Learning Theories

Jennie Barnett

Objectives

By the end of the next two sessions you will be able to: outline 3 learning theories

BehaviouristCognitiveHumanist

identify the key principles of each theory as applied to teaching and learning

Compare and contrast the theories

Behaviourist theory

J.B.Watson

Introspection‘tabula rasa’Science

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

PavlovClassical conditioningExperiments with digestive system in dogsLearning through associationReflexes

Behaviourist theory

Thorndike Instrumental learning Law of effect

B.F. Skinner Operant conditioning

Operant Conditioning

Behaviour Shaping Successive approximations to the goal

behaviourReinforcement

anything which increases desired behaviour

Reinforcement

Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous Reinforcement Fixed Ratio Reinforcement (FR) Fixed Interval Reinforcement (FI) Variable Ratio Reinforcement (VR) Variable Interval Reinforcement (VI):

Reinforcement

Positivegiving something good - increases desired

behaviour

Negativetaking away something bad - increases desired

behaviour

Punishmentapplying something bad - reduces

undesired behaviour

Programmed Learning 1

Learning should be fun.

However, in the early stages of learning a subject, students often make many errors.

Students do [ ] do not [ ] like to make errors?

Click in the correct box

Programmed Learning 2

The basic idea of programmed learning is that the most efficient, pleasant and permanent learning takes place when the student proceeds through a course by a large number of small, easy-to-take steps.

If each step the student takes is small, he/she

is[ ] is not [ ] likely to make errors

Gestalt Theory

Wertheimer, Kohler and KofflerThe whole is more than the sum of the partsInsight learning

transferability

Cognitive Theory

Jean PiagetInteraction with the environmentDevelopment of ‘schemata’Active nature of learningDiscovery learning

Cognitive Theory

Jerome Bruner (1966)Work

from the known to the unknownfrom the concrete to the abstract

Relate new knowledge to existing knowledgeSpiral curriculum

Humanist Theory

Carl RogersTotal personality

Malcolm KnowlesAndragogy

learning contracts