Using the concept of a ‘world view', identify some of the beliefs and attitudes, particularly to education and learning, that you bring to your learning now. Reflect critically on how your world view has been shaped by factors such as your gender, age or community.

Individuals see the world in unique and varied ways. Factors such as educational experiences, ways of knowing, personal responsibility and family structure have influenced my beliefs and attitudes. A world view results from the process through which knowledge and understanding is obtained.
Furthermore, my experiences of being a young woman in rural society has helped to shape my world view.

A world view can be defined as "an inside view of the way things are colored, …show more content…

For example, a child does not instinctively know how to use eating utensils, for they vary according to culture and tradition. It has to be taught, and once taught, it is owned by that person. Gaining knowledge is a process, as Christie argues, but more importantly, it is a process which is taught according to tradition and the learning environment. My world view has been significantly influenced by my family. As the eldest of four children, with parents who owned their own business, I was placed in a position of responsibility. In many ways I did not have the same childhood and adolescence as many others my age. I was a surrogate mother to my siblings by the age of eight. I was also responsible for having dinner on the table by 6pm, as my parents would often have meetings to attend. I had to model myself on people older than I in order to meet the expectations placed on me. As a result, I became very independent, and this experience has influenced my perceptions of work ethic and individual responsibility. In many ways, Samovar and Porter's summation that a world view enables "survival and adaptation" (2004:103) is indicative of my own experience.

A world view is an interpersonal process, resulting in a unique interpretation of the world. Historical and environmental factors, as well as educational, familial, social, and gender experiences are direct contributors to a person's