PHILOSOPHY OF LEARNING

The philosophy of learning that best describes Nancy's philosophy is a balance between behaviorism and constructivism. Behaviorism appreciates not only an individual's motivation, but also the antecedents that shape the perspective of the person. In constructivism, an individual's experiences play a major role in how they approach new content. The marriage of these two philosophies best reflects Nancy’s learning philosophy because she believes that the basis for learning should be personal motivation with submission to authority within a liberal definition of constructivism.

Nancy believes that the object of learning is to obtain a common goal shared by both the learner and the instructor. Learning should be interesting and flexible, as well as purposeful and guided. Holt puts this concept in a simple statement as he represents the thoughts of a learner wherein the learner is, "thinking about what words to use and where to put them." In summary, Nancy’s philosophy of learning includes reaching beyond just the mere increase of knowledge; it includes appreciating the purpose of knowledge.