Forum 3, GEED 101

The adult learning theory that stood out to me the most was critical reflection. I do not believe this is a learning theory that pertains only to adults, as children also have the capacity to question and choose to change. However, the difference is that they are limited by parental authority. I always questioned everything I was taught, but I was afraid to voice these questions to find answers. Those questions that I did ask were shut down with the typical response of 'that is just the way we believe.' This did not stop me from seeking answers elsewhere, but it did prevent me from acting upon what I found. As an adult, it does not get that much easier; parental authority is replaced with social peer pressure. It is easier to go along with the status quo than to question and choose a minority view point, yet as adults we are responsible for our own choices. We do not answer to anyone but God.

This is important to realize. A healthy human being must take the things they have learned and decide what is truth and what is not; to become an individual with opinions and beliefs aside from what they have always known. The most difficult part of this is to choose to not only hold to these new ideas but to act upon them. And we should act upon them! The Bible states, 'to whom much has been given much shall be required.'

It is wonderful to obtain an awareness of the psychological processes I have gone through to become the individual I am today. What an excellent reminder that as an adult who is learning and growing, both in my regular life and as a student at Liberty University Online, I should not only be asking questions and forming opinions, but also choosing to take a stand for what I believe. This applies to both secular learning and Christian learning. Every bit of knowledge that I have is a gift that should be critically assessed and then either applied or discarded. Just because I hold something to be true does not make it right. I must always be ready to admit a flaw in my belief system, as well as to know what I know so well that I can convince someone else of it. Critical reflection has given me new understanding of my responsibilities as I learn both in and out of school.