There have been a great many theories of learning in the world, and I have come across a few, but my ideas are based on my experience. You might guess when you read this that science has played a significant role in my life.
I think of there being 3 aspects to (lets call it) knowledge (for now) as well as to learning:
* There is data (or facts, but I will try not to use that term as its ambiguous).
Data is things that we observe e.g. "my car is dirty", "after washing my car it is clean" " at certain times of the month the moon looks like a particular type of cheese", "when I move the leaver at the top of the tap water comes out"
* There are theories, these are connections in my mind between the data that I observe e.g. "The moon is made of cheese", "my obedience to the water deity causes water to come out of the tap", "washing my car causes it to become clean by removing the dirt"
* There are skills, these are the application of theories in the world. This includes both thinking that "I need to wash my car for it will become clean" as well as actually washing the car and experiencing it becoming clean.
Of course the boundary between the aspects of knowledge are a little blurred, but in general its not hard to decide which is which.
Learning is increasing any of these aspects of knowledge, and preferably all aspects. So it includes:
> increasing the data that I experience
> developing more theories and changing the level of my faith in theories
> increasing my skill by applying those theories in the world.
For example when I experience the data of plumbing etc. I may develop a new theory that links water coming out of the tap with plumbing, and decrease my faith in the water deity, and I would apply my new theory in the world with the skill of paying my water bill.
One day I might also apply my theory concerning dirt and cars by applying the skill of washing my car ... but don't hold you breath.
