MEANING OF LEARNING THEORIES OF LEARNING BEHAVIORAL THEORIES OF LEARNING 1 LEARNING AND LEARNING THEORIESLEARNING

2 Meaning of Learning There is no universally accepted meaning of learning. Meaning depends on learning approach Behavioral approach to Learning: Behavioral approach to learning emphasizes observable and measurable behavior not considering the place of mind in learning. Learning is ‘a relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience, practice or training’ (Reilly and Lewis:1995; Stones:1978; Wakefield;1996).

3 The changes must be: permanent and continuous. due to experience or training not due to growth, as put by Siann, G (1986) ‘not ascribable to the process of growth’; evidenced in behavior which must be different from before experience, training, instruction or practice; demonstrated or observed in other situations; what is not observed can not be measured, hence can not be taken into account as learning; Learning is the product of certain process but not the process that produces the changes.

4 The change may be any type; bad or good, adaptive or maladaptive including attitudes, emotions (phobia), motor skills; typing, driving, cooking, writing as well as language. The cognitive approach to learning: Siann, G (1986): learning as ‘a process that includes perception, memory, handling concepts, problem solving, meta-cognition and social cognition’. Internal process is put at the centre of the learning process. The definition suggests that: it is the mind that changes.

5 learning involves knowledge acquisition and construction rather than mere change of overt behavior. Combining Behavioural and Cognitive Approaches Cauley et al (1995) define learning as ‘a relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of thinking and due to experience and not due to maturation. This definition includes internal process that may have not stimulated immediate change in behavior.

6 Humanistic approach to learning learning is the process of building personality; confidence, self-esteem and maturity. learning is viewed as making a better person in values and ability. Changes in behavior and thinking are the result of complex interaction between individual characteristics and environmental factors.

7 THEORIES OF LEARNING Learning can be better explained and understood in terms of theories. What is a theory? An organized system of ideas that seeks to explain why two or more events are related (Franzoi;2002:20). A general framework or perspective that provides an explanation for a specific social phenomena (Hughes et al 1999:8).

8 Theories help in organizing, integrating, interpreting and stating facts in the form of laws or principles. THEORIES OF LEARNING Theories of learning are collection of principles or related ideas that seek to explain how learning occurs. learning theories help us to understand what learning is, how it occurs, factors that influence it and how it can be promoted.

9 In this course three sets of theories of learning will be learned. Namely;  behavioral learning theories,  social learning theories  cognitive learning theories

10 BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES  More focused on studying behavior that can be observed and measured; what the learner does, his/her responses and reactions to the environment.  The theory is also known as associanist theory because it explains learning in terms of association between behavior, environment or consequences.  Behaviorists are not interested in the role of mental processes in learning.  Any attempt to include mind in the study of learning is a wastage of time.

11 Mind is considered as a black box that no one can know what is inside. J. Watson a founder of behaviorism wanted to make psychology more scientific. Great pioneers of Behaviorism are Pavlov, Skinner, Thorndike, Guthrie, Hull and Tolman

12 BASIC ASSUMPTIONS OF BEHAVIORAL LEARNING THEORIES According to Cooper, P in Cauley et al (1995), behavioral learning theories are founded on three assumptions: 1. Objectivism 2. Environmentalism 3. Behavior consequences

13 Objectivism Studying behavior should concentrate on observable data because truth can only be arrived at by observable data. It is not important to include other processes that can not be seen or verified. Environmentalism Environment is the significant factor in determining behavior. It provides the stimulus that develops, changes, modifies or shapes behavior.

14  This implies that if two people are put in different environments they will respond differently and will develop different behavior.  But if put in the same environment will respond in the same way and develop the same behavior no matter how different their personalities or intelligences are.  Example, children of the same class will more likely develop similar behavior than children from different classes.  If we want to change behavior of children we need to change their environments.

15 In school, the manipulator or the controller of the environment is the teacher. Environment shapes and stops behavior. This approach disregards the human will, decision, choice, intelligence or inherited capacities in learning. 3. Behavior consequences Learning is an accumulation of a series of stimulus- response-consequence associations. The consequence of an action affects subsequent behavior.

16 The consequence may be favorable (reward or re-enforcer) or unfavorable (punishment). The behavior will continue/strengthen or stop/cease/extinguished depending on whether favorable or unfavorable consequence follows the initial behavior. Consequence of the initial behavior develops, shapes or modifies behavior as well as making it to continue and sustain.