Informal Learning Environment: The UW Football Locker Room

An important informal learning environment is the UW football locker room, which is a not just a place for showering and changing, but an environment where teammates connect on a deeper level than in a formal learning environment. The formal learning environment we experience is practice, with a set time, structure, and goals to follow through directions given to us. This is very helpful, but I learn and grow the most as a player and person in the locker room. In this informal learning environment, there are hundreds of discussions, some funny, some serious, but through them we grasp an understanding of other players and create a deeper connection with one another, which makes the team better. I noticed everyone has fun and are themselves,
Other things learned are through upper class men who have experience on the team. They foster discussions and conversations that give players a deeper perspective and awareness of what is going on to help the younger players. Even without discussion, there is learning done by simply observing the environment because one unintentionally understands different strengths and weaknesses of other players, which helps a player to get to know his teammates better. This space is an informal learning environment because of the unintentional advancement of learning and social connections that occur throughout the time where the team is together.Motivation and attributions and operant conditioning are two types of learning that take place in the locker room. Motivation is an internal state that arouses us to action, pushes us in particular directions, and
Attributions relating to motivations describe how the individual’s explanations, justifications, and excuses about self or others influence motivation. This helps one make sense of the failures and success that come and can be external or internal. External attribution is when an event or behavior is due to situational factor, such as having it snow during a game and that’s the reason people are blaming the loss. The internal attribution is an event or behavior that is due to personal factors such as traits, abilities, attitude, or character, which could be someone winning the game because of their skill on the field. These are either controllable or uncontrollable, which means that there is either a feeling that a person can influence the events and their outcomes or the feeling that a person cannot influence the events and their outcomes. (Motivation and Attribution Lecture, Slide 24)In the locker room, internal attribution is reinforced by the upperclassmen because we argue we have the control to win or lose, and it is ultimately our effort. This helps the players feel more motivated and confident with each other, which makes everyone stronger. When we lose, we do not come back in the