Thinking about learning.

Over the past few months I have spent a great deal of time thinking about learning. Clearly, having applied for and been accepted into a PhD program, I’ve been thinking about my own learning. But part of that process was thinking about how others learn.

I knew I didn’t want to take a very scientific route and figure out what happens in the brain that allows learning to happen. Although that sounds very interesting, it wasn’t really at the heart of my question. My question? Hmmm. I have a question? Well, yes, I guess I must. I’m not entirely sure what it is, but I know that I will eventually have to settle on one and write about it or else I’ll never write a dissertation.

Perhaps a good place to start is to look at how, why, if, and when technology has an impact on the learning process.” There is a lot wrapped up in that though, so perhaps that needs to be four discrete questions:
• How technology has an impact on the learning process.
• Why technology has an impact on the learning process.
• If technology has an impact on the learning process.
• When technology has an impact on the learning process.

At first glance those last two questions appear as if they need to be combined. If technology does NOT have an impact on the learning process then the when is irrelevant. But if technology DOES have an impact on the learning process, then “when” becomes a very important follow up question.