![]() People should continue learning throughout life. The happenstance learning theory advocates that one should never complete an education. Sometimes people are told that they should complete their education. One increases the probability of a happenstance event occurring by engaging in new activities. There is sometimes a misunderstanding that the word happenstance means that luck will occur if one waits passively for something to happen. Children benefit from having multiple opportunities to observe others and to engage themselves in a variety of tasks and activities. Learning occurs whether the opportunity is planned or unplanned. However, it is known that the more a child is encouraged to be curious, to take risks, and to engage actively in learning opportunities, the more valuable the learning is likely to be. There is no way to know in advance what experiences a child might stumble across and what the consequences will be. ![]() Innumerable unplanned events influence the experiences of each child. Other children, enduring inadequate pedagogy in schools, might come to fear mathematics and gravitate far away from occupations that involve manipulation of numbers. For example, if through skillful instruction, often in a problem-based learning style, some children learn the fun of working with numbers, they might be more likely to gravitate toward occupations like accounting. ![]() Over time these tendencies lead people to engage in various types of occupations. They tend to avoid activities that are distasteful and yield few benefits. People tend to gravitate naturally toward activities that yield emotional, social, and financial benefits. Some experiences might generate memorable interests and passions others may not. Some parents read to their children at a young age, opening a world of imagination and early literacy other parents may not.Īs a result of these continuous learning experiences, people form generalizations about their own interests, abilities, values, and beliefs. Some families subscribe to magazines and newspapers that children might spontaneously browse other families may not. Some people live far from the nearest public library. For example, the opportunity to read about a scientist’s experience depends on access to books. Watching a carpenter at work may inspire others to discover the glories of wood working.Īll of these associative learning experiences also depend on cultural context. Reading about a science experiment might inspire some people to train to become chemists or biologists. For example, listening to a rock concert might inspire some people to become a rock singer. The environment in which one is born and raised provides only certain types of learning opportunities.Īssociative learning experiences occur as people watch, listen to, or read about others. In some other countries both sports are virtually unknown. Baseball is a popular sport in the United States. Every time people do something-that is, engage actively-they find out what happens as a result and discover how they feel about it.Īll instrumental learning experiences take place in a cultural and opportunity context. The more children actively engage in activities, the more likely they are to encounter valuable learning experiences. ![]() The happenstance learning theory posits that it is more likely that the first child would develop greater aspirations for a baseball career than the second child. Another child may come to bat and be unable to hit the ball at all, striking out. For example, if a child is playing a game of baseball, comes up to bat, and hits well enough to get on base, the child has succeeded in an activity and has positive feelings as a result. Instrumental learning experiences are those in which people take some action and observe the consequences. ![]() The happenstance learning theory categorizes learning experiences into two major categories: instrumental and associative. Every time a person watches TV, listens to the radio, or plays a game, he or she learns something. Every time a person talks to another person, he or she learns something. Some experiences are planned, many are not. Every minute people are engaged in learning activities whether they know it or not. Throughout life people have innumerable learning experiences. ![]()
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