The term “learners with continuous partial attention” is applied primarily to students who

1Learning in the 21st Century

SergeyNivens/iStock/Thinkstock

Learning Outcomes After reading this chapter, you should be able to

• List the factors that make it more likely for students to successfully complete their college degree.

• Define what it means to learn and describe the importance of intentional learning.

• Analyze the challenges of learning in the digital age.

• Describe the characteristics of a science-based theory of learning and, specifically, the Let Me Learn Advanced Learning System.

• Explain why it is important to be aware of your personal Learning Patterns.

“We need a better understanding of how we learn so we can break through and handle the learning punches that come at us every day.”

—Stephen Lehmkuhle, chancellor, University of Minnesota Rochester (personal communication, November 2, 2011)

Section 1.1The World of the Nontraditional College Student

1.1 The World of the Nontraditional College Student Years ago, when you thought about what it meant to go to college, you might have envisioned brick-and-mortar classrooms, living in a dormitory, and studying late into the night in the col- lege library. This is no longer an accurate description of what it means to be a typical college student, however. Today millions of college students around the world learn online at times convenient to their lifestyles and work schedules.

If this describes you, then you are a nontraditional student and part of the fastest growing phenomenon in higher education. Individuals’ cir- cumstances may differ, but the need to complete a college degree remains the same: to develop your career and establish a sound economic future.

Nontraditional students face a variety of challenges. Most are employed and work part time, if not full time. Many are single parents or individuals who have made the decision to juggle work, family, and school. Scheduling time to study and prepare for class is one chal- lenge; keeping up with the workload

is another. For some students, these issues can make it very difficult to complete a degree (“Degrees of Difficulty,” 2010).

Which students ultimately earn a diploma? What makes some students more successful than others? For most nontraditional students, life is a balancing act, and many have learned sur- vival and time-management skills to do it well. But even more important than being good managers of their time, successful adult students are those who persevere in life and persist in learning.

It is very difficult to be persistent in the face of such challenges—especially for students who already have a lot on their plates. Pursuing an online degree requires focus and commitment. You will need to persist in completing assignments thoroughly and on time. You will need to persevere when a subject is particularly demanding and when you need to express your thoughts in writing. In other words, you will need grit, a term you will see often in the pages and chapters that follow. It describes the degree to which you demonstrate ferocious deter- mination, resilience, hard work, and a laser-like sense of direction (Duckworth, 2016). The

extent of your grit—how “gritty” you are— strongly influences whether you persist to complete your college degree. Being persis- tent will help you become a better, stronger, more capable learner.

Another equally important determiner of nontraditional students’ success is their mindset: their sense of self as learners, their

Halfpoint/iStock/Thinkstock Working parents are just one group that can benefit from the flexibility of an online education.

I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I’ll strive to be the grittiest.

—Angela Duckworth (2016, p. xv), researcher and author of Grit: The Power of Passion and

Perseverance

Section 1.2What Is Learning, and Why Is It Important?

belief in their ability to learn, and their willingness to invest in learning something that exceeds their current skill. Like grit, mindset will be a recurring concept in this chapter and through- out the text. For now, you need only know that having a mindset open to growth and change positions a person to succeed in learning and in life. Such a mindset enables you to persist in learning and developing tools that will help you succeed and earn your college degree.

The following questions will help you reflect on the major factors that influence your success (Johnston, 2015, p. 17, reprinted with permission). Use them to explore factors that influ- ence your degree of grit and contribute to your mindset. Your motivation, purpose, values, discipline, focus, and readiness for online education will affect whether you can persist to complete your degree program.

• What motivates me most to pursue a college degree? • What is my main purpose in seeking a college degree? • What values am I demonstrating by seeking my college degree? • How willing am I to schedule my life to include time to study and prepare for class? • What will I say to myself that will help me persist and move forward even when dis-

tracted by my responsibilities at work or home? • How have I prepared myself to begin or continue my online degree? How have I pre-

pared my family and others to support my journey toward this goal? Do I understand how online education works? Have I prepared my finances?

Nontraditional students do not succeed by chance. They succeed because they are intentional. They focus on making things work in their lives, including learning. They learn not just to pass a test—they learn for themselves. They see learning as a way to prepare for their future. In this book, you will explore what it means to actively attend to becoming an intentional learner who takes advantage of learning opportunities and embraces this educational endeavor.

1.2 What Is Learning, and Why Is It Important? Many students think that the college learning experience simply involves acquiring informa- tion, just at a fast speed or a high level of understanding. Some believe that college will be similar to their earlier classroom experiences, in which the teacher told students information and the students memorized and regurgitated it on demand.

Not only is this description inaccurate and very limited, it is also not what a student in an online-learning environment will be expected to do. Indeed, the key to successful college- level performance involves knowing how to learn. Learning, whether in a classroom, the real world, or online, involves taking in the world around you and connecting to what you are experiencing. It requires you to make sense of the experience and come to an understanding of it. Finally, learning involves using critical-thinking skills and sound judgment to respond appropriately to a task, whether it is an online assignment or a workplace duty (Johnston, 2010). Getting a college education involves learning how to use your mind with intention so that you can apply that skill in any workplace, career, professional training, or team situ- ation and conduct yourself as a competent and capable professional. When you read about intentional learning in this book, understand that the term refers to leveraging your under- standing of yourself as a learner to achieve on every assignment and assessment. The power of intentional learning is derived from your self-awareness, focus, persistence, and passion.

