Second Definition Essay Outline

Joshua Cotteen
Professor Murphy
English 051
Definition Essay
21 March 2009

Everyone learns differently:

I. Contrary to what people think, everyone does learn differently.

II. Just because everyone thinks, acts, and understands differently, why would that mean people learn different than others?

III. Two sources

a. David Kolb

1. Kolb theorized that people develop preferences for different learning styles in the same way that they develop any other sort of style, i.e. - management, leadership, negotiating etc.

2. He found that the four combinations of perceiving and processing determine the four learning styles.

3. The learning cycle involves four processes that must be present for learning to occur:

a. Activist - Active Experimentation (simulations, case study, homework); Training approach - Problem solving, small group discussions, peer feedback, and homework all helpful.

b. Reflector - Reflective Observation (logs, journals, brainstorming); Training approach - Lectures are helpful; trainer should provide expert interpretation.

c. Theorist - Abstract Conceptualization (lecture, papers, analogies); Training approach - Case studies, theory readings and thinking alone helps; almost everything else, including talking with experts, is not helpful.

d. Pragmatist - Concrete Experience (laboratories, field work, observations); Training approach - Peer feedback is helpful; activities should apply skills; trainer is coach/helper for a self- directed autonomous learner.

b. Dr. Rita Dunn and Dr. Kenneth Dunn

1. Dunn and Dunn define learning style as the way in which individual learners begin to concentrate on, process, and retain new and difficult material.

a. It is a combination of many biological and experiential characteristics that work on their own or together as a unit to contribute to learning.

b. This interaction with new information is unique for each individual.

2. The Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model contains five variables that affect learners and their ability to learn.

a. Since learners are affected by their immediate environment, own emotionality, sociological preferences, physiological characteristics, and processing inclinations, these variables must be considered when creating instruction that is effective for individual learners.

b. Individual learning styles make identical instruction effective for some students and ineffective for others.

3. Since the learning style factors identified by Dunn and Dunn are conditions external to the learner, they have a greater effect on external instructional conditions rather than the learner’s internal learning strategies.

a. The structure of the learning environment and the sequencing and introduction of instruction should be matched to each individual child’s learning style.

4. Research has also shown that higher grade point averages are achieved when there is a close match between students’ learning styles and their teachers’ teaching styles.

a. Further studies have revealed that when students’ characteristics were accommodated by an instructional process that was responsive to their learning style, achievement scores could be expected to be seventy-five percent of one standard deviation higher than for students whose learning styles weren’t accommodated.

b. Given the attention to failing and poorly achieving students in the United States, accommodating individual learning styles has important implications for our educational system (Shaughnessy, 1998).

IV. I have found right in my own family that people learn differently.

a. My Mother has to read the material out loud and then will understand it.

b. My Brother can just close his eyes and see the dry erase-board with the material on it.

c. My Father has to read it and make an outline of the chapter to learn the material well.

d. I myself have to go to the lecture and hear the teacher explain it, while writing on the dry erase-board, and then read the info myself.

e. It is clear from my own observations that people learn differently.

V. Fusing the expert opinion and my own opinion together.

a. Dr. David Kolb and I both believe and show that people learn differently.

VI. Dr. Kolb and I both believe that there are multiple ways for people to learn and not only one.

a. Unfortuently there are still schools (Including colleges) that hasn’t come to this understanding and still believe that if you don’t learn by listening to the lecture and understand it, there must be something wrong with you.

b. In reality, there isn’t anything wrong with the person, we just learn differently.

Sample of Definition Essay Outline

Joshua Cotteen
Professor Murphy
English 051
21 March 2009

Everyone learns differently:

I. Different from what people think everyone does learn differently.

a. ?

b. ?

II. Just because everyone thinks, acts, and understands differently, why would that mean people learn different than others?

a. ?

b. ?

c. ?

III. Two sources

a. ?

b. ?

IV. I have found right in my family that people learn differently.

a. My Mother has to read the info out loud and will understand it.

b. My Brother can just close his eyes and see the dry erase-board with the info on it.

c. My Father has to read it and make an outline of the chapter to learn it well.

d. I myself have to go to the lecture and hear the teacher explain it while writing on the dry erase-board and then read the info myself.

e. It is clear from my own observations that people learn differently.

V. Fusing the expert opinion and my own opinion together.

a. ?

b. ?

c. ?

VI. So-and-so and I both believe that.......and also.....

a. Unfortuently there are still schools (Including colleges) that hasn’t come to this understanding and still believe that if you don’t learn by listening to the lecture and understand it, there must be something wrong with you.

b. In reality, there isn’t anything wrong with the person, we just learn differently.


c. ?

Happy

Hey everyone, I made a post saying how I was nervous about my first paper for English and I was worried about my first test for my Natural Resources, because this is my first semester in college.  Well, I got a B in English and I got an A in my Natural Resources Class.....whoa.  I'M SOOOO HAPPY!!!!...Wow.

Definition Essay

Wow, I'm trying to put my ideas together in an outline right now.  I think having to do it in class is going to be a little difficult.  I write it out, then make changes, read it again, make changes, and do that a few times to make sure it's just right...but in class like that I won't be able to do that...mmm.  It's ok, I've had to do one to get my GED and at the beginning of the English Class, so I'm sure I can do it again...we'll see.

Very anxious......

I am very anxious for my results of my first paper that I handed in for Eng-051 and my quiz and test for my Natural Resources.  These are my very first essay, quiz, and test I've done in college, so I'm hoping I did well with them.  I'll see VERY soon :-/.

A little info about myself....

I'm going to C.O.D. for a 2 yr. degree...most likely in Liberal Arts so that no matter what job I go for in the future it will go for it.  If I got a specific degree then it won't be good for certain jobs, so that's my reasons for that.  Next, I'm currently in English-051, Conservation Natural Resources, and the lab that goes with it.  I am thinking about taking either Math-54 or Intro to Administration of Justice during the Summer Intersession, depending on which one is available and all.  The Administration of Justice would count for my "Sociology & Criminology area of my degree."

Ok...so I'm back.  The test went pretty good I think.  We'll see when the teacher gives me back the results though :-/.

I'm still new to college, I started college on Jan. 26 of this semester, this is my first test in college, but I think it's fun...I like the studying, the learning, the class time, and all...fun fun fun!

Contractions......

Something I learned from a tutor when he graded my Process Essay and thought it was interesting so I thought I'd pass it on:

"Don't use Contractions when writing a paper."

Examples:

Wrong Way

It's
Wasn't
He's
She's
They're

Right Way

It is
Was not
He is
She is
They are

Process Essay Reminder...

1) Lead-in.
2)Rationale/Motivation--Why are you telling us about this?
3)3 to 5 steps, but no more then 5.
4) Logical Order.
5) Define Terms--Define your terms and explain equipment.
6) lastly, in conc, tell us again what we can now do...but don't use the word "should" in the closing paragraph.  It's as if you are telling them they HAVE TO do it.