University Essay: The Process of Learning, Skills, and Impacts

This essay comprehensively examines the process of learning, highlighting its significance and impact across various aspects of life, including academic pursuits, professional careers, and everyday interactions. The essay explores the cognitive, metacognitive, and affective components of learning, emphasizing the development of critical skills such as information processing, communication, higher-order thinking, memory, attention, and graphomotor skills. It further analyzes the application of these skills in business research, personal development, and career advancement. The author reflects on their personal learning experiences, the effectiveness of different learning methods, and the importance of self-awareness in optimizing the learning process. The essay concludes by underscoring the value of continuous learning and the need for stakeholders in education to maximize the learning experience for all learners. The essay also includes references to support the claims made.

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THE PROCESS OF LEARNING
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The process of learning
Learning is the process in which people assimilate information which in turn leads to a change in
the way in which they think and act. The learning process is continuous and does not stop when
one becomes an adult. Learning can occur both formally when one is in class being taught by a
teacher, or informally where one does not learn in a controlled environment such as at home in
discussions. Learning is a process that requires the learners to have patience because it takes time
(Jenkins, 2010).
The laws that govern the learning process
There are six laws that have been given in regards to the learning process which I feel have
greatly impacted the way I have been able to learn. First is the law of readiness. This law says
that one must be mentally and physically ready to follow given instructions and they can only
learn why they are ready to follow the instructions provided. The law of exercise asserts that the
process of learning requires the learners to be active in mind and body. This enables the learners
to learn by repetition and adequately respond to instructions provided (Gutierrez, 2014).
The law of effect states that people are motivated to learn when they gain feelings of satisfaction
from what they achieve during the learning process. The law of association states that in the
process of learner in case a learner receives new information, they compare this to the
information they already possess. The law of recency speaks of the importance of repeating tasks
in the learning process. Finally, the law of intensity asserts that real life experiences are very
important in learning and these are the experiences that greatly contribute to permanent changes
in human behavior (Gutierrez, 2014).
Effectiveness of the learning process

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The learning process that I have gone through has taught me different things. The critical
components in the learning process that are of utmost importance include; the cognitive,
metacognitive, and affective components. Cognitive learning is a learning component that is
acquired through listening, reading, thinking, the process of relating information, memorizing,
problem analysis, and the acquisition of psychomotor skills (Gregori, Torras and Guasch, 2012).
It is a component that enables one to receive information and adequately process it.
The affective component involves the motivation that the learner has to begin and continue
learning. This is shown both in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Prinz, 2004). This component
is also inclusive of psychological attributes that may influence one’s learning process. These
include; the ability to cope with different emotions, the presence of self-efficacy, and attribution
styles.
The metacognitive component is also significant. It refers to how well the learner is able to learn.
This component enables learners to process information acquired. In order to learn effectively,
learners must identify their most favorable style of learning. Moreover, a learner needs to
develop a plan that should be followed to guide in the learning activities. The plan aids in the
evaluation and monitoring of the learning process. Monitoring the process enables learners to
view their strengths in learning and capitalize on them as well as their weaknesses which they
can then improve on (Crocker et al., 2013).
My learning experience has enabled me to gain all these skills which are vital in my everyday
life, which I used when carrying out my business research, and which we will be used later in life
in my career. Therefore, the learning process is very valuable to all human beings and it enables
them improve the way they think and act for the better.

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Importance of the learning process
There are six main cognitive elements that I gained from the learning process that have come in
very handy in my life. First, I gained skills on how to process information. These include spatial
and sequential analysis of information. spatial analysis requires the use of order. Incidentally, it
is vital in finding directions. On the other hand, organizing information in a sequential manner
aids in timing activities. It is the skill that enables people to properly time their activities. This
skill was very relevant when carrying out my business research in time management and in
analysis of primary data (Clark and Harrelson, 2002).
The second skill is communication. Communication is carried out primarily by use of language
(Rosengren, 2000). I learnt how to use language to express my personal opinions as well as read
and listen to what other people are saying. Proper communication skills have enabled me to
properly understand what is being taught and in discussions with fellow students. These skills
have also aided me in relation with other students.
The third skill is higher order thinking. It enables people to receive information and then
manipulate it to come up with different points of view and the right conclusion (Brookhart,
2010). This skill enables people to think creatively, analyze information, question information
provided, and solve problems. This skill enables learners to reflect on their behavior and have
self-mental management (Collins, 2014). It helps them to see things differently from other
people and it is the skill that enables them to carry out things differently in society and bring in
new innovations.
The fourth skill that I gained through my learning is how to have a good memory. This is
important because it enables people to receive information, store it in their minds and enables