Section 1.2What Is Learning, and Why Is It Important?

Much of your previous formal educational experiences likely featured a classroom, a teacher who stood in front of the room, textbooks, lots of words on paper, and many, many words spo- ken aloud. Today your classroom is a virtual one. Your communication is delivered via various technologies. Your texts are interactive, and your work products are submitted electronically. Yet the work of learning remains centered within you. No digital tool can take the place of your grit or your effort to become an intentional learner. A look at how learning in the past compares to the learning of today will help you assess how prepared you are to take on this challenge.

A Brief History of Learning In the early part of the 20th century, formal education in the United States moved from being an elite commodity, available to only very wealthy White men, to being a widely available service that could accommodate members of the working class. The shift from the elite model of educating the few to the industrial model of educating the masses occurred as a result of social and economic demands.

As immigrants began to arrive in the United States in great numbers, they needed a means by which to enter both the workforce and mainstream American life. The answer was to organize public schools and develop a standard set of learning goals—called a curriculum of study— whereby each learner would acquire literacy skills: simple reading comprehension, writing, and calculating, or ciphering (Callahan, 1962).

Within this setting, students were expected to gain knowledge—that is, learn things. But the concept of learning only extended to reading and reciting, a technique that was based primar- ily on recall and was limited to how much a person could memorize.

Learners were almost never asked to use their own judgment. In fact, it was not often, if at all, that they were asked to weigh information, consider alternative approaches, or discern the best way to solve a given problem. They were not encouraged or allowed to develop multiple responses and were instead required to give a single right answer. In other words, using judg- ment to respond appropriately to a given situation was neither encouraged nor permitted.

Learning Today The world of learning today is very different. Education is no longer lim- ited to those of a certain race, class, or socioeconomic status or defined as that which occurs in a formal class- room setting. Contemporary learning has no formal boundaries. In fact, it is virtually impossible to live and engage in our rapidly changing world and not continue to learn. Every time you con- sult your computer or phone to review a weather forecast, check sports scores, or read a breaking news bulletin, you are taking basic steps in the learning

AntonioGuillem/iStock/Thinkstock How does the use of digital technology contribute to intentional learning?

Section 1.2What Is Learning, and Why Is It Important?

process: gathering information and storing it in your memory for convenient use. Beyond those basic steps are the daily activities we do not usually perceive as learning at all—work- ing, meeting new and diverse people, thinking about new ideas, interacting with people with whom you might disagree, helping your kids with their homework, or engaging in a number of other activities that require skills well beyond the basics. As a student in the classroom of the real world, you constantly exercise judgment and critical thinking as you live and work.

Your life experiences will serve you well as you participate in the online classroom. As some- one who has likely worked in the real world, you are well positioned to “take in the world around you (gain knowledge), make sense of it (develop your skills), and respond appropri- ately (use sound judgment to determine the best course of action)” (Johnston, 2010, p. 169). This is what is known as purposeful learning.

The actions of (a) taking in the world around you, (b) making sense of it, and (c) responding appropriately to it are considered the three central aspects to all types of learning. Once you define learning in this way, you begin to recognize that the learning process is not a single act or a simple experience; learning involves interaction. As a learner, you interact with words, thoughts, ideas, experiences, and other people. Learning requires time, space, and opportuni- ties to stop, think, consider, and gather information and insights. It requires that you test your thoughts, perspectives, and understandings of the world around you.

The Importance of Learning Learning is a natural and necessary aspect of life. It is an ordinary activity—yet it holds extraordinary potential for growth and change when pursued with specific, intense purpose in an academic setting. Then it empowers you! In fact, understanding how you take in the world and make sense of it is an important factor in determining your success.

Learning empowers you in three significant ways:

1. It allows you to gain new knowledge that enables you to understand yourself, others, and life more clearly.

2. It enables you to develop new skills that can be used to increase productivity in your life and in your work.

3. It prepares you to initiate change, which allows you to grow, adapt, and mature.

The idea that learning can empower you is very exciting, but your potential to be empowered depends on how well you learn. As 19th-century scientist Louis Pasteur cautioned, “Chance favors the prepared mind” (as cited in Platt, 2003). In other words, learning empowers you when your mind is ready to learn. The unprepared may not recognize or be ready for an opportunity when it comes along.

Have you ever felt lost when working on an assignment, reading directions for assembling a toy, or participating in a team meeting? Have you ever felt ill equipped when finding yourself in a classroom, lecture hall, or corporate training room? You may have thought, “I’m getting lost here. I’m not following this. How am I supposed to wrap my mind around this? Am I the only one who doesn’t understand this stuff?”

Developing a prepared mind is the key to purposeful, intentional learning. Learning is not about knowing “stuff.” Rather, it involves knowing how to take in the world in a way that works

Section 1.3Learning in the Digital Age

for you, how to make sense of what you have just encountered, and how to respond appropri- ately (not just automatically) to what is asked of you. Every time you apply new knowledge or new skills to situations that arise in your workplace, in your family, or within yourself, you are actively learning (Alexander, Clugston, & Tice, 2010).

