Engaging the learner involves meeting the expectation of the learner once their agenda has been developed on three key aspects: (1) Providing opportunity for discovery; (2) utilizing real experiences (or analogies) that are important to the learner; and (3) applying learned skills or knowledge.

According to Driscoll (2005),  “Bruner believed that the process of discovery contributes significantly to intellectual development and that the heuristics of discovery can only be learned through the exercise of problem solving” (p.234). Developing learning experiences that provide this sense of discovery is a challenge and Driscoll (2005) notes that “a true act of discovery, Bruner contended, is not a random event. It involves an expectation of finding regularities and relationships in the environment. With this expectation, learners devise strategies for searching and finding out what regularities and relationships are” (p. 234).  These methods will lead or guide the learner to the point of discovery.

In relation to providing real experiences from which learners to develop, Driscoll (2005), states that “learning involves solving problems that arise out of conflict-generating dilemmas in everyday situations” and goes onto say that it “suggests  that instruction should supply similarly relevant situations in which students are called upon to resolve dilemmas” (p. 257) .

The implication is that for deeper learning to occur, the students need to be able to apply knowledge in complex environment, where the variation of problems is ever-changing.

As I reviewed the more than 30 research assignments that I worked on during the past 5 years of study, I realized just how meaningful the learning experience was. In the majority of the assignments they utilized this opportunity for discovery or real experiences to deepen learning are shown below:

Sub-Saharan Africa – Perspectives on Distance Education

Adobe Photoshop - Results of Learning Experience

References

Driscoll, M.P. (2005). Radical behaviorism. Psychology of learning for  Instruction (3rd Ed.). Allyn & Bacon.

Competency Categories Exhibited - 

1. Problem Solving, Analysis, & Decision Making

2. Instructional Design & Development

3. Communication Technologies & Networking

4. Communication & Interpersonal Skills

5. Research