What Does Learning Look Like?

A classroom discussion exercise

Earlier this month I asked ChatGPT "What does learning look like?". The responses were then transformed into images, courtesy of Bing.

These responses and images could be used as a catalyst for an in-class discussion on learning and generative AI.

• How do the images reflect your own experience or understanding of learning?

• How do the images portray the role of the learner in their own learning?

• To what extent do the images effectively capture the different aspects or dimensions of learning, and the environments where learning takes place?

• How do the images reveal the biases, assumptions or associations in the content this tool has been trained on?

• What is missing?

Response 1
Learning is a process of acquiring knowledge, skills, or understanding through study, experience, or teaching. It involves actively engaging with new information, concepts, or ideas and integrating them into one's existing knowledge framework. Learning often requires effort and cognitive processing, as individuals make connections, draw conclusions, and apply what they have learned to real-world situations. It can take various forms, such as reading books, attending lectures, participating in discussions, conducting experiments, or solving problems.

Response 2
Learning is like embarking on a journey of exploration and discovery. It involves venturing into uncharted territories of knowledge, seeking answers to questions, and unraveling the mysteries of the world. It requires curiosity, open-mindedness, and a willingness to challenge existing beliefs and assumptions. It can be filled with moments of excitement, as new insights and understanding emerge, and it can also involve moments of frustration or confusion as one grapples with complex concepts or encounters obstacles along the way.

Response 3
Learning is akin to building a mental scaffold or framework that allows us to make sense of the world. It involves constructing and organizing knowledge, piece by piece, like putting together a puzzle. Initially, learning may involve acquiring foundational concepts or skills, which serve as building blocks for more advanced learning. As the learning process unfolds, these foundational pieces are interconnected, forming a robust structure of understanding. This process often requires repetition, practice, and reinforcement.

Response 4
Learning can be compared to a dynamic and ever-expanding web of connections. Each new piece of information or skill learned becomes a node in the network, linked to related nodes and forming a complex interplay of ideas and concepts. The process of learning involves making connections between existing knowledge and new information, recognizing patterns, and identifying relationships. Just as a spider weaves its web, learners weave together various strands of knowledge to create a comprehensive understanding of a subject. This interconnectedness allows for flexible thinking, creative problem-solving, and the ability to apply knowledge in diverse contexts.