I introduce my experience of the developments of learning as these can occur from many origins as declared in the preceding section. I refer to the four kinds of learning:
• experiential (gaining knowledge during a relationship of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people, felt participation);
• presentational (imaginal) (getting data on the modelling of experience through perception, creativity, and insight)
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• propositional learning (having knowledge detailed in plans through the exercise of the understanding), and
• practical (gaining experience of how to organise something by a repetition of specific skills).
Illeris (2009: 21) aims to “present an accessible, coherent understanding of human learning…, attempts to cover the whole subject area by current knowledge in this field.” The author suggests a comprehensive analysis of learning theory by examining each aspect of reasoning, emotive and societal learning. At the next stage, he associates the isolated factors to clarify the multifaceted learning method. Illeris (2009) constructs his theory of learning by summarising viewpoints from many academics and theorists. I see Illeris’ analysis of previous learning theory and his developed theory are instrumental.
Illeris (2009: 32) defines:
“human learning is the combination of processes throughout a lifetime whereby the whole person–body (genetic, physical and biological) and mind (knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, emotions, beliefs, and senses) – experiences social situations, the perceived content of which is then transformed cognitively, emotively or practically (or through and combination) and integrated into the person’s biography resulting in a continuously evolving (or more experienced) person.”
Illeris (2009) starts with Piaget (1971) and hence rejects the behaviourist theory. In his definition of learning, he considers the model of experiential learning of Kolb (1984) an essential component. I interpret the emotional aspect of learning, but not as a theory of learning (the theories of Freud). Illeris describes the aspects of learning to mention only personality, motivation, and reflexivity which I discovered to be limited. Vygotsky suggests the standard modules of learning interaction, social learning, and socialisation on which Illeris (2009) builds the social constructivist theory. Illeris (2009) positions the person in the world and education with Dewey (1938). He speaks and summarises Dewey ‘s concept of experience and pedagogy.
Illeris further intensifies his theory of learning by connecting the phases of learning on life stages while fitting in biological and psychological stages. He highlights four different life phases:
childhood, youth, adulthood, and mature adulthood. Mostly, I concur with Illeris’s learning phases. In the next step, Illeris (2009) discourses on the impact of a cognitive, an emotional, and a social dimension on learning results through Wenger's (1998)’s communities of practice, institutional learning, informal learning, and organisational learning. Besides the learning
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theories, reflection and reflective teaching (I highlight Schon, 1983), I acknowledge postmodernism per one of its representative authors.
My favourite part of Illeris’ theory of learning is that in which he summarises all the advanced learning theories. Illeris (2009) introduces a wide-ranging definition of the learning progression:
“. . . I see it (learning) as an entity that unites a cognitive and social dimension into one whole. It combines a direct or mediated interaction between the individual and its material and social environment with an internal psychological process of acquisition.
Thus, learning always includes both an individual and a social component, the latter always reflecting current societal conditions, so that the learning result has the character of an individual phenomenon which is always socially and societally marked.” (Illeris, 2009: 227).
Illeris (2009) offers a triangular illustration categorising the philosophers on a range among the learning spaces. Figure 3.4 shows the three dimensions when engaging in learning.
Figure 3.4. The three dimensions involved in education (Illeris, 2009)
On the triangular illustration, Illeris (2003) ranks the matching theorists who engage with the theories of learning. The knowledge (cognition) identifies Piaget as the vertex, and Freud is at the emotional (feelings and motivation) vertex. Kolb, Dewey, and other researchers find their places among the theorists, fall in between other theorists. At the cognition vertex, Illeris identifies Vygotsky who shared the theoretical contribution. Wenger's (1988)’s communities of
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practice are in the middle. The drawing offers a concise classification of the mentioned theorists’
inclination and named “positions in the learning theoretical tension field” (Illeris, 2003: 237).
The three dimensions model highlight that learning stated by Illeris as the fresh material begins with one of five stimuli of the process:
• “Perception" – “where the surrounding world comes to the individual as an unmediated sense impression” (Illeris, 2002: 98);
• “Transmission” – wherein another person delivers information of transmits specific sense impressions or messages” (Illeris, 2002: 98);
• “Experience” – “limit the word so that experience presupposes a particular activity, i.e., that the learner is not receiving, but also acts to enjoy the interaction” (Illeris, 2002: 98);
• “Imitation" – “occurring when the learner tries to imitate or reproduce another’s actions”
(Illeris, 2002: 98), and
• “Activity or participation” – “where the learner is engaged in a goal-directed activity taking part with others as in a community of practice” (Illeris, 2002: 98).
A graduate education to gain skills takes part in both the intellectual and emotive extents. Social communication between supervisors and other employees will affect this learning experience.
The graduate internalises academics and society's prospects. They need well-educated graduates to do in today’s world. They apply the three dimensions of learning – cognitive, emotional, and social to adult learning integration.