Learning is central to who we are as human beings. It affects our sense of self and shapes how others perceive us. It determines our economic future because it is crucial to finding and maintaining a career path. In fact, leaders in business, commerce, labor, and education recognize one’s ability to take responsibility for his or her own learning as the single factor most likely to determine a person’s economic success (Stein, 2001). Employers want to know if their employees are ready to learn and grow within their organizational environment, and they are looking for individuals who both work and learn with intention.

As an example, organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other professional groups promote intentional learning and sponsor online courses through the National Work Readiness Council (2006). Participants in these online courses receive workforce credentials, which serve to document one’s professional development and enhanced skill sets. Although these are not formal college courses, those seeking workforce credentials are called on to be intentional learners. The council’s course materials state that each participant is required to do the following:

• Establish learning goals that are based on an understanding of one’s current and future learning needs.

• Identify strengths and weaknesses as a learner. • Become familiar with a range of learning strategies to help build self-concept as a

learner. • Identify and use strategies that are appropriate to goals, task, context, and the

resources available for learning. • Monitor progress toward goals and modify strategies or other features of the learn-

ing situation as necessary to achieve goals. • Test out new learning in real-life applications. (Ford, Knight, & McDonald-Littleton,

2001, p. 62)

These are all acts of intentional learning. As a 21st-century learner, you must be familiar with the process of intentional learning, regard yourself as a learner, understand what affects your learning, and know how to develop your skills as an intentional learner. This book challenges you to discover your personal approach to learning, which is the first step in becoming an intentional learner.

1.3 Learning in the Digital Age Yours is not the first generation to be affected by technological breakthroughs. The mobil- ity provided by the invention of the wheel, the scheduling of life after the emergence of the clock, and the rapid spread of information made possible by the advent of the printing press all resulted in major social changes. Each new technology has altered the manner in which people live, connect, and interact. In this way the age of digital technology is similar to other periods of technological advancement.

Section 1.3Learning in the Digital Age

New advancements in technology require society to adjust to its effects, which include a faster pace of com- munication, the increased availability of information, and greater proximity to one another. However, the age of digital technology is also different, because unlike other technological inventions, digital technology is avail- able to virtually everyone. This acces- sibility has allowed technology to strongly affect how we learn, which is an important part of becoming an intentional learner.

Incubation of Thought You are likely very familiar with the role that technology plays in your life. Chances are you are reading this text on a digital device. The latest sports score, controversial tweet, bit of mundane trivia or instructions (“How do I boil an egg?” “What’s the best place to eat in Seattle?”), and other information is only seconds away. Digital technology records you, connects you, and speeds the pace of your life’s transactions. As a result, you constantly feel the effects of living in the digital age. The playwright Richard Foreman depicts this real- ity quite vividly in his play The Gods Are Pounding My Head when he writes that we have “all become ‘pancake people’—spread wide and thin as we connect to the vast network of infor- mation accessed by the mere touch of a button” (as cited in Carr, 2008, para. 36).

Interestingly, you are not experiencing a new phenomenon. Centuries ago, the Roman phi- losopher Seneca “felt so burdened by the connectedness of his own time and the crazy pace of life in ancient Rome that he suffered from, and these are Seneca’s words, ‘The restless energy of a haunted mind’” (Powers, 2010, p. 111). Centuries later the digital age has compounded restless mind syndrome as we tap away on our smartphones. It is in this context of 24/7 con- nectedness that learning is most affected.

How exactly does the digital age affect learning? The faster the world connects, the faster learning needs to occur to keep pace. The speedier new technology becomes, the faster your mind needs to learn and adapt. In the 21st century the frontier to be conquered is no longer found on this planet or even in the space that surrounds it. The challenge is the reduced amount of time between stimulus and response, between e-mail and response, and between text message and response.

The digital age has truly complicated issues such as downtime, rest, and incubation of thought. Simply stated, incubating your thoughts gives you time to consider the implications of what you have just seen or read, to make sense of new information before you need to respond to it. Without time to incubate our thoughts, we tend to react to stimuli in knee-jerk fashion. On the other hand, if we can allow our thoughts to settle, gel, and connect, we can respond more appropriately to the situation. Trouble arises “when so much information is coming at us all day long, we don’t have any gaps, any breaks in which to make sense of it, do something

Rawpixel/iStock/Thinkstock Because technology has become so accessible, it has influenced how we learn. How has your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or other digital device affected how you learn?

Section 1.3Learning in the Digital Age

new with it, create with it, enjoy it” (Simmons-Duffin, 2010). In other words, “Technology goes 24/7, but we don’t” (Moos, 2011). Actually, we can’t. As journalist Thomas Friedman (2016) explains in his book, Thank You for Being Late, it is critical that we take time to slow down and allow our minds to catch up. An accelerated pace does not equal a faster, better, or deeper understanding of information. Instead, more information requires more time to process.

Attention and Multitasking In the digital age, inattentiveness is an increasing problem. Digital-age students may be text- ing and have multiple screens open so they can check social media while studying. While students often say they know that texting while driving is dangerous and that texting while working is inefficient, they continue to respond immediately to a friend’s message, putting others, their work, and themselves at risk.

