Perspectives on Learning (Essay Sample)

An Essay on
Comparing and Contrasting
Various Perspectives on Learning and Their Implications
For Human Resource Development
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Introduction
Interest in learning and teaching is not new. As a matter of fact, there have been various theories discussing diverse perspectives on learning. Great philosophers and thinkers have contributed much to these perspectives. Applications of these concepts and theories have brought new light to the contemporary world of learning. More significant, however, are the implications of these learning perspectives for human resource development. Human resource development functions to promote learning, enhance human potential, encourage high-quality performance in the workplace, and play a role in human development sustainability.
This paper presents the three different learning perspectives of three different authors: self-efficacy (Zimmerman), communities of practice and social learning systems (Wenger), and expansive learning (Engestrom).
Perspectives on Learning
A. Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is one factor that promotes motivation and learning. The term self-efficacy refers to "own perceptions of skills to bring together and implement significant actions to accomplish defined goals" (Zimmerman 83).
Every learner’s self-efficacy theories or one's views concerning their skill to accomplish an undertaking, impact their behavior with regard to learning tasks. These beliefs are wide-ranging in a way that they vary based upon criteria and context for mastery. For that reason, self-efficacy beliefs may vary in all tasks (Zimmerman). An individual’s self-efficacy concepts may vary for each task and context. This depends on how the person perceives the difficulty level of a task. In so doing, after assessing the level of difficulty, the person becomes motivated to accomplish the task successfully. Therefore, since there is parallelism in an individual’s perception and performance, self-efficacy then is an excellent tool in predicting the outcome of performance.
According to Zimmerman, learners having high self-efficacy for a task - take part more willingly, work harder, persevere longer, select more stimulating tasks, and facilitate troubles in learning with usage of metacognitive approaches. For learners to be successful, they must practice control by stimulating and regulating thoughts, behaviours, and thoughts. Furthermore, they must know how to cope with their learning environment in an effective way. Successful learners adapt to learning by means of goal-setting, focus retention, organization of workloads and workspace, and involving oneself in useful learning approaches (Zimmerman.
B. Communities of Practice and Social Learning Systems
What a person knows is a social act. This has significant implication in the manner one thinks and tries to provide learning support. Such concepts are beneficial to individuals confronted with all forms of challenges.
Communities are the fundamental units of a social learning environment since they are the center of social competencies that comprise this environment (Wenger 225). There are three main classifications that describe involvement and development in the context of a social learning environment and a community of practice – engagement, imagination, and alignment.
Engagement may be defined as the manner in which members are engaging in community activities. Imagination is the interpretation of an image to enable an individual to make a thoughtful consideration on various opportunities and possibilities. This, in turn, helps members in shaping their minds to be able to come up with an excellent way to influence and contribute in a community. Alignment ensures that a person’s undertakings are in line with methods given.
According to Wenger, learning refers to identity transformation that involves connectedness, expansiveness, and effectiveness. Connectedness involves shared experiences, histories, affections, reciprocity, and commitment. Expansiveness promotes multiple communities of practices and participates in boundary interactions. Effectiveness allows comprehensive social involvement.
C. Expansive Learning at Work
Learning theories and concepts focus on the different methods and approaches where a person obtains some skills or knowledge through which there is change in behaviour. It is a self-manifested assumption that the skill or knowledge obtained is stable and well-defined.
According to Engestrom, any learning concept must be able to answer four significant queries: Who are learning? Why are they learning the subject? What are they learning? How are they learning?
In school, an individual learns simply to avoid getting low grades. In this way, learning is defensive than expansive. Students simply learn the importance of pleasing their teachers, passing examinations, and belonging to a group. Expansive learning is the first step to the process itself. The method of expansive learning has seven fundamental steps: Ethnographic analysis, transformation, representation, implementation, concretization, reflection, and teaching. Expansive learning finds solutions to societal problems.
Comparing and Contrasting
The three perspectives on learning may be similar in their motivational agenda which acquisition of knowledge and application of this knowledge, but these perspectives on learning differ in the acquisition and application of knowledge.
For Zimmerman, a person becomes motivated through self-efficacy. Thus, we can say that perception, learning, and motivation are self-driven behaviours. A person performs a task through knowledge and capabilities. Knowing that an individual will be able to perform a task with greater efficiency, that is self-efficacy. Optimism and trust in one’s skills, knowledge, and capabilities may be considered as the driving force in achieving goals.
For Wenger, a person learns through community exposures. Participation and interaction are the main ingredients in achieving learning. Without exposure to various communities, a person’s learning becomes limited. Through community exposures, a person gets to learn the different practices. Wenger’s perception encourages going beyond one’s boundaries and keeping touch with people in the various aspects and sectors of society. Only then learning will take place when a person widens his or her circle of boundaries.
For Engestrom, learning should not be compacted and limited on the four walls of the classroom or actual learning will not take place. External factors motivate a person to learn. An individual simply learns to get better grades, to gain more friends, or to obtain praises from teachers and parents. Engestrom postulates that real learning happens when a person finds solutions to present problems. Moreover, learning is only evident when there is real life application and outcome.
To summarize, the three authors focused on certain things: Zimmerman focuses on self; Wenger focuses on community, and Engestrom focuses on society.
Implications for Hu...