Abstract
Creating an instructional environment in which the learners can be cognitively vulnerable with the information learned, with learner colleagues, as well as with the instructional facilitator is vitally important towards information attainment and actively evaluating and revising one's own conceptual frameworking of information. The instructional engagement of the learner within the instructional environment is vitally important, towards knowledge acquisition as well as the learner's creativity towards understanding and working with the information, while emphasizing the strengths associated with impactful learning. Creativity is understood within implicit cognitive vulnerability, articulated as value, effectiveness. Further, impactful learning is understood as relationships and community, as well as respect and consciousness.
TopBackground
Cognitive vulnerability has traditionally been viewed within the professional scope of cognitive psychology as a state of emotionally-laden cognitive depression (Haeffel & Hames, 2014; Hanklin & Abramson, 2001; Matthews & MacLeod, 2005; McGinn, Nooner, Cohen & Leaberry, 2015). The suggestion that vulnerability is supported by a level of stress and enhanced cognitive dissonance has been recognized as a problem that needs to be solved. Yet within the learning process, cognitive dissonance and a low level of uncomfortableness associated with subject matter, engagement with the subject matter, offers the opportunity to accentuate new ways to think about prior knowledge. The learning process can be a bit uncomfortable, as new information is woven into prior knowledge; however, a recognition that this discomfort and cognitive dissonance moments of un-learning and re-learning information in new and different ways, to recognize the new and different ways towards understanding information is integral towards supporting the creative process and positive impact of one’s implicit cognitive vulnerability towards breaking out of prior thought patterns while allowing the freedom towards creativity, towards innovation and towards the ability to think about information in new and different ways. For this reason, this knowledge base discussion will focus upon areas of influence and impact upon implicit cognitive vulnerability as an instructional style of support and engagement throughout the learning environment, specifically: the impact of trauma upon the brain’s amygdala; Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; Vygotsky’s conceptual framework of understanding; Wittgenstein’s social context and word choice; and, Bandura’s motivation and self-efficacy theories.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Collegial Learner: A co-learner within a learning environment, reflecting someone of respectful ease and engagement, with similar learning objectives who is mutually supportive of instructional efforts and events.
Impactful Learning: The instructional process that may result in adding to the learner’s cognitive short-term and long-term memory information, that encourages and prompts the strength of influence and impression upon the learner’s understanding of the subject matter.
Instructional Facilitator: The teacher, the leader within an instructional environment who guides the instructional process through differentiated means, towards supporting the learners and achieving instructional objectives.
Vulnerability: Allowing others to view one’s fragileness and disruptive dissonance, especially throughout the learning process within this discussion.
Creativity: The ability of learners to consider old, new and differentiated information in different ways, mixing and matching information from different resources towards coming up with an innovative and novel outcome.
Cognitive Vulnerability: The ability of the human brain to be malleable and open to new and different ideas worthy of examination and scrutiny, through the written word, spoken word, visual means or tactile means.
Implicit Cognition: The unconscious understanding and awareness of one’s ability to reach into memory, understanding, practices, activities and awareness of differentiated viewpoints.