The learning outcomes of those who multitask reflect the lack of attention to learning. Instead of meaningfully interacting with course resources or connecting to their learning, multitask- ers gain only bits and pieces of stimuli and store only minimal course content (Levy, 2006). This behavior has earned multitaskers the description “learners with continuous partial attention.”

The act of paying attention, or attend- ing to something, is a cognitive func- tion. When you attend to learning, you allow your working memory—the part that processes stimuli as it enters the mind—to select between relevant and irrelevant information and to store the relevant parts so it can be retrieved

at a later date (Jha, Stanley, & Baime, 2010). When you use intention, you stop distracting stimuli from preventing your mind from doing its work. You are being mindful.

Most individuals multitask because they do not have enough time to concentrate on their work, family, and life goals. They see multitasking as the way to be more productive. However, science has proved this is largely a myth: You can do multiple tasks at one time, but you can only give full attention to one.

David Meyer, one of several scientists at the University of Michigan who has studied this phe- nomenon over the past 20 years, says that multitasking causes a sort of “brownout” in the brain, where “all the lights go dim because there just isn’t enough power to go around” (Ham- ilton, 2008, para. 14). Meyer’s research reveals that

for tasks that are at all complicated, no matter how good you have become at multitasking, you’re still going to suffer hits against your performance. You will be worse compared to if you were actually concentrating from start to finish on the task. (as cited in Hamilton, 2008, para. 13)

BernardaSv/iStock/Thinkstock Multitasking may be beneficial for completing tasks on time; however, research shows that it actually makes us less productive because it prevents us from being mindful.

Section 1.3Learning in the Digital Age

According to research on attention and multitasking, it is possible to become addicted to changing to new screens and digital toys, or to constant auditory and visual stimulation. It may even become harder to read and analyze longer texts in hard copy, so someone with this issue may be sacrificing a more comprehensive understanding of content (Carr, 2008).

Participatory Learning Participatory learning is an outgrowth of the digital age. It replaces the walled classroom as the laboratory for learning and requires that you personally contribute to the educational community. As a participant learner, you move away from working alone and move toward engaging with the larger learning environment.

It is critical for online learners to understand how they learn. As you will read in Chapter 2, how you learn as an individual affects your level of interest in participating with others in learning. Your readiness and willingness to be a participatory learner is key to your success, since virtually all online course work requires you to contribute ideas, feedback, and insights for your instructor and peers to see. Participatory learning leaves no hand unraised, no voice unheard, no contribution ignored. Check out the Tips & Tools feature box for some practical tips on how to be an effective participatory learner.

Tips & Tools: Participating Effectively in the Online Classroom

Since most (or even all) of your communication in a participatory learning environment occurs online, it is imperative to know how to write effectively. While you may be accustomed to using informal language when e-mailing friends or posting on social media, remember that academic and workplace communication requires a more professional tone.

In both the discussion boards in the online classroom and in many workplaces, your written words will be the most important means by which your knowledge, skills, and character will be judged. In other words, your writing is all your fellow students and instructors (and poten- tial employers) will have to go on, at least at first. For this reason, it is in your best interest to make a good impression.

Follow these tips when writing for discussion boards and assignments:

• Keep your audience and the assignment’s purpose in mind. Does the reader already know what you are talking about or do you need to provide context?

• Do you need to add details? Tighten sentences? Explain things more clearly? Have you looked at the topic from other angles?

• Plan, draft, revise, and proofread before posting, just as you would if you were writing a formal essay.

• Not all replies must be instantaneous. Take some time to think about your response. Save your replies as drafts, look them over after some time has passed, and then hit “send.” When we rush, we are more likely to make typos or express ourselves unclearly.

• Use standard language and avoid abbreviated slang that is more appropriate for texting. • Double-check your work to be sure you have answered questions thoroughly, not just

with “filler” text, but with enough detail and support to satisfy the reader’s curiosity.

Section 1.4Learning Theory in the 21st Century

1.4 Learning Theory in the 21st Century Demands on learners continue to escalate in the 21st century. Intentional learners must develop the tools and strategies to capitalize on the benefits of the digital age while coping with its distractions. Understanding how you learn will help you learn most effectively.

Science Versus Pseudoscience In the past century, multiple theories or models representing learning have been proposed and promoted. While some are more credible than others, many explain the brain and learn- ing using overly simplified, nonscientific explanations, including “right brain/left brain learn- ers,” “women are from Venus; men are from Mars,” and, the most common, “learning styles” (visual, auditory, kinesthetic). Each explanation represents a limited understanding of the brain and mind, but such explanations have become popular due to their use in advertising campaigns.

While the simplicity of these ideas certainly has broad appeal, these explanations ignore the scientific fact that all senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell) bring stimuli into the brain when learning is taking place. These ideas also lack a theoretical basis, including a set of con- structs or components and a depiction of how those components interact or lead to a learn- ing outcome. Finally, and most importantly, these pseudoscientific explanations lack a track record of research and data-based outcomes to demonstrate that they explain how learning works in the real world.

Learning is a very complex human activity that requires a much more in-depth, scientifically based explanation. How can you know whether an explanation is rooted in science or mar- keting? World-renowned scientist Carl Sagan provides some guidance with what he calls his “Baloney Detection Kit” (Sagan & Druyan, 1997). Here are a few of the questions he suggests asking yourself when determining whether a theory or explanation is based in science:

1. Is this an explanation that has caught your fancy, or have you compared it to other explanations and found it to be the best?

