Effective Learning Techniques Promising Directions

Question: Discuss about the Effective Learning Techniques for Promising Directions. Answer: Introduction Learning is a process that can be described as a way of acquiring knowledge through experiences or study. It is necessary that individuals devote many resources to ensure that they achieve their objectives in the learning process. Many scholars have carried out studies to establish the best memory improvement techniques. The various memory improvement techniques can be supported by the various psychological theories that motivate the learners thus allowing them to have good learning experiences. The theories have some variations; therefore, they can be used individually or together with other theories at the same time. However, regardless of the theory of choice, the application of the various memory improvement techniques together with any of the relevant theories can be guaranteed significant improvements in their learning. Decision-making theory, humanistic perspective theory, and psychosocial motives theory are addressed in the essay on how they can best help students to learn in the university and beyond. Psychologists have different theories that explain the behavior of individuals concerning the achievement of their goals. For my case, I would choose three main theories to motivate myself to utilize the various memory improvement techniques. These theories are decision-making theory, the humanistic perspective theory, and the psychosocial motives theory. The various theories will be used to motivate the practice retrieval, judgments of learning, and distributed practice techniques respectively. Decision-making theory According to the decision-making theory, people tend to choose their behaviors as guided by their experience in risky or uncertain situations (Burton, 2015). As such, people decide what to do basing on the results they want to achieve. In this case, more effort may be spent in studying to ensure that good grades are achieved in the various disciplines in the course. As such, practice retrieval will be emphasized to ensure that memory improvement is achieved. The practice retrieval principle means that students learn by recalling information from memory. Studies prove that retrieval practice is more effective than re-studying. For instance, a study was carried out to establish the best learning method among participants that used the retrieval practice and those that used the restudying method. According to the results, the retrieval practice grouped outperformed the restudying group despite being given four chances of re-reading a passage (as cited in Schwartz et al., 2011). The memo ry technique will ensure that the information read is grasped adequately to prepare me for the various exams that will be administered in school. Furthermore, the expectancy theory will play a critical role in my future beyond the university. The reason for this claim is the fact that it will motivate me to work better in my job to achieve goals such as promotion, salary increment, and other incentives. Humanistic perspective theory The humanistic perspective theory is the second theory that will be essential in motivating the various memory improvement techniques. The theory describes how people tend to view and put meaning to their behavior as well as other peoples behaviors (Burton, 2015). In fact, one of the assumptions of the theory is that people always attempt to establish why others do what they do. According to the theory, the reasons that dictate people behaviors can affect their futures as well. Therefore, it can be used hand in hand with the judgment of learning because it can motivate an individual to perform better in the future by making the right judgment. These reasons have three key features, which are stability, the locus of control, and controllability. The first feature, which is stability, involves issues such as the likelihood of an event to affect the future positively or negatively (Burton, 2015). For instance, failing an exam due to illness is not stable since the student cannot give up. On the one hand, if a learner fails and believes he was not smart, then he will be demotivated, and this will be a stable attribution. The second characteristic, which is the locus of control, determines whether the event was caused by an internal or external factor (Burton, 2015). In this case, failures attributed to external factors such as poor teaching do not have negative impacts on the students. On the other hand, internal factors such as perceiving one as being not quick lead to demotivation. The third characteristic, which is controllability, also plays a critical role in determining the motivation of an individual (Burton, 2015). The reason for this is that people will be less motivated in situations whereby they feel they were in con trol of the situation. Another important fact about the humanistic theory is that the older adults tend to view knowledge a significant acquisition in their lives. As such, the adults have to be presented with enhanced memory techniques that addressed their specific needs. For this reason, Gross et al. (2012) conducted research to establish the characteristic of people and memory improvement programs used by older adults. It is believed that memory improvement of an older adult can be achieved by various techniques such as the mnemonic technique. The mnemonic strategies used commonly include a combination of rehearsal, categorization, association, concentration, and imagery (as cited in Gross et al., 2012). The study method involved a comprehensive review of the previously done researches before January 2010. As such, only 33 out of the 402 reviewed studies were included for the examination (Gross et al., 2012). The results proved the need for training on more strategies to enhance memory improvement among older adults. Psychosocial motives theory On the other hand, the psychosocial motives theory that emphasizes that the most basic needs of humans must be met first for them to be motivated to achieve their goals (Burton, 2015). As such, people tend to organize their needs in a hierarchy that is divided into five levels. The levels are physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Therefore, for a person to achieve their goals, they must have good health, security, safety, and good relationships. The theory is important because it can work well with the distributed practice technique. The theory can be applied by prioritizing the various activities set toward the achievement of goals during the study period. It will also help in making the controls such as when to study, what to study, and how to study to promote learning. The prioritization of the activities concerned with learning will ensure that I achieve my goals in the university and pass my exams. Besides, the theory can be used together with the mem ory improvement techniques in the job market. In the job market, the various levels of hierarchy will help in motivating oneself to achieve the various objectives of the company as well as personal goals. The psychical theory also works for hand in hand with other memory techniques such as those are practical oriented. According to Carpenter (2014), practical oriented learning techniques are more efficient because they help learners gain knowledge faster. Besides, other techniques such as the use of flashcards used by some students promote memory. Carpenter (2014) also advocates for the use of practice retrieval more than rereading materials as seen in other studies. More so, she claims that the effects of practice retrieval are best viewed in younger learners especially in cases where the students were incentivized. Furthermore, the theory motivates several other memory techniques that people tend to achieve for the sake of meeting their basic needs that will eventually lead to the achievement of their goals. The methods include self-explanation, distributed practice, keyword mnemonic, summarization, rereading, highlighting, imagery, practice testing, elaborative interrogation, and interleaved practice. Some of the techniques such as mnemonic, distributed practice, rereading, and imagery is similar to the ones presented by other studies such as the ones shown by Gross et al. (2012) and Schwarz et al. (2011). The study by Dunlosky et al. (2013) is useful because of the approach used to present the various techniques. It describes the techniques and presents the effects of the same, implementation issues, representative educational contexts, and overall assessment. Conclusions Learning is a process that requires several inputs to achieve the desired results. One of the main recourses needed in learning is the memory. As a result, many people have developed several techniques that can be used for memory improvement. Some psychological theories can be utilized together with the various methods to motivate the learners and ensure they get the best of their efforts. The memory improvement techniques include process material actively, practice retrieval, distributed practice, metamemory, mnemonic technique, self-explanation, summarization, highlighting, among others. The various techniques can be motivated through different theories such as the decision-making theory, the humanistic perspective theory, and the psychosocial motives theory. The use of the theories and memory improvement techniques will guarantee good learning experience in the university and beyond. References Burton, L. J. (2015). An interactive approach to writing essays and research reports in psychology (4th ed.). Milton, QLD: Wiley Carpenter, S. (2014). Improving student learning in low-maintenance and cost-effective ways. Journal Of Applied Research In Memory And Cognition, 2.