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them to retrieve it when needed. People have different types of memories which are used in
reference to different situations. These are the long, short, and medium-term memory. Vital
information is mainly stored as a long-term memory (Baddeley, Eysenck and Anderson, 2015).
The ability to pay attention is another vital skill that I learned (Rose, 2015). At first, it was easy
to get distracted by different exciting things but with time I was able to pay attention even to
issues I did not agree with, to hear the perspectives of other people. Finally, a skill that has
proved very valuable to me since childhood is the skill of writing and that of typing. This is
referred to as the graphomotor skill.
Impacts of Learning Skills in Life
All these skills have impacted my life in a myriad of positive ways. When carrying out the
business research, all these skills came in handy. The skills are important in my course because I
need to always think critically when dealing with different challenges. Moreover, I am able to be
creative in coming up with solutions. There is also need to be attentive in class as well as in
group settings. There is also a need for memory to remember all the concepts I have learnt in the
past and to connect them in the concepts we are currently studying to increase my
comprehension level of different concepts.
The skills acquired in the learning process will also benefit my future career tremendously. In the
professional setting, it is very important to communicate properly with peers, subordinates, and
senior colleagues. The ability to receive information, analyze it, and respond appropriately is
therefore very vital. The cognitive skill of paying attention will also come in handy especially in
meetings. Moreover, it is vital that one remembers different things when working as a

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professional. Incidentally, it is important to remember the names of fellow employees, and tasks
that need to be performed. The skill of time management will also be of much use.
It is therefore evident that the learning process makes lives easier. In life generally, these skills
have enabled to interact and communicate with other people. They have also helped me to have a
sense of direction and to manage time. The skills gained in the learning process have also aided
me in making judgements on various matters by thinking critically and coming up with the most
effective solution.
Description of Personal Learning Process
My learning process occurred in the classroom with a teacher as well alone. In class, the teacher
used interactive methods of teaching. This involved the use of questions which we were expected
to answer as the lessons proceeded. Students who seemed to have lost attention were called upon
to explain certain concepts that were being taught to bring back their attention. There were also
practical activities that we used. Another tool that was incorporated in learning was the use of
group discussions. Personally, I preferred to study literature on my own and then reflect back on
it to ensure that all the concepts were understood. I also carried out practical activities on
different issues that seemed difficult to comprehend to see how different results were achieved.
Lessons Learnt from the Learning Process
I have learnt that it is important for learners to know themselves and know the style of learning
that works on them best. This will ensure that time is not wasted trying to grasp information with
the use of styles of learning that do not suit them best. As a student and future professional I have
learnt the importance of using a personal development plan to continually document how much I
am learning.

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Application of the Learning process in Relation to the Business Research
The business research required the use of very many skills acquired during the learning process.
First, there was the need to use graphomotor skills in the creation of questionnaires to be used in
the research process. Next, communication skills came in handy in the process of requesting
people to fil in the questionnaires. Data received required analysis to draw insights that could be
used in presenting the findings, drawing a conclusion, and making recommendations. This
required the use of high order thinking skills. These include thinking critically and creatively
(Sreejesh, Mohapatra, and Anusree, 2014).
Conclusion
It is very clear that the learning process is very important in all aspects of life. These include;
everyday life, in learning institutions, and professionally. It is therefore paramount for the
stakeholders in the department of teaching people about these tools to learn about how best to
maximize the learning experience for maximum gain of the learners.

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References
Baddeley, Eysenck, and Anderson. (2015). Memory. London.
Brookhart. (2010). How to Assess Higher-order Thinking Skills in Your Classroom.
Clark, and Harrelson. (2002). Designing instruction that supports cognitive learning
processes. Journal of Athletic Training.
Collins. (2014). Skills for the 21st Century: Teaching Higher-Order Thinking. Curriculum and
Leadership Journal.
Crocker, Heller, Warren, O'Hare, Infantolino, and Miller. (2013). Relationships among
Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation. Frontiers in human neuroscience.
Gregori, Torras, and Guasch, (2012). Cognitive Attainment in Online Learning
Environments. Interactive Learning Environments.
Gutierrez. (2014). The 6 Laws of Learning No Instructional Designer Can Afford to Ignore.
[online] [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].
Jenkins. (2010). Exploring the learning process. Teaching and Learning in Nursing.
Prinz. (2004). Gut reactions: A perceptual theory of emotion. Oxford University Press.
Rose. (2015). Why Attention Is Essential to Learning and The Formation of Memory. [online]
[Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].
Rosengren. (2000). Communication: An Introduction. SAGE.
Sreejesh, Mohapatra, and Anusree. (2014). Business Research Method. Springer.