LEARNING THEORIES
LEARNING THEORIES
- behaviorism
- cognitivism
- constructivism
- connectivism
- humanists theory
BEHAVIORISM
Behaviorism is a worldview that operates on a principle of “stimulus-response.” All behavior caused by external stimuli (operant conditioning). All behavior can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states or consciousness[1].
CONTRIBUTORS
KEY CONCEPTS
assumes learner is essentially passive, responding to environmental stimuli.
The learner starts off as a clean slate and behavior is shaped through positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement.
Both positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement increase the probability that the antecedent behavior will happen again.
In contrast, punishment (both positive and negative) decreases the likelihood that the antecedent behavior will happen again.
Positive indicates the application of a stimulus; Negative indicates the withholding of a stimulus.
Learning is therefore defined as a change in behavior in the learner.
Behaviorism precedes the cognitivist worldview. It rejects structuralism and is an extension of Logical Positivism.
assumes learner is essentially passive, responding to environmental stimuli.
The learner starts off as a clean slate and behavior is shaped through positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement.
Both positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement increase the probability that the antecedent behavior will happen again.
In contrast, punishment (both positive and negative) decreases the likelihood that the antecedent behavior will happen again.
Positive indicates the application of a stimulus; Negative indicates the withholding of a stimulus.
Learning is therefore defined as a change in behavior in the learner.
Behaviorism precedes the cognitivist worldview. It rejects structuralism and is an extension of Logical Positivism.
COGNITIVISM
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).
CONTRIBUTORS
- Marriner David Merill (1937 – )
- Charles Reigeluth (1946 – )
- Robert Mills Gagné (1916 – 2002)
- Jerome Bruner (1915-2016)
- Roger Schank (1946 – )
- Marriner David Merill (1937 – )
- Charles Reigeluth (1946 – )
- Robert Mills Gagné (1916 – 2002)
- Jerome Bruner (1915-2016)
- Roger Schank (1946 – )
KEY CONCEPTS
Cognitivism focuses on the inner mental activities – opening the “black box" of the human mind is valuable and necessary for understanding how people learn.
Mental processes such as thinking, memory, knowing, and problem-solving need to be explored. Knowledge can be seen as schema or symbolic mental constructions. Learning is defined as change in a learner’s schemata.
A response to behaviorism, people are not “programmed animals" that merely respond to environmental stimuli; people are rational beings that require active participation in order to learn, and whose actions are a consequence of thinking.
Changes in behavior are observed, but only as an indication of what is occurring in the learner’s head.
Cognitivism uses the metaphor of the mind as computer: information comes in, is being processed, and leads to certain outcomes.
Cognitivism focuses on the inner mental activities – opening the “black box" of the human mind is valuable and necessary for understanding how people learn.
Mental processes such as thinking, memory, knowing, and problem-solving need to be explored. Knowledge can be seen as schema or symbolic mental constructions. Learning is defined as change in a learner’s schemata.
A response to behaviorism, people are not “programmed animals" that merely respond to environmental stimuli; people are rational beings that require active participation in order to learn, and whose actions are a consequence of thinking.
Changes in behavior are observed, but only as an indication of what is occurring in the learner’s head.
Cognitivism uses the metaphor of the mind as computer: information comes in, is being processed, and leads to certain outcomes.
CONSTRUCTIVISM
Learning is an active, constructive process. The learner is an information constructor. People actively construct or create their own subjective representations of objective reality. New information is linked to to prior knowledge, thus mental representations are subjective.
CONTRIBUTORS
- Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (1896 – 1943)[1]
- Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980)[2]
- John Dewey (1859 – 1952)
- Jerome Seymour Bruner (1915 – 2016)
- Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (1896 – 1943)[1]
- Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980)[2]
- John Dewey (1859 – 1952)
- Jerome Seymour Bruner (1915 – 2016)
KEY CONCEPTS
constructivism states that learning is an active, contextualized process of constructing knowledge rather than acquiring it.
Knowledge is constructed based on personal experiences and hypotheses of the environment. Learners continuously test these hypotheses through social negotiation.
Each person has a different interpretation and construction of knowledge process. The learner is not a blank slate (tabula rasa) but brings past experiences and cultural factors to a situation.
