Things You Must Know About Learning Theory Ronald

Things You Must Know About Learning Theory Ronald C. Persin, Ed. D. Florida Atlantic University College of Education Department of Teaching and Learning

Progressive Education Practices to make schools more effective in democratic society John Dewey - advocated "child-centered" and "social reconstructionist" approaches Two essential elements: § Respect for diversity – an individual should be recognized for his or her own abilities, interests, and cultural identity § Development of critical, sociallyengaged intelligence which enables individuals to understand John Dewey (1859 -1952 participate effectively in a democratic society

Elements of Progressive Education Table of Contents p Behaviorism – Skinner and Watson p Cognitivism – Piaget and Bruner p Social Learning Theory - Bandura p Social Constructivism - Vygotsky p Multiple Intelligences - Gardner p Brain-Based Learning – Souza, Caine, Jensen

Behaviorism Learning is defined by the outward expression of new behaviors Focuses solely on observable behaviors p Learning is context-independent p A biological basis for learning - you have it or you don’t…it’s a thing you inherit p Theorists: B. F. Skinner & John B. Watson p (1904 – 1990) (1878 -1958)

Behaviorism in the Classroom p Responsibility for student learning rests squarely with the teacher Lecture-based, highly structured p Rewards and punishments p

Critiques of Behaviorism p Does not account for processes taking place in the mind that cannot be observed p Passive student learning in a teachercentric environment Knowledge itself is given and absolute p One size fits all p Back to Table of Contents

Cognitivism Knowledge is stored cognitively as symbols p Grew in response to Behaviorism p Learning is the process of connecting symbols in a meaningful & memorable way p Studies focused on the mental processes that facilitate symbol connection

Cognitivism cont. p Jean Piaget Genetic Epistemology - how people develop cognitively from birth n Assimilation and Accommodation n p Jerome Bruner n Discovery Learning - Learner as independent problem-solver Jerome Bruner (1915) (1896 -1980)

Cognitivism in the Classroom p Opportunities for the testing of hypotheses p Curiosity encouraged p Inquiry-oriented projects p Staged scaffolding

Critiques of Cognitivism Like Behaviorism, knowledge itself is given and absolute p Input – Process – Output model is mechanistic and deterministic p p Does not account enough for individuality Back to Table of Contents

Social Learning Theory (SLT) Learning occurs through observation and sensory experiences p Grew out of Cognitivism p Albert Bandura – observational learning p Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery p SLT is the basis of the movement against violence in media & video games n Bobo Doll Experiment Albert Bandura (1925)

SLT in the Classroom p p p Collaborative earning and group work Modeling responses and expectations Opportunities to observe experts in action

Critiques of Social Learning Theory p Suggests students learn best as passive receivers of sensory stimuli, as opposed to being active learners p Emotions and motivation not considered important or connected to learning Back to Table of Contents

Social Constructivism Knowledge is actively constructed p Lev Vygotsky n Social Learning p Zone of Proximal Development p Grew out of and in response to Cognitivism, framed around metacognition p Learning is… n n n A search for meaning by the learner Contextualized An inherently social activity Dialogic and recursive The responsibility of the learner Lev Vygotsky (1896 -1934)

Social Constructivism in the Classroom Collaborative & cooperative learning p Journaling p p Experiential activities p Personal focus

Critiques of Social Constructivism p Seen as less rigorous than traditional approaches to instruction May not fit well with traditional age grouping and rigid terms and semesters p Suggests that knowledge is neither given nor absolute, but is rather an individual construct p Back to Table of Contents

Multiple Intelligences (MI) Howard Gardner - All people are born with eight intelligences 1. Verbal-Linguistic 5. Musical 2. Visual-Spatial 6. Naturalist 3. Logical-Mathematical 7. Interpersonal 4. Kinesthetic 8. Intrapersonal p Grew out of Constructivism, framed around knowing who you are as a learner (metacognition) p Enables students to Howard Gardner (1943) leverage their strengths and purposefully target, then develop their weaknesses

MI in the Classroom p Delivery of instruction via multiple mediums p Student-centered classroom p Authentic Assessment p Self-directed learning

Critiques of MI p Development process is a time-sink p Suggestive of a departure from core curricula and standards p Lack of quantifiable evidence that MI exist p Lack of evidence that use of MI has any noticeable impact on learning Back to Table of Contents

Brain-Based Learning (BBL) 12 governing principles 1. Brain is a parallel processor 7. Focused attention & peripheral perception 2. Whole body learning 8. Conscious & unconscious processes 3. A search for meaning 9. Several types of memory 4. Patterning 10. Embedded learning sticks 5. Emotions are critical 11. Challenge & threat 6. Processing of parts and wholes 12. Every brain is unique p Grew out of Neuroscience & Constructivism p Dinesh Souza, Geoffrey & Renate Caine, Eric Jensen

BBL in the Classroom p Opportunities for group learning p Regular environmental changes p A multi-sensory environment p Opportunities for selfexpression and making personal connections to content p Community-based learning

Critiques of BBL p Research conducted by neuroscientists, not teachers & educational researchers p Lack of understanding of the brain itself makes “brain-based” learning questionable p You can’t make leaps from neuroscience to the classroom

Other Learning Theories of Note p Andragogy (M. Knowles) p Information Processing (G. Miller) p Situated Learning (J. Lave) p Subsumption Theory (D. Ausubel) p Conditions of Learning (R. Gagne) It's good practice to appreciate all the learning theories. They all add to our understanding of human learning, and our ability to instruct.