An Introduction to THEORIES of LEARNING CHAPTER An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved A Final Word 16 Ninth Edition

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Currents Trends in Learning Theory Less Ambitious Theories Everyone Is a Neuroscientist

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Currents Trends in Learning Theory Uttal: “Without exception, every part of every system of the brain so far studied has been shown to participate in a number of cognitive processes. No part of the brain operates in isolation. Modern research is increasingly making it likely that most parts of the brain are active in most cognitive processes.” (2011, p. 366)

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Left-Brain/Right-Brain Education  A number of well-intentioned, but underinformed, educational applications.  People freely describe tasks, other people, and themselves as right- or left- brained as matters of fact—all in ignorance of research data to the contrary.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  First assumption is that “The brain is a parallel processor” but see Rumelhart and McClelland (Chapter 14).  Second assumption is that “Learning engages the entire physiology” but see Pavlov (Chapter 7) and Estes’ (Chapter 9).

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Third assumption is that “The search for meaning is innate” but see Gestalt theorists (Chapter 10) and Piaget (Chapter 11).

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Fourth assumption is that “The search for meaning occurs through ‘patterning’” see the Gestaltists again.  Fifth assumption is that “Emotions are critical to patterning” but see Pavlov, Tolman (Chapter 12), and Bandura (Chapter 13).

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Sixth assumption is that “Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes,” yet another Gestalt principle.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Seventh assumption is that “Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral perception” but see Estes’ theory and Lewin’s Gestalt Field Theory.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Eighth assumption is that “Learning always involves conscious and unconscious processes;” both Tolman and Bandura addressed this phenomenon.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Ninth assumption is that “We have (at least) two types of memory systems: spatial and rote learning.” Tolman introduced the concepts of spatial learning and cognitive maps, contemporary research psychologists also recognize short-term memory along with different types of long-term memory.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Tenth assumption is “The brain understands and remembers best when facts and skills are embedded in natural spatial memory,” and we are reminded of the Gestalt learning principles espoused by Wertheimer.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Eleventh assumption is that “Learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat,” which is a poetic restatement of Hebb’s notion (Chapter 14) that there is an optimal arousal level for performance but that too much arousal is detrimental.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuroscience and Education Brain-Based Learning/Education  Twelfth assumption is that “Every brain is unique,” which is probably true but impossible to verify empirically.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Learning Styles The twelfth assumption of brain based education implies that  Each individual will, therefore, have his or her own optimal approach to, or style of, learning.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Learning Styles Pasher, McDaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork (2009) were commissioned to review Learning Styles research. During the last several decades, at least 71 different learning style assessment tools—for all purposes, 71 different theories of learning style— have been documented.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Learning Styles Looked for evidence of “crossover interaction.” Concluded that there is NO compelling evidence for Learning Styles. Called for a research based approach.

An Introduction to Theories of Learning, Ninth Edition Matthew H. Olson | B. R. Hergenhahn Copyright © 2014 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Some Unanswered Questions About Learning How Does Learning Vary as a Function of Maturation? How Many Kinds of Learning Exist? What About Reinforcement? NO FINAL ANSWERS ABOUT THE LEARNING PROCESS