Learning Theory By: Nashae Lumpkin

Perspectives on effective instruction Directed Instruction Teachers should convey information to the students through teacher-organized activities. Objectivism: a belief system in behaviorist learning theory. Inquiry-based Learning Students are to generate their own knowledge through experience. Teachers only serve as facilitators. Constructivism: evolved from cognitive learning theory.

Directed integration models Behaviorist theories Information-processing theories Cognitive-behaviorist learning theory Systems approaches to instructional design

Directed integration models (cont.) Behaviorist Theories B.F. Skinner Instruction must provide the right stimuli and reinforcement to get students to make the desired behavioral responses, or learned skills. Behaviors are controlled by the consequences of actions. Positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement Punishment

Directed integration models (cont.) Information-Processing Theory Based on a model of memory and storage proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin. Sensory registers: the part of the memory that receives all the information a person senses. Short-term memory: working memory; part of the memory where new information is held temporarily until it is lost or moved into long-term memory. Long-term memory: part of memory with unlimited capacity and can hold information indefinitely.

Directed integration models (cont.) Cognitive-Behaviorist Theory Robert Gagné A renowned educational psychologist who translated principles from behaviorist and information-processing theories into practical strategies for educators. Events of instruction Types of learning Learning hierarchies Set of guidelines that teachers could use and follow to arrange optimal “conditions of learning.”

Directed integration models (cont.) Systems approaches to instructional design Stating goals and objectives Doing a task analysis to decide on learning conditions Aligning assessment and instruction strategies with goals and objectives Creating materials that deliver strategies Testing and revising materials before finalizing them

Constructivist integration models Social Activism Theory John Dewey Curriculum should arise from students interest Curriculum topics should be integrated Education is growth Education occurs through its connection with life Learning should be hands-on and experienced based

Constructivist integration models (cont.) Social Cognitive Theory Albert Bandura Most powerful way students learned was through observing the behaviors modeled by those around them. Students beliefs and judgments as social beings that determined whether or not their actions changed. Scaffolding Theories Lev Semenovich Vygotsky How children learn and think stems from the culture around them. Building on what they know to what they need to know, with the help of adults.

Constructivist integration models (cont.) Child Development Theory Jean Piaget Early ages of development in children and the role of environment in these stages. Sensorimotor stage: Birth to 2 years Preoperational stage: Age 2-7 years Concrete operational stage: Age 7-11 years Formal operations stage: Age 12-15 years

Constructivist integration models (cont.) Discovery Learning Jerome Bruner Children go through various stages of intellectual development. Simulations, problem-solving environments, and exploring Internet sites for relevant information Enactive stage: Birth – 3 years Iconic stage: Age 3-8 years Symbolic stage: Age 8 and up

Constructivist integration models (cont.) Multiple Intelligences Theory Howard Gardner The only theory that attempts to define the role of intelligence in learning. Eight different and independent kinds of intelligence. Has less impact on curriculum. Group work on multimedia products, assigning students group roles based on their type of intelligence.

recommendations Directed instruction should be used at the beginning of a lesson. Inquiry-based learning should be used to check for what the student has learned. If a student needs more assistance than the teacher should do what is needed to get that student that help until they are at the inquiry-based learning level. Adjust to each students individual needs.

references Roblyer, M. D. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (7th ed.). Boston: Pearson.