2. Can you track with its line of reasoning to see if the pieces of its explanation link together?

3. Does its use make a difference? Can its application or benefits be quantified? 4. Have others duplicated research studies using it and arrived at the same outcomes or

conclusions? (Sagan & Druyan, 1997, p. 210)

It is usually up to you to figure out which theories are scientifically sound, have published research to back them up, and can be best applied to your situation. Using these questions, you, as the intentional learner, can discern whether a learning theory is sufficiently strong to warrant your confidence in it. After all, if the theory you are relying on is weak, it will not assist or enhance your learning experience.

Carol Dweck’s concept of mindset—introduced earlier in this chapter (Section 1.1)—has developed into a sound theory of how one’s mindset can affect his or her perspective on learning. Dweck’s theory explains that people hold primarily one of two mindsets: fixed or growth. If you hold a fixed mindset, you believe your intelligence and talents are innate and cannot change. Such a mindset causes you to stress and avoid failure or see challenges as being too risky. You may try to prove you are smart and capable; individuals with a fixed

Section 1.4Learning Theory in the 21st Century

mindset usually worry that others are watching to see if they make a mistake or how well they perform when they hit obstacles or setbacks, as proof that they aren’t smart or lack talent.

Conversely, a growth mindset is the understanding that we can develop our intelligence and abilities. Those with a growth mindset believe they can develop their intelligence and abilities by using feedback, facing challenges, and applying appropriate strategies. Dweck’s theory suggests that the more you believe in your ability to grow and develop, the more open your mindset is to achieving growth. Figure 1.1 illustrates the differences between fixed and growth mindset.

Figure 1.1: Fixed mindset versus growth mindset

Which mindset are you pursuing?

Source: Carol Dweck; graphic by Nigel Holmes

Section 1.4Learning Theory in the 21st Century

Nobody has a growth mindset all the time. While you may have a growth mindset for many challenges, there may be situations in which you have a fixed mindset. This could be something outside your comfort zone or something that is consistently difficult for you. For instance, you might persist through learning a new computer program, but your eyes glaze over the moment you have to do some basic mathematical calculations. As learners, it is important to recognize what triggers your fixed mindset and to be mindful of when you are slipping into it.

Ultimately, the growth mindset theory leads us to recognize that the ability to learn is not limited to those who are born intelligent; rather, the ability to learn is the result of a variety of actions we do for ourselves—most importantly, adopting a growth mindset that allows us to believe we can learn, grow, and change.

Clearly, in the 21st century, learning must be built not only on a science-based theory, but on one that guides learners to intentionally use their brains and minds to grow and develop. The theory of learning that best serves the needs of 21st-century learners is one that dem- onstrates how learning works in theory, how it operates within a person in real life, and how it helps people become autonomous, independent, and successful adults. In other words, a theory that teaches people how to become intentional learners.

The Let Me Learn Process One comprehensive explanation of learning that addresses the challenges that confront 21st century learners is the Let Me Learn (LML) Process®. While there are other valid systems and theories of learning, this book covers the LML system because it focuses on developing intentional learners using a very systematic process. Therefore, it is highly applicable to adult students in their personal and professional lives. The remainder of this text will use the LML system to explore how you learn and to identify strategies you can use to be successful in col- lege and beyond.

The LML system begins by advancing learners’ understanding of themselves and their Learn- ing Patterns. Next it equips them with the skills to decode tasks, and finally it helps them fit themselves to the task (which is key to becoming an intentional learner). It also helps learners develop personal strategies that can be transferred from one learning situation to another.

The Let Me Learn Process was born from research that began more than 20 years ago when a group of academic researchers and educational practitioners sought to understand the source and potential of intentional learning. Their exploration and experimentation resulted in a theory of learning called the Interactive Learning Model, which explains how our thoughts, actions, and sense of self as learners operate as we learn. The Interactive Learning Model became the basis for the Learning Connections Inventory (LCI), the LML survey instrument.

The LML system demonstrates how our brain–mind connection and Learning Patterns work together to help us develop a growth mindset and grit as we strive to learn with greater inten- tion. The figures and explanations that follow explain what makes this system effective.

The Brain–Mind Connection The most credible learning theories are based on scientific research directed at understand- ing the brain–mind connection—that is, the relationship between the physical brain and the

Section 1.4Learning Theory in the 21st Century

more abstract mind. To illustrate the difference between the brain and the mind, take your hands and place them on that part of your body that holds your brain. Now take your hands and try to place them on your mind. Though your brain is situated in one place, your mind can travel far beyond your physical limitations.

In the LML system, the brain is represented as a physiological structure, an engine, which processes the stimuli that enter it. The mind, on the other hand, is not physically confined and consists of human consciousness. It produces human thought, determines conscious actions, and generates complex human responses in the form of words, facial expressions, and body language.

The LML system recognizes the importance of the brain–mind connection and incorporates it as a key component in its representation of how learning occurs. Understanding how the brain and mind work together (Bruer, 1997) begins with understanding that there are only five ways to take in the world around you—through your five senses.

