Learning Theories

CHAPTER 1 : THREE LEARNING THEORIES

The three main categories of learning are behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Behaviorism focuses on learning that is observable. Cognitivism centers on brain-based learning. Constructivism considers learning as a process of construction, with the learner actively involved in building new ideas and concepts from his or her own knowledge and experience.

i) Behaviorism

New behavior or changes in behaviors are aquired through associations between stimuli and responses.

ii) Cognitivism 

Information processing leads to understanding and retention.

iii) Constructivism

We construct our own knowledge of the world based on individual experiences.

CHAPTER 2 : BEHAVIORAL THEORY 

Behavioral theory stem from the work of B.F.Skinner and the concept of operant conditioning. Behaviorism theorists believe that knowledge exists independently and outside of people. Behaviorist believe that learning actually occurs when new behavior or changes in behavior are acquired through associations between stimuli and responses. Thus, association leads to a change in behavior.

CHAPTER 3 : COGNITIVIST THEORY 

The cognitivist paradigm essentially argues that the “black box" of the mind should be opened and understood. The learner is viewed as an information processor (like a computer).

CHAPTER 4 : CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY 

The theory suggests that humans construct knowledge and meaning from their experiences. Constructivism is not a specific pedagogy.

Piaget's theory of Constructivist learning has had wide ranging impact on learning theories and teaching methods in education and is an underlying theme of many education reform movements.

THE MODELS OF LEARNING 

THE SOCIAL FAMILY

Family, a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption, constituting a single household and interacting with each other in their respective social positions, usually those of spouses, parents, children, and siblings.

A family consists of an adult and his or her offspring. Most commonly, it consists of two married adults, usually a man and a woman (almost always from different lineages and not related by blood) along with their offspring, usually living in a private and separate dwelling. This type of unit, more specifically known as a nuclear family, is believed to be the oldest of the various types of families in existence. Sometimes the family includes not only the parents and their unmarried children living at home but also children that have married, their spouses, and their offspring, and possibly elderly dependents as well; such an arrangement is called an extended family.

THE INFORMATION PROCESSING FAMILY

Joyce and Weil (1985) define models of teaching as a plan or pattern that can be used to shape curriculum, to design instructional materials, and to guide instruction in the classroom and other settings. Models of teaching differ from general approaches of teaching in that they are designed to realize specific instructional objectives. General approaches of teaching are considered to be applicable to all teaching situations. They are prescriptive teaching strategies to realize specific instructional goals. By exploring many sources, Joyce and Weil have grouped the models on the basis of specific educational goals and means into the following four families:

   1.      Information processing models

   2.      Social interaction models

   3.      Personal development models

   4.      Behaviour modification models

  The teaching models in this family emphasize peoples’ desires to make sense of the world by gathering and organizing data, determining problems, and finding solutions. Models are put into the Information Processing family if they seek ways of helping process information better and if their goal is to help students become more powerful learners. There are more teaching models in this family than in any of the others and are listed below:

Information Processing Model

Model	Major Theorists	Goals which intended
Concept Attainment Model	Jerome  S. Bruner	Designed primarily to develop inductive reasoning but also for concept development  analysis
Inquiry Training Model	Richard Suchman	Designed to teach engage in casual reasoning, and to become more fluent in asking questions, building concepts and testing them
Advance Organizer Model	David P.Ausubel	Designed to increase efficiency of information processing capacities meaningfully, absorbing and relate bodies of knowledge
Inductive thinking Model	Hilda Taba	Designed primarily for development of inductive  mental process and academic reasoning of theory building, but these capacities are useful for personal and social goals.
Scientific Inquiry Model	Joseph J.Schwab	Designed to teach the research system of  discipline, but also expected to have effects  in other domains.
Cognitive Growth Model	Jean Piaget, Irving Sigel, Edmund Sullivan	Designed to increase general intellectual development especially logical reasoning.
Memory Model	Jerry Lucas	Designed to increase capacity to memories.
Picture Word Induction  Model	Calhoun	Designed to make use of students’ own vocabulary.

THE BEHAVIORAL SYSTEM FAMILY

The behavioral system family of models apply the principles of behaviorism to both academic content and student behavior. Based on the belief that learning is measurable change in behavior, manipulating select variables can elicit certain behavior that define learning. Reinforcement of the behavior strengthen them thus promoting endurance and mastery.

THE PERSONAL FAMILY
The family is a domestic group with a lasting association, which the members may or not be biologically related. It functions as a unit for the purposes of resource sharing and providing mutual emotional support while perpetuating tradition and values.