After reading all three chapters of “Orienting Adults to Learning in Graduate Theological Education,” I am aiming to modify my attitude to studying as an adult who is accountable for my learning. My attitude toward learning will alter as my first change. Before reading the article, my primary study goal was to pass all the tests and exams. I did not consider how I may use what I was learning in my daily life. I stopped reading the necessary readings and assignments once the exams were completed and eventually forgot what I had read. After reading the article, I will be more deliberate about my studying and make sure I do not simply read enough to pass the exam; instead, I will always seek methods to use what I learn in my daily life.
After reading the article, the second modification I will make is how I take notes as I read. When I used to read books, I did not take any notes like highlighting, circling, or writing in the books that I was reading. I am going to change it moving forward and make it a practice to annotate my books, which will make it easier for me to preserve them, reference them, or locate certain passages when I need them. The article suggests that when reading a chapter, a person might wish to make written notes or highlight what they think are key points (Lowe, 2017). Thus, I will read a lot to broaden my knowledge in addition to noting what I read.
Moreover, it is crucial to improve my listening abilities as well. I realized after reading the article that I have never been good at listening. I generally find myself asking people to repeat what they just told me, which is one of my challenges. I learned from reading this article that our brains are often sidetracked when we listen to individuals because they speak at a rate that is quicker than our own (Lowe, 2017). The mind tends to wander and allow other thoughts to intrude on what you are listening to since the typical person thinks at a rate of around four times the rate at which they speak. Armed with this knowledge, I started to pay close attention while listening to increase my ability to learn.
As an adult learner, I am aimed at reducing or eliminating the amount of time required to acquire or perfect a subject or skill, which is likely to make me feel less stressed. I am eager to use my capacity for learning and make the necessary modifications when I am unable to alter time constraints for a semester. Because of this, I will have to spend more time doing tasks like reading and writing. Then, depending on what I have discovered, I should talk about how I can use what they have learned and how I can enhance their learning. Discussing how I can use what I have learned to set my own goals and objectives and how I can use what I learned to monitor my progress toward those goals and objectives is crucial. The conversation that follows will center on how I may apply what I have learned to support their development as adult learners facing fresh difficulties and fresh viewpoints.
Reference
Lowe, S. D. (2017). Orienting adults to learning in graduate theological education. North Carolina State University