While reading about the three types of learning theories, i.e. behavioral, cognitive and constructive or social learning, I found a definition of cognitive theory that said individuals are actively involved in their own learning process. I thought, sure, but only if they're paying attention. The very next page then listed six factors that influence learning: Size, intensity, novelty, incongruity, emotion and personal significance. I had shown an image to my photo class last week and instantly recalled that photo which is to the left. It's a photo taken around 1899 with a camera designed and built by George Lawrence, a photographer hired by the Chicago and Alton Railroad to get a photo of their newly completed train, the Alton Limited. The aspects of the camera, e.g. size, weight, appearance and contrast in size to humans oddly applies to the first four criteria for attention found in the cognitive theory. The railroad company must have had a similar idea to this theory because they publicized this photo and camera as the world's largest and it created quite a public sensation. When the image was shown at the Paris Exhibition in 1900, the French were so dubious of the claim they sent an envoy from New York City to Chicago to verify the existence of such a camera that used a photographic plate three times larger than anything they had ever seen before (the plate and holder weighed 500 pounds).
This makes me wonder, can the learning process or even a class be as engaging (in terms of capturing attention) to students as Lawrence's mammoth camera was to the public at the turn of the century. In a classroom setting, maybe size could relate to the scope of material covered and intensity could be how focused or even interrelated the subject is to other disciplines. Novelty and incongruity seem to work together. Odd issues could be found within the subject, utilizing a kind of "Ripley's Believe it or Not" approach. Finally, applying a "What would you do?" situation to concepts could show how the class material pops up in real life situations. I guess if these things don't get engage a student, an instructor could fake a "seizure" to get their attention. Now, that would be novel!








The Alton Limited