Arthur W. Combs's Affective Education Or None At All

Learning is a process that occurs by curiosity; a process that ignites when a person realizes their very own ignorance. In Plato’s (trans. 1956) Meno, learning is described as an exercise that is stimulated when a person becomes perplexed by knowledge that they are unaware of. Likewise, Arthur W. Combs (1982) in “Affective Education or None at All” demonstrates that learning occurs when a person is exposed to new information, and then drives him or herself to explore the meaning behind this new information. Plato’s demonstration of learning is similar to Combs’s in that both showcase the process of learning to gain strength when a person is confronted with a challenge, instilling interest to resolve the unknown. However, both authors

Combs (1982) argues for affective education in schools by examining modern research that supports his position. One particular element of modern thought that he addresses examines learning and its meaning in relation to personal findings. Combs defines learning to be occurring when not only a discovery of fresh information is present, but when a personal connection to this information has been made. He claims that education is well known, historically, for being well-inundated with the practice of providing more and more information. In referencing this point, Combs argues that the crucial pieces of learning are in one’s own experience—a subjective view. To exemplify his point, he offers an example of how he would react to being exposed to information that he never knew before, drawing on the types of connections he would make between himself and the world around him that would enhance his learning experience. Continuing, he proposes the more affective factors of learning that he claims, have a great effect on learning. Combs suggests that if these factors were to be ignored, the education system as a whole becomes at-risk of being ineffective

1956) and Combs (1982) clearly showcase thorough learning by means of realizing one’s own ignorance. However, they demonstrate how one realizes their own ignorance through different approaches, with Plato focusing on a more guided, team-approach to exploration, and Combs highlighting a meaningful, self-discovery pathway. Overall, realizing your own lack of knowledge in some topic has the power to encourage further inquiry into that topic, inspiring meaningful and deep-rooted learning. This idea of learning happens out of discovery, and with the right desires and environment, it can promote an explorative approach for teachers to tap into inside of an everyday classroom, and even extend into everyday