Personal Essay Outline

Learning involves you taking in the world around you and connecting to what you are experiencing. Learning involves using your critical thinking skills and sound judgment to respond appropriately to any workplace task, online assignment, or opportunity to speak publicly. Over the coarse of 5 weeks, I have learned that to be an intentional learner, you need to use your learning patterns with intention. Your learning patterns are a skill that you either use first (almost always), use as needed (sometimes rely on), and avoid use (uncomfortable doing). There are four different types of learning skills sequence, precision, technical reasoning and confluence. Sequence is a learning pattern where you like organization, development, reviewing, structure, compare and contrast. This learning pattern you typically like to know what the outcome will be without a hidden agenda, they like to ask questions and know what is expected of them to complete the task. Precision is a learning pattern where you like details, to examine things, perform tasks accurately, like supporting documents, and facts. You would typically begin a task by gathering lots of data, facts, and specifics, so that you are accurate on your answers. Technical reasoning is a learning pattern where you enjoy building things, seeing how things work, they like to take things apart and put them back together again to see how it functions. This type of learning pattern you usually like to work alone and have little to say to others, because they find it hard how to put what they are thinking into words. Confluence is the learning pattern where you like to think outside the box, like to take risks, live carefree and the type that dream up big ideas. These types of learners thrive on change. Although there are four different patterns, everyone can use all four of these patterns at different levels of use. Once have a learned your patterns, which you can learn by taking the LCI test; you can learn how to use all fours learning techniques to become an intentional learner. In week one I was asked to write out what I thought of learning in my introduction. I stated “Learning: hard work, exiting and challenging”, do I think my views on learning have ultimately changed? No, I still think that learning is exciting, hard work and challenging, but I do think that I more clearly understand my learning techniques more clearly. This should help me to conquer a problem when it arises. My verbiage exciting is an aspect of a use first learning pattern. My verbiage challenging, and hard work, would be a use as needed or avoid use, because it take more effort to conquer the problem. As a learner, I typically learn in all ways. I like details, clear directions, ask a lot of questions, like to build things, take risks and also think outside the box. I have hard times, sometimes using the right learning pattern with the right task. I am a 31 sequence, 27 precision, 28 technical reasoning, and 25 for confluence. I use my sequence to clearly read and understand the directions given to me. I like to ask a lot of questions, and know exactly what is expected of me. With my precision I like to gather a lot of data, read a lot of articles on the task to be knowledgeable. I usually always complete a task from start to finish. With my technical reasoning, I like understanding how things work, the reasoning why it works, or what makes it work. I like yp work alone and at times I find it hard coming up with the words to describe what is in my head. With my confluence, I take risks and don’t have a problem coming with up new ideas. This is a down side at time because I wont take the time to review my work before I submit it. My learning skills work well together since I can take on a task with my use first on any situation, but it is also a downside because I will be a know it all, I will think that I will do well and I don’t need to fully read the directions at that time because I am right, and I think I understand it. I use my learning patterns to take on the world, daily. From a task at work that I have never done before I have to re-search (precision), and list directions (sequence). Or at home when the kids get a new toy that needs built (technical reasoning). Or even cooking dinner, when I only have certain things on hand I must create (confluence) something new to try. I think the benefits of my learning patterns is, that I am a strong willed, and I use all four of my learning patterns on a use first level. If a certain chapter were uneventful to me, I would find it hard to keep the information I was reading to stick in my head. I would take notes, highlight, re-read, and stay on topic. I would have to gather data to support my discussions and I would have to be creative on assignments to be able to put down on paper the answer that I have figured out. These were some of my strategies I used to complete my work. These are also some of the ways I took advantage of my precision, sequence and confluence learning skills to become an intention learner. Of coarse as there are benefits, there too are challenges with my learning patterns, like I stated being used for a task when I should have been using a different pattern. One of my biggest challenges; is re-reading and allowing enough time to complete my assignments to the standard I was aiming for. I could have used my precision and tethered it with my confluence to have better time management and to re-read my work so that it is submitted at the best level that is possible for myself. I will definitely use my patterns with intention from this point forward. Some of the strategies I will use are to have better time management. I will write out a daily schedule, I feel having it written out, I will follow it with out too much wondering from the task. I will use my technical reasoning to clearly understand how and why the task works. I feel that these things and more will help me to become an intentional learner. Over the past five weeks, I at first wasn’t enjoying this class, but as it went on I began to like it because I learned a lot that can help me in the future. I have learned things that will even help with my career, and job search. I can better help my kids, because understanding the different learning patterns; I can assume what learning pattern they are to help them with projects, and tasks. My expectations of online learning have changed quite a bit. It was not what I expected it to be. I thought there would be a little more live help with certain areas, or more classes with live-streams that you could watch. I will have to figure certain ways for online learning to work 100% of the time for me, but I know that I have to resources to figure out the answer to. I know how to use my learning patterns, to decode then research the answer, so that I can understand. I feel that this way of online learning will work, but it is going to take more time, and effort to understand things fully. As far as the learning platform, I would have liked to have more of a messenger type function, where you can interact with your peers or teacher easier. As far as the discussions, quizzes, and assignments it was very easy to submit, the flexibility made it easy to work around a busy life. I would say that online learning is still the best fit for a mother of two kids, full time employee, and student. I enjoyed the class, and would change but the few things I had mentioned. Which would be more online interaction through a messenger application and live streams with teachers.