Stimuli enter the brain in the form of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. Your ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and sense of touch determine how much of each sense enters the brain. For example, if you have hearing loss, sound stimuli may be distorted. If you have a particular sen- sitivity to sound, you may experience an extreme reaction to the auditory stimuli that enter your brain through hearing.

Once inside the brain, stimuli are processed using various sectors. The brain sends the stimuli down different pathways to locations within the brain. Some factors that contribute to the brain’s ability to process these stimuli include alertness, fatigue, brain health, brain injury, and the functionality of different operating sectors. The brain’s function is also affected by other factors, such as dehydration, medications, brain damage, or disease (Ornstein & Thompson, 1984).

After stimuli have been processed, they pass from the brain to the mind. The work of the mind is as important as that of the brain, because the mind does the difficult and tedious work of translating stimuli into symbols, such as language, numbers, Braille, and so on, giving them meaning within a life setting. As if that were not enough, the mind then stores the information for retrieval and use (Bruer, 1997). The work of translating the stimuli is done by the mind’s working memory. When our minds are distracted, overscheduled, or overworked, our work- ing memory cannot translate or store new information well. We can liken this state to when our computers do not have sufficient RAM and thus experience slow processing. The same is true of our minds. They too can become overtaxed and less efficient when we attempt to multitask or if we experience stimulus overload.

The Concept of Learning Patterns According to the LML theory, in order to reach the mind, stimuli must pass from the brain through a brain–mind interface. The brain–mind interface consists of four filters. Think of the four filters as having varying densities through which stimuli flow. For example, a broad mesh filter allows large amounts of stimuli to pass into the working memory for translation and storage. However, a tightly woven filter may limit stimuli from passing through to the mind. The degrees to which your four filters allow stimuli to pass through can be described as your individual Learning Patterns or Learning Processes. Each Learning Pattern performs

Section 1.4Learning Theory in the 21st Century

a specific function within your mind. The name of each Pattern—Sequence, Precision, Tech- nical Reasoning, and Confluence—suggests the role it plays in influencing how you learn (see Figure 1.2—or check out the interactive version in your e-book). These Patterns will be explained in detail in Chapter 2.

Figure 1.2: The brain–mind interface

To reach the mind, stimuli pass from the brain through a brain–mind interface, which consists of four filters, or Learning Patterns. The mind then translates the stimuli, gives them meaning, and stores the information for retrieval and use.

Source: From Finding Your Way: Navigating Your Future by Understanding Your Learning Self (p. 30), by C. A. Johnston, 2015, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2015 by Let Me Learn, Inc. Reprinted with permission.

Each of the four Patterns is found within all individuals regardless of race, gender, age, and ethnicity. However, the degree to which each person uses them is very person-specific (John- ston & Dainton, 1996). Research indicates that all four Learning Patterns work simultane- ously within our brain–mind interfaces, but most of us do not use each of the Patterns with equal comfort (Johnston, 1994). We may maximize our use of one or more of them and use others only as needed; or we may even avoid one or more of them. To date, research has found no pair of identical twins that have the same combination of Learning Patterns.

Section 1.5Case Study: The Benefits of Knowing Your Learning Patterns

Your combination of Learning Patterns plays a key role in how you feel about yourself as a learner before, during, and after completing a learning task. These Patterns can give you a sense of confidence or fill you with dread as you consider the task that lies ahead. Can you remember situations when you sat and stared at an assignment, wondering where to begin? Do you remember getting to the end of a similar assignment and realizing you had not been successful? Can you recall your thoughts and actions? Did you procrastinate because you lacked the confidence to move forward? To be an intentional learner, you need to recognize the powerful role your Patterns play and how to control and direct them before they control you.

1.5  Case Study: The Benefits of Knowing Your Learning Patterns

Understanding who you are as a learner and how you use your Learning Patterns can help you approach assignments and challenges with more confidence and grit. As an example, consider the case of David.

David’s Background David entered college right out of high school and within 6 months had flunked out. He spent the next few years employed but always feeling restless and unsettled. Eventually, he reentered college. David told others that he chose to return to college because he wanted the challenge—but more than that, he wanted to redeem his sense of self as a learner. He wanted to overcome the negative feelings from his prior experience. He viewed college as a means of gaining self-confidence and self-worth. As an adult, he no longer was concerned with pleas- ing others; he sought personal fulfillment. David was taking his first step as an intentional learner.

However, without understanding himself as a learner, David soon fell back on his old, unsuc- cessful habits, which included not completing assignments and failing to communicate with his instructors and peers. Within weeks, his dreams of success were fad- ing fast. When a friend suggested he find a learning coach, David jumped at the idea.

David’s Learning Patterns During his very first session, David’s coach helped him identify his Learn- ing Patterns and how to make them work for him instead of against him. He quickly recognized the effect his Learning Patterns had on his academic performance.

Kerkez/iStock/Thinkstock How do you think understanding your Learning Patterns can positively change your attitudes about learning?

Conclusion

David learned many things about himself, including why he

• had a fixed mindset. He had been told he was a capable learner, so he thought he could coast on his abilities and talents and never invested in striving to achieve.

• found it difficult to follow someone else’s directions. Even when something didn’t make sense to him, he avoided asking for clarification because he didn’t want to appear less than knowledgeable.

