Is Learning Always Observable?

I believe learning is observable, especially in more social, extroverted students. However, as previously discussed, it is harder to observe whether learning has happened in more introverted students who are less likely to express their thoughts, ideas, questions, etc. With that being said, I also believe people can be both intro- and extroverted in different situations depending on their "comfort zone." 
Now to determine whether or not a student has learned, we can observe the types of questions students are asking. If they are asking thought-provoking questions, it shows they have thought a little about the topic or are in the process of learning. If children participate in discussions freely and openly, that is also an indication learning as happened. Most of the time, I think, if students are engaged in class discussions, show an interest, and can relate the material to their own experiences and stories, they are learning. Testing material in the form of a unit exam or something similar can be a method of evaluation, however, memorization does not always indicate the student has actually learned the material. 
While the above methods of observation/evaluation is great for students who are comfortable voicing their thoughts and opinions, there are some students in the classroom who do not feel at ease when having to talk. So, with those students in mind, learning can also be observed through reflective journals where they have time to write their thoughts down, ask questions and even answer those questions. Learning can also be observed through one-on-one conversations with the student.
Lastly, I believe learning can best be observed by giving individual students most of the control over their own learning. For example, students may design their own projects with teacher approval/support, so that whatever they choose to do, they are able to display exactly what they have learned in a manner in which they are comfortable. 
- Rita Shahi

Is learning always observable?

               Learning to me is an ambiguous concept that means different things to different people. I believe it to be a deeply personal aspiration. People obtain knowledge through a variety of mediums, some that are observable and some that are not. As teachers, I think it would be naïve to assume that all learning is observable. I think the larger question is, what teachers should do to narrow the distance between observable and non-observable learning.

                As mentioned before, I am an advocate for multi-literacy learning. I think when teachers create lesson plans that encompass a variety of mediums for students to express themselves the divide between observable learning diminishes. When we give students the opportunity to express themselves in a variety of ways, we obtain a better understanding of their knowledge. Thus, as educators we can then determine what we need to do to better prepare our students for the future.

                During my observation period of my practicum, I witnessed a variety of methods my School Associate used to understand if learning took place with her students. Often she would conduct informal interviews with her students to discuss previous taught material, in addition to projects, assignments, and tests. I think this strategy was beneficial because it empowered students to discuss their learning in a manner that was relaxed and unhindered by the stress and pressure of a test. Students were given the opportunity to express themselves orally in a safe and private context. Moreover, both the teacher and the student knew what area of the curriculum needed to be further addressed.      

Is Learning Observable?

I believe that learning can be observable. Observing does not necessarily have to mean giving standardized tests or final exams; however, some would be necessary in order to see who needs more time in learning the required materials. I have volunteered with teachers who say they do not believe in testing students, rather they ask students to reflect on what they have learned by giving reasons for the answers they have produced. This way, introvert learners can take their time in learning and gathering the required resources without feeling the pressure of being graded. When teachers create activities and lesson plans according to the needs of an extrovert or an introvert learner, he or she can observe how students learn, and what can be done to help them. However, it can be hard to observe what kind of a learner a student may be, as they may act differently in particular situations. I know for sure that I used to be more of an introvert during school time, and would be an extrovert learner outside of school; therefore, being in particular situations can change what type of learner a student would be. For example, a grade one student may be more active during play time than academically; thus, the student may just have real trouble in particular subject areas and requires more resources and extra time to be successful.
There are also other ways like developing discussions amongst the class and creating projects that includes a mix of introverts and extroverts. By doing this, it will be easy to see who can relate and has gotten a full grasp of the subject area; those not able to participate could then be given extra material and adaptations to make learning easier. Introverts can also get more help from their extrovert partners who most likely have a better understanding of the subject

Is Learning Always Observable?

I believe that learning is quite often observable but not always. As has been stated by others, introvertive students may feel uncomfortable sharing what they have learned, and the situation may never arise where they feel comfortable in doing so.


I think it is important that a teacher is able to observe learning in order to know if the concepts have been understood or whether more time is required to help the learner. Perhaps the bigger question then is, how does a teacher create situations and opportunities for students to feel comfortable and capable of showing/displaying/sharing what they have learned?


