EDS 103 ejournal entry for Module 6A
When I was a training specialist in a national government agency, I worked with a more senior and tenured colleague. We used to conduct trainings hand-in-hand and being new to the field of training development, I took notes of his practices as well as the bits of information he imparted on how I can be a better facilitator and training manager. He made sure that I know what to do even if he is not around. He continued to guide me until I was able to organize a training on my own and serve as facilitator, manager, and sometimes even as the documenter and resource speaker.
In my experience, being exposed to someone who is more knowledgeable allowed me to learn more effectively. The person’s active guidance, coupled with an actual field experience, enabled me to develop my knowledge and skills. Indeed, a learner’s exposure to the social world either makes or breaks the learning experience. The presence of a more knowledgeable other (MKO) facilitates a learner’s realization of his/her full potential.
Constructivist approaches are now widely adapted by educators especially the younger ones. More collaborative activities and other tasks that allow for socialization are being implemented. Even in the online/remote setup currently in place in most schools because of the pandemic, there are activities that encourage students to interact with their classmates for a more meaningful experience. However, some teachers still implement a strictly traditional approach in teaching, where lectures are more favored. Espousing the principles of constructivism, I believe that this type of teaching strategy limits the extent by which learning can be maximized.
As a learner myself, I personally prefer individual activities especially when I was younger because of my introverted personality. I felt like the need to collaborate with other people in order to produce an output is exhausting and impractical. However, as my personality and perspectives developed, I learned to embrace collaborative activities as something that can significantly improve my learning compared to when I work alone. I realized that being an introvert should not prevent me from seeking out more learning opportunities with other people. Accordingly, as a facilitator, I will make sure to incorporate learning activities that will give my students/participants a chance to learn with others.
Always a Work in Progress 