Lacey Huntington Research Paper
Reflective Learning 10/27/15

Understanding Emotions, Learning Styles, and the Learning Cycle

Learning and emotions are often stated to have a direct link between each other. Through research it has been proven that each individual perceives, engages, and learns at different levels based on emotions. Emotions can have a heavy bearing on the way humans receive, process, and learn information. Understanding the learning cycle, providing support, and reinforcing positive emotions can contribute to making an individual a sound learner. Children develop styles and techniques early on when it comes to learning. Those styles, whether negative or positive, will carry through to their adulthood and the way they learn well after maturing.
Within the learning cycle there are 4 pillars of learning. They include a concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract hypothesis, and active testing. The concrete experience begins this cycle by gathering data of a new event that has taken place. Whether this new experience has taken place at work, at home, or in a classroom, this is the beginning of the learning cycle. The sensory cortex receives input from the human body’s five different senses from the outside world in the form of vision, hearing, touch, position, smells, and taste. Reflective observation then occurs when one looks back and reflects on the experience by recalling information, developing insights, and replaying the experience in their head. The back integrative cortex begins to make sense of the sensory input at this point. It integrates sensory information to create images and meaning. Instinctively, we then begin to generate an abstract hypothesis, basically what we have learned and gathered from the experience. This takes place in the frontal integrative cortex which figures out how to deal with the sensory input and develops the plan. We then enter into active testing, the last component of the learning cycle. One is likely to try out what they have learned in different situations. The motor cortex is responsible for carrying out the plan of action. According to Zull, emotions carry a great deal of significance within the brain when going through the learning cycle. He states “There are extensive connections between the emotion centers (amygdala and basal structures) and the neocortex. The existence of these connections implies that all parts of the learning cycle are influenced by emotion." (p. 223) Zull. The learning experience has the potential to generate a positive or negative outcome and the way the human will proceed to learn from that point on. If it were to be a positive experience, the individual is more likely to want to learn further. To the other end of the spectrum, say it were a negative experience, people are more likely to withdraw and form a basis or opinion from that point on from a negative perspective. Emotions that were felt during those experiences will shape how the individual learns and their reactions can either help or hinder their learning.
When learning, students need to be in an emotionally supportive environment to gain a positive experience. Students need to be comfortable enough to express their feelings and emotions to gain knowledge and be able to reflect upon the event. “Students need considerable emotional support when they work in settings that are new to them; there needs to be a safe space where they know that their feelings and insights will be respected and appreciated. As their service develops and their questions become more sophisticated, they need intellectual support to think in new ways, develop alternative explanations for experiences and observations, and question their original interpretations of issues and events.” (p. 185). As a teacher, the environment not only needs to be supportive, but also structured to challenge the student to invent new ways to create alternative hypotheses of the event. Generating different outcomes to the even, it is possible the individual can loop back around within the learning cycle before arriving to a conclusion. This can be done by instructing the student to ask themselves why and what if? Developing different hypotheses can stimulate the brain to react in different situations or events. Emotions cannot be turned on and off when the body asks. A positive or negative emotional encounter can resonate with the student for hours, days, months, or even years beyond the event. This may create a feeling of resentment or acceptance to learning from there forward. “Not surprisingly, research shows that people who are in a positive emotional state will be open to a learning experience, make more positive judgments and give more favorable feedback than someone in a negative state.” (Malamed). A positive environment may consist of a sense of safety and respect for all students, supportive relationships between teachers and students, expectations that are set high for every student, and an environment that demonstrates positive and constructive feedback. Students that have a positive learning style are more likely to receive constructive feedback enabling them to think outside of the box.
Different emotions and feelings can harbor, encourage, stimulate, or retract learning in individuals. These feelings can include tenseness, uneasiness, being in an uncomfortable state, excitement, and happiness. Emotions such as being anxious, depressed, irritated, confused, and angry can also have an effect on learning. When students exhibit positive emotions and feelings within the learning cycle they are more likely to be engaged and willing to learn. In an article by Rebecca Alber, she writes “What does research show to be the opposite of the brain's fight or flight response? It shows that when we don't feel threatened at all, we have a willingness to be vulnerable, to be open to new ideas and guidance from others -- the ideal learning scenario!” Alber states that being in harmony with one another we are able to learn and retain much more in a positive atmosphere. When one feels they are accepted into a “community”, they are more likely to open up their thoughts without fear of rejection, humiliation, or embarrassment. Alber goes on to quote Dr. David Rock, “Engagement is a state of being willing to do difficult things, to take risks, to think deeply about issues and develop new solutions. ...Interest, happiness, joy, and desire are approach emotions. This state is one of increased dopamine levels, important for interest and learning." The listed emotions are important to ones learning experience. If there is interest in the subject matter, one is more likely to be engaged and want to learn and gain knowledge within that subject. However, if one does not take interest but needs to learn the material for example, a prerequisite, they are not interested in, there typically is more resistance to learning the material. If we use confusion as an example, one would tend to think it is a negative based emotion and the interest would be minimal into the subject. However, research has shown that confusion may lead to a deeper understanding through deeper research for the need to understand. In an article wrote by Annie Murphy Paul, she summarizes a psychologist’s view on the role of feelings. “Confusion, D’Mello explains, is a state of “cognitive disequilibrium”; we are mentally thrown off balance when we encounter information that doesn’t make sense. This uneasy feeling motivates us to restore our equilibrium through thought, reflection, and problem solving, and deeper learning is the result.” The motivating factor being the need or want to understand the material is the driving force to engage in the learning. Understanding feelings and emotions and linking them to a learning experience and environment is key in today’s classroom setting. Providing the proper tools to students will create better individuals for our society as a whole. When individuals understand their feelings and emotions, how they affect their learning, and can learn to react based up those feelings, it creates a better sense of learning and the want to understand.