• didn’t turn his work in. David often didn’t think he could meet his instructor’s standards.

As a result of his combination of Learning Patterns coupled with a fixed mindset, David never reached out for help, didn’t post his papers, and failed to receive the coaching and mentoring from peers and instructors that could have made a big difference. However, as soon as his coach helped make him aware of his Learning Patterns, he recognized why he was failing his courses. David feared striving for something and falling short. He feared sharing his thoughts in writing and the feedback he would receive.

David had anticipated that when he reached out for help from a coach, he would hear what he had always heard from instructors. He was pleasantly surprised when his learning coach turned to discussing how he learned. Specifically, his coach discussed

• how to use his brain–mind connection with intention, • how to recognize the source and effect of his negative internal talk on his

learning, and • how to respond appropriately to build confidence and develop the will to persist.

A few weeks after learning about his Patterns, David e-mailed his learning coach. “I don’t know what things would have looked like now if I hadn’t met with you,” he wrote. “The little we shared really helped turn around a lot of my thinking and the course of perhaps my aca- demic career.” By the time his courses ended, David had completed all his papers and taken all his tests. Used by permission of David Ramirez.

Gaining Confidence in Yourself as a Learner To determine your own combination of Learning Patterns, you will take the LCI, the Let Me Learn Process’s survey instrument. As in David’s case, you can use what you discover about your Learning Patterns to better understand how to achieve your goals with greater aware- ness and intention.

Over the past 20 years, our understanding of how we learn has grown tremendously. This growth makes it possible for each reader to develop specific, personalized knowledge of how he or she learns and to use that awareness to succeed.

Conclusion Your identity as a learner has a major impact on how you engage in learning. Just as learn- ing in life is not a “one and done” experience, so too does online learning in a college context require sustained effort and commitment, or grit. Learning at the college level involves accu- mulating experiences, growing through feedback, exchanging ideas, and revisiting learning

Conclusion

challenges to reconsider your previously held thoughts or outlook (also known as having a growth mindset).

The goal of a college education is to move you from nonproductive learning behaviors to productive ones and from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset (see Table 1.1).

Table 1.1: Learning behaviors Nonproductive learning behaviors (fixed mindset)

Strategy-based learning behaviors (growth mindset)

You express an idea without filtering or weighing it against reality.

You think critically and analyze an idea for applica- bility and feasibility.

You have information and repeat it without consid- ering its source.

You anchor your opinion on information that is bal- anced and well referenced.

You read and memorize information without con- sidering its value or importance.

You read text using critical-reading techniques, ana- lyze what you read using critical-thinking skills, and gain an understanding of what you read and apply it to different situations at work and home.

You skim readings and look at graphics without reading for depth.

You examine text, reading critically; you connect graphics and figures to what you are reading; you formulate your own thoughts about what you have read.

You complete an assignment and move on to the next task without understanding its purpose or linking it to future learning.

You complete the assignment, then go back and review the experience to note what you learned and what you would do differently the next time you have a similar assignment.

You turn the assignment in and wait for feedback without personally evaluating its quality.

Before turning in the assignment, you note that the experience of completing it has caused you to grow in knowledge, skill, and judgment.

Source: Adapted from Finding Your Way: Navigating Your Future by Understanding Your Learning Self (p. 30), by C. A. Johnston, 2015, Glassboro, NJ: Let Me Learn, Inc. Copyright 2015 by Let Me Learn, Inc. Adapted with permission.

In the ensuing chapters, you will have an opportunity to grow your knowledge, skill, and use of learning tools so you are well equipped to succeed personally, professionally, and academically.

In many ways comprehending and using the information contained in this course will be the key to your academic success. Once you know yourself and open yourself up to learning for yourself, you will feel a lot less anxiety about new assignments and course work. Like David, if you take the time to learn with intention, you can chart your path to success in school and beyond.

Discussion Questions At the heart of all learning is the question “How does this apply to me?” In other words, “How does this add to my life?” The point of a college education is to be able to examine what you are learning and apply it to your home life, work life, and community life. Each time you examine your life and ask, “How can I use this? Reframe it? Grow in my under- standing and application of it? Explain this to someone else?,” you are growing in your use of critical thinking.

Conclusion

Critical thinking will be a key topic in Chapter 4. To help you develop critical thinking, you will find a series of questions at the end of each chapter. Read and consider each and be prepared to write a response.

1. Think of a time when you found yourself in a situation similar to David’s—that is, you felt you were not succeeding and were unable to communicate your thoughts or ideas. How would you describe that experience? What three things would you do now to help you move beyond your frustration or lack of productivity?

2. Read the “Habits of Mind” (Hazard & Nadeau, 2012) list of successful student habits below. Note which of these you practice and which you do not. Then look back on the chapter and identify whether your lack of a certain habit is due to a lack of sound judgment, the effects of the digital age, a lack of confidence in your sense of self as a learner, a lack of understanding of how you learn, or a combination of all of these issues. Make a plan for how you plan to develop that habit.

