In this assignment, you will deconstruct a scenario, and using various learning theories and philosophies, you will
identify the importance and value of creating a personalized learning plan. This learning event provides an
opportunity to put theory into practice to meet the needs of diverse and unique learners. In this scenario, you will
analyze critical factors to determine what best practices are needed to foster growth and development by creating
a learning plan that is designed to meet the needs of the individual learner.
Scenario
Bill is 48 years old and has repaired lawn mowers in his small shop in Fairview, Tennessee for the last 8 years. He is
about 30 miles from Nashville, Tennessee, and he is just 12 miles from Dickson, Tennessee. He has deliberately
kept his business small to control costs and complexity. Last week, he received a bulletin from this leading tractor
manufacturer that it is introducing a new model with a new computer-based monitoring system. Although he has
dealt with limited applications of computer chips in these machines, this is a much more sophisticated application.
He knows that several of his customers own this brand of mower and that they are likely to buy the new models.
He wants to learn how to repair these computer-based monitoring systems. In the bulletin, the company
announced a limited number of seminars at the manufacturing plant in Horicon, Wisconsin. It has also announced
a series of Webinars and online training sessions for the new innovation. There is also a manufacturer’s service
manual for the new models. Bill cannot take time off or afford to travel to the seminars.
Answer the following questions based on the scenario:
What do you think Bill should do to construct a learning plan? If he were to write one out, formally, what might
it look like? How would you express his learning needs? What would his terminal performance objective look
like?
What kinds of self-motivation does Bill have? Discuss ways in which Bill will apply elements of the affective
domain in this learning project.
How can Bill apply the cognitive concept of metacognition and its extension, reflexivity, from constructivist
theory? How do Piaget’s ideas on assimilation and accommodation apply to this example of adult learning?
What other elements or characteristics of constructivist learning theory might he apply here? How can he learn
what he needs to learn as quickly and as thoroughly as possible?
