Principles of Learning for Classroom Teaching William G. Huitt Valdosta State University Last revised: September 2006

Operant Conditioning Pay attention to observable behavior Identify desired outcomes Connect to beginning circumstances Perform task analysis and backwards planning Feed what you want to grow (reinforcement) Starve what you want to die (ignore; extinction)

Information Processing Three processes Attention Repetition Elaboration Use it or lose it—even though information is stored in long-term memory, retrieval unlikely to occur without periodic processing Most likely to process and retrieve information in same manner as it was encoded

Information Processing Use Bloom’s taxonomy for designing learning activities (Levels of elaboration) Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis & Evaluation

Constructivism Piaget Create disequilibrium (primary influence or energy source for initial action) Expect qualitative changes in thinking and knowing Provide hands-on experiences Systematically address movement from concrete to formal operations

Constructivism Vygotsky Identify individual’s zone of proximal development Provide mediation and scaffolding during teaching/learning activities Social signs and symbols first processed holistically and then personally modified Important to have correct worldview that is presented to students

Humanistic Education Affect and valuing are as important as knowledge and processing skills Attraction is key concept Subjective, personal viewpoint is important in guiding one’s own learning

Social Cognition Reciprocal determination is basic principle of relationships among influencing factors Self-efficacy (It can be done; I can do it) best developed with successful experience Self-regulation Vision, mission, goals Action plans Commitment and perseverance Self-reflection and evaluation

Summary Each learning theory provides alternative paradigm What variables should be considered? What data should be collected? How should data be interpreted? Each learning theory supported by empirical findings Applied behavioral scientists must considered principles from all theories Criteria for utilization of principles—What are desired outcomes?