way the LMS functions, so they don’t really focus on the content. Since the LMS appears to be a more efficient way of delivering training courses to exceptionally large groups of learners, companies inundate learners with too many courses. At times new hires are assigned more than thirty hours of training within their first two weeks of hire. To complete these training courses in a timely manner, employees quickly navigate through the training, focusing on getting the training done rather than comprehending the content.

A Call for Action

According to an Accenture report, employers spend an average of thirteen hundred dollars per employee annually, and employees forget about seventy percent of what they learned within twenty-four hours, and ninety percent within a month (Carrel-Billiard, Guenther, Rosa and Taylor, 2021). Also, more than ninety percent of executives that responded to the Accenture survey said that training needs to be more effective and efficient (Carrel-Billiard, Guenther, Rosa and Taylor, 2021). In many organizations, learning is a linear experience, where the instructional designer develops the content, the instructor facilitates the training course, and learners completes training. Learning needs to be engaging, representative, expressive, and relevant to the learner, as well as inquiry based.

Taking the Accenture report into account, I am confident that a learner-centered approach to training design will improve learners’ experience and deepen learning if training is designed to increase motivation, provide variability in access, is context oriented, and applicable to the learner's aptitude and ability. Understand that people can learn without implementing all these approaches in training design, but to learn deeply, these approaches must be aligned for the learner. However, keep in mind that when deep learning happens and the length of time it takes for it to happen differs for everyone. Deeper Learning is a personal journey; the experience is different for each person and each journey.

Motivation

The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action. (John Dewey)

“Motivation is a crucial factor in shaping why and how learners choose to participate, engage with, or persist in a learning experience” (HGSE, HPL, 2021). There are two types of motivations: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is learning, and exploration derived from curiosity without any external reward. Intrinsic motivation is also influenced by other factors such as self-determination, self-efficacy, growth, and passion (HGSE, HPL, 2021). The individual is more interested in learning and accomplishing, rather than succeeding for external reward. It is “guided by desire to engage in challenges, and interest or enjoyment in the task” (HGSE, HPL, 2021). However, intrinsic motivation is neither static nor global for an individual; it varies depending on interest and content. In contrast, extrinsic motivation is guided by the prospects of external reward. Reward can either be positive reward or the avoidance of negative reward or displeasure. Learners are more motivated by behaviors that would be valued by others, including grades, awards, praise, promotion, benefits, and a perception of “being smart,” or not having to work hard to succeed (HGSE, HPL, 2021).

Time plays an essential part in motivation. Initially you may not be motivated in the field, topic, or activity. However, after engaging with that field, topic, or activity for a while, the learner may gain interest and become intrinsically motivated and develop a curiosity to learn more. “Some things we are initially forced to do against our will turn out in the course of time to be intrinsically rewarding” (Csikszentrnihalyi, 1990). Take my son for example, I exposed him to piano lessons, but although he was gifted, he was not motivated to learn music. He reluctantly pursued playing the piano throughout the years. It was not until he went to college that he showed any real interest in music and learning the piano. Once he became intrinsically motivated, he developed a passion and determination to learn. Additionally, he started writing and producing his own music.

“Many people never reach the point of recognizing the possibilities of the activity into which they are forced and end up disliking it forever. How many people have come to hate classical music because their parents forced them to practice an instrument? Often children and adults need external incentives to take the first steps in an activity that requires a difficult restructuring of attention. Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide feedback to the person's skills, it usually begins to be intrinsically rewarding.” (Csikszentrnihalyi, 1990)

Access

It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education. (Nelson Mandela)

Deeper learning cannot occur without access: resources, opportunities, the truth, and an environment conducive for learning. Resources come in many forms for the learner, such as time to explore and learn a subject or an activity. As well as materials, tools, books, quality educators or mentors, and funds of knowledge from peers and the community. In addition to resources, deep learning is more conducive in an environment that is favorable to learning; a knowledge centered environment that can optimize learning and “provides the necessary depth of study” (National Research Council, 2000).

The Hewlett Foundation defines deeper learning as “develop significant understanding of core academic content, exhibit critical thinking and critical thinking skills, collaborate, communicate, direct their own learning, and possess an academic mindset” (Mehta & Fine, 2019). To do these things critically, learners need to know the truth to have the depth of study to think deeply. Imagine if both young musicians, my son, and Joey did not receive the full scope of how to play the piano or read music. Their playing would not be good at all. It is important for learners to learn music, art, and literature unbiasedly; likewise, it should be equally important for learners to have access to the truth about history, science, and any other area of study so that they can make connections, think critically, and direct their own learning.

Context

Context comprises of relevance, circumstances, conditions for learning, and where the learning takes place. Without a sense of relevance to self and a clear purpose for the topic, learners will not find meaning in what they are learning to make connection to the world around them. Why am I learning this? How does it connect to me culturally? How can I apply what I am learning? These are questions that learners grapple with. The learner makes sense of the world through culture. Deep culture guides our world view and our ethical decision-making. Shallow culture is reflected through our norms and rules that we use to engage with each other, and our surface culture is observable and concrete. Our surface culture is shown in our style, our music, and customs. Making connections to our deep, shallow, or surface culture promotes deeper learning. Also, learners are stimulated when they can make connections to their day-to-day lives and to their future.

The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape the students. What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves. (Myles Horton and Paulo Freire)

Additionally, learning is more conducive given the right circumstances. The conditions for learning may be psychological or physical. Learners may not be psychologically ready to learn something if they have not received the necessary prerequisites to learn the task. Also, learners may not be mature enough for the topic. Furthermore, the learner may not be physically capable of engaging in the task, which will impede their ability to fully learn the task and make connections. In addition to relevance and circumstances, learners need the right social, emotional, and environmental conditions to deeply learn.

Aptitude

Aptitude, which comprises ability, skill and talent may hinder your capacity to learn deeply initially, but in time the learner can improve. The learner’s journey for improvement may entail breaking down the skill and learning other key skills first; trying varied ways to accomplish the task and using the way that best suits the learner; being vulnerable and seeking help; as well as practice. As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” In the case of Joey, he improved tremendously over time and went on to Vanderbilt University to study music.

Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. (Abigail Adams)

Conclusion

As we strive to define deeper learning, we should also identify what sort of conditions are conducive for deeper learning. Examining my definition of deeper learning, which is a synergy of motivation, access, context, and ability. Now, take Mehta’s and Fine’s definition, deep learning “emerges at the intersection of three virtues: mastery, identity, and creativity.” To further clarify my definition, when deep learning happens and the length of time it takes to happen differs for everyone. It is a personal journey; the experience is different for each person and each journey. I suspect this is the same for Mehta’s and Fine’s definition. Knowing this, regardless of how you chose to define deeper learning, it is important that we as educators understand that deeper learning is a journey for the learner; how, where, or when the learner learns deeply should not be confined to a location, restricted by time, limited by resources, and constrained by curriculum.

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Bibliography

Csikszentrnihalyi, M. (1990). flow The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics.

HPL. (2021, Summer). Unit 2.3.1: Types of Motivation. Retrieved from Canvas: https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/88440/pages/unit-2-dot-3-1-types-of-motivation?module_item_id=907192

Mehta, J., & Fine, S. (2015). DEEPER LEARNING RESEARCH SERIES: THE WHY, WHAT, WHERE, AND HOW OF DEEPER LEARNING IN AMERICAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. Boston: Published by Jobs for the Future | New and forthcoming titles, 2014-15.

Mehta, J., & Fine, S. (2019). In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School. Harvard University Press.

National Research Council. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.