Habits of Mind

 1. Possess humility.  2. Ask for help.  3. Have the willingness to change and take risks.  4. Cultivate critical-thinking skills.  5. Form healthy relationships and practice healthy habits.  6. Develop a heightened consciousness and self-consciousness.  7. Manage your time and behavior.  8. Respect diversity.  9. Take responsibility. 10. Develop a growth mindset.

3. In this chapter, you read about how Louis Pasteur once wrote, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” What does this quotation mean to you? What can you do specifically to prepare your mind before each session?

Additional Resources Duckworth, A. L. (2013). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance [Video]. Retrieved from https://www

.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8

Angela Duckworth is known for her theory that grit is a predictor of success. Click on the link to watch her TED Talk.

Duckworth, A. L. (2017). Grit scale. Retrieved from https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale

Want to know how gritty you are? Find out by using the Grit Scale. This website also gives you the opportunity to explore grit from Duckworth’s perspective.

Dweck, C. (2014). The power of believing that you can improve [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube .com/watch?v=_X0mgOOSpLU

Click on the link to watch Carol Dweck’s TED Talk about growth mindset.

Hallowell, E. M. (2007). CrazyBusy: Overstretched, overbooked, and about to snap. Strategies for handling your fast paced life. New York: Ballantine Books.

CrazyBusy is a fast read and a helpful one. It roots the reader in practical approaches to coping with the stress and pace of life. Students can expect to find practical strategies for dealing with their oversched- uled lives.

Conclusion

Let Me Learn. (n.d.). Home page. Retrieved from http://www.letmelearn.org

The Let Me Learn website operates in a user-friendly fashion, giving visitors to the site options for delv- ing into learning. Click on the necktie icon and you will be directed to Let Me Learn Solutions, where you can learn the many applications of the Let Me Learn Process to the world of work.

National Work Readiness Council. (n.d.). Home page. Retrieved from http://www.workreadiness.com

The National Work Readiness Council, in association with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is a helpful resource alerting you to state requirements for careers involving licensure and accreditation needed over and above a college degree. This organization provides up-to-date online resources to assist you in preparing for job interviews and resume development.

Rose, M. (2004). The mind at work: Valuing the intelligence of the American worker. New York: Penguin.

The Mind at Work reminds the reader that human intelligence comes in many different forms, all of which are worthy of respect. This is an ideal read for those who think they may not have what it takes to succeed at the college level. The book puts to rest the elitism of the academic world.

Key Terms brain–mind connection The relation- ship between the physiological structure of the brain, which processes stimuli in each human body, and human consciousness, which is not physically limited.

brain–mind interface The patterned processes that operate as a filter of stimuli passing from the brain to the mind. These filters welcome, inhibit, or limit the move- ment of stimuli as they seek to enter the working memory to be translated into language, numerals, and so forth and are directed into any number of memory channels, where they are stored for later retrieval and use.

fixed mindset A mindset based on the belief that our ability is fixed at birth and needs to constantly be proved. Failure implies we are not smart, talented, or successful.

grit The degree to which we demonstrate ferocious determination, resilience, hard work, and a laser-like sense of direction.

growth mindset A mindset based on the belief that our ability and talent can be developed through learning. We can actu- ally grow our potential through failing and learning from our failures.

incubation of thought The process of allowing the mind sufficient time to deter- mine the most appropriate way to respond to incoming stimuli and to process that stimuli more slowly.

intentional learning Using a clear educa- tional goal, a laser-like learning focus, grit, and a growth mindset to drive your Learn- ing Patterns to achieve success on every assignment and assessment.

learning The process of taking in the world around us and making sense of it so we can respond efficiently, effectively, and appropriately.

Learning Connections Inventory (LCI) A two-part, 28-question, self-report tool with three open-response written questions that can identify an individual’s combination of Learning Patterns.

Learning Patterns A set of four distinct components that work simultaneously and act as filters to determine the degree to which stimuli pass from the brain to the mind. Each Learning Pattern performs a specific learning function within an indi- vidual. Each Learning Pattern is named for the role it plays within the learner’s mind: Sequence, Precision, Technical Reasoning, and Confluence. Also known as Learning Processes.

Conclusion

Learning Processes See Learning Patterns.

Let Me Learn (LML) Process A system for developing intentional learners that includes (a) the Interactive Learning Model theory; (b) a conceptualization of the brain– mind interface; (c) an instrument (the LCI) that captures the extent to which an individ- ual uses of each four Learning Patterns; (d) a glossary of descriptive terms that identify discrete actions used when learning; and (e) a set of tools to help the learner success- fully complete a learning task, including the personal learning profile, which is dis- cussed in Chapter 2, and the word wall, the metacognitive steps, and the strategy card, which are discussed in Chapter 3.

mindful Using the mind to attend, focus, and respond to stimuli with intention rather than instinct.

nontraditional student A college student who is not a recent high school graduate or necessarily taking classes full time; exam- ples include students who work full time, are returning to school after a period away, are attending classes part time, or have dependents.

participatory learning The many ways that learners (of any age) use new technolo- gies to participate in virtual communities in which they share ideas, comment on one another’s projects, and plan, design, imple- ment, advance, or discuss their practices, goals, and ideas.

working memory The part of memory that translates stimuli that have passed through the brain–mind interface formed by our Learning Patterns and turns it into symbolic representation (words, numbers, musical notes, and the like) and stores it for retrieval later.