This quarter we explored our own beliefs about teaching and learning, several models of teaching (Socrates', Rousseau's, Dewey's, Underwood's, and Kolb's), three theories of learning (behaviorism, constructivism, and social constructivism), a bit about brain research and learning, and issues related to diversity, privilege and oppression. Each of you also explored the works of an educator or theorist in whom you were interested.

You have written several papers that, individually, explored a variety of issues related to teaching and learning.

Your task in this final paper is to synthesize what you've learned this quarter to answer the question: What is learning?

To synthesize means to be able to create new ideas and generalizations based upon previous knowledge and experiences. The writer uses old ideas to create new ones;

generalizes from given facts; relates knowledge from several areas; and, draws conclusions. For the purposes of this paper, the previous knowledge and experience must include the texts and workshops from this quarter as well as your own experiences with teaching, learning, and schooling.

We're making an adjustment to our earlier outline of papers. This synthesis paper is the workshop paper for Week 9 AND it will be the paper you revise and submit. There will be no other synthesis paper or exam. If this is a problem for you, talk with your seminar leader.

To answer the question, "What is learning?", you will need to:

• Offer a thesis
• Support your thesis by building an argument that incorporates information and draws conclusions about:
• your own experiences as a learner,
• one or more of the models of teaching we studied,
• a theoretical description (behaviorism, constructivism, social constructivism) of the learning process,
• information from brain research, and,
• issues related to diversity, privilege, and oppression as explored in our texts.
• You may also use information from your project.
• Use text references to explain and elaborate your argument.
• Develop your argument in a paper that is at least 7 to 8 pages long. There is no outside limit - the paper may be as long as you need it to be to develop your ideas well.
• Use correct APA citations, reference list, and tense.

• Go back and read your first answer to, Learning is . . . (Remember? The first index card response?) Do some free-writing. Do you still hold the same ideas? Have you changed your ideas completely? Modified them? List what you know now about learning that you didn't know then.
• Create and fill in a grid similar to the one we have posted in CAB 110. However, this grid might include categories like the ones below. Circle the parts of the grid that best explain your current understanding of learning. Pay attention to the problems you noted. These can be explored in your paper as you develop your answer to the question, What is learning?