Positive and negative learning experiences through an individual’s childhood can ultimately set them up for their adulthood learning styles and the way they proceed through the learning cycle. Experiences such as physical or mental abuse, a poor upbringing, and bullying can all have a negative impact on the way one engages, interacts, and learns. Positive situations such as a supportive environment at school, a good family life, and positive social interactions can carry positive learning experiences and make it easier for the individual to work through the learning cycle. Reinforcing positive emotions can be a difficult task that takes work. In an article by Priscilla Vail, she explains parents are the primary source of their children’s emotional habits. She goes on to define six principles to help parents reinforce positive emotions. Prompt motivation, sparking curiosity, nourishing intellect, talent, and power, encouraging connections, monitoring growth, and accepting considerations. While redefining an individual’s negative learning experience and reinforcing positive learning, one must revisit the experience and reevaluate the event. For example, it is easy for a child to get discouraged from a failing grade, one child might blame it on the teacher and convince themselves they are set to fail from there on out while another child might take it as a lesson learned and study harder for the next test. Depending upon the structure of the gene’s that make up the individual it is possible to identify and reroute a learning experience. We all are unique to a degree.
Teachers and students both play a very integral role in the learning cycle. It begins with the student and their learning style. Each student is equipped with a different approach when it comes to learning. With that being said, these “gifts” or learning approach comes naturally from their brain. For some students learning comes easy while others struggle to grasp the concept of the material presented. When students are learning they are both engaged and interested in the material or basically there learning because they have to. When a student becomes interested in the material he is more likely to retain the information and work his way through the learning cycle creating connections. Typically, they have had a positive experience before and will continue to do so. While on the other end of the spectrum, there are students whom have encountered negative experiences and have carried that experience with them. This has set the tone for all following learning. When this happens, the learners tend to retract, become disengaged, and have a hard time proceeding through the learning cycle. Negative experiences such as rejection or fear of failure exist which prevents ease of learning. The teachers’ role comes in initially when being able to accommodate each students’ style of learning. Understanding the child’s needs should happen first. “Determining the patient's learning style will help identify the preferred conditions under which instruction is likely to be most effective.” (Richardson, 2005) Being able to recognize the incapacity to learn within a student could help the teacher to better understand the learning style. Providing an environment that supports and encourages learning with an open dialogue is necessary to get children engaged in learning. “All phases of the learning cycle have the potential for progress or regress; for trial and error, and thus for emotional positives and emotional negatives. The sum of all these fits and starts over time, determines learning, but at any moment our progress may be forward, backward, or static. And our feelings may be positive, negative, or in between.” (Pg 235. Zull). Even the best of learners eventually have sets backs. This is where the teacher comes into play. When the learning has seem to come to a halt they can intervene, get the student back on the correct path of learning and slowly pull away again. This will get the student focused again to success. Even though the student will encounter highs when the teacher is assisting and take dips when the teacher retracts, the learning is still escalating upward. The teacher must allow the student to achieve successes both small and large in order for them to feel a sense of accomplishment. Understanding the role of the teacher and the role of a student in the learning process can help to facilitate the learning process.
From a more general point of view in regards to learning, there are different learning styles that can be found in children and adults. When discussing styles in both we often find styles that include visual learning, auditory learning, tactile learning, and kinesthetic learning. Visual learning can be defined as learning through sight. Children tend to watch for body language and facial expression and learn through demonstrations and descriptions. Well-developed imaginations can be found in these learners as well. Auditory learners learn through listening. They often participate in discussions and prefer to talk though things. Tactile learners learn through touch. They tend to use their hands to aid memory. Kinesthetic learners learn through moving and doing. These type of learning takes place through physical sensations. Development of learning styles at a young age sets the baseline for their adulthood learning and how they will process information from there forward. “Most adult learners develop a preference for learning that is based on childhood learning patterns.” (Edmunds, Lowe, Murray, & Seymour, 1999). It is very important that parents and teachers provide support and encouragement through learning. New challenges must be brought to the student to keep the mind engaged. Most importantly, how we learn is developed at such a young age and carries through adulthood making it very important to foster an environment of learning.
Emotions and learning are closely linked together therefore making it important to provide a positive and supportive learning environment. Past experiences can carry a negative or positive effect through the child as they grow. Learning comes in many different styles and each learner has preferences as to how they will receive and store information. Parents and teachers can play a vital role in this process. Understanding the link between emotions, learning, and different styles can have a positive effect on how their children and students learn.

Works Cited

Edmunds, C., Lowe, K., Murray, M., & Seymour, A. (1999). The ultimate educator. National Victim Assistance Academy (Advanced). Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime.

Eyler, J., & Giles, D. (1999). Where is the learning in service-learning? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

GreatSchools Staff. “The Role of Emotions in Learning”. Great Kids. Web. October 29, 2015. <http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/the-role-of-emotions-in-learning/>

Malamed, Connie. “Emotions and Learning: Part II”. The eLearning Coach. Web. 11/1/2015. <http://theelearningcoach.com/learning/emotions-and-learning-part-ii/>

Paul, Annie Murphy. “What do Emotions Have to Do with Learning?”. Mind/Shift. July 6, 2012. Web. October 29, 2015. <http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/07/06/what-do-emotions-have-to-do-with-learning/>
Richardson, V. (2005). The diverse learning needs of students. In D.M. Billings & J.A. Halstead (Eds.), Teaching in nursing (2nd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Zull, J. E. (2002). The art of changing the brain: Enriching teaching by exploring the biology of learning. Sterling, Va: Stylus Pub.