As the first few chapters in our Cognitive Learning textbook seem to imply, many different options and opportunities for the students should be provided. One on one sharing, artwork, tests, putting knowledge into action, creative writing, performing a skit, leading an experiment, are just a few different options for students to show that they have learned. An introvertive students may feel comfortable talking to a friend quietly at the back of the class and the friend could then be responsible for taking notes on what is said. An extrovertive student may want to perform a skit or a monologue. A sensing student may enjoy leading a step-by-step experiment. In fact, standardized testing might not even need be considered with all the different ways in which students can demonstrate their learning.


Again, learning isn't always observable, but to ensure that students aren't being 'left behind' or feeling inferior because they think and learn differently, the teacher must find ways to observe the student's learning that

Is learning always observable?

In my opinion, learning is observable, but cannot be clearly observed. It is because learning depends on the student's characteristics, thoughts and conditions of the day to determine whether or not it is observable. For instance, we learned there are two types of students: those who are extroverted and those who are introverted. What if a student is an introverted person and is feeling too embarrassed to share his/her own idea about a certain topic in front of others, even if it is one on one discussion? What if an extroverted type student is not in good condition and does not speak actively in front of classmates as usual on that day? Can teachers observe the student's real learning? I do not think they can show the teacher their best performance. Therefore, students' learning is not always observable or clear on how much students learn about the subject.
However, even if their learning is not clearly observable, there are many ways to be able to observe students' learning. For me, pair and group work and one on one discussion are attractive ways of observing students' learning since students who tend to be introverted feel more comfortable to discuss a topic one on one rather than speaking in front of class. On the other hand, students who tend to be extroverted also can speak more actively in the small group or pair work. Because of this, I got interested in my classmate's idea about students who are extroverted and introverted making pair and discuss. I think that it is an effective and a good idea.

Is learning always observable?

Learning can be observed in multiple ways. Learning does not always have to be - neither should it always be - observed through formal tests. Mamchur suggests that the sensing learner is unable to perform well when he or she is asked to complete an essay question, formal test, or aptitude test. Given that information, we recognize that different types of learners will have various strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, it is impossible to create curriculum for the 16 different types of students that may be present in the classroom. For this reason, teachers need to observe students in multiple ways to determine if learning is occurring.

I have heard of a couple of teachers who rarely give out formal tests because they believe that learning should be observed through other methods. This leads us to the following question: How can we tell if learning has occurred beyond the recitation of facts (in formal tests)? Personally, I believe that there needs to be some formal tests; although, I think that numerous projects would show more learning than formal tests, which require students to strictly memorize facts. During the class discussion, we discussed the fact that we could observe students' body language and engagement in activities, but how does this work if the same students volunteer their answers and opinions to questions? Some students (whether they have been labelled either as an extrovert or introvert) will not contribute as much or at all compared to other students in the class. This does not mean that these students are not learning. Since students do have different ways of showing how they have learned something, students should be given some choice in regards to how they demonstrate that they have learned a concept. For example, students could be given the choice to draw a picture, write a paragraph, or orally explain a particular concept that they have learned. Finally, I think that many students would benefit from writing journals because they would be able to see their own progress and so would the teacher.

Is learning always observable?

I believe teaching is a sacrifice.  The strategies used by the teacher are very
important not only to teach, but to find out the learning too.  So, a good
teacher can find many ways to understand if learning has happened. .  She can
breaking off the students into partners or small groups to discuss what they
learned; she can give them the time to exchange the ideas and to prepare the
answer of the questions.

But, a good teacher should also connect to the pre-knowledge of the students. I
believe a formative evaluation keep students and the teacher informed of
student’s progress toward learning the subjects. It provides teacher with
valuable information. It can help teachers understand the degree to which
students are learning the course material and the level of their knowledge. But,
the formative evaluation is not the only way to understand the level of learning
of the students. Preparation, assessment, assignment and reflection can help the
teacher to know much more the students; and, certainly, the teacher should give
the feedback and encourage students to participate actively in their own
learning .