I’m sick today and I’m forced to rest. It’s really frustrating that I have been sick for a week. This is a lesson that I need to learn, but today I’m fighting that particular one. Instead, I’m going to elaborate on a lesson that I have been munching on for over a week.
What did I learn today?
In my Facilitating Student Learning class, we have been covering both surface and deep approaches to learning. The common misconception that happens among students today is the surface level. Due to time, stress, circumstances or lack of commitment many students just gloss over the learning material just to help them to pass the test or write the paper. Thus, leads to the student developing a view of learning of more than a task rather than an opportunity. The problem is not only the student’s responsibility but also the teacher. The surface level approach teacher will just present the facts and throw the material out there for the student to take it or leave it.
The deep approach to learning goes beyond just memorizing the facts, but try to find the underlying reason for what that knowledge is important. Many would say that deep learning is more of a holistic approach. The learner takes it beyond and find ways to make it applicable to life. As John Biggs, author of Teaching for Quality Learning at University, explains it:
“When students feel this need-to-know, they automatically try to focus on underlying meaning, on main ideas, themes, principles, or successful applications. This requires a sound foundation of relevant prior knowledge, so students needing to know will naturally try to learn the details, as well as making sure they understand the big picture. In fact, the big picture is not understandable without the details. When using the deep approach in handling a task, students have positive feelings: interest, a sense of importance, challenge, exhilaration. Learning is a pleasure. Students come with questions they want answered, and when the answers are unexpected, that is even better (p. 24).”
The big picture requires for us to learn the foundation and details. Keeping the big picture in mind, learning the “general education” material is more interesting and there’s purpose behind it all.
This concept really hit home for me at church this morning. Even though I should have stayed in bed to rest and sleep off this cold, I decided to attend the early service. Some would think that I was putting my health in risk, but I would have put more than my health at risk if I didn’t go. This morning’s preaching was about worship. Since I have been a Christian for quite a while, I have heard numerous sermons about the meaning of worship. Yes, God deserves an open heart when we come to sing. Yes, we must leave everything at the altar. Yes, I don’t have to raise my hands to worship. Yes, it’s ok to not know the words. Yes, I know that worship is more than PowerPoint’s and the latest Hillsong song. Yes, I know that what I’m learning at Taylor is worship. Yes, I can worship God anywhere and anytime.
So if you can guess it, I was about to check out with my surface learning approach. I was going to write down the verses that my pastor refers to and promise to be more intentional about worship.
But then it hit me. I was not doing what I’m committed to do. I’m devoted to be a life longer learner. I vowed to look at the world of learning through different lenses. This requires for me to relook at the “life lessons” that I already know and relearn them in a deeper sense. “When we learn we change. We become physically different than we were before the learning experience. The duration and scope of the difference, and how it affect our future choices and behavior, depend on a number of factors (John Tagg, The Learning Paradigm of College, p. 63).” This also means that I must take the deep approach to learning: learn the details for the big picture.
When I switched over my mindset to deep approach learning, my pastor said something that hit the mark: “Worship is a life posture that brings glory to God.”
So what is the deep learning approach of what my pastor is preaching? For me, it’s memorizing the verses. Live out what they say. That whatever I eat or drink must be glorifying God. That I must work (in my job or finishing my masters) for God and not humans. When I’m budgeting my money, am I glorifying God? When I’m cleaning my apartment, am I worshipping God?When I have conversations on the phone with old college friends, am I worshipping God? The movies I watch, am I glorifying God? The list goes on.
Taking the deep level approach is not just for Scripture, but that was just an example of that.
What did I learn today?
In my Facilitating Student Learning class, we have been covering both surface and deep approaches to learning. The common misconception that happens among students today is the surface level. Due to time, stress, circumstances or lack of commitment many students just gloss over the learning material just to help them to pass the test or write the paper. Thus, leads to the student developing a view of learning of more than a task rather than an opportunity. The problem is not only the student’s responsibility but also the teacher. The surface level approach teacher will just present the facts and throw the material out there for the student to take it or leave it.
The deep approach to learning goes beyond just memorizing the facts, but try to find the underlying reason for what that knowledge is important. Many would say that deep learning is more of a holistic approach. The learner takes it beyond and find ways to make it applicable to life. As John Biggs, author of Teaching for Quality Learning at University, explains it:
“When students feel this need-to-know, they automatically try to focus on underlying meaning, on main ideas, themes, principles, or successful applications. This requires a sound foundation of relevant prior knowledge, so students needing to know will naturally try to learn the details, as well as making sure they understand the big picture. In fact, the big picture is not understandable without the details. When using the deep approach in handling a task, students have positive feelings: interest, a sense of importance, challenge, exhilaration. Learning is a pleasure. Students come with questions they want answered, and when the answers are unexpected, that is even better (p. 24).”
The big picture requires for us to learn the foundation and details. Keeping the big picture in mind, learning the “general education” material is more interesting and there’s purpose behind it all.
This concept really hit home for me at church this morning. Even though I should have stayed in bed to rest and sleep off this cold, I decided to attend the early service. Some would think that I was putting my health in risk, but I would have put more than my health at risk if I didn’t go. This morning’s preaching was about worship. Since I have been a Christian for quite a while, I have heard numerous sermons about the meaning of worship. Yes, God deserves an open heart when we come to sing. Yes, we must leave everything at the altar. Yes, I don’t have to raise my hands to worship. Yes, it’s ok to not know the words. Yes, I know that worship is more than PowerPoint’s and the latest Hillsong song. Yes, I know that what I’m learning at Taylor is worship. Yes, I can worship God anywhere and anytime.
So if you can guess it, I was about to check out with my surface learning approach. I was going to write down the verses that my pastor refers to and promise to be more intentional about worship.
But then it hit me. I was not doing what I’m committed to do. I’m devoted to be a life longer learner. I vowed to look at the world of learning through different lenses. This requires for me to relook at the “life lessons” that I already know and relearn them in a deeper sense. “When we learn we change. We become physically different than we were before the learning experience. The duration and scope of the difference, and how it affect our future choices and behavior, depend on a number of factors (John Tagg, The Learning Paradigm of College, p. 63).” This also means that I must take the deep approach to learning: learn the details for the big picture.
When I switched over my mindset to deep approach learning, my pastor said something that hit the mark: “Worship is a life posture that brings glory to God.”
So what is the deep learning approach of what my pastor is preaching? For me, it’s memorizing the verses. Live out what they say. That whatever I eat or drink must be glorifying God. That I must work (in my job or finishing my masters) for God and not humans. When I’m budgeting my money, am I glorifying God? When I’m cleaning my apartment, am I worshipping God?When I have conversations on the phone with old college friends, am I worshipping God? The movies I watch, am I glorifying God? The list goes on.
Taking the deep level approach is not just for Scripture, but that was just an example of that.
So I would like to leave you, readers, off with a challenge with this video. Take it in with a deep approach to learning. Trust me, it’s for the big picture.
That's what I learned today.
I read it. I liked it. I remember that video at church. Solid.
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