Constructivism assumes that all knowledge is constructed from the learner’s previous knowledge, regardless of how one is taught. Thus, even listening to a lecture involves active attempts to construct new knowledge.
Vygotsky’s social development theory is one of the foundations for constructivism.
constructivism states that learning is an active, contextualized process of constructing knowledge rather than acquiring it.
Knowledge is constructed based on personal experiences and hypotheses of the environment. Learners continuously test these hypotheses through social negotiation.
Each person has a different interpretation and construction of knowledge process. The learner is not a blank slate (tabula rasa) but brings past experiences and cultural factors to a situation.
Constructivism assumes that all knowledge is constructed from the learner’s previous knowledge, regardless of how one is taught. Thus, even listening to a lecture involves active attempts to construct new knowledge.
Vygotsky’s social development theory is one of the foundations for constructivism.
HUMANISM
Humanism believes learning is viewed as a personal act to fulfill one’s potential.
CONTRIBUTORS
KEY CONCEPTS
Humanism focuses on the human freedom, dignity, and potential.
A central assumption of humanism, according to Huitt, is that people act with intentionality and values.
Humanists also believe that it is necessary to study the person as a whole, especially as an individual grows and develops over the lifespan. It follows that the study of the self, motivation, and goals are areas of particular interest.
A primary purpose of humanism could be described as the development of self-actualized, autonomous people. In humanism, learning is student centered and personalized, and the educator’s role is that of a facilitator.
Affective and cognitive needs are key, and the goal is to develop self-actualized people in a cooperative, supportive environment.
Humanism focuses on the human freedom, dignity, and potential.
A central assumption of humanism, according to Huitt, is that people act with intentionality and values.
Humanists also believe that it is necessary to study the person as a whole, especially as an individual grows and develops over the lifespan. It follows that the study of the self, motivation, and goals are areas of particular interest.
A primary purpose of humanism could be described as the development of self-actualized, autonomous people. In humanism, learning is student centered and personalized, and the educator’s role is that of a facilitator.
Affective and cognitive needs are key, and the goal is to develop self-actualized people in a cooperative, supportive environment.
CONNECTIVISM
Explains how Internet technologies have created new opportunities for people to learn and share information across the World Wide Web and among themselves.
CONTRIBUTORS
- George Siemens
- Stephen Downes
- George Siemens
- Stephen Downes
Connectivism is a learning theory that explains how Internet technologies have created new opportunities for people to learn and share information across the World Wide Web and among themselves.
These technologies include Web browsers, email, wikis, online discussion forums, social networks, YouTube, and any other tool which enables the users to learn and share information with other people.
A key feature of connectivism is that much learning can happen across peer networks that take place online.
In connectivist learning, a teacher will guide students to information and answer key questions as needed, in order to support students learning and sharing on their own. Students are also encouraged to seek out information on their own online and express what they find. A connected community around this shared information often results.
The massive open online course (MOOC) phenomenon comes from connectivist theory. In a connectivist MOOC (cMOOC), it is open to anyone who wants to enroll, it uses open software and systems across the Web to facilitate learning and sharing, it takes place primarily online, and it happens according to a specified curriculum for a designated period of time. While facilitators guide the cMOOC, its participants are largely responsible for what they learn and what and how they share it; this connected behavior largely helps create the course content.
Connectivism is a learning theory that explains how Internet technologies have created new opportunities for people to learn and share information across the World Wide Web and among themselves.
These technologies include Web browsers, email, wikis, online discussion forums, social networks, YouTube, and any other tool which enables the users to learn and share information with other people.
A key feature of connectivism is that much learning can happen across peer networks that take place online.
In connectivist learning, a teacher will guide students to information and answer key questions as needed, in order to support students learning and sharing on their own. Students are also encouraged to seek out information on their own online and express what they find. A connected community around this shared information often results.
The massive open online course (MOOC) phenomenon comes from connectivist theory. In a connectivist MOOC (cMOOC), it is open to anyone who wants to enroll, it uses open software and systems across the Web to facilitate learning and sharing, it takes place primarily online, and it happens according to a specified curriculum for a designated period of time. While facilitators guide the cMOOC, its participants are largely responsible for what they learn and what and how they share it; this connected behavior largely helps create the course content.
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