What is the role of humanitarian learning theory in promoting engagement?
Learner engagement is something that instructors always strive for. When it comes to learning courses, it’s not just about showing up, but rather having a desire and motivation to do your best. As a result, instructors are always looking for new strategies and methods to help learners connect with the material. This article explores a learner-centric approach aimed at being learner-centric. This approach is a humanist learning theory that views learning as a natural human desire within a scheme of self-realization. After a brief overview, we will explain how humanistic learning theory can increase learner engagement and integrate it into e-learning courses.
What is the humanitarian theory of learning?
In the mid-20th century, humanitarian theories emerged in the mid-20th century from psychologists, especially Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. It was not consistent with existing theories, such as Freud’s psychoanalytic theory and Skinner’s behaviorism. This theory takes into account previous experiences and highlights the innate desire to learn as a means of improving oneself, looking at learners overall. It is also based on the belief that learners are inherently good, their progress and development depend on their emotions, not on the rewards or punishments they receive. Some of the fundamental principles of humanitarian learning theory include self-esteem, empirical learning, self-assessment, and autonomy.
Since that concept, humanitarian learning theory has discovered applications in a variety of teaching methods, and Montessori is a common example. The principles are also used in particular personalized and project-based learning, where learners are encouraged to use creativity and critical thinking and lead the learning process.
Seven strategies to increase learner engagement with humanistic learning theory
Now that we have explored the fundamentals of this theory of learning, let’s dig deeper into specific ways that can help instructors create more meaningful and engaging learning experiences.
1. Encourage self-directed learning
Freedom and autonomy are fundamental principles of humanistic learning theory, so they should be prioritized when developing courses. Learners continue to engage by implementing a self-directed approach that allows them to be responsible for what, how and why they learn. For example, if learners have the ability to select the subject they want to explore and choose the time they want to invest in, their engagement level will be higher. This approach promotes a sense of ownership and accountability that increases motivation and leads to better outcomes.
2. Focusing on essential motivation
As mentioned earlier, in the humanitarian theory of learning, the acquisition of knowledge is a bridge between self-mindedness and realization. The theory suggests that it focuses on essential motivation, away from exogenous motivations such as praise, achievement, reward, and punishment. This includes helping learners understand that completing the course is not about obtaining certification, but takes their personal growth and development a step further. Focusing on the importance and value that knowledge brings to the learner’s life is often the best way to increase overall engagement.
3. Enhance personalized learning
Another way humanistic learning theory increases learner engagement is to recognize the unique needs of each individual. Not all learners have the same knowledge gaps and strengths, and not all prefer the same learning methods and formats. When instructors recognize this and provide learners with resources to cater to a variety of learning preferences, they can expect better performance and motivation. Additionally, instructors should consider each individual’s development plan and provide a variety of courses to meet these needs and achieve learning goals as efficiently as possible that support learners.
4. Develop critical thinking and creativity
One thing to adopt from humanitarian learning theory to enhance learner engagement is to promote creative and critical thinking. Ask the learners questions, review the information they presented, explore subjects yourself, and think outside the box as they solve complex or unprecedented problems. Passively accepting knowledge and merely remembering it to pass the module will not contribute to effective knowledge acquisition or engagement. Instead, participants should be encouraged to engage with the content and actively build knowledge through individual engagement and exploration.
5. Highlight real world applications
Another factor that increases involvement in the learning process is to see the material have practical uses except for strictly theoretical background. Whether we are talking about children, students, or employees, understanding that their academic or professional daily life is facilitating for a course of study certainly motivates them to complete it and start others. The humanistic learning approach emphasizes the value of learning content through activities such as project-based and experiential learning, and group discussions that connect theories to real-world situations.
6. Strengthen your emotional connection with learning
As mentioned earlier, emotions play an important role in enhancing learners’ motivation and knowledge acquisition. This translates into two things. First, it means that learners need to be in a positive emotional state and meet their basic needs in order to learn effectively. The other side, and the one that instructors should be more interested in, is to help learners connect emotionally with the material, using methods such as storytelling, collaborative learning, reflection, and humor. Connecting learning experiences with emotions is the best way to support learners who understand topics, engage in memory and engage in learning.
7. Create a safe learning environment
Finally, humanitarian learning theory improves learner engagement by promoting a supportive and safe learning environment. Specifically, you can shape your learning journey while placing the learner’s needs first, respecting emotions, and refraining from judgment and punishment. As a result, learners feel valuable and highly valued, and they are motivated to promote personal development and participate without the reward or approval of others. A learning environment that follows humanistic principles gives the sense that learners safely explore, make mistakes, take risks, and ultimately connect to the course in a meaningful and impactful way.
Conclusion
If you think that learner engagement is lacking in your e-learning course, your approach should be adjusted. Switching to a learner-centric approach, attracting participants’ attention by implementing concretely the fundamental principles of humanitarian learning theory. This includes inspiring learners to give autonomy, leverage essential motivation, use critical thinking and creativity skills, and most importantly, fostering a supportive and non-judgmental environment. Follow the tips we share in this article to enhance learner engagement and help viewers achieve better results.
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