People are always learning, no matter their age - even when they aren’t aware of the learning process taking place. The ways that people process information, store it and retrieve it has been a subject of scientific inquiry for many years.
A new course from Fresno Pacific University and The Great Courses explores the latest scientific research into this fascinating area. Designed for teachers, the course - called How We Learn - also offers strategies for how teachers can put this information to use in the classroom.
Teachers who finish the course earn three graduate-level credits. Fresno Pacific University offers convenient, online enrollment for the class. Teachers who enroll are offered the chance to explore the latest in learning theories, strategies and styles, as well as learn how emotions impact learning and how to cultivate a desire to learn in their students.
The Benefit for Teachers
The How We Learn classes from The Great Courses and Fresno Pacific University are offered 100% online. That gives teachers more flexibility to decide when they watch lectures and complete coursework.
The course is self-paced. Teachers can enroll at any time during the year and take 12 months to finish the course from the date of registration. The course features 24 videos by The Great Courses, each about 30 minutes in length. Teachers who take the course are sent a guidebook for notes. There are tests and assessments to measure how well teachers have learned the material.
The class is designed to benefit teachers at all grade levels.
What the Course Teaches
Learning is not something that only happens in the classroom. It is happening all the time. The How We Learn course provides insights derived from scientific research into how the mind learns best.
The many topics the course examines include:
How human beings are built for a lifetime of learning, including a large prefrontal cortex, an exceptionally long childhood and a desire for challenges
- How humans manage to learn to do tasks such as playing a musical instrument or learning a foreign language
- How storytelling plays a fundamental role in learning
- How feeling confused and frustrated is part of the process that leads to acquiring new knowledge
- The important fact that human beings can learn at any age
The course is taught by Rob Carey, who holds a master’s degree in education and a bachelor's degree in liberal arts.
For teachers who want to earn graduate-level credits from an accredited university while expanding their knowledge in a fascinating area of education, the How We Learn course can provide the challenge they are seeking.