Learning Theories Mix

This past two week has been busy and interesting. I have been learning about various learning theories and their impact on the learning in general. What I picked up in the process was the differences and the overlapping that exist among these theories. What interested me the most was the way they define learning. The authors of the textbook, Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology sounded like restricting learning to direct instruction in traditional courses like math and science. 

Any learning avenue that occurs natural like language acquisition seemed to be dismissed as learning process. This left me a little confused since I understood learning as acquiring skills and knowledge through personal experience, study or by being taught. I was left confused in that learning one’s culture might not be considered learning. Then on the other hand you have connectivism theorists rejecting the notion that learning is restricted to direct instruction where the learner draws learning directly from the instructor within a particular time and space.  Other than this part that confuses me, I have learned a lot this week about the important role various theories play in creating a course or training.