Transcript Learning Theories

LEARNING THEORIES
ETEC 5300
By Jennifer Massey
What You Will Learn
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Definitions to learning theories
Implications of theories in classroom
Discussion of High Tech High video in relation to
learning theories
Discussion of PBS video in relation to cognition and
schema
My thoughts on learning theories
Defining Learning Theories: Behaviorism
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Founded by John B. Watson (psychologist)
Learning = a change in the probability of a behavior
occurring
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Teacher:
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Change occurs in response to environmental stimulus
No consideration given to internal mental states
(cognition/emotions/mood)
Reinforces consequences following student behavior to
achieve required result (called conditioning)
Types of conditioning
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Classical: natural stimulus is paired with neutral stimulus.
When neutral stimulus evokes response without natural
stimulus, subject is considered to be conditioned.
Operant: Rewards or punishments are given for behavior.
Associations are made based on consequences to behavior.
Defining Learning Theories: Cognitivism
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Learning = change in knowledge stored in memory
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Process: receive---encode---retrieve from memory
Teacher: helps to organize and link new information to prior knowledge
(attention/encoding/retrieval aids)
Components
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Sensory Memory: Visual stimuli is processed quickly (often an unconscious task)
and given limited processing time. Only salient information is passed on to working
memory.
Working Memory: Sensory memory that is not deleted passes on to working
memory. Limited capacity restricts the amount of information is processed
(selective control used). Rehearsal and repetition make some tasks seem automatic
(articulatory loop). Maintenance and further processing occur for non-verbal and
visual information (visual sketch pad). Efficiency of processing is increased by
automaticity and selectivity.
Long Term Memory: Storage of information; not constrained by capacity.
Information is encoded from working memory or retrieved from long term memory
and placed back into working memory. Efficient organizational strategies must be
employed for efficiency of encoding and retrieval.
Defining Learning Theories: Constructivism
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Learning = change in meaning through experience
Process: repeated dialogue and collaboration while
problem solving
Teacher
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Pose a “good” problem
Create/model/guide collaborative group learning
Employs active techniques (experiments/real world problems)
Encourages constant reflection = expert learners
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Ideas gain complexity
Develop skills to integrate new information
Learn how to understand how things work
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Hypothesis/test/draw conclusions
High Tech High Video Analysis
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Constructivism at its best!
Teams of students collaborate on projects
Content/students/real world issues are always integrated
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Ask questions
 Consider perspectives
 Make connections
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Project Based Learning with clear expectations
Positively affects students
Constantly refining thoughts/assimilating new knowledge
 Actions are questioned and qualified at every step
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Analysis of PBS Video
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Behaviorism was primary focus for early psychologists
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Cognitivism: includes thinking process and behavior
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Made no distinction between animal or human behavior
Sensory processes—selective filtering---storage
Process is sequential
Concepts: mental representations of related things
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Basic levels make up most of thinking
Way to categorize
Schema: way to fit elements into concepts
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Way to infer what is part of a situation and what is not
Creates a mental map of concept; eliminates things that are not part of concept
Example: “I am going to have a picnic lunch.”
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Schema allows you to infer that the speaker is not going to eat a picnic basket. They will
eat a selection of items (sandwiches/fruits/etc.) that are found in the basket and will be
eating outdoors.
Analysis of PBS Video
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People do not think rationally/efficiently
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concepts and schema to think efficiently
 Creating computer models that model our thinking
process helped psychologists to realize this
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Students need more mental models to assimilate
new schema into existing concepts
 Advanced
organizers
 More opportunities to collaborate
 More hypothesis testing
My Thoughts on Learning
Theories
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Behaviorism is useful to teach basic skills
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Walking in a line across campus
Holding a pencil
Raising your hand before asking a question
Cognitivism is useful when planning how students should interact with an
experience.
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What is their prior knowledge?/How can I get them to recall it?
How can I help them organize new knowledge?
Example: Making comparisons between Civil War and WWI
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What were key themes in Civil War?
What were key themes in WWI?
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Technology: How did it help progress of each war?
Leading Ideologies: How did each war form “sides”?
Lessons learned: What did each era hope to avoid in the future?
This theory creates a framework for understanding how the mind processes
information.
Instructors should keep this in mind when planning a learning experience.
My Thoughts on Theories
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Constructivist Theory
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Most useful for producing students that can function in the real world
Moves beyond processing of information see in Cognitivism
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Learning is experiential
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How can they apply it?!
Students must hypothesize/test/conclude
Since this is relatively new, there needs to be a shift in the educational
setting.
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Teachers need the “know-how” to implement more of these lessons
Teachers also need confidence that the core concepts will still be maintained
(and possibly exceeded) with project based learning
Teachers/administrators need to revise schema
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No more sage on the stage (or less of it)
No more high stakes testing!
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Products can replace tests.
What I Learned
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Behaviorism has its moments, but is not a global model
for teaching or learning.
Cognitivist theory explains how we learn.
Should be used when thinking about how to implement the
core concepts of a lesson.
 Anything more could lead to rote factual transfer, which
does not show evidence of learning
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Constructivist theory leads to learning or transfer of
knowledge.
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When students can apply what they know to a new situation,
they have learned the core concept, made new schema, and
assimilated the knowledge effectively.